From bailout to sold-out, Ford has gone from the brink of a financial disaster to being the No. 1 auto maker in Canada, within three years. It narrowly avoided having to take government handouts and with a flow of new products hitting the market and sales charts through the roof, Ford is odds-on favourite to be "numero uno" again in 2011.

One of those new products is the, made in Canada, 2011 Ford Edge. Already a successful mid-size crossover utility vehicle, the Edge was introduced in 2007. And while the 2011 redesign is not a complete makeover, the changes are extensive and involve over 60 per cent of its parts and components.

Offering new powertrains, new technology and a fresh new look (inside and out), the Edge was recently named Canada's Best New SUV/CUV in the $35,000 to $50,000 price range. It's also on a short list (of three) for the overall Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year Award, which will be announced in February.

The interior changes, driving position ergonomics, outward visibility, braking performance and the new MyFord Touch system garnered high marks from the AJAC (Automobile Journalist Association of Canada) judges. The new Edge also offers improved fuel economy and an even quieter interior with upgraded materials with a better quality feel, when compared than its predecessor.

The Edge comes in four trim levels; SE, SEL, Limited and Sport. Right now, under hood power is provided by one of two V6 engines, but a new base version with an EcoBoost turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder is expected later in the year.

The 3.5-litre V6, which comes in the SE, SEL and Limited produces 285 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft of torque. The Sport edition (my test ride) comes with a 3.7-litre V6, borrowed from the Mustang, and it can deliver 305 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft of torque.

The SE trim is exclusively a front-drive version. All-wheel-drive is available on SEL and Limited and is standard on Sport edition. There's also progressive move up in terms of wheel sizes that go from 17-inch on SE to massive 22-inch wheels on the Sport edition.

The Edge Sport also comes with a specially tuned suspension and steering wheel mounted transmission paddle shifters. In addition, it has some unique exterior and interior styling details to separate from the other versions of Edge.

THE LOOKS

The Edge has attractive smooth organically rounded styling lines, short front and rear body overhangs and a solid/stable appearance with wheels that seem to push out from the body at all four corners. Fresh styling features include a new grille, hood, fenders, lamps, bumper and air intakes up front.

Other changes for 2011 include new door handles, new tail lights, liftgate, wheels, and tailpipes. The Sport edition comes with what's called a Tuxedo Black grille, unique headlight and tail light treatments, body-colour rocker mouldings, oval chrome exhaust tips, body-colour door cladding and body-colour lower front and rear fascias.

THE INSIDE

Whether you sit into the front or the back seats of the Edge, the first thing that you notice is how roomy the cabin feels and the seats (for five occupants) are made to generous proportions. Leg room in the rear

is particularly impressive and seatbacks recline.

Like all utility-type vehicles, the rear seatbacks also fold flat to expand the cargo space.

The front passenger seat in the Edge also folds flat, which is handy as you can haul a long object (up to 2.4 metres) on the right side of the cabin.

Standard on Edge Limited and Sport is the brand new MyFord Touch system which takes Ford's award winning Sync system to a new level on connectivity.

The goal of this system is to provide a smarter, safer and simpler way to connect drivers with in-car technologies and their digital lives.

Traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges are replaced by touch sensitive LCD screen, controls are like those found on cellphones and there's a bigger selection (up to 10,000 voice commands compared to 300 in the previous version) of user-friendly voice commands.

I did, however, have mixed feelings about the ultra sensitive (Sony panel) touch-switches that control various audio features, defrosters and air conditioning.

The slightest touch of a finger breaks a field and triggers the cell to go on or off, like a conventional switch. While very easy to operate, this also means that touch-switches don't work if you're wearing gloves, which is a nuisance on a cold morning.

The Edge got a good crash safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and would have been a "Top Safety Pick" had its roof achieved a better than "acceptable" rating for strength-to-weight ratio.

A safety feature not found on too many vehicles is SOS Post-Crash alert, a system that hopefully an Edge owner will never actually activate. It's an automatic emergency alert that flashes the hazard lights and sounds the horn, if an airbag deploys.

My test Edge came with an optional Vision Package ($650), which includes blind-spot and cross-traffic monitoring. The cross-traffic feature is a very handy feature, as it alerts the driver of

rear intersecting traffic, when forced to back blindly out of a parking stall.

The Drive

With the smaller V6 under hood the Edge was clocked at 8.9 seconds to 100 km/hour at the Canadian Car of the Year evaluation event, which is good for this type of vehicle. The Sport edition probably shaves about another second off that time.

Another nice driving feature of the Sport is the transmission paddle shifter feature, on the steering wheel.

Ford calls it "live in drive" and it means that the driver doesn't have to shift to "M" or manual mode to use them. A tap of an upshift or down-shift paddle, on either side of the wheel, has the desired effect -anytime.

It's very handy if you need a quick burst of power or for engine braking while going down a hill.

The transmission eventually reverts to normal automatic operation if the driver stops using the paddles, unless a shift is made to full manual operation.

The Edge feels quick and agile and it certainly offers a more enjoyable driving experience than any of the heavier SUV-type vehicles out there.

The Score

Already a winner, the 2011 Ford Edge is better to look at, better inside, offers better performance and is an all-around great package.

The Specs

2011 Ford Edge Trim levels: SE, SEL, Limited & Sport

Sticker Price: $27,999 to $43,499

Power: 3.5-litre V-6,285 horsepower.

Power: 3.7-litre V-6,305 horsepower.

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Fuel consumption (3.5L):

11.9/8.0 L/100 km (city/highway)

Fuel consumption (3.7L):

12.2/8.8 L/100 km (city/highway)

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 km

Powertrain Warranty:

5 years / 100,000 km

Rust Warranty: 5 years / unlimited km

THE COMPETITION

Chevrolet Traverse: $35,715 -$50,540

Honda Crosstour: $34,900 -$38,900

Hyundai Veracruz: $32,499 -$44,999

Mazda CX9: $36,395 -$45,595

Nissan Murano: $34,498 -$46,298

Toyota Highlander: $31,500 -$51,650

Volkswagen Tiguan: $27,875 -$37,775