Topic: First Drive: 2013 Ford Flex

[dirtyjeffer]

my wife thinks it looks like a hearse, but i have always appreciated it for what it is...it has always been well received from various reviews i have read, but most consumers pass it over...it looks like it can get pretty pricey, but hey, a loaded Odyssey/Sienna is pushing $50k too, so it probably isn't that far out of line.

[TheKnownSpace]

never had any problems with the way the flex looks, its a big car and the boxy style suits the utilitarian nature of the vehicle (despite all the gadgets and improved interior)... however the hearse comments arent really that far off hah.

since the new unibody explorer debuted, i would have assumed the flex would be gradually phased out of production. i mean yes the 2 vehicles go after different buyer demographics/personalities, but no one can deny that there is overlap and it both are essemtially competing in the mid - full size, 3 row seat, at-least-its-not-a-van CUV category.

I have not sat in any flex long enough to make any conclusions about the interior (which looks stylish in a no-nonsense way, like most new ford interiors) besides the fact that the seats have serious 90's buick factor: wide and absolutely no support, but so soft and cushy you just dont give a sh*t

[Fobroader]

There is a very yummy mommy in our neighborhood that drives a brown one of these with some giant chrome rims, I see it everyday on the way home, why did ford think it was a good idea to be able to get a white roof on these things. It looks like a garden shed but from what I saw at the auto show, theres a crapload of room, not my cup of tea, but with the ecoboost and a ton of room, I could see why the parental types might like it. Can you get them with AWD???

[northsparrow]

If I was in the market for this size of vehicle it would be my first choice.

I LOVE the fact you can get the roof painted in a different colour than the rest of the body.

Does anyone else think it is odd that an Ontario-based scribe went all the way to Oregon to test
a vehicle made in Oakville? 

[dirtyjeffer]

I LOVE the fact you can get the roof painted in a different colour than the rest of the body.

same here...in fact, if i was the OPP, i would order the black ECO-Boost one with the white roof...the only thing you would need to alter is get a white door...the perfect cop-mobile.

[5 Wheel Drive]

If I was in the market for this size of vehicle it would be my first choice.

I LOVE the fact you can get the roof painted in a different colour than the rest of the body.

Does anyone else think it is odd that an Ontario-based scribe went all the way to Oregon to test
a vehicle made in Oakville?

Sounds like it was a Ford press event that he was invited to.  As opposed to Mike, Chris or James who get cars from more local mfr press offices.

[mrthompson]

There is a very yummy mommy in our neighborhood that drives a brown one of these with some giant chrome rims, I see it everyday on the way home, why did ford think it was a good idea to be able to get a white roof on these things. It looks like a garden shed but from what I saw at the auto show, theres a crapload of room, not my cup of tea, but with the ecoboost and a ton of room, I could see why the parental types might like it. Can you get them with AWD???

The looks of the Flex have grown on me and my wife.  I will consider a used one in a few years, provided reliability remains solid.

Why the white roof? (which I don't mind when paired with certain colours)  I assume it's to carry on a styling theme from the original Bronco?

[Fobroader]

Between my fiance and her husband, I dont think either would appreciate me in the bushes with a high power lens trying to capture the Lulu Lemon goodness that she has.

[dirtyjeffer]

Between my fiance and her husband, I dont think either would appreciate me in the bushes with a high power lens trying to capture the Lulu Lemon goodness that she has.

mmmm...LuLu Lemon yoga pants.


 

[DCypher]

Here's irony for you. I bought a 2010 Flex SEL AWD and I don't particularly like the revised styling of the 2013s. To me the new front end looks like it is an overinflated Scion xD (or whatever their boxy little vanlet is).

As for the rest, I love it. When I was looking for vehicle two years ago my criteria was pretty simple... carry 2 adults, 3 dogs, tow a 3500# trailer comfortably, get decent mileage and cost under $40k. That criteria ruled out virtually every minivan (max 3500# tow capacity), most trucks and SUVs (good luck averaging the 10.7l/100km I get commuting to work, or staying under $40k), and most of the CUVs out there (either tow capacity or interior space was inadequate). Besides, at 30 and no kids my ego played a bit of a role in the 'I wouldn't be caught dead in a minivan' mentality of my wife and I It is also nice to know that we can take 6 adults comfortably in the Flex - something we can't do in my neighbors Grand Caravan or my other neighbors Odyssey.

