The Ford Edge is off to a strong start in sales, at least stronger than the Fusion's first full month of sales, and word has come from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that the CUV and its platform mate, the Lincoln MKX, has earned a Top Safety Pick, which should help move a few more units. Not only must a vehicle earn a top crash test rating of "good" for front, side and rear crash tests to become a Top Safety Pick, but this year the guidelines were further beefed up to mandate that honorees also offer Electronic Stability Control.
The Ford Fusion, meanwhile, didn't come close to earning a Top Safety Pick last year when 2006 models and pre-production 2007 were tested, but Ford asked the IIHS to test the car again after a few changes were made including side airbags becoming standard equipment and alterations to the door trim and floorpan. This time the Fusion earned a "good" rating for both front and side impacts, but only earned a marginal rating for rear impacts. Since ESC isn't even an option on the Fusion, a Top Safety Pick was out of the question anyway. The same front impact rating also apply to the Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ, but the MKZ won't share the same side impact rating since it uses different door trim than the other two models. .
[Source: IIHS]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bob R. @ Feb 5th 2007 5:38PM
Great news for Ford, thsi without a doubt will help them move a little more in the second month of sales.
BartMack @ Feb 5th 2007 5:58PM
shouldn't this thing be called the 'Fedge'?
david @ Feb 5th 2007 6:16PM
no more than you should be called "smart"
bland moves @ Feb 5th 2007 6:23PM
I guess 3 blades are less likely to produce nicks and cuts?
Jason @ Feb 5th 2007 6:50PM
Ford is so behind the times with not even offering stability control on the Fusion. I can't even consider this car because of that flaw.
Ben @ Feb 5th 2007 7:08PM
Ha Ha ... Good one David (# 3)
Guys like #2 BartMack ( what kind of a handle is that ) are pathetic.
Bryan @ Feb 5th 2007 8:02PM
Where in the title did it say anything about the Fusion triplets? Can we have an ARTICLE thats sticks with the TITLE?? Is it that difficult? And bland moves you can go on and on about the 3 bar grille but guess what? Its selling. I suppose you prefer the "T" grille of the Camry..which should stand for tacky. See it works both ways. Oh and Jason, if you cannot control a 4 door car without stability control( I drive an F150 and have no problem without, and I am more likely to roll over!) then you do not need to be driving in the first place. The edge is by far the most impressive auto for the masses I have seen come out of Ford in a while (minus the F150 of course). I went to the Houston auto show this past week and had some time to poke around in it. The pictures do not do it justice. I was very impressed with the interior, excellent design, fit and finish. This is a home run. I have been looking for something with more room in it (my 04 reg cab doesnt cut it anymore) and until now, I had not found what I was looking for. If this is the new Ford Motor Company, theres no doubt in my mind the future will be much brighter.
J.Crew @ Feb 5th 2007 8:53PM
Congratulations to Ford on the safety rating!
dis_guy @ Feb 5th 2007 9:44PM
Bryan, you are so right in that pictures don't do this vehicle justice. I saw one for the first time last September at the annual State fair and was really impressed, it looked smaller than I first thought it would.
Kudos to Ford for the rating.
Chris @ Feb 5th 2007 9:49PM
I recently tested an Edge and was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. The ads are terrible but if enough people get through the poor marketing they will not be dissappointed. I had read the reveiws by some of the car magazines and found that Car and Driver was almost right on while
Motor Trend, who came away disappointed must have been expecting a Ford GT when they drove one. This a really good car and I am considering buying one now that I have driven one.
david @ Feb 5th 2007 10:44PM
jason, one quick note. i guess you could call me old, but, i'm 55 and have grown up in a time of no seat belts, no disc brakes, am radio, wing windows, three on the tree, points and condensors, carburators, bench seats, vinyl tops, fuzz busters, ramblers, studebakers, and bias belt tires. if you can tell us that stability control is the only reason you would'nt buy a car, holy shit you're spoiled.
