One of the most exciting adventures is that of the road trip. Whether you have a specific destination or are hitting the road just to see where it leads you, there is nothing like getting in the car and seeing the world as you drive through its winding roads. It helps you grow in familiarity with the world, with your fellow travelers, and with your vehicle. Because a road trip causes you to spend so much time in your vehicle, however, it is important that you obtain the right vehicle, but what is the right vehicle for a road trip? We would have to say it’s the 2022 Ford Edge.
There are a wide variety of opinions as to what someone might think is the ideal road trip vehicle. Some might say a big SUV is an ideal candidate, as it will likely provide a strong build with lots of passenger and cargo space. Others might say, especially to the solitary traveler, that a compact car will help you avoid the hassle and bulk of a larger vehicle. These two arguments lead to the conclusion that the most ideal road-tripping vehicle would be the CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle), as it provides the happy medium between compact and huge. When hitting the open road to see the sights of our nation, there is no better brand to turn to than the brand which truly pioneered automotive technology in the United States: Ford. As always, Ford is here to provide for the needs of America’s drivers. The 2022 Ford Edge is a very dynamic CUV that is an excellent candidate for anybody looking for a road-trip-friendly vehicle.
The Happy Medium of the Edge
If you’re looking to explore dynamic areas on your road trip, driving a large vehicle may prove to be frustrating. Whether you hit roads with major construction, find yourself exploring city streets, or trying to park in a tight space, large vehicles are not always friendly to the flexibility that road-tripping often requires. Being a CUV, the Ford Edge gives you an experience similar to that of an SUV while taking away some of the bulk. Turning to the 2022 Edge, the vehicle has an overall length of 188.8 inches (that’s a little less than 16 feet), a width of 85.8 inches (about 7 feet, with mirrors), and a height of 68.3 inches (a little over 5.5) feet.
Compare that to the Ford Expedition (an SUV), which has an overall length of 210 inches (17.5 feet), a width of 93.4 inches (almost 8 feet, with mirrors), and a maximum height of 76.4 inches (just under 6.5 feet). That is significantly more compact, for an overall difference of 1.5 feet in length, 1 foot in width, and 1 foot in height. While these may seem like minor discrepancies in writing, consider the difference between a person who is five feet tall and one who is six feet tall; a foot of space makes a lot of difference, especially when it comes to parking. If you’re going to be hitting the open road, you are going to want a vehicle that is flexible and easy to maneuver, and especially to park.
On the other side, the Ford Edge’s CUV nature eliminates the problem of “smallness” that may be presented by a compact car. It is still large enough to feel like you have a good road presence and will certainly give you the feeling of having a stronger ride than you will in a sports car or a sedan. The Edge finds the happy medium between an SUV and a compact car, making it the ideal size for safety and convenience on a road trip.
You Need Room for Passengers and Cargo When on a Road Trip
If you’re going to be road-tripping, you’re going to need to pack up and be ready to live your life on the road. The Ford Edge provides a very generous amount of cargo space with 73.4 cubic feet. Even more important than the things you’re traveling with are the people you’re traveling with, especially if those people are family. The traveling experience will be enhanced if everyone is comfortable, which is why the passenger volume of the Ford Edge will be desirable for any road-tripper. The Edge has a passenger volume of 113.9 cubic feet. Keep in mind that the Edge seats five people, so it is not cramming a whole eight seats into this volume; it really is just providing a generous amount of room for its five passengers, making sure that they all have a comfortable ride. Legroom is a big deal when traveling on an extended road trip, and you certainly don’t want passengers wanting to call the trip short due to discomfort.
The Longer You Spend on the Road, the More Safety Features You’ll Want to Have
Aside from the practical elements of space and size, the Edge is a vehicle with stellar technology, both in terms of safety and in terms of convenience. Aside from its safety-oriented architecture, the Edge hosts excellent safety technology as part of the Ford Co-Pilot360 package that will work to ensure that you arrive safely home after your open-road adventure. One of the most dynamic and exciting safety technology features is that of Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop-and-Go. While you’re likely familiar with cruise control technology, Adaptive Cruise Control takes over the driving in a heightened way by monitoring the speed of the vehicle it is following, allowing the Edge to slow down or stop according to changes in traffic. Additionally, this technology allows the vehicle to scan lane markings and keep the vehicle centered in its lane. This is no excuse for inattentive driving, of course, but it will certainly help make road-tripping less tedious when traffic gets bad (and we all know it will).
Another unique safety feature that makes itself useful in bumper-to-bumper traffic is the Evasive Steering Assist technology, which provides extra steering support if it detects a potential collision in a high-traffic environment. This does not mean that it does the steering for you, but it will help make this steering happen quickly and effectively. These features, combined with BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), will be aware of the things that even the driver can’t be aware of while driving the Edge. While the Edge offers many other safety technology features, including the Lane-Keeping System and Pre-Collision Assist, the more commonly-utilized technology features will likely be in the convenience and entertainment sector.
Your Road Trip Vehicle Needs a Fully-Equipped Interior
The interior of the Edge is quite sleek, in large part due to the 12-inch portrait touchscreen, which looks more like a built-in tablet than a traditional infotainment screen. The presence of SYNC 4A makes it possible not only for you to get to know your vehicle but for you to set up your preferred radio settings, seating positions, and more for easy access and adjustment. Not to mention, it’s easy to connect your phone to the SYNC 4A system. If you’re going on a road trip, you are going to be spending a lot of time in the car, so if the car is able to cater to you rather than you catering to the car, you will have a much more exciting and distraction-free road trip. Additionally, when the road trip leads you off the road and into a parking lot so that you can explore your surroundings, remote connectivity to the FordPass app allows you to stay connected with and manage your Edge even from far away. So, the vehicle will always be ready to continue the road trip.
Why the Ford Edge?
Road trips can end up being life-changing experiences full of memories, discovery, and growth…if done properly. If done improperly, they can turn out to be full of anger, frustration, and misery. However, by choosing the 2022 Ford Edge as your road trip vehicle, you are already starting out your journey on a good note. Due to its CUV architecture, its generous cargo and passenger space, and its outstanding safety and technology features, the Edge is perfectly suited to hit the open road and take you on your next exciting adventure.
