The Ford Flex rides like a luxury car. It possesses a decent interior, with Ford’s surprise-and-delight SYNC 2.0 system. The Flex is also socially unimpeachable, tracing its roots back to the wagons synonymous with East Coast gentry for nearly half a century (Ralph Lauren has one). Six months ago, I purchased a new 2009 Flex Limited AWD, complete with the amusing second-row refrigerator. So far, I have been pleased as punch. It does everything from cradling my infant son to towing my race car with perfect aplomb. Not everybody likes the way the Flex looks. And? And it’s a little slow.
The Flex isn’t slow in the way that a Porsche 997 Carrera 3.6 is a little slow. I mean eighty-three-miles-per-hour-in-the-quarter-mile slow. Out on the mean suburban streets, the boxy Ford is easy pickings for everything from Honda Odysseys to automatic-transmission Cobalts. Under a full load of passengers, cargo, towing a trailer, the Flex makes continental drift seem like a sprint to the supermarket. A nice V-8 would liven up the party a bit, but transverse-mount V8s which make usefully more power than Ford’s 3.5 Duratec are thin on the ground (Volvo’s XC90 Yamaha V8 aside). The answer: EcoBoost.
The EcoBoost powerplant installed in the Flex isn’t like the engine used in the 2010 Taurus SHO. It’s the same thing, down to the part numbers, which means this EcoBoost’s a twin-turbo V-6 that turns out 355 horsepower and matches the existing naturally-aspirated 3.5 for fuel economy. Quarter-mile trap speeds improve by more than fifteen mph, making the Flex about as quick as a V-6 Camaro or Hyundai Genesis Coupe. If the standard Flex is “Walking With A Panther,” the turbo variant is “Mama Said Knock You Out.”
The advantages of a turbocharged engine are more pronounced at higher altitudes. Hence Ford’s decision to debut the 2010 Flex EcoBoost in Boulder, Colorado. Here, thirty miles from the Mile High City, the V-8 competition from Chevrolet and Toyota feels particularly flaccid, lumbering up hills that the Flex EcoBoost attacks with elan. It’s possible to achieve unreasonable pace in quite reasonable fashion—which isn’t really a surprise given the fact that this two-and-a-half-ton wagon is barely slower than an E39 BMW M5, albeit in a straight line.
Problem: the EcoBoosted Flex’s brakes are no better than those fitted to the Taurus SHO. In both cases, the lack of fade-free, confidence-inspiring retardation is a major chink in the vehicles’ dynamic armory. If a car’s only as good as its brakes, well, them’s the breaks. Of course, realistically, in this case, Flex owners are hardly likely to drive their so-not-a-minivan with any more determination than they would a . . . minivan. Bonus! The EcoBoosted Flex’s suspension is actually an improvement over what you’ll find in the fastest Ford sedan.
Down long, sweeping turns, the Flex adopts a surprisingly neutral stance, adjusting its attitude at turn-in with just a little left-foot brush of the brakes. If things get too out of hand, the electronics intervene immediately and the “Trailer Sway” warning fills the two-line LCD display between speedometer and tach. It’s rather surprising just how high the intervention level for the RSC is set; I failed to activate it with a triple-digits late-braking slide into a turn marked at forty. You really have to get out of line before the Flex takes matters into its own hands.
Which leads us to the Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) and Park Assist. I don’t know how long it will take me to get used to the sticktion-free turn-in response of electric power steering. It feels to me like the tires have very tall tread blocks, an illusion brought on by the faster response of an electric system. But I could get used to Park Assist almost immediately. Cruise down a side street, press the Park Assist button, and the Flex will take it from there, operating the steering for you and providing direction in flawless fashion. It’s hassle-free and beats the Lexus system hands-down. So to speak.
For many drivers, the same will be true of the Flex. This forty-five-thousand-dollar wagon is fast, luxurious, quiet, feature-filled, and it even handles a bit. Ford paints the competition as the Chevrolet Traverse and Toyota Sequoia, but the truth is that the Flex exists in a little world of its own. No other car on the market offers its particular not to say peculiar combination of virtues. If you want a spacious, well-trimmed turbo wagon that parks itself and lets you talk to your iPod, the Flex is your only choice. At least, that is, until the EcoBoosted Lincoln MKT arrives.
