The striking Flex is a new vehicle from Ford for 2009, and if vehicles were categorized by shape, it might be grouped with the Scion xB, Mini Cooper and Honda Element.
Flex is boxy like those vehicles, but that’s about all it has in common with them.
Flex is big, inside and out. It has an expansive interior with three rows of seats that can accommodate seven people in standard configuration, or six people in an optional setup with two seats instead of a bench in the middle row.
The distinct, flat roof on Flex is available in white or silver, both of which are nice, contrasting complements to the rich colors available for the lower body. Separating the roof and body is an all-black greenhouse, which designers say allowed them to pull off the contrasting roof color successfully. Body-colored pillars and clear glass windows would have made it difficult, they said.
Flex is offered in SE, SEL and Limited trim levels. The SE is available in two-wheel drive configuration only; the other two offer the option of all-wheel drive. Base pricing starts at $29,325 for the SE.
All models are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 and have a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine makes 262 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 248 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. Two-wheel-drive versions have a fuel economy rating of 17 mpg city, 24 highway; AWD puts the numbers at 16/22.
My tester, a Limited AWD, had a luxurious interior trimmed with woodgrain accents, a quiet and unruffled ride, and upscale standard features including aluminum wheels, a power rear liftgate, adjustable pedals, 10-way power and heated adjustable driver’s seat, six-way power and heated front passenger seat, Ford’s SYNC voice-activated communication system, and a Sony 12-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with satellite radio.
The tester’s $37,255 base price was expanded to $43,820 by the addition of seven optional items, among them a $2,375 navigation system with rear backup camera, a rear-seat refrigeration console ($760), auto-fold second-row seats ($870), and a terrific panoramic vista roof ($1,495) that puts four sunroofs into the ceiling: a large one over the front-row seat and the third-row seat, and a smaller one over each of the two middle-row seats.
On the purely practical list of amenities inside the Flex are a center console with two generously-sized cupholders, a big covered storage bin between the front seats, and a deep angled bin in the center stack, lined with a rubberized bottom so that items placed there don’t rattle around.
Third-row seats flip and fold with ease, creating an enormous cargo area with a flat floor. The third-row windows help provide the driver with great visibility.
Flex feels formidable and rock solid in motion, yet it maneuvers nimbly and easily. The V6 engine and automatic transmission do their jobs well, without straining or struggling.
In the Flex press materials, design executive director Peter Horbury is quoted: “Flex is a radical departure. At first we were uncomfortable with the way Flex could polarize, but its ability to compel an opinion, good or bad, was fascinating. It inspired us forward with courage to create a breakthrough design.”
I saw no evidence of any polarization during the test week. Every unsolicited comment about the Flex’s appearance — and there were many — was highly favorable. Here was an anomaly in the auto business. If there’s a discrepancy, it’s usually the manufacturer rhapsodizing over a vehicle’s breakthrough design and the public saying “what were they thinking?”
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