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The start point for the best source of fleet information |
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Depending on where you stand in the business car arena, the Ford Edge could be seen as a large, heavy 4x4 that will only appeal to a niche audience, or as great-value, slow-depreciating car that will offer a valid alternative to the existing players.
Both points are, of course, true. Ford claims it will sell around 5500 Edges in a full year, with half going to fleet customers. Against the normal scale for Ford products, this is a small seller, and by way of a comparison the manufacturer sold 132,000 Fiestas last year. However, even at these numbers the Edge will be an impressive seller.
Also, in the wider market, the Edge may look inefficient with a CO2 figure of 149g/km for the 180hp 2.0-litre diesel manual and 152g/km for the 210hp diesel auto, but against other large 4x4s, it's one of the greenest cars, although not quite the best.
What you have to remember is that the Edge is large. At 4.8m it's (just) longer than main rivals the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Kia Sorento. The overall size means the Edge claims, very believably, class-leading rear legroom and it also has a large 602-litre boot.
Add all of these elements together and the Edge starts to look very appealing for fleets or drivers that value such qualities.
On top of this, the vehicle is offered with very good equipment levels, which make the already competitive price look like a bargain. The small numbers expected on the road, by Ford standards, also mean that residual values are predicted to be very strong, with KwikCarcost quoting a 44.6% RV at three years/60,000 miles, which is just ahead of the two main rivals. It also leads to a 64.9p a mile whole-life cost figure, which, again, beats the direct competition.
So it's an easy decision for fleets? Not quite, because the Edge is not without its negative points.
The biggest hurdle for buyers is that this large 4x4 is only available with five seats. The vast majority of rivals either come with seven seats as standard or offer it as an option.
Next up is the interior quality of the materials. The obvious parts of the cabin that you touch and see are, at first glance, fine, but spend time in the Edge and you'll find some distinctly cheap feel plastics.
The car pulls some points back with the way it drives, and although it is not as sharp, fun and enjoyable as other Ford models, it is refined and comfortable in all conditions, which suits this sector well.
For those fleets that need the grip and towing ability a large 4x4 offers, the Edge offers exceedingly good value and will easily hit the volumes Ford is aiming for.
Ford Edge Titanium 2.0 TDCi 180 |
| Model price range £29,995-£34,500 |
| Residual value 44.6% |
| Depreciation £17,770 |
| Fuel £5894 |
| Service, maintenance and repair £2579 |
| Vehicle Excise Duty £435 |
| National Insurance £4113 |
| Cost per mile 64.9p |
| Fuel consumption 48.7mpg |
| CO2 (BIK band) 149g/km (29%) |
| BIK 20/40% per month £155/£310 |
| Warranty 3yrs/60,000mls |
| Boot space (min/max) 602/1847 litres |
| Engine size/power 1997cc/180hp |
VerdictWell equipped and well priced if you want a large five-seat SUV |
7/10 |
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Business Car Magazine © 2020 | Business Car is part of NS Media Group.
