Hot-Selling 2011 Ford Edge Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick, Offers Standard Safety Features, Leading Fuel Economy

DEARBORN, Mich., April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• The popular new 2011 Edge earned an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick (for models built after February 2011), adding to Ford's leading number of top safety ratings

• Edge sales are up 25 percent in 2011 as Ford's stylish crossover wrapped up March as its segment leader, accounting for 18 percent of medium crossover sales

• The 2011 Ford Edge is EPA-rated at an unsurpassed 19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined

• Edge features advanced airbags such as Safety Canopy® side curtains, pioneers available radar-based collision warning with brake support crash-avoidance system

The new 2011 Ford Edge, which offers a suite of innovative safety technologies, is off to a fast start and could gain even more popularity after becoming the latest Ford vehicle to earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (for models built after February 2011).

Ford now has 10 vehicles on the road in the U.S. that have earned Top Safety Picks, which adds to its leading number of top U.S. safety ratings.

"The new Edge is already the most popular midsize crossover and we believe this Top Safety Pick rating will generate even more interest," said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

To earn a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must receive a rating of "good" in offset frontal-, side- and rear-impact crash tests and roof strength evaluations, as well as offer electronic stability control.

The Edge, which launched in late 2010, is off to a fast start with sales up 25 percent in 2011 through March – ending the month as the segment leader with 18 percent of medium crossover sales. Initial demand for the Edge's driver-aid technologies Edge has been strong. Of the first 101,908 vehicles sold:

• 80 percent include rear view camera
• 32 percent include BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert

"Edge customers value safety and security," said Eric Peterson, crossover marketing manager. "Safety features are one of the top reasons customers cite for their purchases of Edge and crossovers in general."

Safety and driver-assist features

The new Edge comes equipped with technologies to help prevent crashes – from parking lot fender benders to high-speed collisions – by warning drivers of the potential for a crash.

"The new Edge delivers features that both help prevent a crash and help minimize occupant injuries when a crash is unavoidable," said Peterson. "It's a comprehensive safety story from bumper to bumper."

Driver-aid and safety technologies include options such as:

• Adaptive cruise control, which slows the vehicle to adapt for traffic conditions and maintain a preset distance between vehicles

• Collision warning with brake support, which helps reduce speed, automatically pre-charges brakes, provides a red warning light on the windshield as well as an audible beep to help drivers stop more quickly when the system detects a collision is imminent

• BLIS with cross-traffic alert, which helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving, as well as traffic approaching from the sides when reversing out of parking spots

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which alerts drivers when it senses tire pressure is low

• MyKey, which allows parents to limit speed and audio volume in their vehicles and is designed to help parents encourage safe driving habits in their teens

"The Edge pioneers the mainstream introduction of crash avoidance technologies with two available class-exclusive radar-based features that help detect and warn drivers of potentially dangerous situations," Cischke said.

Structural safety and crash protection

Edge features a solid unibody construction, which provides an energy-absorbing structure to help protect occupants. Bumper-to-bumper flow-through side rails, structural design and A-pillars are designed to move crash energy away from occupants. Nearly half of the stiff shell is composed of high-strength steels, such as boron, for both increased strength and reduced weight.

When a crash becomes unavoidable, Edge relies on an array of airbags to protect occupants. Two front dual-stage and two side airbags are joined by a Safety Canopy consisting of side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard passengers. Personal Safety System™ safety belts feature pretensioners and an energy management system with adjustable D-ring height in the first row.  

The 2011 Ford Edge is EPA-rated at an unsurpassed 19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company