Decided on Edge over others

[Scott S]

First Edge post and a bit of a long story.

 

Well my wife wanted a new vehicle she could drive all year around and nice and sporty.

 

She drives a Monte SS for the fair weather and a Explorer LTD for the blustery days.

 

She fell in love with the Dodge Nitro so we looked up everything we could find and once we knew a bit about it went to town and took one out for a test ride fully expecting to order one that night.

 

My wife drove it about 5 miles, pulled into a parking lot and looked at me very disappointed and said it drove like her old 90 Jeep Cherokee. She did not like the on center feel, the cornering nor the loose handling when travelling straight. She was convinced her 140,000 km Expolrer was twice the vehicle and no way would she trade for this POS. She was convinced it was a cheap Jeep knockoff. She went from having a Nitro screen saver, showing the brochure to her frineds and building it on-line several times to I hate it in 5 miles.

 

Once back at the lot she noticed the front seats on this demo unit the leather had serious creases, the trim was loose and a few other things.

 

She gave the keys back and the fella who was convinced he had a sale couldn't make a sweet enough deal. She really disliked it so we just left.

 

So back to the drawing board.

 

I suggested we take a day and go to town and look at all the options, new Explorer, Freestyle, Edge, MKX, Murano, Pilot, VUE, Torrent, Acadia and FJ Cruiser.

 

Well she wiped out all the others pretty much up front. None did anything for her.

 

We went to the Ford dealer and she was greeted by an amazing young gal who hit it off with my wife. She didn't try and sell her anything but listend intently to my wifes needs and offered up some advice. She thought the Edge would be closest to the type of vehicle she would like best or possibly and Escape. She went through the features and merits of each model in great detail highlighting the things my wife had pointed out that she liked best. They both agreed the Freestyle was too van like. Well we test drove an edge first, SEL, Vista Roof, NAV, Black Leather with the contrasting stitching and the wife was thrilled. She liked the styling, the upholstery and the stitching was real sharp. The Vista was awesome. Most of all she liked the handling. The controls all fell into her reach and rear visibility was superb without cranking your head around. She felt the Vehicle was built with her in mind and with mileage close to her Monte she was estatic - this is where the problem starts.

 

Next she drove the Escape Limited and although she liked it's nimble attitude it just didn't offer up the excitement she got from the Edge.

 

Upon return we reviewed the colours and she decided that the Dark Amethyst was the sharpest. We saw it on a Fusion but not on an Edge that day. Apparently they never realized how well the loaded Edge's would sell especially with the Vista's so we'll have to order one in. Since it will be a while we figured we'd give it a few days to make sure the wow didn't wear off as well as do some research into this vehicle that we otherwise would of never looked at.

 

That brings me to this site and most every review on the net.

 

So far it appears my wifes reaction is pretty common. I think this is goign to be a great truck for her.

 

The one little stickler was the avg l/100km reading on the demo Edge. I assumed new, a few around the block rips and that would explain it. We were told it would be approximately the same as her Monte SS at 10.5. Possibly closer to 11. Her Explorer averages 14.5l/100 and she drives it pretty hard. This Edge appears to pork fuel faster than a kid on a cob of corn.

 

I've since read that there are far more owners getting mileage worse than an Explorer with this new high tech vehicle that touts great fuel mileage.

 

My wife is very fuel aware and is expecting the approx 11l/100km. If she thinks it is as poor as the EX it will be a no deal. If she gets it expecting what she was told and ends up with a fuel hog she will go ballistic.

 

I've sent a message to Ford of Canada Thursday to see what their experience has been but have yet to hear back.

 

Just looking for some hope on the mileage otherwise a great rig.

 

If all works out well I'd like to get it ordered this week. I'm just concerned with the mileage. She will Flip if she downsizes to a vehicle worse on fuel. She wants it now - I'm stalling.

 

Anyone have any thoughts.

[TheCanadian]

First Edge post and a bit of a long story.

.......

 

Anyone have any thoughts.

 

Hi Scott S,

Great review!

As you said Edge drives better than any other SUV on the market !

My wife and I love it so much that we find ourselves taking the long way home just to drive it more!

Frankly if the L/Km fuel is really that important to you, you should reconsider.

I have driven mine for 1200km and the Info shows 15 L/100km. It's a shame that the L/Km is not better. I don't know if it will get any better and frankly I couldn't care less. My last SUV consumed the same and it was neither this comfortable nor this stylish.

:shades:

[JuliaGoolia]

Hi, Scott. It was great to read your message as your wife and I sound a lot alike as far as our vehicle desires. I too loved the Nitro...or so I thought. I too showed all of my friends the brochure, looked at it on line every day, etc. Then I got a chance to see one in person. Walking towards it on the lot I liked it even more than I had from seeing it on line and in the brochure. I was pretty excited at that point. Then I got in it. Unfortunately I never got to drive it (we are not permitted to drive over here in Korea) but just sitting in it and looking at the interior changed my mind immediately. It just felt so stiff and the interior looked really cheap to me. So, I decided to order the Edge site unseen.

 

I will be picking mine up on June 4th. I'm moving back to the US shortly before that, hence the choice of pick-up date. I am so excited, but a little nervous considering I've never seen this vehicle in person.

 

I hope you get good information about the fuel consumption and you are able to make the decision to go ahead and order it.

 

Oh, BTW - I too ordered an amethyst.

