2012 FORD Flex 3.5L EcoBoost AWD 6AT (365 HP)

Vehicle Overview

From time to time, the big car-manufacturers are bold enough to build an unusual vehicle to test the market. That works only if they have deep pockets to cover the costs if it’s not well received.

In 2007, Ford launched an unusual cross-over: the Flex. It is a cross-over in every way. The bodywork looks like a mix between a station wagon and an SUV. The long, over 5 meters (200″) body was seated on a Ford Taurus platform. An unusual decision made by Ford was to remove the blue oval from the hood and, instead, the designers placed the word FLEX on it. The grille was updated compared to the non-facelifted version and it was better integrated into the front fascia with the headlights. On the sides, the lines embossed in the bodywork looked stylish.

Since it was based on a comfortable saloon, it was normal that the ride in a Flex would be at the same level. And then, Ford added 7 seats with enough room for adults in the last row, with a fixed glass ceiling above them. For the 2013 model, apart from the base trim level, all the others featured the Sync infotainment system from Ford as standard, with voice recognition and an 8″ touch-screen. The driver had also two 4.2″ information displays in the instrument cluster.

The base model featured a naturally aspirated V6 and front-wheel-drive, while the top, twin-turbo EcoBoost unit featured all-wheel-drive as standard. All versions were mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.