Automotive Faqs

Ford decided that the best time to release their most important vehicle of the year was at the New York International Auto Show. And they found that it was the perfect place to introduce the 2009 Ford Flex. The Ford Flex will replace their usual minivan and will keep them up to date with the other popular crossover vehicles.

This is a vehicle that seeks to change the way that you and I think about Ford by being thoroughly thought out, pleasantly executed and different enough to generate strong opinions, all of which took place on the show floor. The Flex is that it’s a luxury large crossover vehicle (GMC Acadia/Hyundai Veracruz-sized) that is based off the architecture that underpins the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.

It receives the same Duratec 35 engine and six-speed automatic transmission that powers the ovoid two-row crossovers, and will be available with all-wheel drive. The Flex will beassembled at Crossover Central, otherwise known as Oakville, Ontario, alongside the Edge and MKX. With that out of the way, let’s have a closer look at this interesting new Ford.

The Ford reps chuckled at the thought of whitewall tires, chrome wheel caps and faux wood exterior trim with a surfboard on the top, but you’d better believe that a customizer somewhere has blueprints ready. The most impressive aspect of the Flex is the detailing of the head and tail lamp bezels. Their complexity is at a level some would have never expected to see from a regular Ford production car.

Where the exterior may evoke memories of long-distance travel in thefamily station wagon, the interior is as much a delight for kids as it is for techno-savvy buyers. Immediately, all eyes will fall on the swooping center console that borrows much from Volvo’s S40/V50, especially the slick multimedia navigation system. If the interface and menus are as stylish as they are on this demonstrator, you can easily see Ford’s system becoming a favorite for auto critics and owners alike.

Many of the quality and innovation changes that Ford pledged to make on future carscan be found on the Flex. It’ll have a capless fuel filler system like the Ford GT, eliminating the screw cap on the fuel tank, and a panoramic roof that provides light for all three rows of passengers. The Flex also has a proper refrigerator mounted in the second row between the seats that can chill drinks faster than the fridge in your kitchen.

While the feature content of this crossover is just about unbeatable, the best part about Ford’s new direction is how serious the brand is on improving the ambiance of the interior. Soft mood lighting is great to have in any car, but the ability to change colors is even cooler. Likewise, the ice blue backlighting of the instruments is better than the harsh, eerie green and red of past. Though the Flex wasn’t a fully finished production car, it gave a resoundingly positive impression for the materials used, the tight tolerances and improved fit and finish.

Even as a crossover, the Flex does not have any issues carrying more than five passengers; the third row is usable by people six feet in height. Access to that third row isn’t bad either, thanks to a power tilt and tumble second row, but because of the Flex’s low-ish profile, crouching is necessary. Otherwise, the rearmost row is far from the child-only seating areas of an XC90, a Q7 or an X5; even with the second row bench at its most rearward position, there’s a good amount of knee room and under-seat foot room.

For Ford, its experience with the minivan can probably be likened to the vitality of a doornail, but nevertheless the spirit in comfort and practicality lingers on heavily in the Flex. I don’t know if the Flex is going to redefine what a people-mover should be in the same way that the Dodge Caravan did in the minivan sector, but it will definitely get more people thinking about different ways to move a family around while avoiding a conventional SUV or minivan. Too bad we’ve got to wait until summer of 2008 before getting a chance to slip behind the wheel.

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