 2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD EcoBoost. Click image to enlarge |
| First Drive: 2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost
Test Drive: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD Manufacturer’s web site |
Review and photos by Chris Chase
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2013 Ford Flex
When we think of a car we usually associate it with its maker – Chevrolet, Honda, and so on – but there are certain individual cars that have developed brand identities of their own. Obvious examples include the Corvette and Mustang, cars so iconic that they have become known apart from the companies that build them.
You could make a case for the Ford Flex achieving a similar “brand-apart” status. Crossovers aren’t universally adored in the same way as sports cars are, but the Flex could get there on the merit of its standout looks – boxy lines that are distinctive in a group of competitors that tend toward the shapeless blob end of the automotive design spectrum.
It could be the Flex’s conspicuousness that influenced Ford’s 2013 styling refresh for its biggest crossover. The changes aren’t extraordinary, but if the decision to remove its blue oval logo from the front end and replace with it with the letters F-L-E-X stretched across the leading edge of the hood isn’t recognition of this car’s having achieved notoriety, I don’t know what is.
   2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD EcoBoost. Click image to enlarge |
Also new for 2013, stylistically, is the brushed metal-look bar running the width of the grille, and redesigned head- and taillights. For the record, the only blue oval badge with any prominence of place is the one on the tailgate. Note that this “new” look isn’t that far off from what you got in a Flex Limited in previous model years. It’s part of what you do, if you are an auto manufacturer with a vehicle entering its fourth model year: make standard something that you used to have to pay extra for.
Not much changes where the Flex’s running gear is concerned. As before, there’s a choice of two 3.5 L V6 engines, making 285 hp/255 lb-ft of torque in SE and SEL models, and a turbocharged (EcoBoost) version good for 355 hp/350 lb-ft that’s an option in the Limited trim. The SE is front-wheel drive only; the SEL can be had that way or with all-wheel drive, and the Limited is only sold as an all-wheeler. The sole transmission is a six-speed automatic with a manual shift function.
Ford sells the Flex SE for $30,499, but naturally it’s not hard to drive that number up with the addition of options. My tester was a Limited AWD EcoBoost model with what seemed like every conceivable extra: heated second row seats, second-row console with refrigerator, power-folding third-row seat, Titanium Appearance Package (black 20-inch wheels, black roof and mirror caps, brushed metal exterior trim, grey seat inserts and leather-wrapped steering wheel). The Limited is a $48,299 proposition with the turbocharged engine, but that motor can only be had along with one of a pair of packages; in the case of my tester, this was a $6,800 option group that included cooled front seats, paddle shifters, power-adjustable steering column, power-folding third row, active park assist and adaptive cruise control. All of those goodies boosted the bottom line to nearly $55,000. Ouch.
Mitigating that financial discomfort is the fact that the Flex is a lovely vehicle to drive. The front seats are huge – especially in width – but are also surprisingly supportive and very comfortable. The updated interior looks good (even if it’s a step back in terms of user-friendliness; more on that in a moment) and the restyled exterior presents an upscale look that makes base models look more expensive.
This year, the Flex is blessed(?) with Ford’s touch-sensitive centre stack controls for the climate and entertainment systems, and also gets the revised MyFord Touch system.
 2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD EcoBoost. Click image to enlarge |
When Ford introduced MyFord Touch, they told us the design and functionality of the touchscreen interface was influenced by focus group research. That explains why the first generation generally met with negative feedback among Ford buyers, leading the company to rework how it looks and behaves. The basic design is the same, with the touchscreen split into four quadrants, for climate, navigation, entertainment and phone. The update in appearance is minor, with the focus on how it works. The verdict is that it does seem to be more responsive, but still annoys more than it enhances the driving experience, by couching too many common controls in button sequences, rather than simply giving you a single button to push (or touch, in this case) for whatever it is you want to turn on or off.
Beyond the addition of MyFord Touch and the new centre stack, the Flex’s interior is familiar. The materials still look and feel like decent quality, but as I said about a Chevrolet Traverse I reviewed last year, what looks and feels good in a $30,000 crossover doesn’t necessarily fit in a $50,000-plus one, considering that for fifty grand, you might start thinking about sacrificing some interior space and seating capacity for a crossover with a luxury nameplate on it. A Mercedes-Benz R-Class starts around $57,000 (with a gasoline engine, not the BlueTec diesel), and a Volkswagen Touareg with its fuel-sippy TDI diesel can be bought for less than $54,000. Just sayin’.
    2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD EcoBoost. Click image to enlarge |
When matched up with other mid-priced crossovers, though, the Flex continues to be, in my opinion, the best-driving vehicle you can spend your money on. Nothing much in its price range – at least, not for less than about $40,000 – can match how it goes down the road, with perfect throttle response, nice brakes, and surprisingly communicative steering. Where the standard 3.5L engine has enough power to move an AWD Flex’s 2,100 kg (about 4,600 lbs) curb weight, the turbocharged motor turns this truck into a rocket, at least where mid-sized crossovers are concerned. Full-throttle acceleration generates a pleasant soundtrack. This is V8 power in a V6 package, and makes the Flex unique in its competitive set, where you don’t usually get a choice of engine.
Towing capacity maxes out at 2,041 kg (4,500 lbs) regardless of engine choice. I suspect that if the chassis were up to the task, the EcoBoost motor could capably haul more than that.
Natural Resources Canada rates the EcoBoost Flex’s fuel consumption at 13.4/8.9 L/100 km, city/highway, (or the U.S. EPA’s more realistic figures of 14.7/10.2); my tester averaged 12.6 L/100 km in a mix of (mostly) gentle city and highway driving.
The Flex offers a spacious interior for people, but where it tends to disappoint is in its cargo capacity, which is limited by the relatively low roofline. You just can’t pile quite as much stuff into this car as many of its competitors can handle.
Limiting the availability of the EcoBoost engine to the Limited model is a decision most likely based on Ford’s sales projections; typically, buyers who choose an uprated engine tend to also be more interested in a generous feature load. Unfortunately, that leaves potential buyers who want lots of power – say, for towing – but in a more basic model out in the cold. With any luck, if the public warms to turbocharging as a mainstream power adder (that does seem to be the way things are going), Ford will at least offer the EcoBoost as an option in the mid-level SEL trim.
In any event, even as the Flex enters its fourth model year, it remains one of the most distinctive and impressive mainstream vehicles on the market. Choosing the Limited model for the EcoBoost model alone is an expensive way to get more power, but at least the engine is a good fit for the nearly $50,000 price tag.
Pricing: 2013 Ford Flex Limited AWD
Base price: $44,399
Options: $9,050 (EcoBoost engine package, $6,800; Titanium Appearance package, $950; heated second-row seats, $650; second-row console with refrigerator, $650)
A/C tax: $100
Freight: $1,500
Price as tested: $55,049
Competitors
Buick Enclave
Chevrolet Traverse
Dodge Journey
Honda Pilot
Hyundai Santa Fe
Infiniti JX
Lincoln MKT
Mazda CX-9
Subaru Tribeca
Toyota Highlander
