Ford’s compact Edge SUV enters 2021 with two models in its range – Edge and the more performance-arrayed Edge ST – with some new bites of infotainment advances arranged on its party platter. At the top of the list of changes for 2021 are the adoption of the SYNC 4A system as well standard Ford Co-Pilot360 driver assist features, operating via a biggest-in-class, 12-inch center touchscreen, which also supports optional Connected Built-In Navigation and cloud connectivity with conversational voice recognition. That’s a sizable level of infotainment offerings for a vehicle of the Edge’s proportions and price.
What this means is that the 2021 Edge’s cloud capability combines voice recognition with Internet-based searching power, a circumstance that basically lets you call out, “find me where the best Vietnamese pho is around here,” and let the Ford’s electronics respond to your command by not only finding you dinner, but directing you there. The technology incorporates both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. If you have a Sirius XM subscription, the cloud system will let you create personalized audio content, including your own listening channels. Whatever your audio tastes, don’t get too distracted, because the standard powertrain here is a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 335 horsepower, linked to an eight-speed automatic transaxle. As you might expect, AWD is standard too.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 