2011 Ford Edge
For a brand known for its once top selling body-on-frame explorer SUV, the arrival of the 2006 Ford Edge midsize crossover utility really raised eyebrows. But Ford was just responding to the reality of surging gas prices and a flood of lighter, more efficient CUVs from import rivals. So, the Edge was a gamble that paid off. Now, Ford is doubling down with a mid-cycle edge revamp of the Edge. So let’s see if it’s again a winner.
Typical of what car makers call a freshening, the 2011 Edge maintains most of its exterior sheet metal, with major changes largely limited to front and rear fascias.
But, the addition of a big drop-jaw Ford-truck style grille, more expressive headlamp housings, and beefier wheels, does deliver a fresh impression, and makes the modern stance of the Edge even more so.
But, Ford smartly paid a lot more attention to upgrading the interior of the Edge. The instrument panel is improved in style, in fit and finish, with softer materials. Taurus influence is unmistakable.
Our well-equipped Edge Limited also included the latest Sync system which controls climate, stereo, navigation, and other functions.
Ford’s Sync voice recognition system has now morphed into MyFord Touch and it has three screens: two colorful info screens inside the gauge cluster, and a large touch screen in the center dash. Now it looks very much like a big smart phone display.
And like a smart phone, there’s no tactile feel, so you have to look at the screen when you actually want to make a touch selection. We find that distracting—and it’s also annoying, especially when the system locks up like it did for us.
Now there are redundant controls for stereo and climate below, but they’re very sensitive, so again you have to look at what you’re touching.
On the other hand, Sync’s voice command system and Bluetooth connectivity are improved, but they’re still just a little fussy.
The two gauge screens are controlled by five-way switches on the steering wheel. Of all the controls, they are the most intuitive to use.
Available SD-card based navigation adds some neat tricks, too, like buildings appearing in 3D. But the best news here is the addition of SYNC TDI, an On-Star-like voice-prompt navigation feature.
Systems like Sync and MyFord Touch may very well be the future of automotive controls. Still, we also hope efforts continue to make voice command systems more intuitive, since you don’t have to take your eyes off the road to use those.
Edge remains a five-passenger crossover. The new front seats are more comfortable but could still use more lateral support.
Ford’s unique door keypad is standard on all but base trim. Blind Spot Monitoring is an option.
Rear seat space and comfort remain excellent, even for six-footers. That still leaves room for 32.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind a large opening hatch. And, folding the seats down brings that space to a competitive 68.9 cubic feet.
Base power for the Edge is still a 3.5-liter V6. But it’s smoother, with 285 horsepower, up 20, and 253 lb-ft of torque, up three.
New is the Mustang’s 3.7-liter V6 in the Edge Sport with 305-horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.
Front-drive six-speed automatics are fitted to both sixes with Sport trim adding paddle shifters. All-wheel drive adds new Hill Start Assist.
Still to come is an Edge Ecoboost, with a direct-injected, turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4. But, even without Ecoboost, Edge made gains in fuel economy.
Our front-drive 3.5 has government fuel economy ratings of 19 city, 27 highway. That’s up one in the city and two on the highway. On our test loop, we averaged 22.8 mpg of regular.
The Edge’s moderate Energy Impact Score of 15.6 barrels of oil per annum, and 8.5-ton Carbon Footprint, mirror those of the Toyota Venza V6.
Edge track performance was well above par: zero to 60 in 7.1 seconds, and the quarter mile in 15.7 seconds at 93 miles per hour. Power was best in the upper revs.
There was a fair amount of body roll through the slalom, but it had no notable affect on stability. The Edge Sport with its 22-inch wheels does even better.
The all-disc braking system is also new, from booster, to calipers, to first time Brake Assist. Our average 60-to-0 stopping distance of 129 feet was far better than the 146 feet in our previous test. Still, the 2011 Edge exhibited moderate fade and nose dive.
The Edge is a solid long distance highway tourer. Improved sound insulation, including acoustic glass, complement powertrain tweaks for impressively low noise at speed.
Pricing for a base Edge SE starts at $27,995. Our front drive Limited begins at $34,995, and the Sport at $36,995. All-wheel drive adds $1,850 more.
The improvements in the 2011 Ford Edge are extremely well-thought out. More tech, more comfort, and more all-around performance, without compromising its already strong five-passenger utility traits. It’s a perfect pairing for the all-new seven-passenger Explorer due soon. And that will make even more of a competitive edge for Ford’s rivals to worry about.
