It’s no secret that this large crossover will be discontinued soon. However, it looks like the company plans to keep it alive for another year, so the 2020 Ford Flex should be the last year model in the offer. To remind you, the Flex has been around for a pretty long time, since 2009. Meanwhile, we didn’t see too many changes on it, although there was one major update, even that was a long time ago.
Despite the age, this is still relatively decent SUV, which offers a lot of practicality. However, competitors are much younger, better in most aspects, especially when it comes to driving characteristics and efficiency. Despite numerous drawback, the 2020 Ford Flex won’t feature any important changes. It will be a typical carryover model, which will continue with the same design, engines and other features. Expect to see it sometime late in the year.
2020 Ford Flex Design
Despite we hear a lot of reports about the 2020 Ford Flex redesign in the past, it is obvious these days that the Blue Oval company is killing this crossover soon. Therefore, the next year won’t bring any important changes. The Flex will continue with its familiar, pretty distinctive boxy shape, which made it instantly recognizable. Visually, this model still looks okay but the problem is in terms of outdated mechanics.
As we already mentioned, this crossover has been introduced more than a decade ago. It rides on the company’s older-generation D4 platform. Add to this large size and boxy shape and it becomes obvious why this model isn’t too much driveable. For the same reasons, fuel economy and overall efficiency aren’t on the satisfying level either. All in all, the next year won’t bring any important changes. Practically, the only possible novelties we could see our new 2020 Ford Flex colors, though even that doesn’t seem very likely.
Interior
The cabin of this crossover is a mixed bag. At the time this model was launched, three-row SUVs weren’t a common thing, so that was one of the trumps. Meanwhile, things have changed a lot. However, the Flex is still one of the more spacious models in the class, due to its size. Also, its boxy shape is highly beneficial in terms of cargo volume and practicality. You can easily load and unload bulky objects, while the overall cargo volume goes all-away up to 83 cubic feet. Also, three rows of seats are standard, so you can accommodate up to seven passengers.
On the other side, the dashboard definitely shows the model’s age. Its design is typical for the previous decade, so there is no way Flex could compete with modern crossovers like Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander in terms of the interior quality. First of all, aesthetics definite isn’t good, while most surfaces feature hard plastics.
2020 Ford Flex Engines
The 2020 Ford Flex should continue with two familiar engines in the offer. Base models will come with a familiar 3.5-liter naturally-aspirated V6 under the hood, which delivers 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. With such numbers, you can’t count on any spectacular performances. Moreover, fuel economy is also bad, as it returns around 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.
Things are far better with the optional turbo V6 engine. It is good for about 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Strong acceleration and significantly improved driving dynamics are more than obvious with this engine. Also, towing capacity increases, so this model is good for about 4.500 pounds.
Trim Levels
Things are about to remain the same in this aspect. There will be three familiar trim levels in the offer for the next year – SE, SEL and Limited.
The base SE model comes with standard 17-inch wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-way power driver’s seat, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors etc. In terms of tech features, you can count on Bluetooth, but not on a touchscreen, as this version comes with a small 4.2-inch display.
A mid-range SEL is a bit of an upgrade. You get bigger 18-inch wheels, fog lights, remote start, etc. On the inside, dual-zone climate control is standard, as well as things like heated front seats, power-adjustable front seats, 8-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration and more.
Finally, the 2020 Ford Flex Limite will continue to be the flagship version, which adds a bit of luxury as well. Things like 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, LED taillights are notable exterior features. Interior highlights are things like upgraded wood interior trim, ambient interior lighting, a navigation system, premium audio system and many more.
2020 Ford Flex Release Date and Price
Considering that there are no bigger changes to come, the 2020 Ford Flex release date should be scheduled for late 2019. When it comes to the price, base models will go around 30.500 dollars.