Ford Flex 2013

The Ford Flex, is, of course, the Taurus's wagony analogue, the glitzy, boxy companion to the D-segment sedan that the unlamented Freestyle never was to the Taurus's daddy, the Five Hundred. What this particular Flex is is the freshened-for-2013 version.

While the basics remain the same, Ford's updated the styling of its boxy seven-seater, offering a front-end treatment more avant garde than that of the previous car--or even that of the 2005 Fairlane concept which spawned the Flex. The blue oval grille badge is gone, replaced by extra-width "FLEX" lettering spanning the hood's leading edge.

Inside, Ford upgraded the materials and redesigned the dash, offering touch-sensitive buttons à la the Chevrolet Volt's center stack--though the look is decidedly 1970s Aston Martin Lagonda--minimal rather than the Volt's Starfleet hodgepodge. Furthermore, the new Flex ships with the updated version of the often-cursed MyFord Touch. Some 300,000 people are now using the infotainment system, and we presume that some of them are happy with it.

Under the skin, Ford upped the power of the available engines. The 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 now makes 288 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque, and the EcoBoost twin-turbo six pumps out 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. Mileage improves as well, up a tick to 18/25 mpg for the FWD naturally aspirated base model and 16/23 mpg for the AWD EcoBoost version. A six-speed slushbox is still the only available transmission.

We sampled an AWD Flex Limited EcoBoost. If you've driven the previous model, the new wagonoid will feel like a subtle yet substantial improvement. Ford added sound-deadening insulation, recalibrated the steering and imparted the handling with an aura of solidity that pairs well with the upgraded interior. Ford also beefed up the brakes, which now offer fine modulation and confidence-inspiring stopping power.

The turbocharged six never overwhelms the chassis, nor does it feel underpowered. Call the thrust level "adequate" in the Rolls-Royce manner. Not that the Flex is Rolls refined. There's a hint of coarseness to everything Ford builds on the D3/D4 platform (the MKS, the MKT, the Taurus, the Explorer, the Flex) that the company has yet to entirely iron out. It's not bad, it just feels as if it should somehow be better.

2013 Ford Flex
On Sale: Spring 2012
Base Price: $30,885
Drivetrain:288-hp, 254-lb-ft, 3.5-liter V6/365-hp, 350-lb-ft, 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6; FWD/AWD, six-speed automatic
Fuel Economy: 3.5-liter: 20 mpg (FWD), 19 mpg (AWD); 3.5-liter turbo: 18 mpg (AWD)

By: Davey G. Johnson