2013 Ford Flex

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Flex's new front end rounds out the previously boxy edges, creating more visual harmony between the front and the rest of the vehicle. The signature Ford blue oval has been removed from the front, which now solely bears the Flex badge.

In the rear, Flex now has standard dual exhaust and available rear appliqué.

Inside the Flex customers will find a modern, sophisticated driver zone with new clusters, steering wheel and electronic finish panels, as well as new seat trim and foam.

Class-exclusives include the available second-row refrigerated console and the latest generation of MyFord Touch with SYNC.

Enhanced Technology

The new Flex features SYNC with the new generation of MyFord Touch, making it easier to manage information, control features and adjust settings.

"We've listened to our customers and have improved what they love about MyFord Touch," said Kenneth Williams, systems integration engineer. "In this upgrade, the screens have a cleaner, clearer display. The words on the screens are larger and easier to read, the pressable areas on the screen look more like buttons, and we have made the functions clearer for faster navigation.

"What separates MyFord Touch is that there are multiple ways for customers to manage and control what they want through voice commands, menus accessed through the steering wheel controls, touch screen, buttons or knobs - whatever they prefer."

MyFord Touch includes two 4.2-inch screens in the instrument cluster and an eight-inch screen in the center stack. The feature pairs with the latest version of SYNC.

The base SYNC package includes:

* Hands-free, voice-activated calling via a Bluetooth-connected mobile phone or USB-connected digital music player
* 911 Assist, the automated emergency calling service that is free for the life of the vehicle
* Vehicle Health Report, the on-demand diagnostic and maintenance information service

Ford Flex: Review (2/2)