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 For
three weeks the iZoom.com parking lot was filled with kitchen-like appliances
on wheels. The refrigerator meat between a sandwich of toaster bread,
Ford's seven-passenger, rectangular Flex made for an interesting contrast
to Kia's box-like Soul and Nissan's
cubist Cube.
Unlike the entry-level Cube and Soul, the Flex is for grown-ups with
families, harking to the era of esquire station wagons that stretched
from nose to caboose over a span of what seemed like miles. Those wagons
were highly functional, replaced for the most part today by inefficient
SUVs that deliver mediocre fuel economy and ungainly style.
The Flex blends a touch of retro-design with higher-up SUV seating to
deliver a people and gear-hauler extraordinaire, returning comfort, panache
and 355 twin-turbocharged horsepower in a package that offers an EPA-rated
22 mpg on the highway.
Throughout our week in the 2010 Ford, we cruised hundreds of freeway
miles and plodded city stop-and-go aplenty, all on barely more than one
tank of gas for a combined economy of nearly 20 mpg, well above the 18
mpg estimate and easily improving the EPA city estimate of 16 mpg, all
while carrying on with our traditional enthusiasts' leaded right foot.
The Flex was born as a 2009 model, and for 2010 Ford has upped the ante
with the addition to the lineup of its "EcoBoost" V6, a 3.5-liter
twin-turbo with direct injection that delivers V8 performance (355 hp
and 350 pound-feet of torque) while posting high fuel efficiency.
Mated to a six-speed automatic, our SEL AWD test Flex came loaded with
20-inch wheels, leather almost everywhere, power rear liftgate with remote,
power front seats, wood trim, Sync electronics with Bluetooth and iPod
controls plus CD and satellite radio, heated mirrors, adjustable pedals
and even a cool capless fuel filler system (there's a sort of suction
cup apparatus behind the fuel door).
All that power and content does come with a price, naturally, with a
starting price of $36,115. Nearly $4,000 in options boosted the sticker
on our tester to $39,940, a total that does seem in line with the remarkably
solid feel of quality garnered from behind the Flex's steering wheel and
when factoring in the powerful drivetrain and cavernous capacity. The
front-wheel drive SE Flex with 262 horsepower V6 starts at $28,550.
The Flex is a brawny package that carries its 4,839-pound weight well,
with a light steering feel that makes it easy to maneuver. It comes with
a complete array of standard safety gear, including anti-lock brakes,
traction and stability control, front side and side curtain airbags plus
rear parking sensors.
Driving the powerful Ecoboost Flex SEL AWD there was never a hint of
torque steer, and while its dynamics aren't the sportiest, it is undeniably
fun and offers the enthusiast a bit of flair in a sea of me-too SUVs.
With the 2010 Flex SEL AWD, Ford continues to demonstrate that it has
product which can favorably compete against the world's auto manufacturers.
If you need room for a family or like to tow (it's rated for 4,500 pounds)
and want to stand a bit apart from the crowd, this Ford deserves your
attention.
Ford Flex bonus photos...
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