2009 Ford Flex Review

Specifications

Where else would a company debut what looks like a modern interpretation of a classic “surf wagon”, but Santa Monica, California? The 2009 Ford Flex really isn’t like anything else on the road at the moment, let alone anything from Ford, and it’s good to see the brand taking chances. Looking at it, I see some 1940s Woody and 1960s station wagon influence, blended with both Mini’s Clubman and Scion’s xB, but on a much larger scale. Driving around Los Angeles, a city where I saw countless flashy six-figure modes of transportation, it takes something different to stand out from the crowd, and in the midst of it all, this Ford works. If a vehicle can garner attention here, then it can get attention anywhere. Our Cinnamon Metallic Flex Limited drew a lot of stares, thumbs up, and words of encouragement from just about everyone from a young guy in a black Expedition on dubs to a well-informed older gentleman in a PT Cruiser who knew exactly what the Flex was and asked when he could buy one. Some people find it strange that Ford doesn’t have a particular demographic targeted with the Flex, but why should they when it’s grabbing consumers from all walks of life?

The Flex traces its origins back to the 2005 North American International Auto Show, where Ford showed the Fairlane concept. With its grooved slab sides, suicide doors, blacked out greenhouse, contrasting white roof and wheels-pushed-to-the-corners stance, it was a modern, stylish twist on a large wagon. From the get-go the Fairlane was intended as a replacement for Ford’s Freestar minivan. Ford felt that instead of releasing another me-too minivan that would almost certainly lag behind Caravan, Odyssey and Sienna sales, it could do much better by launching a new product in the booming crossover segment. True, crossovers are the new “me-too” category, but at least they’re on the upswing, and not trending downward.

Very little was lost in the translation from Fairlane to Flex, though it is a little longer, a little wider and not as tall. Externally only the suicide doors and some other exterior detailing are MIA. Ford’s signature chrome three-bar grille is encapsulated into a single wraparound piece along with the headlamps. The rear of the Limited model mirrors the look with chrome outlined tail lamps and a grooved brushed satin finish panel spanning the center of the tailgate. A lot of crossovers have bland rear ends, but you can’t say the same about the Flex. Chrome mirrors, window trim and door handles do a good job of tying the front and rear together. For that added classy touch, Limited models also offer High Intensity Discharge headlamps and LED taillights. The blacked out greenhouse, a first from Ford, provides the illusion that the roof floats above the body, similar to what you’d find in a Range Rover. Most crossovers have a monochromatic paint scheme, but Ford has gone one step further by offering the roof in white Suede or Silver.

Another interesting detail about the Flex is that it includes Ford’s exclusive capless refueling system; it was first introduced on the ‘08 Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer, and will be offered as standard equipment on the all-new ‘09 F-150, updated ‘09 Escape, and the Lincoln MKS too. Dubbed EasyFuel, the system negates the use of a traditional fuel cap. Ford touts that EasyFuel not only eliminates the likelihood of forgetting to put the gas cap back on after fueling, but it saves time by doing away with the need to unscrew and replace a fuel filler cap. Do people actually forget to replace their fuel caps? Haven’t they been on tethers for years? Does it take that much time to unscrew a gas cap? More importantly than either of these issues are the environmental benefits; Ford claims the capless system provides a better seal than a traditional gas cap, cutting down the release of gasoline vapors into the atmosphere.

While the concept and the styling is groundbreaking, the Flex’s chassis and base architecture have been in the Ford family for quite some time. The Flex uses the D3 platform, which is in use on the Taurus, Taurus X, as well as the brand new Lincoln MKS, in various forms. If you follow its family tree back a little further, the D3 was actually developed by Volvo, and used in the first-generation S80 and current XC90. Between then and now, Ford has thoroughly brought it up to date - it is ultra rigid and the Flex is complemented by an updated independent rear suspension with thicker sway bars. Ride quality is excellent and never choppy. Ford’s engineers utilized a technology they call the Multi Activation Regression Simulation (MARS) model, which balances different sound inputs coming into the vehicle, such as powertrain, wind and road noise to make all of the sounds blend harmoniously. It works, as the Flex I drove was easily as quiet as the Lexus ES 350 I had driven a couple of weeks before. Truly, the driver is able to whisper and all of the passengers can clearly hear what is being said. All models boast a windshield that’s 6 mm thick and the Limited benefits from laminated glass in the front side windows, adding to the serenity.

Louis Jamail, one of Ford’s vehicle dynamics engineers on the Flex, rode with us on our afternoon drive. Louis, who previously worked in the SVT division (where he helped develop the Mustang Cobra R), said that handling was very important when developing the Flex. He encouraged me to push it through some of the tighter corners on our route, including those of California’s Topanga Canyon, a tight two-lane road that winds through the hills. The result was minimal body roll and nominal tire squeal, impressive for a vehicle that’s considered a “large crossover”. The one thing that really amazed me most about the Flex was its handling; it really corners like a smaller sedan. At no time does it feel as big as it actually is. Tires on SEL models are 235/60R18s, while the Limited receives 235/55R19s. 20s are also available.

AWD is an option on both the SEL and Limited trims, and was included on the example that I spent the day with. Ford calls it an intelligent all-wheel-drive system, tuned to provide confidence behind the wheel in all-weather conditions. Thanks to an active, on-demand electronic center coupler, the system can allocate a precise amount of torque from front to rear, up to 100-percent to either axle. This system can anticipate slipping tires before they actually do. Advance-Trac traction control, combined with Roll Stability Control (RSC), monitor speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle, and work in conjunction to keep the Flex stable. Should you need to tow something, the optional Class III trailer tow package will increase its hauling capability up to 4,200 lbs.

