Ford flex, AWD, 24mpg, seats 7, onboard NAV, AND a fridge...

[BIGdaddy]

Wow, from the interior shot I am going to try and talk the company into letting me have one for work. I currently use an F150 Heritage (2004) that I have cranked a quarter million kilometers on.You are right on the money regarding off road use and low ground clearance. Much to the chagrin of my wife and sometimes my wheeling buddies I would take my company Windstar down trails they wouldn't take their jeeps without trepidation.On more than one occasion Katherine would pipe up "your not driving the Mog you know".I think the Flex might turn out to be the ulimate VW bus or Honda Element.

cool, i'd like to hear your driving review if you get your hands on one!


-here's the cooler(its only 3 cans wide/long, but its about 3 or 4 cans deep..if that makes sense...small, but pretty usable)

and an outside shot

anyways...i'd love to hear any more opinions...test drive experiences..etc...

 

[charlieaarons]

I'm sure it's a nice vehicle but: the fact that they proudly advertise 24mpg (highway, probably) out of a gas V6 instead of offering a ~2.5L modern diesel that would get 38-40 mpg is pathetic.
The really strange thing is that Ford has the engines and vehicles but won't sell them in the US for "business reasons". Their stated reason for not selling the Fiesta with the 1.6L Econetic diesel in the US (51 city, 73 hwy). Is someone paying them to go bankrupt?

Charlie

 

[BIGdaddy]

I'm sure it's a nice vehicle but: the fact that they proudly advertise 24mpg (highway, probably) out of a gas V6 instead of offering a ~2.5L modern diesel that would get 38-40 mpg is pathetic.
The really strange thing is that Ford has the engines and vehicles but won't sell them in the US for "business reasons". Their stated reason for not selling the Fiesta with the 1.6L Econetic diesel in the US (51 city, 73 hwy). Is someone paying them to go bankrupt?

Charlie

that, sir is a great point...:ar15:

 

[Maddmatt]

Yeah, I've been waiting over a year for the Flex to get to market.

Some random thoughts:

Ground Clearance - Possibly short for this crowd, but right on for Ford's marketing. GREAT ski vehicle.

FWD based traction control - Again, perfect for this demographic, and will make a GREAT ski vehicle.

Room inside and creature comforts - Makes me dream of cross country trips with the kids and dog. Same thoughts about the fridge, not adequate for 3 days across the desert, but perfect for 12 hour days on I-80 keeping everybody happy.

Engine - Call me an optimist, but Ford is still planning to bring their 4L Powerstroke to this market - already using it in Cab Forward trucks in this country, and you'll be seeing it as an option in the new F100 next year. please please please put it in passenger cars.

Design - I'm still looking for the perfect Tardis, I love all the interior room, the low roof line, etc... but wish it was just about 12" shorter - but of course if it was, you wouldn't get all that room.

So I'm a fan of the Flex, but I'm going to give it a couple years, then look at one for me my wife, so I can steal her Outback and join John and Superu in the Outback building world.
-Matt

 

[Maddmatt]

I'm sure it's a nice vehicle but: the fact that they proudly advertise 24mpg (highway, probably) out of a gas V6 instead of offering a ~2.5L modern diesel that would get 38-40 mpg is pathetic.
The really strange thing is that Ford has the engines and vehicles but won't sell them in the US for "business reasons". Their stated reason for not selling the Fiesta with the 1.6L Econetic diesel in the US (51 city, 73 hwy). Is someone paying them to go bankrupt?

Charlie

I just read an interesting article on that 1.6L, apparently (and I'm paraphrasing from memory here, so the facts may not be 100%) but apparently that engine is made offshore (from a US perspective), there's not a business case to be made for building a new engine factory in the US (even a couple million engines over the next few years won't pay back the multiple millions of investment dollars and time) and there are significant financial and regulatory hurdles to overcome to sell that engine in this country.

So you've got US protectionist policies coming full circle to bite Ford, that little econo-box would be priced an easy $10k over a reasonable MSRP if Ford sold it here. In effect, by bringing that car into this country Ford would be driving customers to VW, Scion, etc......

But that's just what I read.
-Matt

 

[Bergger]

If you are in the market for a mini van or station wagon type vehicle this looks really nice. I'd hesitate to call it a great ski vehicle. Maybe a good one but the ground clearance is so low you have a very good chance of getting stuck by being high centered. Here in Colorado that's usually what stops people in cars that have AWD.

