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Real snow usage


KSN177

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Living in Minnesota, I got my Edge at the end of winter (2/28) and just got clipped by about two heavy snows if I remember correctly. Anyhow, it drove just as well if not 'easier' than my mom's Land Rover. In the past, if I had appointments when it snowed, I would stop by her house and switch cars (she's retired) in lieu of driving my Intrepid. No need to do so anymore.

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Living in Minnesota, I got my Edge at the end of winter (2/28) and just got clipped by about two heavy snows if I remember correctly. Anyhow, it drove just as well if not 'easier' than my mom's Land Rover. In the past, if I had appointments when it snowed, I would stop by her house and switch cars (she's retired) in lieu of driving my Intrepid. No need to do so anymore.

Thanks, thats reassuring. Any other snow evaluations, folks?

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...
The biggest, and most important thing, is to have the knowledge and skill to drive on the snow. All the 4 wheel drives and all wheel drives in the world won't do diddly if you don't have the skill.

 

 

Knowledge and skill is of no help with FWD and F/awd vehicles.

 

With RWD or R/awd when a drive wheel slips it is predominantly the rear and an experienced and skilled driver will have an opportunity to react, feather the gas, and then if necessay use the remaining traction at the front wheels to crank in some corrective stearing. With FWD or F/awd TC, Traction Control, MUST be tuned to react INSTANTLY since the driver has just lost all control ability.

 

That's why there was such a great public outcry which resulted in Toyota adding a TC off capability. The bad news is that apparently lots of "know it all" drivers are leaving TC off constantly...bad, BAD idea.

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Have driven the wife's Edge in ten to twelve inches of fresh snow and hardpacked snowy roads. It drives like a tank. I do tend to test the limits of my vehicles and the Edge handled it well. I feel better knowing my wife has a safe vehicle that can handle the weather, she drives to Golden, CO. for work. I'm secure in the knowledge that the Edge will keep her out of trouble and get her safely where she needs to go.

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  • 2 weeks later...

As with Hurtman, I feel good about my wife driving the AWD Edge for her daily commute in Colorado snow, and he's correct that it does a good job. However, I wouldn't say it drives like a tank but that depends on what it's compared to. I drive an '05 F150 and an '07 F350 - those drive like tanks through the Colorado snow. Don't get me wrong though, the Edge does a damn fine job in the snow.

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We have two Edges. A 2007 SEL AWD and a 2008 Limited AWD. We live in Northern, Indiana (South Bend). We get quite a bit of snow each winter being in the Lake Effect zone of Lake Michigan. We live about 25 miles from work and both commute about 30 minutes each day.

 

Before the Edges I had a 4x4 F150 and my wife had AWD Explorers. I can easily say the Edges get through the snow just as well as our previous vehicles. The AWD works well and the ground clearance is high enough to go through some pretty nasty stuff.

 

Sure... I can't bust drifts at 45 MPH like I use to in my F-150... and I can't help folks stuck in the snow... but for the gas mileage and comfort difference.... we really love them. My wife's 07 lease is up in two payments. She is going to get another one!!!!

 

Have they been without problem... surely not... is any vehicle these days?? She put just at 45K on in 3 years... I drive just a bit more. We have had very FEW visits to the dealer for anything but oil changes and tire rotations. (knock on wood). And yeah... by 08 has the infamous PTU leak, minor issue.....

Edited by RayoVac
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The Edge drives on snow covered roads like they are clean and dry. Awesome traction and sure footed handling. I can't wait for it to snow now !

 

 

There is NO vehicle known to mankind that will fit that criteria. At least no passenger vehicle for use on our public roads. That's the kind of over-confidence and immature attitude that gets F/awd/R/awd/4WD/4X4 drivers in a LOT of wintertime accidents.

 

Out early to "play" in the snow.

 

Snow is NOT for playing in except on foot, sled, or on skiis.

Edited by wwest
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There is NO vehicle known to mankind that will fit that criteria. At least no passenger vehicle for use on our public roads. That's the kind of over-confidence and immature attitude that gets F/awd/R/awd/4WD/4X4 drivers in a LOT of wintertime accidents.

