Suite of standard safety features highlights 2019 Ford Edge

The five-passenger Ford Edge midsize SUV has a new but not dramatically different look for 2019. All trim levels get an array of additional safety features, and a performance model joins the lineup.

There are four trim levels of the 2019 Edge: SE, SEL, Titanium, and ST. The first three are available with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, while the ST is all-wheel-drive only. Base pricing ranges from $30,990 to $44,345, including the destination charge.

A 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine powers the SE, SEL and Titanium models, generating 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The new performance ST model has a 2.7-liter twin turbo V6 good for 335 horsepower and 380 pound feet of torque. Both engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

My tester was the new Ford Edge ST, whose exuberant acceleration can be credited to engineers at Ford Performance, the high-performance division of Ford Motor Co.

The Edge ST is the first SUV produced by Ford Performance, and they nailed it. This SUV is on the larger end of the midsize scale, but it excels on the curvy backroads of Snohomish County, quickly changing directions and speeds without having a tantrum or threatening to tip over.

On the highway, the Edge ST endears itself by providing an unruffled, low-noise ride for everyone on board.

LED headlights, a standard feature, light up the darkest of roads so well you can see forever.

Braking is swift and sure, and if the same thing can’t be said about the driver, the 2019

Edge has an emergency braking system as standard equipment.

The fuel economy rating of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway is pretty good for a midsize performance SUV with all-wheel drive.

Inside the Edge ST, front sport seats are nicely bolstered, and there are lots of stowage spaces of varying sizes for personal items. Designers were thoughtful enough to sneak in a covered space on top of the dash, a bin below the dash in the center stack, and even a long narrow tray on the floor between the bottom of the front seats and doors. The cushioned bin between the front seats isn’t especially big but it’s impressively deep. All stowage spaces have a non-slip rubberized bottom liner that removes for easy cleaning.

Controls for the uncomplicated infotainment system include knobs and switches, a return to sanity after the frustrating screen touch-and-swipe operation used in the previous Edge.

Rear cargo space with second-row seats in upright position is 39.2 cubic feet. With the seats folded, space increases to 73.4 cubic feet. Rear and side windows are deeply tinted, a discouraging situation for prowling eyes.

The tester’s windshield wipers were a tiny bit troublesome. They are 100-percent effective at whisking rain away but it’s a huge windshield, so to make things work, the right-hand wiper goes below the left-hand wiper as they meet in the middle, which means the left-hand wiper never goes all the way to the bottom. Sounds confusing, I know. You had to be there. A stable person wouldn’t even notice the asymmetrical wiper behavior, but I have just enough OCD tendency to turn it into an issue.

On the upside, a seemingly inconsequential thing on the Edge ST impressed me greatly. The hood release lever (the one under the hood, not inside the car) has a bright yellow rubberized cover. Immediately findable, and easy on the hands. I’m amazed at the number of new cars that have release levers that are hard to find, and with metal edges seemingly designed to sever fingers.

2019 FORD EDGE ST AWD

Base price, including destination charge: $44,345

Price as driven: $52,125

Mary Lowry is an independent automotive writer who lives in Snohomish County. She is a member of the Motor Press Guild, and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturers as a one-week loan for review purposes only. In no way do the manufacturers control the content of the reviews.