 

[Maddmatt]

If you are in the market for a mini van or station wagon type vehicle this looks really nice. I'd hesitate to call it a great ski vehicle. Maybe a good one but the ground clearance is so low you have a very good chance of getting stuck by being high centered. Here in Colorado that's usually what stops people in cars that have AWD.

I don't know, in my experience I haven't seen lack of ground clearance keep anybody from making it to the slopes in about 25 or 30 years. Seems like the plows do a pretty good job these days - the parking lots can be a different story, but I70, Berthoud Pass, etc.... most people get stuck because they believe the salesman when he tells them that 4wheel drive means they can drive 75mph in any conditions - I see more Grand Cherokees on their side then I see station wagons stuck in deep snow. I commuted to Winter Park in an RX-7 one winter - never got high centered, so I'm sticking with "great" ski car

-Matt

 

[BIGdaddy]

If you are in the market for a mini van or station wagon type vehicle this looks really nice. I'd hesitate to call it a great ski vehicle. Maybe a good one but the ground clearance is so low you have a very good chance of getting stuck by being high centered. Here in Colorado that's usually what stops people in cars that have AWD.

thats funny. it must be left coast thing cuz people do winters every year in subarus, audi's, and volvo's with LESS ground clearance than the Flex over on the east coast.

Have you been over there? I swear they've never heard of a 4x4...lol.

Have you looked at one Bergger? The ground clearance is has nothing on my jeep, but is WAY more than our Bimmer in all three area's, (approach, departure, breakover.)

I think you're right, the person looking at the flex is probably someone who could use a people mover for kids or clients, etc. I think this particular crossover does it with style I haven't seen before, and might be capable enough to whet an ExPo appetite for back-road travelling.

what if you were to plate, where needed, the bottom with light-weight delrin, cutting board plastic?...very tough and slippery.

Its funny when you go on a road in a 4x4, thinking you're all bad for having gone through a tough section, only to come around a bend and see a subaru or a AWD MiniVan. lol..:sombrero: I remember going on a trail ride with Tacodoc as the leader and having him come over the CB saying" Well folks, you know that the tough part of the trail hasn't started yet, cuz I just passed a MiniVan...lol...(This was about 10miles into the rugged, remote Coyote canyon trail.)

 

[T.Low]

thats funny. it must be left coast thing cuz people do winters every year in subarus, audi's, and volvo's with LESS ground clearance than the Flex over on the east coast.

Have you been over there? I swear they've never heard of a 4x4...lol.

Have you looked at one Bergger? The ground clearance is has nothing on my jeep, but is WAY more than our Bimmer in all three area's, (approach, departure, breakover.)

I think you're right, the person looking at the flex is probably someone who could use a people mover for kids or clients, etc. I think this particular crossover does it with style I haven't seen before, and might be capable enough to whet an ExPo appetite for back-road travelling.

what if you were to plate, where needed, the bottom with light-weight delrin, cutting board plastic?...very tough and slippery.

Its funny when you go on a road in a 4x4, thinking you're all bad for having gone through a tough section, only to come around a bend and see a subaru or a AWD MiniVan. lol..:sombrero: I remember going on a trail ride with Tacodoc as the leader and having him come over the CB saying" Well folks, you know that the tough part of the trail hasn't started yet, cuz I just passed a MiniVan...lol...(This was about 10miles into the rugged, remote Coyote canyon trail.)

I tell ya, I don't get no respect...

[/IMG]





I agree that it looks totally like a stretched out Scion, or a version of a mini me Suburban. Paddlers will love the long low roof line and all the interior space, and the mileage. I can't see too many Japanese car buyers moving back to Ford, though. If I were VP of Marketing for Ford, I would come up with a new name the same way Toyota markets their upscale cars in the US as Lexus (and Nissan as Infiniti, Honda as Acura) because no one would pay big money for a Toyota back then. Rename some new Ford models as a new "brand" under the guise of them having Japanese roots, heritage, technology, (pick your angle here) or whatever and really build to compete with Subaru, Honda, and Toyota. Too many people associate the Big Three with "old school slug".

We've got a Nissan Murano because its quite sporty (just a blast to drive) hauls her and her friends and all their gear (bikes and kayaks), its big and small all at the same time (bumper to bumper leaves a lot of space in the garage for the foosball table), has a long low roof line (easy for her to load kayaks), and the style has really grown on me. The gas mileage sucks though, especially with her performance driving shoes (aka leadfoot) about 17-19 mpg. I've driven Ford's knockoff of the Murano, the Edge, and it is suprising quick off the line, and a nice drive, but it looks like managemnet told the designers to take a Murano and make it bland.