Mike @ Feb 5th 2007 11:09PM
On top of that, it has AWD, if your getting your AWD car in trouble because of no stability control, your way too aggressive.
dakota @ Feb 6th 2007 1:20AM
Craig, your a moron. If you actually used the internet you would see that the Edge is built in Oakville Ontario, not in Mexico. And yes it's labeled on every single car about the parts content, clearly on the window sticker. So stop your stupid whining.
Mike @ Feb 6th 2007 1:42AM
Here comes Craig N. Cote again, Toyota fanboy extraordinaire. This is the same guy who claimed in other posts that ALL Toyotas sold in the U.S. are built in the U.S., who is the liar? Toyota builds cars to import here in Mexico and Canada as well as Japan.
I've read your other posts talking about your mother's infamous Festiva- built by Kia- last one sold in 1993, that's 14 years ago pal. What did this car cost your mother? Like $4000? You continue to post spreading lies about the American products and just as many about the Japanese ones to support your undying loyalty to Toyota.
If Toyota is paying you to post, it is money poorly spent as you never make a valid argument and never have anything interesting or original to say.
If you don't like the styling, performance, durability of a product, make a good argument as to why, but stop your incessant lies and mud slinging at Ford and GM. They continue to be the only American owned and operated auto companies there are and if your only point is in the vehicles final assy, please take a pass and save yourself some dignity, you sound like an idiot.
Justin @ Feb 6th 2007 2:59AM
After visiting my local Ford dealer and seeing the EDGE for myself I can say this is really a big step forward for Ford. They had 3 that just came in, two silver and one black and the interior in all three were great, nicely finished. It's actually somewhat "sporty" looking in real life compared to the pictures too. I didn't have time to drive one, but maybe next week I can.
Hamud @ Feb 6th 2007 5:44AM
That's a great step forward, congratulations to Ford, keep doing the great job.
Bob R. @ Feb 6th 2007 7:48AM
I have to agree with everbody that says that this is one good looking vehicle. I was also at a Ford dealer, and they had all the models. The SE, SEL, and SEL Plus. All were finished nicely with high quality materials, and it looks really good in person compared to the pictures. I don't know how they are to drive, but they must be pretty good.
John P. @ Feb 6th 2007 8:01AM
Yes, I agree also, Ford needs more like this. I think it's going to sell. As for the lack of stability control on the Fusion, Who cares other than insurance companies, really? I just want the car fun to drive.
BartMack @ Feb 6th 2007 8:47AM
WTF? I've spent enough money at Ford dealerships in my lifetime to make fun of their flip-flop naming conventions if I feel like it, and so what if I'm not excited about another bus on the roadways? I haven't attacked anyone here personally, and IMO that practice is "pathetic"!
Blizzard35 @ Feb 6th 2007 10:00AM
Hello...first post for me on this forum, but as a long time Ford owner, both trucks and cars, I do have some experience with the brand.
I currently drive a 2006 Ford Five Hundred Limited AWD, which like the fusion, does not come with ESC (Ford's version is called AdvanceTrac.)
My previous car, a 2003 Ford Focus ZX5 Premium did have AdvanceTrac stability control.
As I live in Northern Ontario, Canada I can honestly say that the AdvanceTrac system works very well at keeping the car going in the intended direction. That being said, it was only offered on the Focus for model year 2003, as it was a stand alone $1,700.00 option, and I guess not too many buyers opted for it. I was very glad that I did.
But, my driving needs changes and my parents also drive a Five Hundred Limited AWD so I knew of the car and what a great vehicle it is, this even though it does not have ESC as an option/standard equipment.
From what I've read, the redesigned Five Hundred for 2008 will have AdvanceTrac so everyone will be happy. The nice thing about the Ford system is that you can turn it off when needed, and up here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH believe it or not situations arrise when the stability control will actually hamper your driving.
Anyway, that's enough for my first post. Cheers!