My advice? Don’t wait. This isn’t just one of the best domestic vehicles money can buy. It’s one of the most complete cars for sale anywhere.
[Ford provided the vehicle reviewed, gas, insurance, transportation, meals and accommodation.]
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And the Ford love-in continues…
If gas prices go back through the roof, there might be a Ford Flex Ecoboost I4 2.0.
Jack tends to love Fords, but it seems with reason. He didn’t love the brakes on the SHO–so his love is not unconditional.
Jack–can you provide a bit more detail about how the steering and handling compare to those of the base Flex?
I recently rented a base Flex for 2,500 miles. On flattish roads with six people in the car and no trailer, I didn’t feel that the regular V6 was slow. But then my driving style was not Baruthian. I averaged about 24 MPG in the thing. With a trailer and/or in the mountains I can see the need for EcoBoost.
On the reliability front, the Flex got off to a decent start in TrueDelta’s Car Reliability Survey–about average. We’ll have updated results in August.
http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php
Lots of nice things to say about the Flex, but I think “turbo wagon” was enough to get me interested.
I’ll have to go look up what the towing capacities are.
rpiotr1: Love-in? Perhaps you’ve been missing the data diving.
First time I saw a Flex was when I came out of a store and saw it parked next to my MINI Cooper. Nice two-tone scheme, there.
Nice car, but too big for my needs. There isn’t a good mid-size wagon in the Ford line-up (and, no, I don’t count crossovers as wagons). Something with this styling, minus the 3rd row on the Fusion chassis would be interesting . . . .
You really should include a photo of the interior, it is nicely executed as well.
When did 16@83 become slow? That’s about as fast as my Miata and that moves along pretty well. I thought 21@60 was slow.
Hi Michael,
I will confess to being bullish on Ford’s current lineup. The last new vehicle they brought that I did not like was the current Explorer. And while Sajeev Mehta will fight me to the death on this, I think the D3 platform has spawned some excellent vehicles.
Seriously… when you compare the lineups of the domestics, who has the advantage on Ford anywhere? The V-8 in the F-150 is pretty dismal compared to the competition, and the Lincoln MKS is a significantly less driver-focused vehicle than the Cadillac CTS, but what else are you going to say?
Don’t forget that, alone of the domestic producers, Ford has:
* A 2010 subcompact (Fiesta)
* A competitive hybrid (Fusion)
* Full-sized and mid-sized SUVs with IRS (Expedition/Explorer)
* A ponycar that isn’t a quality nightmare or a two-ton scale-tipper
Compared to the base Flex, the EcoBoost has the electric steering. This is one of those features that is difficult to explain to our readers, but the best way I can think of is to explain it as “inertia-free”. With conventional steering, when you start turning the wheel, you are picking up a certain amount of slack in the machinery and letting the hydraulics bring pressure to bear on your behalf. The EPAS mostly eliminates that, so the feeling is disconcerting. To me, it feels like there’s squish in the tires, because that’s normally the cause of low initial steering resistance.
As far as the handling goes… it’s almost night and day. Louis Jamail, Ford’s chassis engineer on this job, took advantage of the long wheelbase to significantly stiffen spring rate and rebound control, with the latter increasing more than the former. The result is a Flex that is 10mm lower and much more “tied-down”, with virtually no ride penalty.
I was really hoping that there would be some kind of drawback/trade-off for the EcoBoost variant, but the fact is that it’s simply better than my Flex, period, point blank.
A: Sliding Doors.
Q: What is the reason I own a Toyota Sienna and not a Ford Flex?
Ed Niedermeyer: Didn’t see that actually. Just saw the earlier article about TTAC praising Ford for I guess giving TTAC cars to test drive, then a 5 star review for the Flex, which I just don’t get.
