2008 Ford Edge - Performance Review

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A “gutsy” engine and a busy transmission combine with a superior suspension to make driving the 2008 Ford Edge a mixed experience.

The Edge is powered by a 3.5-liter Duratec V-6. For those who have not so fond memories of the Freestyle's 3.0-liter version, Car and Driver assures us at TheCarConnection.com that "it's all-new, beyond its general layout--60-degree cylinder banks, twin cams, four valves per cylinder--it shares nothing with previous Duratecs." Cars.com initially expresses similar misgivings, fearing "that it was a bored-out version of the played-out Duratec 3.0-liter." However, this reviewer finds that at 265 horsepower, it's "more modern, refined and gutsy." ConsumerGuide reports that the 2008 Ford Edge "has good power from a stop" and can "do 8.4 sec 0-60 mph." Kelley Blue Book praises the engine's performance, reporting that "the 2008 Ford Edge met or exceeded nearly all of our high expectations," noting several improvements, and commenting on "how quickly the Edge was able to merge and pass was how pleasantly it did so, with none of the racket and drama we might have expected from such a vehicle only a few years ago."

This 2008 Ford's six-speed automatic transmission is another story. "Available in front- and all-wheel-drive forms," the Edge, as reported by Car and Driver, has a transmission that "tends to hunt annoyingly at highway cruising speeds." They also question that "if the Edge is supposed to be sporty, how come the tranny has no manumatic function?" Kelley Blue Book suggests that "for the small percentage of drivers that would utilize it, the Edge's lack of manumatic shift capability could be a disappointment."

Cars.com reports that this 2008 Ford's "6-speed automatic was developed with GM" and is installed in several GM vehicles. In contrast to the previous review, however, Cars.com reports "little if any lag between the pedal and the engine response...[leaving] little to be desired in terms of quickness," adding that "thanks to the six gears, and the drivetrain's quick reaction times, passing power is at the ready at any speed." ConsumerGuide notes, "The transmission is generally responsive," but like Car and Driver, found that "one test example was hesitant to downshift without a deep stab of the gas pedal."

Car and Driver deems "gas mileage [for this 2008 Ford] is midpack, with EPA ratings of 16 mpg city and 24 highway for front-wheel-drive versions." This was a disappointment for Cars.com, which said "[the 2008 Ford] Edge's EPA-estimated gas mileage isn't what one might expect from a car-based vehicle of this size with a V-6 and a six-speed transmission."

Car and Driver reports that this Ford 2008 model's "car-style unibody underpinnings [give] it more sophisticated handling and better ride quality than a traditional body-on-frame SUV." ConsumerGuide is in agreement here: "Edge smothers bumps better than many competitive crossovers. Some testers say slight float over highway swells taints otherwise fine ride control." Brakes, on the other hand, left something to be desired, according to Cars.com: "They're not the car's greatest attribute. I found the pedal mushy and the stopping power only fair." Overall, however, Kelley Blue Book considers "the suspension, steering and brakes ideally balanced for the vehicle's purpose in life," noting its limitations "only when the road began to wind and curve, and we began to push it harder."