Wednesday 01 / May / 2024
Story: Felicia Campbell
Photo: Mehdi Taghavi
This summer won’t seem to quit, and, if you’re anything like me, you spend your weeks fantasising about cooler temperatures and escaping the urban hothouse. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take the new Ford Edge out for a spin, so I began plotting where to go.
The vehicle is the brand’s latest crossover, a category which has always perplexed me. Not a sporty sedan, and not a go-anywhere-SUV, I’ve never really seen the point. But, with an open mind, I picked up the vehicle from Wattayah to see what all the fuss was about.
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The sport version has lovely features including some of the most comfortable perforated suede and leather seats I’ve had the pleasure to sit on, complete with cooling and heating functions. The car has all the bells and whistles as far as safety features like blind spot monitoring, forward and rear-facing cameras with their own washing system, along with super fantastic surprises like the massive sunroof that practically spans the length of the vehicle, making it almost a convertible. I loved some of the new technology too, like lane assist, which scans the road and gently pulls you back into your current lane (it is only deactivated for changing lanes when you use the indicator), as well as park assist, which magically self-parks the vehicle in either perpendicular or parallel spots, and brings you back out of particularly tight parking spaces. The handling has been totally re-engineered, so that driving the mid-sized vehicle feels more like zipping around in a peppy sedan, and to that same end, the twin turbo, V6 engine makes you feel like you are driving a much smaller, more nibble automobile. Cruising around the city, I found that I was in love with the tremendously comfortable ride. My music was bumping through the Bluetooth sound system, and as I imagined myself with a family in-tow, I definitely began to see the appeal of this particular crossover. But besides hauling kids and groceries, what does the Edge have to offer the weekend warrior in off-road capability? I understood that the Edge wasn’t a dune bashing, rock-climbing monster truck, but was it brawny enough for some light outdoor adventure?
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Itching for some cooler weather, but not quite mentally prepared for the journey to Jebel Akhdar or Jebel Shams, we decided to explore the village of Wakan, just an hour-and-a-half from Muscat, on the Batinah side of the Hajar mountains. I’d heard stories about the lush orchards of this little mountain town, and of cool breezes. But I was worried that with this late summer heat, we might be going out of the frying pan and into the fire so-to-speak.
We pulled to a stop just past Nakhal to wait for some friends and as I climbed out of the car, I was struck by the sizzling 39 degrees heat. Disappointed and sweating, I lost all desire to hike, but we decided to carry on anyways, turning onto a small winding road.
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The jagged peaks began to rise around us, the clouds collecting at their edges. The temperatures began to slowly drop, one degree here, then another as we crawled up through small, narrow-laned towns. Then the pavement ended. I looked at my husband, and we looked back at the pitted road. “What do you think?” I asked him. He paused for a moment, surveying the steep incline and loose stone. “Well, let’s take it slow and see how it goes. It is a Ford, after all.” We nervously began climbing and the road continued to narrow and continued to grow more rocky. The views were breathtaking and we eventually saw the sign for Wakan. The last 100 metres were the worst of the entire stretch, but we emerged at the top of the hill and were welcomed by that illusive, cold burst of air that we’d been dreaming of.
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At the bottom of a small observation tower we found bathrooms and a young man who was able to point us towards the smooth, paved path that served as the trailhead. The path lead straight through a charming village, crumbing in parts with ancient doorways and ziz-zagging alleys. Just passed the homes, farmers bent over a lush, green acre of corn, herbs, and yet unplanted land set against the gnarls of forest beyond.
We entered through a knot of grape vines, ducking under the branches of pomegranate trees and date palms. The babbling sound of falaj waterfalls played against the soft rustle of the leaves moving with the cool wind. Along the path we found benches built into the sides of the walls, covered seating areas, and even a small prayer room. The 30-40-minute hike ended at the beginning of the Jebel Akhdar Nature Reserve trailhead, where we sat under small pergola overlooking another village surrounded by palm trees at the bottom of the gorge. A friendly goat came over to entertain us while we rested and prepared to make our way back down the scenic trail. It was 24 degrees, with a breeze that chilled us while we hiked back down. It was everything I’d hoped to find, and more.
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The Edge bounded down the hill with ease, proving that it was as capable of weekend excursions as it was luxurious on city roads, and we ended our adventure with a picnic in a wadi below the village, barbecuing under a spray of stars. It was a weekend of unexpected surprises, exceeded expectations, and a glorious break from the heat and grind of the week.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FORD EDGE
Type: All-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback
Engines: - 2.0-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost sport versionV6 engineNakhalEcoBoos® engine: Standard with 253PS@5,500rpm; 378Nm@2,500rpm/ 3.5-litre Ti-VCT V6 available on SEL and Titanium models with 283PS@6,500; 340Nm@4,000rpm/ 2.7-litre EcoBoost® V6 Standard on Sport models with 340PS@3,250rpm; 542Nm@3,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed SelectShift® automatic with paddle shifters
HIGHLIGHTS
• New 180-degree front camera with washer;
standard rear camera
• Enhanced Active Park Assist with parallel and reverse parking
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision
Warning and Brake Support
• Adaptive steering that adapts to driving conditions to make steering easier at low speeds
• Lane-Keeping System to assist the driver when
the vehicle drifts out of their lane
• Vibrating steering wheel vibrates to alert the driver to return to their lane
• BLIS® with Cross-Traffic Alert
• SYNC® with MyFord Touch® touchscreen interface displaying phone, audio and available navigation functions
• Hands-free liftgate
Authorised Dealer:
Arabian Car Marketing Company
Ford Showroom, Wattayah
+968 2457 9719
Visiting Wakan Village
Location: 2,000 metres above sea level in Wadi Mastal in Wilayat Nakhal, Al Batinah South Governorate
How to Get There:Take the Expressway to the end and turn toward Nakhal and Rustaq. 5-10 minutes passed Nakhal, turn left in front of a watertower and follow the road towards Wadi Mistral. The paved road will wind up the mountain and continue un-paved to Wakan Village at the top of the mountain
Average Summer Temperature: 25 C and cloudy
Best Times to Go: Escape the heat in the summertime, or visit in February and March to see the Cherry Blossom-like blooms of the Apricot trees
What to Bring: Bottled water, lunch or snacks (there are no restaurants in the area), and a camera
Note: The village is home to local inhabitants and the orchards are their sole livelihood. Appreciate and respect the villagers opening their town to visitors and do not divert from the path or take fruit or produce from the land.
