First Drive: Ford's Edge

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So, what is the Edge? And is it any good?

What Is the Edge? One of a growing number of sporty-looking "crossover" vehicles. Unlike traditional SUVs, which are most often built on the same or similar chassis used on a pickup truck, the crossover typically shares a platform with cars. That gives it a softer, more comfortable ride that tends to be a bit closer to the ground than a big SUV. The Edge shares its underpinnings with the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ sedans, as well as the Mazda6.

What Isn't the Edge? It's not a legit off-road vehicle, though there is a version with all-wheel drive. There is a reason why Ford chose San Francisco streets and the nearby hills and valleys to show the car to journalists this week. It isn't an SUV that will handle much towing. It's not a replacement for a minivan. There are no plans for a third row of seats. That package can be found in the Explorer and the Freestyle crossover.

What's It Got? Seating for five. Six-way adjustable heated seats. An iPod jack. Generous storage for gear and groceries behind the back seat. Handy buttons in the rear storage areas that fold the 60/40 back seats down flat. Cupholders that are adequate for short and tall lattes (I recently drove a Mitsubishi whose cupholders were too deep to hold a short latte). Comfortable seating.

A first-rate interior layout with a satin-silver center stack and rich leather-look surfaces on the dash and doors. A bold looking toothy chrome grille that Ford has adopted as a signature. Optional navigation and Sirius radio. A cool panoramic glass roof that allows a sliding sunroof for front-seat passengers and a fixed moonroof for those in the rear seats. The engine is a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 265 horsepower. A new six-speed automatic transmission helps fuel economy, which will be in the mid-20s for most.

How Does It Drive? The Edge is more pleasurable and refined than the Ford Explorer. I felt a connection to the Ford Fusion on which the Edge is based. As in the Fusion, there is a solid, but not stiff, feel to the vehicle. This is probably right for Ford, whose customers aren't looking for the same sporty ride that is found in, for example, the Mazda CX-7 crossover. Like a Subaru, for example, the Edge's optional AWD system constantly monitors and predicts traction needs and delivers needed torque to the rear wheels.

The Edge is quiet, though certainly not as quiet as, say, the much more expensive Lexus RX330. I only mention the Lexus because the Edge resembles the luxury crossover in profile. This is a nice piece of work. Suspension tuning and good workmanship on the frame give the Edge an almost Honda-like solidity and tautness. It actually feels as if Ford engineers could have gone further in dialing in more sportiness and had to hold back.

Pros: Styling—influenced, but not originated, by Ford North America's Peter Horbury—is the strength of the Edge. Ford calls it bold. Ford President Mark Fields even thinks it will polarize people. I'm not sure. To me, it's more like a really well-tailored suit. I like it better than the more audaciously styled Nissan Murano or the more utilitarian Toyota Highlander. There is a gorgeous "blazing copper" version that is a head-turner.

Cons: The transmission, which is a new design, seems to hunt around when you step on the gas. There's 265 horses under the bonnet, but I'm not sure they have the right harness. There's no manual transmission option, nor is there a "manu-matic" feature—becoming more common so would-be stick drivers can have more control over the gear shifts. There are no grab-handles in the front seat. I wish I had them when I was a passenger on the valley twisties.

And my 86-year-old mother will complain about their absence when she tries to get into the front seat. There's no electric opener for the rear hatch on the key fob. Three rear-seat headrests obscure the rear view, but generous side mirrors help make up for it.