Getting your player ready...
“Yes, but it looks like a hearse,” was one response last weekend when I discussed with others the Ford Flex’s outstanding drivability qualities.
I was finishing my time in the driver’s seat of the 2013 Flex SEL all-wheel drive – not a hearse, but a seven-passenger SUV crossover. Its long wheelbase and taut suspension have eliminated most body lean and sway, while soaking up road imperfections impressively. No big changes are evident at first glance; a bit more rounded look in front with a three-bar chrome grille. Underneath the hood, horsepower has been boosted to 287 (from 265) in the 3.5-liter V-6 with the addition of variable cam timing. Torque is 254 lbs.-ft. A thumb button on the shifter knob activates manual mode for the smooth 6-speed automatic transmission. Steering is more precise with the addition of Ford’s electric power-assist system. The big vehicle maneuvers very mannerly, in the fashion of a smaller unit except for its 40-foot turning circle, and it possesses adequate passing power at highway speeds. For drivers needing more performance, Ford’s 365-hp, turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 is available at a $3,000 premium. The Flex’s boxy, squared-off design, for all the roominess it offers, hasn’t caught on with the buying public. The Flex and its chief rival, the Chevrolet Traverse, are in their fifth year of production. They’re similar sized – the Traverse is an inch longer in wheelbase and 3 inches in overall length. Both provide good rides, quiet interiors and decent handling. Yet, the Traverse outsells the Flex almost 3 to 1. It must be the styling. The Flex’s upright shape, though, lends itself to excellent people hauling and cargo hauling capability. Wide doors and low step-in height ease access. The leather-covered seats, both in front and the second row, are large, flat and comfortable. The third-row seating, easily accessible when the second-row seats are flip-folded, will hold two adults, though snugly.
