Ford loses ‘recommend’ rating

Consumer Reports has pulled its much heralded "recommend" tag for the 2011 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX in its February issue, available on newsstands today.

The influential magazine, in fact, did not recommend any of the six 2011 SUVs tested and featured in the issue. The others are the Chevrolet Tahoe and Jeep Grand Cherokee, as well as the more luxurious Porsche Cayenne and Infiniti QX56.

Pulling its recommendations for the Ford Motor Co. crossovers came down to Ford's new telematics system, known as MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch, said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center in East Haddam, Conn. Testers found the system unwieldy, difficult to use and requires drivers to take their eyes off the road, he said.

"If the Edge had decent controls, it would probably be recommended," said Champion, noting that controls drivers use every day should have dedicated switches.

While losing the "recommend" rating may not be good for Ford's reputation, it still may not hurt Edge sales, analysts said.