THE Ford Edge impresses in many ways, not least the high level of standard equipment, excellent comfort and impressive performance.

Ford claims it's the most technologically advanced SUV it has ever produced and after driving one over a wide range of testing roads, I can see why they're proud of it.

It's also the first US-made SUV to come to Europe for many years, competing with the likes of the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Audi Q3 or Mazda CX-5.

The bluff nose with its upper and lower intakes is very Ford but in this instance perhaps not the best looking.

However, the way it drives it very, very good in every way.

There are four versions of the same 2.0-litre diesel engine on offer, all with a six speed automatic gearbox, and there are no hybrids or petrols in the range.

The automatic box suits the Edge perfectly, and has a very good kickdown that will drop one or two gears simply by the amount of pressure on the accelerator.

The engines are smooth and quiet at all times, helped by noise cancellation technology that really seems to make a difference when compared to others.

Lowest power output is 150bhp in the Ecoblue and it's the only model that comes with just the front wheels driven. It covers the 0 to 60 sprint in 10.8 seconds and is capable of 48 miles per gallon.

All the others have four wheel drive (4WD) as standard starting with the 180bhp offering, which covers the sprint in 9.6 seconds and can also manage a very best of 48mpg.

Next up the range is the 210bhp BiTurbo. This cuts the acceleration time to 9.1 seconds and is rated at 44mpg.

Finally there is a 238bhp BiTurbo range topper, but oddly, it's slightly slower than the model below it and manages only 40mpg.

While the acceleration times don't seem like much to shout about, the in gear urge is brilliant with that well weighted kickdown to help should it be needed.

The 4WD system feeds power to the front wheels most of the time, but sensors monitor grip and add power to the rear wheels in a split second whenever it's needed.

Reliability is very good according to contacts in the trade, and that plus excellent resale values, means prices are likely to be higher than some contemporaries year for year.

There are five levels of trim: Titanium, Zetec, Sport, ST-Line and Vignale and all come with more equipment than would normally be expected.

For example, the Zetec in the mid-range comes with an alarm, steering wheel reach and rake adjustment, every which way adjustable front seats with lumbar support, big alloy wheels, climate control, split folding rear seats, traction control, DAB radio with Bluetooth, aux in, USB points, start/stop and cruise control.

ST-Line spec adds sports suspension, which in many cars, spoils what is otherwise a good ride. The Edge is the exception that proves the rule, with wonderful comfort over all surfaces at all speeds in this trim, just the same as in all the others.

The front seats are hip and back hugging so that the car's marvellous cornering ability can be fully exploited. It holds beautifully to the road surface through a series of rough curves, with strong body control and excellent grip.

Pay about £18,000 for an '18 18-reg Titanium 180bhp, or £29,500 for a '20 20-reg ST-Line 238bhp.