[safristi]

Welcome SpongeBob squarepants...... .................

[Think123]

I bought a one year old (2010) EcoBoost for my wife as both her in-town business car and for when her folks visited yearly from the UK - always for a month.  Amongst many mountain trips from Calgary, it has also been to Yellowstone, loaded with us four adults, two young kids and a weeks worth of stuff and blazed at 80+mph over many 7000' mountain passes in Montana and Idaho without skipping a beat.  All the while getting 10litres/100kms, albeit with me running premium (not required).  Try to do that in any mini van let alone any domestic SUV.  The only other vehicle that would come close to fitting that task would be a M-B GL class at more than twice the price. 
We just bought a new 14' box tent trailer that has a dry weight of 3250lbs and will likely hit just shy of 3700lbs when loaded.  It's a high wall TT so it is almost the same height as the Flex so it looks like 38' of one continuous vehicle.  I drove from Edmonton to Calgary at 100km/hr and had an info reading of 14litres/100kms.  With the tow package from Ford, it even comes with trailer anti-sway control, much like an F-150!  Again, outside of a full size, truck based SUV, there is nothing in this price range (that I can think of) that can do this - and those full sized rigs would be getting 12 -15 mpg instead of my 20.  As mentioned in an earlier post, the loyalty to this vehicle is high and I would definitely buy another, especially with the updates for 2013.  BTW, this has nothing to do with the Edge platform.  It is built on a modified Volvo XC90 platform and, as I own a 2005 2.5t, I can attest that the Flex blows the Volvo away in all performance aspects.  I'll leave the looks to everyone's own opinion, but if your wife thinks it looks cool, she's a keeper...

[aquadorhj]

Between my fiance and her husband, I dont think either would appreciate me in the bushes with a high power lens trying to capture the Lulu Lemon goodness that she has.

mmmm...LuLu Lemon yoga pants.


 

yoga pants...  whoever invented it will end up in heaven, for sure.   

and love the new Flex.   loved the old one as well.  i didn't see it at the auto show, though. strange.

[tpl]

Between my fiance and her husband, I dont think either would appreciate me in the bushes with a high power lens trying to capture the Lulu Lemon goodness that she has.

One presumes that it is  your fiancee and her ex or nearly ex husband.   Or it gets complicated...

[Ex-airbalancer]

think123
why run on 91 if 87 is recommended?

[nlm]

think123
why run on 91 if 87 is recommended?

If 91 is recommended rather than required the party line is better fuel economy and power. (yeah I know the quote above notes 87 recommended, I already typed out everything below so work with me here)

WRT fuel economy: while this may be true, I think in most applications the improved fuel economy is more than offset by the higher price for high-test.

WRT power: while this may be true, I think in most applications one would not feel the difference. Some tell me for sure they can.  Whatever; who am I to tell them what they can and cannot feel?

[Think123]

think123
why run on 91 if 87 is recommended?
[/quote

If I remember correctly, a normally aspirated engine loses 3% of its power for every 1000' gained above sea level.  A turbocharged or supercharged engine doesn't suffer the same degree of degradation (some say none at all) but I would assume there is some loss.  While the Flex runs perfectly well on 87 octane, I can tell a small difference living at 3200' in Calgary.  The 2.5 liter turbo in my Volvo recommends 91 and I can really tell when I run a lower grade, especially when the engine is not warm.
I only use the higher test juice when under load and at altitude, so when I spoke about mountain passes with three generations of family on board, I was happy to spend the extra 20 bucks over three tanks for peace of mind.  Who knows if the 'regained' 5hp (or whatever it might be) would be needed at 7500' getting around a semi.

[nlm]

I only use the higher test juice when under load and at altitude, so when I spoke about mountain passes with three generations of family on board, I was happy to spend the extra 20 bucks over three tanks for peace of mind.  Who knows if the 'regained' 5hp (or whatever it might be) would be needed at 7500' getting around a semi.

Actually that's a good point about altitude and forced induction. IIRC most turbos/superchargers require premium as opposed to recommend; seems the EcoBoost is one of those exceptions.

[dirtyjeffer]

Actually that's a good point about altitude and forced induction. IIRC most turbos/superchargers require premium as opposed to recommend; seems the EcoBoost is one of those exceptions.

the engine used in the latest gen Kia/Hyundai's doesn't need it either.