2013 Ford Flex caught sporting first major update
Filed under: Spy Photos, Etc., Crossover, Ford
2013 Ford Flex spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The engineers and designers at Ford are hard at work on the next take for one of its largest crossovers. Our spy photographers have managed to snap a few photos of the 2013 Ford Flex ahead of its debut later this year, and from the looks of things, the vehicle will borrow more than a few styling cues from its platform-mate, the 2011 Explorer. Expect to see a more corporate face, complete with a new grille, angular headlights and a revised front fascia among other tweaks. Projector fog lights seem to have made their way to the option sheet for the first time and new wheels should also be available.
Out back, the 2013 Flex looks like it will make use of a restyled tail gate as well. So far, it's unclear exactly what sort of interior upgrades the three-row CUV will receive, though we'd feel comfortable in guessing that MyFord Touch will likely make an appearance in the cabin for the first time. In addition, Ford may pull some fuel economy tricks from the ether as well.
[Source: Brenda Priddy & Company]
2013 Ford Flex caught sporting first major update originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsAutoblog Podcast #189 – Flex sunsetting, NHTSA stars, saleable Sebrings and a cruise in the Cruze
Filed under: Podcasts, Government/Legal, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Rumormill
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Chris Shunk, Sam Abuelsamid and Dan Roth are back for Episode #188 of the Autoblog Podcast. Topics this time around include rumors of a Ford Flex/Lincoln MKT phase-out after 2013, changes to the way NHTSA crash rating scores are given, patent images that could be the next Chrysler Sebring and the Chevrolet Cruze. Your feedback is incorporated throughout this hour and twenty minute extravaganza, too. Thanks for listening, see you next time!
Autoblog Podcast #189 - Flex sunsetting, NHTSA stars, saleable Sebrings and a cruise in the Cruze
In the Autoblog Garage:
Ford F250 Super Duty
Ford Mustang GT Convertible
Hyundai Sonata SE
News:
- NHTSA updates its crash-test procedure
- Chrysler 200C patent drawings and Sebring plant staffing boost
- Ford Flex/Lincoln MKT being phased out
- Chevrolet Cruze first drive
Dan Roth, Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Shunk
Runtime: 84:26
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Autoblog Podcast #189 - Flex sunsetting, NHTSA stars, saleable Sebrings and a cruise in the Cruze originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsToyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Crossover, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Toyota
2011 Toyota Sienna - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's generally accepted that every new iteration of any vehicle is somehow better than its predecessor. And that's true of the 2011 Toyota Sienna minivan, which is festooned with more goodies (like a 16.4-inch widescreen monitor for rear-seat passengers) and a sportier flair (complete with a sporty SE trim) than the previous generation Sienna. The only question that remains, then, is this: Do those improvements automatically equal a better vehicle?
According to Consumer Reports, the answer is no. And surprisingly, it's not even close, with the new Sienna's overall test score of 80 paling in comparison to the 2010's overall score of 94. The main culprits cited by CR for the plummeting score are poor fit and finish and excessive interior noise - bad enough that CR claims it's not possible to have a proper conversation between front and rear passengers.
So, if not the Toyota Sienna - which held the honor for three straight years - what is CR's top-rated minivan? The six-year-old Honda Odyssey. For what it's worth, there's a new Odyssey coming out next year, but as we've seen from the Sienna, a new model doesn't necessarily equal one that tests better at the influential magazine. It's also worth noting that the new Sienna's overall score is roughly on par with that of the Kia Sedona, which has been available in its current configuration since 2006.
Consumer Reports also tested other people movers, such as the micro-minivan Mazda5 and the large box-on-wheels crossover Ford Flex. Both vehicles got rather positive reviews, and testers found that they may be looked at as realistic replacements for the tried-and-true minivan paradigm of the Toyota Sienna. Check out the official press release after the break.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
Continue reading Toyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated
Toyota Sienna score in Consumer Reports plunges, no longer top-rated originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSubmit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #189
Filed under: Etc., Plants/Manufacturing, Safety, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Rumormill
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It's time again to put your thinking caps on and ask our podcast crew anything you want to know. Don't forget to vote on which questions deserve our attention the most, though we'll try to get to as many as we can. Discussion topics for Autoblog Podcast #189, which we'll record tonight, can be found below. Finally, subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already to hear your question answered.
Discussion Topics for Autoblog Podcast Episode #189
- NHTSA updates its crash-test procedure
- Chrysler 200C patent drawings and Sebring plant staffing boost
- Ford Flex/Lincoln MKT being phased out
- Chevrolet Cruze first drive
Subscribe to the Autoblog Podacast and hear your questions asked:
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Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #189 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Lincoln MKT, Ford Flex to be phased out at end of 2013?
Filed under: Ford, Lincoln, Rumormill
2010 Lincoln MKT - click above for high-res image gallery
Doesn't it seem like only yesterday that Ford was in charge of seven different brands? Now The Blue Oval is down to two, Ford and Lincoln, after today's sale of Volvo to Chinese automaker Geely and the pending execution of Mercury. This means more energy and money will be available to plot success for Ford and Lincoln, and according to a report in Automotive News, that means Lincoln could get "a compact, front-drive car or crossover" (Lincoln Concept C, anyone?) and perhaps a model based on the next Ford Mondeo. Not exactly what we would have expected from Ford's luxury brand, but times change.
A small taste of what's in store for Lincoln: the MKX will get a redesign next year, the same year that the venerable Town Car dies, and, according to AN, a brand-new MKX with a design less like the Edge will appear in 2014. The MKZ gets a new look in 2013, which could be the last year for the controversial Ford Flex/Lincoln MKT and Navigator, perhaps replaced by an Explorer-based crossover or an SUV with more chops for rough terrain. Hopefully, they'll also rework that whole MK-Random-Letter approach to nomenclature as well.
The more germane revelation is this: Ford apparently believes Lincoln's success is contingent on putting lots of daylight between Ford and Lincoln engineering. Lincoln models need to be more distinct from their Ford counterparts in everything from engines to styling to feature sets. That might mean a lot more luxury features and refinement could be making their way into Lincolns soon - and that's something increasingly anxious Lincoln dealers ought to be able to get behind.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Report: Lincoln MKT, Ford Flex to be phased out at end of 2013? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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