And this shed can handle, sort of. While asking too much of the Flex’s handling aids results in understeer as mass overcomes tire grip, the hefty SHO-shed wears Ford’s curve-control handling girdle to help keep things from getting out of shape. Try to go into a corner too hot and curve-control will slap your hand away, reducing engine torque and applying a bit of brake.

Mostly it all works well behind the scenes, but the Flex is not really built for hustling through the curvy bits. Instead, it’s the old school cruiser again, with the snootful of horsepower and torque to get past the slow pokes in short passing sections.

And as a result the Flex’s fuel economy is regrettably lacklustre. Official ratings are 14.7 l/100 km in the city and 10.7 l/100 km on the highway; real-world results for mixed mileage were in the 14s. That, I’m afraid, is a lot more about Boost than it is Eco. Perhaps Ford should consider a plug-in hybrid version. They could call it the Flax.

But anyway, is there a place in modern traffic for a big station-wagony galoot with plenty of steam under the hood, decent handling, and an ocean-liner’s worth of room? I’d say yes: though the Flex has a number of flaws, it is not short on charm. It’s not really short on anything (except efficiency).

Warranty:
3 years/60,000 km; 5 years/100,000 km powertrain; 5 years/unlimited distance corrosion perforation; 5 years/100,000 km roadside assistance

Competitors:
Ford Explorer
Honda Pilot
Nissan Leaf
Toyota Highlander
Super Bowl XX champion William Anthony Perry

The Flex has honesty of purpose, surprising performance, and character. It may be a bit of a Refrigerator, but it is not your everyday appliance. Yes, that’s the perfect summation. Now for the love of Pete, just don’t scroll down and see how much this thing costs or you’ll ruin everything.

Pricing: 2016 Ford Flex Limited
Base Price (Limited AWD): $45,099
Options: $11,550 [metallic paint – $450; adaptive cruise, park assist, 20” alloys, power-folding rear seats, Ecoboost V6 – $6800; all-weather floor mats, roof-rails – $600; blacked out roof, machined-face alloys – $900; multi-panel roof – $1750; voice-activated touchscreen navi – $800; inflatable rear seatbelts – $250]
Destination: $1690
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $58,439

Connect with Autos.ca