Here’s my thing with Ford: I really REALLY want to like anything they offer right now (besides a Mustang convertible) but I just don’t. They seem to be doing OK and I like that they haven’t been bailed out and I want to buy American. But for the life of me I think they have the least appealing overall line-up of any major car company. I don’t want a sedan or a compact; all their SUVs look the same, and those models don’t look much different from a decade ago – and I mean that in a bad way. The Flex is an interesting design but I think it looks like a hearse. And the Edge belongs in the third layer of CUV hell (plus it’s pimped relentlessly by Derek Jeter around these parts… shudder…)
I dunno, I guess it’s resentment that I think most of their products are unappealing but I WANT them to be good.
I don’t think it’s a recent “love-in.” Rather the Flex really is a good ride. Read the original review of the ‘09 on TTAC… 4 stars (but no complaints of slow-ness)
Really, the biggest flaw of the Flex remains its price, looks, and general notion that it is not cross-shopped by minivan buyers no matter how much Ford wishes. Of course a $45K car usually isn’t targeted by full families on a budget.
I think Baruth gives the Flex a 5 because he’s actually using the car. Justin’s original review gave the Flex a 4 out of sheer execution alone. Justin didn’t perform a single planned family event in the car and was still able to marvel at the execution of the car. Any customer who has to live with the car on a day to day basis is going to see even more merit in the little things that Ford did correctly in designing the vehicle.
I’ve been recommending the Flex to anyone who is looking for utility but doesn’t want a minivan. Yes, the GM clones are good too, but I think the Flex is better. Countless Gen-Whatevers now-a-days loathe to picture themselves in a minivan. They usually opt for Pilots, MDXs, etc – but always complain about something major (utility, lack of legroom, high load decks, etc).
Pity they aren’t considering Ford since they question domestic automotive prowess. The Flex ultimately meets and exceeds all their expectations. It has more room inside, gets similar mpg, has a well executed interior, is easy to load items into (especially for shorter women) and isn’t a minivan. But they can’t bring themselves to look stupid in front of their peers driving a car labeled as a domestic. That’s a shame.
I am the only person in my entire company of 100 that drives a domestic (built in Canada no less). I think Ford has a long way yet to go in order to win back customers, but cars like the Flex are necessary to make it happen. Even if the Flex ultimately fails in the marketplace – it cannot be blamed that the car (as it exists in market positioning) was executed poorly. Ford needs to keep up the strong execution in all of its market segments. Eventually (or hopefully), customers will begin to realize their cars are as good (and often better) than comparables from the Import brands.
Enjoyed the review, Jack, but this comment had me thinking….
this two-and-a-half-ton wagon is barely slower than an E39 BMW M5, albeit in a straight line.
Barely slower than a car that runs 13 flat at 108 mph without an aggressive launch or powershifting, and 180+ delimited? Not sure what your definition of “barely” is, but 1.5 to 2 sec in the quarter mile and 10+ mph slower isn’t close. Now after an ECU tune….
Maybe 540i drivers should be threatened, though….an amazing feat for a 2.5 ton AWD V6 crossover!
A: Sliding Doors.
Q: What is the reason I own a Toyota Sienna and not a Ford Flex?
The same reason people quote for flooding out of the minivan segment. One man’s fish is another man’s poison!
psarhjinian: Ford originally planned sliding doors but ditched them to use the costs associated on other items (higher quality interior, etc.)
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/10/why-fords-flex-dropped-the-sliding-doors/
Also, I’m not sure if the sliding doors would have given the Flex a minivan stigma. I’ve got nothing against Minivans, but many people do not want a Minivan just because it is a Minivan.
I agree that sliding doors are a huge benefit when it comes to getting the kids in and out, and not having to worry about them swinging doors into vehicles.
I’m pretty interested in a Flex, and it’s likely I’ll pick one up when they start coming off-lease in a couple of years. I’ll be interested in seeing how the EcoBoost motors hold up over time.
The $48k Limited I just priced out is a little more than I’d like to pay, but it looks in line with MSRP for the competition.
Glad to read that the turbo version is so nice. It gives me something to look forward to!