Initially, Ford’s familiar 3.5-liter V6 provides power, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. In the Flex, it produces 262 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque running on regular unleaded. The engine is adequate for a vehicle of this size, and while it’s no hot rod wagon there were only a couple of times I really had to throw my foot into it, mainly when navigating up the hills that overlook Los Angeles. When you do hammer the throttle the Flex moves along well, but of course it uses more fuel than if you drive judiciously. Since fuel is such a hot topic at the moment, it’s important that the Flex offers economy that’s at least comparable to its competition, with a rating of 16 mpg in the city and 22 on the highway.

Next year, Ford will introduce EcoBoost technology to the Flex, which means that just because the domestic automakers are moving away from V8 engines doesn’t mean they don’t want to meet consumer demand for horsepower and fuel economy. The upcoming EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 will produce V8-like horsepower and torque (expect 340 horsepower and even more torque) with the fuel efficiency of a V6. The engine will appear first in the aforementioned MKS, followed by the Flex shortly thereafter. As EcoBoost proliferates over a range of four and six cylinder engines, it will bring turbochargers and direct injection to the entire Ford, Mercury and Lincoln lineup. Ford touts high cost savings for the consumer over a hybrid or diesel engine, meaning that it won’t take nearly as long to pay for itself.

Stepping into, yes into and not up to the Flex is quite easy for those of all heights courtesy of its integrated rocker panel design, which eliminates the need to step over the rocker panel when getting in and out of the vehicle. Due to its width and stadium-style seating for the second and third rows, all occupants travel in comfort. Front and second row bucket seats, as well as a two-passenger third row bench, ensure standard seating for six while an optional second row bench bumps the number of seats to seven. The first row of the SEL and first two rows of the Limited are also leather trimmed (the third row is vinyl) with a chic diamond pattern insert. While some cost concessions are evident, overall the Flex is one of Ford’s best interiors in a while. Just the same, the bar hasn’t exactly been set that high. They are headed in the right direction though. Real wood even adorns the steering wheel in the Limited, and there are a lot of soft-touch plastic surfaces.


Well equipped doesn’t even begin to cover the crossover’s feature content, mind you. In addition to the leather seats and the aforementioned exterior trim and lights, the Flex Limited also features a power tailgate, chrome scuff plates, ambient lighting, power adjustable pedals with memory, a 110-volt outlet, 2nd row seat footrests, a Sony audio system and Microsoft’s voice-activated hands-free SYNC connectivity system. The Vista Roof, an option, consists of three glass panels that bathe all three rows of the interior in natural light. Like most panoramic roofs, only the front panel opens. One feature usually found in the rear seat of high-end, long-wheelbase luxury limos, like Maybach’s 62, is a fridge, but you can have one of these handy appliances in the Flex as well. A compressor-driven middle-row fridge located in the second row has the ability to cool items 40-percent faster than your fridge at home. It also has a freezer mode. So, don’t worry about the ice cream if you want to take the scenic route home from the grocery store.

I’ve sampled quite a few Fords with navigation systems over the past couple of years, and I’ve found them to be quite good in general. The arrival of the next generation system takes things to the next level with some clever features. There is a smudge-resistant, eight-inch touch-screen display, hard drive based music storage, a back up camera and integrated audio and climate controls. Voice recognition means less of a need to take your hands off the steering wheel. SIRIUS satellite radio is included free for the first 6 months and what excites me the most is the ability to finally view the artist and song title without switching from the navigation screen. SIRIUS Travel Link is a new feature as well, and allows a check of everything from local gas prices, traffic, weather, sports scores and even movie listings! It works beautifully.

As exciting as all of these options are, passive safety is just as, if not more important. Thanks to a rigid “safety cell” around the passenger compartment, Ford is aiming for a five-star NHTSA rating in crash tests, although the Flex has not yet been tested externally. There are standard front/side/seat airbags and a safety canopy system of side-curtain airbags that deploy properly even if an occupant’s head is resting against the side window. All of these safety features are standard, in addition to the AdvanceTrac/RSC combination on even the base SE model, which starts at $28,295. The Limited starts at $34,705 with FWD, or 36,555 for AWD.

Ford might have lured me all the way to California for the press launch of the Flex, but an interesting fact to note is that the automaker’s flexible (no pun intended) manufacturing plant, the Oakville Assembly Complex, builds it in Oakville, Ontario, which is much closer to where I live. It’s the same plant that produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, two vehicles that the blue-oval has had a lot of sales success with lately. I see no reason why the Flex won’t continue that trend. Personally speaking, I really like the Flex, even more so than the Edge. It has a lower center of gravity, is larger inside, handles better and has better interior quality. My only question is how many families really need a seven-passenger vehicle these days? My wife and I only have one child and our friends that do have children only have two at most, and we’re just fine in our five-seater sedan. While higher fuel prices are playing a major part in the demise of the large SUV, the 2009 Ford Flex has the potential to be one of the final nails in the large, body on frame SUV coffin (sorry, Explorer and Expedition). I can’t say that I’m sad to see them go, especially when you take in to consideration that, other than for towing heavy loads, if you still need a larger vehicle for hauling people and their gear, the Flex meets your needs better than just about any SUV I can think of.

Specifications (Flex):