 

Out early to "play" in the snow.

 

Snow is NOT for playing in except on foot, sled, or on skiis.

 

 

Why is this ahole still a member here?

He takes everything literally and NEVER has anything positive to say.

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Why is this ahole still a member here?

He takes everything literally and NEVER has anything positive to say.

 

Other than taking BlazedUp's statement LITERALLY was there another way...?

 

The way I read it it was anything but tongue in cheek and therefore with the DANGER someone might take the statement as valid.

 

So I felt that a STRONG rebuttal was required.

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Something positive..

 

Ford's rear electromechanical "linear" clutch approach to F/awd has proved itself so well that it has now been adopted for the new Toyota Venza, 2010 RX350, and even the new R/awd Porsche 911/997-2. Within a few years I expect we will see it in the Sienna and Highlander.

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Ditto "blazedup"s comment. Went from Ontario to Calgary for Christmas last year. Overtook a lorry on hard packed new snow in a passing lane just like driving on pavement. Watched a 1/2 spin out as he tried to do the same thing. Not quiet as good as my AWD Passat but then that was a hard act to follow but with the Edge I get ground clearance.

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  • 2 weeks later...

First snowfall of the year in NJ last weekend. Got about 12". The Edge did fine (With 20's) I did have a issued with wheel inbalance when some packed snow froze inside the rear passenger wheel. Beside that, I cant complain at all. Very sure footed. Ive towed my Polaris Rzr on a LoadRite snowmobile trailer (1800lbs) through 10+" of snow without incident, so im quite happy.

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I bought my 2009 EDGE AWD in May and got to use it in our first major snow storm of the season. In fact, it was the most snow in one storm in the last 40 years. 40 mph winds and 20 inches of snow fell over the Christmas holiday, and since my job required me to be at work, this storm put my Edge to the test. It passed with flying colors. While many cars were stuck in the snow, the Edge cut right through the snow and never got stuck. My prior vehicle was a 2002 Jeep Liberty with both full time and part time 4WD. The EDGE AWD performed better that the Liberty full time 4WD. I will admit that part time 4WD (which to me is real 4WD) does handle better in deep snow. However, being able to plow through 20 inches of snow, which I will likely never see again, the EDGE passed with flying colors.

Edited by wxman2003
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  • 6 years later...

In Scranton, PA: driven my 2008 Ford Edge AWD in three winters and it runs great. I push it to the limit and it takes it. Of course the Audi Quattro is the best AWD I've driven but Ford Edge AWD is solid too. In a blizzard, you may notice shaking at higher speeds, that's the snow packed inside the wheels. Just go through a car wash and it'll be fine. (I was that one idiot who did a car wash during a blizzard). Bottom line: FORD EDGE AWD DRIVES LIKE A TANK IN SNOW!

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80-90% of snow driving is tire selection. A good tire like a Bridgestone Blizzak makes all the difference in the world. The other 10-20% is ground clearance and whether you have locking or limited slip differentials in the vehicle, and vehicle weight.

 

The '15 Edge the wife drove this winter had 18" Michelin all season tires, which sucked as snow tires. We had no deep snows in southern Wisconsin this winter so ground clearance was never an issue. With no locking or limited slip diff's on the Edge it is not as capable as the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer AWD we had before the Edge. It had the optional rear Traction-Loc, more aggressive tires, greater ground clearance and about 500-600# more weight. But the Edge still got the wife safely to work all winter. There was one morning with 3-4" of fresh snow the traction control on the Edge almost kept me from getting the Edge up the slope to the road. An override switch to turn off the traction control is necessary on the Edge. After a second or two of tire spin the electronic throttle reduces throttle to reduce wheel spin, all the way down to low idle RPM. Poor design not to have the override. My Volvo has it!

 

So FORD, we need better winter tires, locking diff's, and a traction control override. If you put the block heater and radiator shutters on for us in the northern states, those other items would complete the package.

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