Ford Flex Makes Minced-Meat Out of the Minivan
Photos originally uploaded by Ford Motor Company
The Flex was initially introduced by Ford to give a fresh option to the standard minivan or crossover. Looking at the Flex from a distance, one could say that it looks a bit like the cross between a Dodge Magnum and a Scion xB. It has the same boxy, delivery truck appeal of the xB, but with the much more muscular stance of a Magnum.
One of the unique attributes of the Flex is its practicality and stylishness. The Flex offers 83 cubic feet of cargo space, which can also haul seven full-grown adults comfortably. With the same unique appeal as the Chrysler PT Cruiser when it was first unleashed, the Flex is the new kid on the block and has been turning some heads.

Thus far in the Flex’s introduction it has received mostly praise from consumers and critics alike. One of the biggest surprises about the Flex is its top notch interior which features some very nice “soft touch” materials, top notch leather perforated seats (optional), and quite an array of optional high tech multimedia equipment (10-speaker stereo, integrated back-up camera, and of course Ford’s Sync).
For 2009 the powertrain is Ford’s new lovechild, the 3.5 liter V-6, which makes a healthy 262 horsepower and 248 torque breathing on its own accord. For 2010, Ford will have a Sport Edition Ecoboost equipped with turbo (similar to the 2010Taurus SHO) that will pound out 350 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque with standard 87 octane fuel.

An available all-wheel-drive (AWD) option gives the Flex a lot more flex-ibility through its six-speed automatic transmission. There is unfortunately no manual transmission option at this time, but fuel economy remains fairly competitive for its class, at 16/23 (AWD) and 17/24 front-wheel-drive (FWD).
For a vehicle coming in at under $30,000, the Flex offers a lot of basic convenience features in its base form, such as climate control, power seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, and rear-park assist. For those who prefer to be pampered a little more, additional upgrades include voice recognition multimedia, rear-seat refrigerator, vista roof (sun roof), cap-less fuel fill-up, 19-inch alloy wheels, power liftgate, xenon headlights, heated seats, and a wood grain trim.