I’m also surprised over the five-star rating as the review sounds like a four-star, not to mention that you reviewed a vehicle that you own? If I reviewed a vehicle I owned I’d probably be nicer as I don’t want to think I might have made a mistake. (lol)
Plus, the Flex may be cool to some, but in five years will you still think that look is cool? The typical reaction I hear to the Flex is that it’s ugly. It’s not as bad as an Aztek, but it’s close.
Jack Baruth : I will confess to being bullish on Ford’s current lineup. The last new vehicle they brought that I did not like was the current Explorer. And while Sajeev Mehta will fight me to the death on this, I think the D3 platform has spawned some excellent vehicles.
Now Jack, we aren’t in disagreement there. You haven’t gone deeper into the discussion. My problem is with who makes it and why the hell they still do.
The market is pretty clear: we’re not buying enough to keep you (D3 chassis) afloat. Worst of all, this sales turd sits on a unique platform instead of modifying the stellar Fusion CD3 chassis.
This company’s strategic moves and underlying branding message is almost as terrible as GM, since almost everyone I speak to says the same thing: I’ll never buy a $35,000+ Ford, except for a truck, Shelby or a Ford GT. You know, the Ford’s that aren’t import wannabes.
$40k – or a lot less – can buy a pretty nice minivan with more room and utility than the Flex.
When I drove the Flex, I felt that it was the best car Ford made — the most “finished.” Well done interior, decent to drive, well thought out, great gadgets. Just a properly made car.
Except that it’s a giant wagon. I have no use for this, and the Flex’s relatively slow sales underscore what I thought when I first drove it — people didn’t buy the Pacifica either, until the stripped out models arrived.
I really don’t like the MKS or outgoing Taurus. My real question was, what if Ford had a regular car that had this level of effort and execution?
I am eager to try the 2010 Taurus because I think it might be the answer to my question. Or not.
psarhjinian: I think young, active kids should probably warrant a sliding door minivan… but it really depends on how many kids you have and their age.
Most reviews of the Flex sort of label it as the car that families “step into” as the family gets older. I’m not saying the Odyssey is a worse/better car for you since I don’t know your purchasing needs. But most reviews basically point out Ford’s product positioning flaw. Basically the Flex wants to be a minivan but it can’t grab minivan buyers. And then the Taurus X stole the other type of customers right out from under them since the X was cheaper and offered similar utility.
Read this review from Edmunds; it probably does the best job at explaining the differences between the Lambda Clones, a true minivan, and the Flex.
I have to confess, I secretly covet one of these, especially in the red & white two-tone picture here. This vehicle almost makes me want to have children, so I can take them camping. Eventually, I will prevail (on the vehicle) but it’s going to be a tough battle with my better half who thinks it looks like a hearse. The fact that a co-worker also used the word ‘hearse’ without prompting made matters worse. To me it looks purposeful and refreshingly free of affectation (compared to current SUVs and CUVs who, with each iteration, set new standards for hideous).
I am sorry, the Flex is nothing like or comparible to the aztec. Ford retroed a catagory (the old woody wagons) while making it modern, kindof like the mustang. It’s a love/hate car, I have no need for one personally but I am seeing more and more of them and they are moving in this economy and almost always the high trim models, I believe that is a good sign for the long term.
And yes you can buy a minivan for less, blah, blah, blah. Give Ford some credit for taking a risk, could have built a RWD performance sedan (that G8 worked out well, and before the love fest on that one, just let us know if you own one) or to try and capture sales from a dying catagory by redefining what a family mover can be.
“$40k – or a lot less – can buy a pretty nice minivan with more room and utility than the Flex.”
A 335hp AWD minivan? If room and “utility” is the only requirement, might I suggest a $30k Econoline Club Wagon.
I see the Flex as a modern Country Squire, minus the faux wood, rather than a minivan replacement.
@jamie1: and some manufacturers have fled the minivan segment as well. It’s almost as competitive as the mid-size car market and probably equally as profitable, which is to say barely.