Specifications
- Engine: 3.5-Liter V6
- Horsepower: 285
- Torque: 253 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 7.1 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 15.7 Seconds @ 93 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 129 Feet
- EPA: 19 MPG City/ 27 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 22.8 MPG
- Energy Impact: 15.6 Barrels Oil/Yr
- CO2 Emissions: 8.5 Tons/Yr
2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV
It May Not Make A Whole Lot Of Sense, But It’s Still An Awesome Vehicle
The reborn GMC Hummer all-electric pickup delivered all the off-road chops we expect from a Hummer, plus the supercar-like acceleration of a high-performance EV that we didn’t expect. Well, now things have come full circle, as the Hummer is once again an SUV. So, let’s burn up some rubber, and some electrons, and learn what’s next for Hummer.
What a roller coaster the Hummer has been on. In seemingly no time at all it went from aspirational military-inspired ruggedness, to the poster boy for excess and environmental irresponsibility; and then just as quickly, it disappeared altogether as a casualty of GM’s 2009 bankruptcy.
Well, then under the GMC banner, the 2022 Hummer EV Pickup flipped the script by becoming the ultimate pollution-free EV at a time when EVs were just becoming mainstream. Since this 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV more closely resembles the original, it looks like we’ve come full circle.
Most of the same stuff that made the pickup version so unique and so awesome are here: interactive LED lighting, Crab Walk, Super Cruise, Extract Mode, Watts to Freedom… just slightly less of it as the SUV version has four fewer modules in its double-stacked battery assemblies that make up this Ultium platform.
This 3X uses the same three-motor arrangement as the pickup, one up front and two in the rear, but “only” 830 horsepower here, due to the smaller battery; though 11,500 lbs. of torque is plenty enough for any land-based automotive task we can imagine. As to range, if you opt for the Extreme Off-Road package, which comes with mud-terrain tires, you’ll be limited to just 298 miles; but the standard setup here is rated for 314.
We saw as much as 305 available in the gauge display, so we planned a 302-mile road trip and still had an indicated 46 miles remaining at the end of it, putting us on pace for a range of 348 miles.
It can be a handful when you give it a foot-full, as Watts to Freedom launches are no joke.
With a 9-inch-shorter wheelbase, the SUV’s tidier package makes for better off-roading agility; that is, if you’re comfortable hammering through trails in your six-figure EV showpiece. And the SUV has also brought a few new things to the Hummer portfolio such as satellite-based trail mapping as part of the myGMC app and a Power Station onboard generator that gives you 19.2-kW of power for charging things out on the trail, including other EVs.
Much like the Hummer EV Pickup, it can be a handful when you give it a foot-full, as Watts to Freedom launches are no joke. Then only 3.6 seconds to 60 for a borderline cinematic experience with unique displays and sounds along for the ride.
Nothing is held back here. Full power is unleashed whether there’s enough grip for it or not, so you tend to get pulled in different directions as you take off and, for the most part, the whole way down the track. We cleared the quarter in 12.3 seconds at 112 mph as power never really lets up.
It’s easy to say that an 8,500-lbs. vehicle probably shouldn’t be moving that fast, but a few trips through our handling course reveals it has more than enough stuff to handle that weight. If you’re not afraid of some body roll, you can push it quite hard, and it will turn in without issues; the four-wheel steering clearly helps. And it dealt with that weight just fine in panic braking runs too, stopping us from 60 in a respectable 130 feet with no drama.
With everything forward of the rear seats the same as the Hummer Pickup, the interior is very familiar. There’s plenty of comfort and space for three in the rear seats, plus lots of flexibility. Cargo area is accessed through a side-opening, power-operated door that reveals 35.9 cubic-feet of space, which expands to 81.8 cubic-feet with the seatbacks folded; and of course, there’s also 11.3 cubic-feet in the front under hood cargo area.
But even with the shift to battery power, this Hummer remains very thirsty, using 63 kWh of energy per 100 miles. Pricing for this 3X starts at $106,945, the two-motor 2X at $98,845. Both the same as the Pickup.
While it can seem more ridiculous than practical, it’s hard not to love the reborn Hummer. Not only is it a purely unique automotive experience, but it’s a rolling example of what’s possible with battery power, while at the same time being incredibly fun and surprisingly easy to drive. The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV delivers much the same macho bravado of the original Hummer H1, but does it for a new era.
Specifications
As Tested
- Motor Setup: Tri Motor
- Battery Size: 212 kWh
- Horsepower: 830
- EPA Range: 298 miles
- 0-60 mph: 3.6 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 12.3 seconds at 112 mph
- Braking, 60-0: 130 feet (avg)
- MW Test Loop: ~ 349 miles