There's a budding trend in the automotive world. High-performance cosplay. Taking the cosmetic elements of a performance line and applying them to lesser-powered vehicles. It started with BMW's M Sport, spun off from the legitimately high-performance M vehicles like the M3 I reviewed in November. Then came Hyundai, whose N performance vehicles like the 2021 Veloster N I reviewed back in May are echoed in cars marked "N-Line", such as the 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line seen here in March. Props to Hyundai, though---their N-Line actually does boost performance from standard Hyundais, staking out a middle ground between them and the hyper-quick N models.
Ford has taken BMW's approach, introducing the Edge ST-Line, a vehicle with the looks of the Edge ST (which I reviewed on the old TireKicker site in April of 2019) but none of the performance parts.
Under the hood of the 2021 Ford Edge ST-Line is the same 2.0-liter Ecoboost turbo four-cylinder that's in every other Edge except the ST. And that's not a bad thing. There's 250 horsepower and 275 pounds per foot of torque in there, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Zero to 60 happens in a respectable seven and a half seconds and the EPA fuel economy average is 21 city/29 highway/24 combined.
Beyond that, the ST-Line adds LED fog lamps, floor mats and seats with red stitching, 20-inch premium painted aluminum wheels, meatier tires, and black or body color trim where the shiny stuff is on other Edges. The base price for the 2021 Ford Edge ST-Line in front-wheel drive form (you can also get AWD) is $38,440. The window sticker is at the bottom of this review so you can see for yourself, but apart from the ST-Line stuff, you also get a power lift gate, dual-zone electronic climate control, and Ford's Co-Pilot 360 safety suite. The 12-inch vertical screen is standard, as well (on all Edge models).
Our tester also had three extra-cost options---Ford's Co-Pilot Assist 360+ adds to the safety features and includes adaptive cruise control ($895), a panoramic vista roof ($1,595) and a cargo compartment net ($50).
So, with $1,245 destination and delivery, the as-tested price of the 2021 Ford Edge ST-Line is $42,225.
The basic Ford Edge is a comfortable five-seat crossover. If dressing it in black and projecting a menace that really isn't there is your thing, then hurry. Ford isn't confirming or denying, but suppliers are saying they haven't been asked to make parts for a 2023 Edge, which could mean the end.
