2009 Ford Flex
by Jim Prueter -06/2008

Flex-cellent

Had the traditional three row family station wagon from decades ago been allowed to evolve to 2009, the all-new Ford Flex is how I imagine the Country Squire — sans wood paneling — would have looked.

The squared-off “two-box” look evoked no shortage of love-hate reaction during my weeklong testing, with “thumbs ups” by far outnumbering disdainful lip curls. Where some saw a full-sized Scion xB, others saw a scaled down Mini Cooper Clubman. I saw strong hints of one-time-sibling Land Rover Range Rover. Of course, Ford is hoping to see strong sales results, with an expected 100,000 in first-year sales. Me? I think it looks terrific.

Given that most Americans are almost embarrassed to be seen driving a gas-guzzling SUV and that minivans are on life support, its hard to argue with the timing of Flex’s introduction. With seating for up to seven, interior cargo space is only about 15 percent smaller than most full-size SUVs, thanks to its boxy style.

But those that think Flex is a high-gas-mileage family hauler are going to be disappointed. With fuel economy on our all-wheel drive tester rated at 16/22 city/highway, I averaged just over 20 miles per gallon in a combination of city and highway driving. Not that those numbers are horrible; it’s tough to find a vehicle that will haul a family with comfort and do much better. The name, however, could be a bit misleading. Many asked if it was some kind of hybrid or “flex-fuel” alternative vehicle. It is not.

Flex is built on the same platform as Ford Taurus and Taurus X, and then stretches the rear axels a full five inches aft. The result is an incredible amount of second-row legroom where even my too tall six-foot-six frame rode comfortably and without complaint, thanks to seats that slide fore and aft.

Our tester came equipped with the optional power-folding second-row seats, so access to the third row is rather easy. Two adults will do alright in the third row for short trips, but they’re best left for the kids.

Flex comes three ways: base SE available only with front-wheel drive and a 60/40 split bench second row seat, mid-level SEL with optional all-wheel drive, and top-of-the-line Limited with either front or all-wheel drive for an extra $1800 (well worth it for snowy climates).

All three Flex models are powered by a 3.5-liter 262-horsepower V-6. A six-speed automatic is the only available transmission. The console-mounted shifter offers only “D” and “L” and desperately begs for a manual shift mode to enhance the automatic. Flex also has a capless fuel-filler. Just open the cover door, insert the pump nozzle and squeeze. No cap to twist off and on.

We were taken by the looks and especially liked the horizontal strakes on the door panels, which, by the way, neatly wrap under the vehicle to keep from dirtying your slacks or dress on muddy doorsills. Plus, there isn’t anything to step over when entering and exiting. The same effect is repeated on the one-piece rear liftgate, finished in stylish brushed aluminum. We also liked how the designers blacked out the side windows and door pillars, giving the white roof the appearance of floating above the body.

The grille contains the same bold three-bar razor look Ford is using on most of its models including Edge, Fusion and Taurus.

The cabin in our Limited tester was simply the best execution we’ve ever seen from the blue oval brand. Ford called on a well-known Madison Avenue clothing designer to help with the offering. Leather seats are perforated in a diamond pattern, with white stitching on charcoal-colored leather. Grainy soft-touch materials are used on the dash, door panels, armrests and center console, with a touch of wood trim across the dash, door panels and top of the steering wheel. Brushed aluminum complements the center stack, steering wheel and door switch plates. Finally, a reprieve from textured hard plastic.

The second-row seats are split buckets with a real compressor-driven refrigerator/freezer ($760) mounted between. It can cool up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles to 41 degrees faster than a home refrigerator, according to Ford. Our tester also came equipped with the multi-panel Vista Roof ($1495) that extends glass skylights over all three rows of seats. Only the front panel opens; the others are fixed and covered with sunshades.

Flex also allows owners to program seven different interior lighting colors by changing the two light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted on the front console, foot wells and around the two front cupholders.

Flex also offers Ford Sync, a voice-activated communications and entertainment system developed in partnership with Microsoft. It integrates mobile phones and digital media players and includes a hard drive to store up to 2300 songs.

So what’s it like to drive? For one, Flex is a big vehicle (actually longer than a Chevy Tahoe and most large minivans), yet it’s easy to drive and park. Ford is also proud that Flex is one of the quietest vehicles in its class, with extra thick glass and high-tech sound-deadening materials in the dash panel, headliner and flooring.

The ride is controlled, with minimal lean and body roll on curves and during cornering. The long wheelbase repays with a fluid ride and smooth handling.

Safety features include stability and anti-rollover control, driver and passenger airbags, and two-row canopy bags. Neither the insurance industry nor the federal government has crash tested the new Flex as of this writing.

Overall, we think Flex is an outstanding vehicle and one of the best Ford introductions in years. It’s not only cool looking, but excels in function and is a perfect alternative to a minivan, crossover or SUV — especially if you need to haul a family. It comes in a choice of nine colors and two solid-color roof accent colors: white or silver.

We were impressed with the high-quality materials, build quality was excellent and creative and thoughtful new features. And did we say we really liked the styling?

What we didn’t like was the steering wheel that didn’t telescope. Try as we might, it was the lone distraction from what is otherwise an excellent vehicle. Well-done Ford!