FWIW, both vehicles I drive have sliding doors.
So Jack, were you at that big press junket at the St. Julian last week? I know I should have stopped by on my way home when I say all of that stuff out on the patio.
rpiotr01: The least appealing lineup? It’s all a matter of taste, I suppose – but you rank Ford below Chrysler? Good lord! Go sit in a Caliber for a few minutes (or worse, drive one around with the AC on through mildly rolling terrain). I used to be a big Chrysler fan, but their current lineup is a tragic embarrassment.
In 5 years, people will have gotten used to the Flex and will probably see it as slightly misbegotten at worse.
The legendarily ugly Aztek actually looks pretty unremarkable these days. I know I was revolted when it came out— now, I wonder what the big deal was. It ain’t a pretty car, but it isn’t half as bad as people make it out to be. The shock of an unusual design repulses people at first, but eventually they come around to at least acceptance. And the Flex is really a handsome vehicle. It’s unusual, not ugly. I think cars will be taking cues from it in 5 years.
The same reason people quote for flooding out of the minivan segment. One man’s fish is another man’s poison!
This is true, but they’re not flooding to the Flex, either. Minivan sales may not set the world on fire, but they’re at least solid and consistent, and they’re a vital step on the path to keeping customers within a brand. Those people you sold a minivan to? The one that never, ever broke on them and got them through ten-plus years of hard family life? It’s going to earn it’s keep when the kids leave for college and those buyers are able to afford something discretionary.
And let’s be honest, the Flex, even with sliding doors, does not look like a minivan. It looks like a station wagon, which from the perspective of Marketing is even worse.
Ford originally planned sliding doors but ditched them to use the costs associated on other items (higher quality interior, etc.)
I remember that. I find it a little hard to swallow since the Flex comes in more expensive than most minivans anyway and isn’t appreciably nicer than an equivalent Oddy/Sienna of the same price level.
Either Ford has a cost problem, or they sacrificed sliding doors for things like a small, built-in fridge, or they’re just spinning PR for what really was a “we wanted to make more margin” decision.
I think young, active kids should probably warrant a sliding door minivan… but it really depends on how many kids you have and their age.
Sliding doors really are a wonderful thing regardless of your kids age, and especially in wider vehicles. When they’re young, it makes it easy to get them in/out of car seats in tight spots. When they’re older, it makes it easier to both keep them from dinging the cars next to you. For any age, it allows much easier access to the rear seat.
There’s a practical limit on how long a door can be, especially on a wide car. Sliders remove that obstacle of design. I wish my Fit had them.
I really liked the Flex when I had one for a day. I only had four real gripes:
* It feels big, partly because of those massive wheels, partly because of the big nose, and mostly it’s seemed to be more truckish in it’s ride tuning. An Oddy or Sienna feels much lighter on it’s feet.
* The dash ergonomics aren’t great, especially at night. There’s too many buttons and they’re all too similar in size and too close together (note: the Oddy has the same problem). The Sienna may look Playskool by comparison, but the controls are much easier to operate.
* The big rear doors are a real problem.
* It is expensive, and it’s expensive to keep. Pricing out snow or replacement tires was a stomach-churning proposition: they were more than four times as expensive as the Sienna’s 16-inchers.
I could have gotten used to the first two because it really is very comfortable and quite attractive (to me), but the sliders and the tire cost killed it for me.
I own a Flex Limited, black with silver roof. I have nothing but good things to say about it. I have averaged over 22 mpg in mixed driving, the up to 25 mpg on the highway. Its smooth, quiet, SYNC is great, spacious interior expecially second row leg room, love the headroom as well. This is my first domestically branded vehicle that I have ever owned. My wife is the primary driver, and she loves it as well. Perfect for my family of 4. The NA V6 is plenty of power for my purposes.
I’ll take one ticket to the Flex Love-in, please. I have liked the look ever since it came out, but I happen to be a big wagon fan.
