Chinese customers do not only have access to the Ford Mondeo sedan which is a forbidden fruit for the US and Europe, but they are also the first to get some cool-looking SUVs. The latest example is the 2024 Ford Edge L which has been fully uncovered as a medium-to-large three-row SUV coming in petrol and self-charging hybrid flavors.
The new Edge L is a successor to the Edge Plus and slots below the larger Equator in Ford’s Chinese SUV lineup. It was designed by the same team that penned the Fusion, Mondeo, Equator, and Equator Sport, adopting similar styling cues and distancing itself from its predecessor. We had already seen the model in its full glory thanks to the filings in the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Technology so the official photos don’t catch us by surprise.
Read: 2023 Ford Explorer Revealed In China With Overhauled Exterior And Interior
At the front, the SUV features a large grille integrating a part of the tinted full-width LED headlights and different bumper intakes depending on the trim (regular / ST Line). The profile is characterized by a sculpted portion on the doors, a fin on the base of the C-pillar bearing the “L” emblem, and 20-inch or 21-inch alloy wheels. At the back, the LED taillights are connected through a black trim piece with Edge lettering under the Ford emblem and mostly horizontal lines.
The new Ford Edge L measures 196.9 inches (5,000 mm), 77.2 inches (1,961 mm) wide, and 69.8 inches (1,773 mm) tall. The wheelbase stretches 116.1 inches (2,950 mm), which is 3.9 inches (100 mm) longer than the outgoing model.
Moving inside, we find a 2+2+3 three-row layout, and a digital dashboard that is typical of Ford’s Chiese products. The standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is combined with a familiar 27-inch 4K touchscreen covering most of the dashboard. The high-mounted “floating” center console has plenty of storage compartments, a wireless charging pad, and a fancy gearshift lever for the automatic gearbox. The sportier-looking ST-Line trim gets black upholstery and red accents, while the regular model has a duo-tone treatment with copper accents. Equipment is quite generous with a head-up display, ambient lighting, reclining second-row seats with three different modes, a panoramic sunroof, automatic tri-zone climate control, a B&O audio system, and up to 20 ADAS.
The Ford Edge L is available with two powertrain options. The non-electrified turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine produces 249 hp (185 kW / 252 PS) and 378 Nm (278.8 lb-ft) of torque. There is also a more powerful self-charging hybrid variant with a combined 271 hp (202 kW / 275 PS) and 405 Nm (298.7 lb-ft) of torque. This one is also more efficient with a fuel consumption of 6.31 lt/100 km (37.3 mpg) and a combined driving range of 1,188 km (738 miles) between refueling, measured under the WLTC cycle. Power is transmitted to all four wheels through an automatic gearbox and an active 4WD system.
The public debut of the 2024 Ford Edge L will most likely take place at the Shangai Auto Show. The market launch of the SUV is expected in April, with the hybrid version following in July. Production will take place in China as part of the Changan-Ford joint venture.
At the moment, it is not clear if Ford will offer the new Edge L in other markets or if it will remain a China-only affair. Note that the second-gen Ford Edge that is currently offered in North America and Europe has been around since 2015 with a facelift following in 2019.
