An in-depth review of the shockingly luxurious 2011 Ford Flex Limited with Chris Moran from AutoMedia. Vehicle courtesy of Packey Webb Ford, home of The Webb Boys! The whole town is talking about them!
Vehicle Overview
The Flex is the latest entry in the growing three-row crossover SUV segment, which includes models like the Mazda CX-9 and Hyundai Veracruz. The Flex comes standard with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine and can have either front- or all-wheel drive. It can seat up to seven people.
New for 2011
The Ford Flex gets the new high-end Titanium trim level that offers cosmetic changes such as blacked-out taillights, 20-inch wheels and styling accents. HD radio is added to the navigation package
Exterior
In contrast to many crossovers, which are moving away from the boxy designs that defined truck-based SUVs for years, the Flex's styling embraces the box.
The Flex rides relatively low to the ground and has an upright three-bar grille. Its pillars are finished in piano black, which gives the roof a floating appearance. Buyers can choose a white or silver roof if they don't want a body-colored one. The Titanium trim level gives the car an edge by putting various parts in black. The grille, roof, side mirrors and liftgate are finished in either black chrome or black paint. Exterior features include:
Available 17, 18-, 19- and 20-inch wheels
Fog lamps
Powered mirrors
Keypad security door system
Available heated mirrors
Optional xenon headlamps and LED taillamps
Available powered liftgate
Available Vista sunroof
Interior
Depending on whether the Flex has a second-row bench or captain's chairs, it can seat seven or six, respectively. The SE has tweed fabric seats, while the Limited gets leather-trimmed seats. Footrests are available for the second row, which folds and tumbles to make room to get into the third row.
There's a well behind the third row that gives the Flex more cargo room. The third-row seat folds backward into the well when it isn't in use, revealing a flat load floor. Interior features include:
Available cloth or leather seating
Available simulated wood or metallic trim
Available six- or seven-passenger seating
Auto-dimming rearview mirror
Air conditioning with front and rear controls
Leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter
Steering wheel with cruise and audio controls
Available 12-speaker Sony stereo
Available Ford Sync system
Standard ambient lighting
Optional onboard refrigerato
Under the Hood
The Flex comes with the standard 3.5-liter V-6 paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The V-6 gets an estimated 17/24 mpg city/highway.
The Flex can also be equipped with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6. The EcoBoost gets approximately 18 mpg in combined city/highway driving, according to Ford, but makes significantly more power than the regular V-6.
The Flex uses a capless fueling system designed to reduce emissions from evaporating gas during fill-ups.
262-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 with 248 pounds-feet of torque
355-hp, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 with 350 pounds-feet of torque
Six-speed automatic transmission
Available front- or all-wheel drive
Optional active parking system
Safety
The Ford Flex comes standard with MyKey, which allows owners to limit top speed, add extra seat belt warnings and limit the volume of the car stereo for drivers using a specific key. Safety features include:
Front side-impact airbags
Side curtain airbags
Rear backup sensor
Antilock brakes
Traction control
Stability control
Optional backup camera
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