Nikita – the Club Wagon was a well-appointed vehicle through the mid 90s, but Ford stripped lots of the features out of it by the late 90s. I have yet to see one as nicely done as my old 94 Chateau. And since the sticker on my loaded 94 was 29K without leather, I would be surprised if you could find a well appointed one that stickers for less than $40K. If Ford would put the kind of thought into the E series wagon that it put into the Flex, it would be a heckuva family cruiser.
Countless Gen-Whatevers now-a-days loathe to picture themselves in a minivan. They usually opt for Pilots, MDXs, etc – but always complain about something major (utility, lack of legroom, high load decks, etc).
+1
My girlfriend is 25 (I’m 32) and she HATES minivans and station wagons. (If you really want to piss her off tell her what a cute little wagon her Pontiac Vibe is. Although in my book it sure as hell ain’t a CUV like she thinks it is.) I’m pretty sure I could get her to test drive a Flex. (She professes a desire to have four children someday, currently has 0.)
gm0ney: Depends on what you mean by Chrysler. I include Dodge and Jeep since they’re part of Chrysler, and in that case yes, I still think they have more appealing products than Ford. If it were JUST Chrysler then, yes, you win.
Like I said, I know Ford quality is better. That’s not the issue. Just looking at their products inside and out, none of them do anything for me.
The Fusion and Sebring might as well be the same. I wouldn’t want to own either of them before even getting to the quality issue.
The Fusion and Sebring might as well be the same. I wouldn’t want to own either of them before even getting to the quality issue.
Read Consumer Reports; the Fusion is actually scoring very well. And not “well, for a domestic car” but “in the top of it’s class”.
The Malibu is a mixed bag. The Sebring, well, it’s testament to “if they cut costs where you can see it, they probably cut costs where you can’t”.
I’m sorry, but the “Wagon Queen Family Truckster” has spawned.
The popularity of the vehicle surely hinges on its styling, but I think the problem is that the styling leans towards making the statement: “I’m big, I’m brash, get out of my way”.
This will limit sales as much as the lack of sliding doors.
The Funkmaster had a good run, eh?
I don’t think you mentioned the lack of a telescoping steering wheel. That is the main reason I’d never consider this car.
They added the telescoping steering wheel this model year, see the review of the Flex Ecoboost on AutoBlog:
“there was one change made on those two and the base SE Flex: the addition of a tilt and telescoping steering wheel.”
Read Consumer Reports; the Fusion is actually scoring very well. And not “well, for a domestic car” but “in the top of it’s class”.
The Malibu is a mixed bag. The Sebring, well, it’s testament to “if they cut costs where you can see it, they probably cut costs where you can’t”.
I believe it. Not to keep repeating the point, but my only point is that if a person isn’t interested in sedans, compacts or CUVs, then the Ford line-up isn’t appealing. I don’t care if they’re the most reliable vehicles ever built, I just don’t like them. But I DO like the company and appreciate their efforts, so I wish they built more products I liked. That’s all I’m saying.
“I believe it. Not to keep repeating the point, but my only point is that if a person isn’t interested in sedans, compacts or CUVs, then the Ford line-up isn’t appealing.”
This leaves SUV’s, small trucks and full size trucks who exactly is more appealing? The market kind of speaks for itself on this one, the Escape is kicking and F series trucks speak for themselves, while the larger SUV market was dealt a death blow last year that I don’t know if it will even recover from, there is however that hot minivan market they are missing out on.
Problem is I can buy a brand new Honda Pilot EX-L duded up with leather and AWD, for 30K. With the extra 15k I save from the Flex I can also get a brand new Hyundai Sonata. Both vehicles arguably with a better track record, by model and by company, than Ford’s.
So, yeah, their price is nuts.
Where’s the Transit Connect comparison?
Heck where’s the Transit Connect?
I personally think TTAC should have staffers review cars that they do not own. People buy cars because they fit their personal needs well — having those people review the same cars will tend to produce some bias, even if not intended.
And, yes, even with the recent data deep dive, it’s starting to feel like Ford love-in around here.
