Detroit Auto Show 2018: 2019 Ford Edge ST

Ford used the 2018 North American International Auto Show to reveal the facelifted Edge medium SUV, as well as a performance variant – the 2019 Ford Edge ST. The facelifted Edge will be launching in Australia in the fourth quarter as the Ford Endura.

Unfortunately for performance car fans in Australia, the Endura will likely be diesel-only with this hot ST version confirmed to be left-hand drive only – considering Australia’s love for performance cars, this is a shame. Aside from the stronger engine, the Edge ST also includes sports suspension, seating and a bodykit.

“Edge ST puts a new animal on the road – a performance SUV with a track mentality,” said Hau Thai-Tang, executive vice president of Product Development and Purchasing.

“From a performance standpoint, and with its SUV silhouette and versatility, it sets a new standard Edge fans will love to drive.”

Based on the mid-life facelift for the 2019 Ford Edge SUV, the ST takes the standard car’s sporty styling and turns it up a few notches. A sportier front facia with a massive mesh grille now features, as do redesigned headlights with standard LED lighting. There are also new side skirts along the car, 20-inch alloy wheels that can be upsized to 21-inches, as well as a rear diffuser and dual exhaust pipes.

The 2019 Ford Edge midlife update also included much more active safety equipment, including pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, lane keep assist with lane keep alert, auto high beam, hill start assist, roll stability control, 911 assist and now post-collision braking, evasive steering assist and adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality and lane centering.

The start of the 2019 Ford Edge ST makeover though, is what’s hiding underneath the bonnet. It’s a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 that’s currently used in the Fusion (US Mondeo) Sport, and the 2019 Ford Edge Sport as well – but pumped up to 250kW and 514Nm and sent to all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic. The 2019 Ford Edge Sport completes the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint in 6.2 seconds – it’s fair to say that the Edge ST will complete it in the mid-to-high five second range.

Aside from the engine, the 2019 Ford Edge ST has sportier suspension, as well as a special sport driving mode, which provides a more aggressive throttle response, revised shifting patterns, sharper engine braking and a louder exhaust note. The interior of the Edge ST also includes ST-branded sports seats with additional bolstering, as well as paddle shifters and Ford Performance scuff plates.

The most disappointing thing about the 2019 Ford Edge ST is that despite the car arriving in Australia later in the year, the ST version and its turbocharged V6 engine will not be making it Down Under. Unfortunately with Australia and other right-hand drive market’s taste for diesel engines, any petrol-powered Edge model is limited to left-hand drive due to limited right-hand drive sales prospects. We feel as though this is a short-sighted decision – not everybody wants diesel power in SUVs, and Australians love a performance car as well.

Considering that Ford is putting all its efforts into the Mustang and Ranger, we hope that the company realises that other products do exist in the Ford product universe and that fans of the Territory Turbo still have no product to buy in the modern Ford lineup.

Stay tuned to Chasing Cars for more news from the 2018 North American International Auto Show.