Cost: $25,320 - $30,720 base price ($33,000 as tested)
Photos and details

If the Edge were a truck-based vehicle, its ride and handling would be impressive. But it's a car-based SUV, and still it feels heavy. Its ride is stiff in urban driving.

That could be part of the price for decent handling at highway speeds. A lot of car-based SUVs sacrifice body control in turns for a cushy-feeling ride. But the somewhat-related Mazda CX-7 manages to combine greater nimbleness with a more car-like feel on the road. (Ford owns a controlling interest in Mazda and there are some shared components between these two SUVs.)

Even on the highway, where it's at its best, the Edge is comfortable and handles reasonably well. But, again, it feels like a very good truck. The steering is more responsive than you'd get in a truck-based SUVs, but it still feels numb compared to a lot of other vehicles.

You can get comfortable with the Edge, but it doesn't naturally inspire confidence.

The Edge has the same six-speed transmission and 3.5-liter V-6 engine used in the Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan, which is also a spin-off of the Ford Fusion. The transmission does a good job of keeping the engine in its most efficient power range.