The Ford Edge Lives On in China as a Hybrid with a Handsome New Design

Ford has revealed a new Edge L for the China market, but the new crossover is not expected to replace the aging Edge in America.The Edge L is powered by either a 248-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four or a hybrid setup pumping out a combined 271 horsepower.The interior features screens galore, with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster sitting aside a 27.0-inch central display.

Reports have suggested that the Ford Edge will be discontinued in the United States after the 2023 model year, ending a 15-year run for the nameplate. But over in China, the mid-size crossover is still going strong and a new Edge L was revealed yesterday, bringing sharp styling, three rows of seating, and an available hybrid powertrain.

Ford

The new Edge L doesn’t look anything like the Edge sold stateside, which has been languishing since 2015 with only a light facelift in 2019. The Edge L features a fresh look dominated by horizontal lines, with a wide grille bookended by L-shaped LED headlights. The blacked-out roof is a trendy look, as is the fin in the bodywork that rises at the C-pillar to give the bulky crossover a little pizzazz. The Edge L stretches 196.9 inches from nose to tail, about 8.0 inches longer than the U.S.-market Edge and only a couple of inches shy of an Explorer.

The all-wheel-drive, seven-seat Edge L has two powertrain options, starting with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four producing 248-hp and 279 pound-feet of torque. Ford is also offering hybrid setup good for a combined 271 hp and 299 pound-feet of torque, and Ford claims this powertrain will be good for around 37 mpg.

The cabin is decked out with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a gigantic 27.0-inch touchscreen that spans most of the dashboard, a feature we expect will migrate into U.S.-market Fords in the near future. The interior design is clean and modern, and lots of amenities are on offer, including a head-up display and ambient lighting. The China-built Edge L will go on sale in that market this spring, and we hope that Ford decides to offer it in the U.S. to bridge the gap between the Escape and Explorer and continue the Edge’s lineage.

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Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan.