Ford's family hauler: Hip to be square?

WHEN the locals up here in the White Mountains spot a moose or a black bear it is notable, but hardly shocking. What did stun some residents, however, was the recent sighting of a new, unknown species: the 2009 Flex. They could not believe that such a daring design came from the Ford Motor Company.

In fairness, denizens of the North Country should not be scorned for this bout of incredulity. After all, in recent years Ford's automotive designs have often taken up uninspiring, if not somnolent, themes.

One has been to pay homage to legends like the original Mustang or the Le Mans-winning racecar commonly known as the GT40; by my definition, such tributes are rather like copying. Another tack has been to dress up the grille with a few chrome bars and declare it the new and daring face of Ford.

But the Flex really drew attention.

"I love the design," said Randy Cicchetto, an owner of Jericho Motorsports, a dealership for all-terrain vehicles. "They hit the mark. I think Ford is a changing car company."

Ford foreshadowed the Flex design in 2005 when it introduced a concept vehicle called the Fairlane at the Detroit auto show. At the time, Ford said the Fairlane was "rewriting the people-mover story". That's a good thing, because Ford's people-mover of that era, the Freestar minivan (discontinued in 2006), was spectacularly uncompetitive.

In going from Fairlane concept to Flex reality, the Flex got bigger, growing about 11 inches in length, and the rear-hinged (a k a suicide) doors to the back seat gave way to a more conventional design. Even so, much of the Fairlane's distinctive look was preserved.

Like the Taurus X, which you may recall by its former name of Freestyle, the Flex is a member of Ford's family of crossovers, which means it is based on passenger-car architecture rather than a body-on-frame truck chassis. Despite their similar lineage, the Flex is significantly more expensive than the Taurus X. Prices for the front-wheel drive Flex begin at US$28,995 ($40,000) for the SE; US$32,770 for the SEL and US$35,405 for the Limited. All-wheel drive, not available on the SE model, adds US$1,850.

My test vehicle was an all-wheel-drive Limited, which had options like a white roof (US$395); rear-seat refrigerator (US$760); the Vista Roof (US$1,495); and a navigation system with rearview camera (US$2,375) that brought the window sticker to US$43,250.

The Flex differs from the Taurus X in more than looks and price. The Flex's wheelbase is five inches longer than that of the Taurus X, though the overall length of 201.8 inches is only 1.5 inches longer than the Taurus X.

But that increase in wheelbase means lots more interior room, particularly in the second row. Ford says the Flex has almost four inches more second-row legroom than the Taurus X. That gives the Flex a second row with accommodations better than the front seat occupants get. Third-row legroom is about the same in both vehicles.

The result is that four six-foot adults can sit in the first two rows, and there is still room for a pair of smaller adults or teenagers to sit in the third row. Unlike many three-row vehicles, the Flex allows this human six-pack to travel without discomfort or indignity.

The front seats are quite wide and comfy, with plenty of thigh support for tall drivers, but I found the head restraints annoying. It is important that these restraints be close to the back of the skull to restrict movement in a rear-impact crash. However, when the Flex's seatback was upright, the restraint was constantly brushing the back of my head. This friction is something that those of us who are bald can ill afford.

Even the least expensive Flex comes with all the good safety equipment, from side-impact air bags to electronic stability control, as standard equipment. The Flex also earned the top rating of five stars for frontal and side-impact protection in crash tests done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It has yet to be tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which has more rigorous tests.

The interior is handsome and contains some clever features. For example, there is a 12-volt power socket in the center storage bin, and the bin's lid has cutouts so that the items being charged can be left outside the bin (and you can still close the lid all the way). I also liked the lighted front cupholders, an effort to prevent embarrassing goofs in the dark.

The satellite navigation system in the vehicle I tested was easy to use and its maps showed lots of detail, including small roads in rural areas. The optional rearview camera is one of the best I've used, giving a clear and wide picture; backing up without it could be scary.

The Vista Roof option provides a sunroof above the front seats in addition to fixed skylights (with shades) for the second and third rows. This over-the-road light show made the Flex feel even roomier.

The second- and third-row seats fold down easily, as does the front passenger seat, for maximum cargo carrying. The Flex has about 20 cubic feet of space behind the third row and about 43 cubic feet with the third row folded down.

Sitting in the driver's seat and looking back I was struck by the enormous size of the Flex. The passenger compartment seemed to go on and on. It was like driving a hallway.

"It has a ton of room inside for families who don't want to be in a minivan," said the ATV dealer. He is not alone in his dislike of minivans (a trend that recent sales figures confirm), and Ford clearly wanted the Flex to be a kind of antiminivan. Sliding doors were considered for the Flex, said Gary Boes, the chief engineer, but market research predicted that 70 per cent of shoppers would not buy it simply because of the sliders.

While the Flex's look is different — more reminiscent of the Scion xB or Honda Element than any of its Ford siblings — its underpinnings are based on a stretched version of the Taurus X. One difference is that the rear suspension and brakes came from the new Lincoln MKS sedan, Boes said. The 3.5-litre V-6, 6-speed automatic and the front suspension are shared with the Taurus X.

On the road it is hard to forget the Flex's size. Nevertheless, it can be driven briskly on roads with sweeping turns. Tighter turns require a serious decrease in speed and some patience as the Flex begins to feel more nose-heavy. But that's understandable — it is a competitor for a minivan or station wagon, not a sport sedan.

At highway speeds, the steering has good weight and reasonable feel. At lower speeds it seemed a bit too light. The ride comfort is reasonably good, although not nearly as pampering as the Buick Enclave crossover.

The Flex has four-wheel disc brakes with a standard antilock function. The brake pedal has a responsive and reassuring feel.

The 3.5-litre V-6 and six-speed automatic are a pleasant and civil union. The V-6's 262 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque isn't a lot for such a heavy vehicle — Ford's specifications show 4,468 pounds for the front-wheel-drive model and 4,640 pounds for the all-wheel drive version — but the six-speed automatic comes to the rescue. It is quite perceptive, responding quickly to the need for a downshift. The result is that the acceleration is adequate.

One downside is that unlike its many competitors, the six-speed cannot be shifted manually. That is a nice feature in the mountains or for the driver wanting a more involved relationship with the Flex.

Over all, Ford has created a big, capable conveyance that is not just practical but has its own unrepentant style. Such distinction is something that can't be said for many vehicles where a sneak peek at the tailgate is needed to identify them. If only Ford officials had been bold enough to be this bold long ago.

New York Times