2010 Ford Flex EcoBoost

Good Lord, this Flex is FAST! I made use of all 355 hp as often as traffic would allow in my night with the Flex. This is quite possibly the only crossover ever to inspire hooliganism. No, it's not going to do burnouts or compel a trip to the local autocross course, but the roll-on acceleration is amazing, and the twin turbos more than keep up with the aerodynamic demands at highway speeds. Honestly, there's enough thrust here to warrant an SVT badge. But I'm happy Ford didn't go that route with the Flex.

EcoBoost does nothing to alter the people- and cargo-carrying ability of the Flex, and it should improve trailering experiences considerably. There's no need to buy a big V-8-powered SUV for occasional towing of things like pop-up campers or moderately sized boats. The Flex EcoBoost won't replace full-size pickups for heavy towing, but I'd like to see how this engine motivates an F-150. Perhaps this is the replacement for displacement.

Phil Floraday, Senior Online Editor