 

Take care,

 

Julia

[Scott S]

Hi Scott S,

Great review!

As you said Edge drives better than any other SUV on the market !

My wife and I love it so much that we find ourselves taking the long way home just to drive it more!

Frankly if the L/Km fuel is really that important to you, you should reconsider.

I have driven mine for 1200km and the Info shows 15 L/100km. It's a shame that the L/Km is not better. I don't know if it will get any better and frankly I couldn't care less. My last SUV consumed the same and it was neither this comfortable nor this stylish.

:shades:

 

They sure do drive nice. I was impressed as was my wife.

 

I did lots of looking on the net and the mileage seems to vary widly. Some are estatic while others not so.

 

The review by Canadian Driver was towards 11 combined, 15 in town which I think is in line with the market.

 

She drives a 100k to work so fuel is something she is very aware of. She has a problem being gouged at the pumps and I don't blame her. When she is there every 3rd day fueling the EX it gets a bit depressing.

 

I was also thinking if switching to a full Synthetic motor oil would assist some once the break in period was over.

 

 

Hi, Scott. It was great to read your message as your wife and I sound a lot alike as far as our vehicle desires. I too loved the Nitro...or so I thought. I too showed all of my friends the brochure, looked at it on line every day, etc. Then I got a chance to see one in person. Walking towards it on the lot I liked it even more than I had from seeing it on line and in the brochure. I was pretty excited at that point. Then I got in it. Unfortunately I never got to drive it (we are not permitted to drive over here in Korea) but just sitting in it and looking at the interior changed my mind immediately. It just felt so stiff and the interior looked really cheap to me. So, I decided to order the Edge site unseen.

 

I will be picking mine up on June 4th. I'm moving back to the US shortly before that, hence the choice of pick-up date. I am so excited, but a little nervous considering I've never seen this vehicle in person.

 

I hope you get good information about the fuel consumption and you are able to make the decision to go ahead and order it.

 

Oh, BTW - I too ordered an amethyst.

 

Take care,

 

Julia

 

Congrats on the new order. I'm sure you will really like it.

 

I stopped by the Nitro forums last night and it is not a happy place. I'm so glad we walked away from that truck. It just looked so smart but the service that DC is giving the owners and the long list of unsolved problems is disturbing. I'm not sure how they plan on getting this one back on track. Even the auto review people have lost hope with that truck.

 

And the ongoing problems are serious - stalling on highway, stalling on tip in, trannies not going into reverse, failed power windows, engines knocking etc. etc. If my wife had a vehicle that stalled on the highway or pulling form a stop and the manufacturer was aware of the problem, did nothing to resolve it but continued to sell they'd have that vehicle back so fast they'd not know what happened. The NHSTA is concerned with the problem and I suspect any day now you'll see it hit the fan.

 

Good choice on the Amthyst. I was not sure when the gals were chatting about purple but once she showed us the Fusion in it I was impressed - sort of a black with some attitude.

 

Safe travels and enjoy your new ride when it arrives!

[TheCanadian]

They sure do drive nice. I was impressed as was my wife.

....

She drives a 100k to work so fuel is something she is very aware of. She has a problem being gouged at the pumps and I don't blame her. When she is there every 3rd day fueling the EX it gets a bit depressing.

....

Safe travels and enjoy your new ride when it arrives!

 

Yes, driving 100km to work does make a HUGE difference. I'm lucky to drive max. 10 km. Thanks for the Nitro feeds. I hesitated btw the 2 but never drove the Nitro and there was always that "but if..." in back of my head, Not any more !

[JuliaGoolia]

I stopped by the Nitro forums last night and it is not a happy place. I'm so glad we walked away from that truck. It just looked so smart but the service that DC is giving the owners and the long list of unsolved problems is disturbing. I'm not sure how they plan on getting this one back on track. Even the auto review people have lost hope with that truck.

 

And the ongoing problems are serious - stalling on highway, stalling on tip in, trannies not going into reverse, failed power windows, engines knocking etc. etc. If my wife had a vehicle that stalled on the highway or pulling form a stop and the manufacturer was aware of the problem, did nothing to resolve it but continued to sell they'd have that vehicle back so fast they'd not know what happened. The NHSTA is concerned with the problem and I suspect any day now you'll see it hit the fan.

 

Safe travels and enjoy your new ride when it arrives!

 

Wow! I stopped going on their forums after I made the decision that I wasn't going to buy one. I didn't know about all of those issues. It just simply reaffirms my decision not to buy one though. Whew! I sure hate it for those folks who did buy one though. I hope Dodge does right by them.

 

Thanks for the wishes for safe travels. 54 days to go here, 67 until I am driving my new toy. (Don't think that a Ford Dealership isn't the first place I am going when I get off the plane though. I must see this vehicle in person as soon as possible.)

 

Take care,

 

Julia

[yettihead]

Scott,

 

I have had my edge about 1.5 months now and love it. I drive 25 miles to work one way and had moved from a Ford 500. I get a little worse MPG than the 500, but on average for mostly city and some highway I average 19mpg. The conversion would be about 12l/100km. This is mostly conservative driving, with the occasional lead foot. I have not had a chance yet to drive a long distance on the highway, ore than 40 miles. I can tell you that the Edge is a fun car to drive and I am happy I switched from the 500 and I really liked my 500.

 

Chad

[Kizzo]

I don't know if I should wait until the 2008 models debut, or get it right now. I may just wait to the 2008 model.