To my eye, the Lambda quadruplets look more SUV-ish than the Flex, and I think more people prefer the Lambda look. (a remnant of our SUV love affair) I wouldn’t mind having a Flex, but if I’m going to spend that kind of money on a big people-mover, I’d choose an Expedition over the Flex. We currently have an 07 Odyssey EX-L, leather, cylinder deactivation, DVD, extended btb warranty which we got new for just under 30k so no need for a people mover for a while.
carguy622: Ford originally planned sliding doors but ditched them to use the costs associated on other items
Like maybe the 20 square feet of fake chrome?
Ford does the turbo brick thing; well it seems.
“My advice? Don’t wait.”
Advice duly noted, but I’ll get my hands on a used one for $20k, thanks.
This is assuming we have four kids by then (currently zero).
ronin : I can buy a brand new Honda Pilot EX-L duded up with leather and AWD, for 30K. With the extra 15k I save from the Flex I can also get a brand new Hyundai Sonata.
If I pay you $500, will you haggle for my next vehicle? I’ll buy you dinner, too. :)
I think the Flex is Ford’s version of the G8: a well-liked vehicle with lagging sales. Ford might stick with it long enough to fix that though.
However, the Flex Ecoboost is the equivalent of a G8 ST GXP. The market for people that want to buy a $45K giant wagon, with no European brand cachet, that runs a 14.4 quarter mile is very small. It’s mega-niche like a Town and Country 5.7L HEMI would be, or a 455-powered Vista Cruiser was back in the day.
Making a vehicle like the Flex Ecoboost is the kind of stuff I’d expect from a company that employs Bob Lutz, not the one that supposedly has its head on straight.
I like the Flex for what it is…but I hate it for what it isn’t.
It isn’t Ford’s triumphant return to the minivan market. They were right to kill the current as they simply could ever catch up to the competition. The Windstar was a good effort but the Freestar was a complete piece of junk.
If the bailouts had not occurred, I was looking forward to Ford paying top dollar for the Chrysler mini-van franchise in bankruptcy court. It would have finally brought the story of the minivan full circle and gave Ford a 25k-35k option for growing families.
Maybe the Italians will run out of financing in a couple years.
“I believe it. Not to keep repeating the point, but my only point is that if a person isn’t interested in sedans, compacts or CUVs, then the Ford line-up isn’t appealing.”
This leaves SUV’s, small trucks and full size trucks
Um… hatchbacks and station wagons?
See, once upon a time, auto makers took their existing sedans, and gave them a fifth door in back instead of a trunk, so you could load a bulky item that wouldn’t fit in the trunk opening or through the rear doors. OR, and this is the really wild thing, they extended the rear box of the sedan into a full-height, full-length cargo area, so you could actually carry more than a suitcase or three bags of groceries.
Then Americans decided that sensible, practical body designs were “boring,” and they’d rather sit 15 feet above the road on a tippy perch and burn 25% more gas for the same utility.
Focus wagon? Dead.
Focus hatch? Dead.
Malibu Maxx? Dead.
Dodge Magnum? Dead.
Taurus wagon? Long dead.
Civic hatch? Dead and still mourned.
Camricord wagon? Died in the Clinton years.
Legacy wagon? Dead (in US)
Outback? Suspended due to steroid abuse.
What’s left? The Mazda3, Impreza, Elantra Touring, and a few subcompacts. And European models I’d go nowhere near. Pfffft.
jpcavanaugh :
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:59 am
I’ll take one ticket to the Flex Love-in, please. I have liked the look ever since it came out, but I happen to be a big wagon fan.
Me too
Making a vehicle like the Flex Ecoboost is the kind of stuff I’d expect from a company that employs Bob Lutz, not the one that supposedly has its head on straight.
Actually, that raises an interesting possibility: instead of an Ecoboosted six, how about a four, boosted or not, and equipped with a hybrid powertrain?
There’s a big, honking gap in the hybrid market; a lack of sensible, three-row passenger haulers. Other than the Highlander (which is much more cramped) and the GMT900s (which are stupid), there’s nothing in-between. Surely there must be a market of Prius intenders who need to carry more than a few people?