We just bought a 2014 SEL flex, pretty much fully loaded, getting into the third seating is easier than what they showed, on the passenger side there is a button you press which automatically folds the seat up for you. Drives very well, we took it on our first road trip and barely noticed the drive it was that comfortable. Passing was a breeze with the 286HP engine. We had a town and Country before this, I was aiming for the AWD as winters are rough in Ft McMurray AB and this Vehicle seems to be much safer to drive than the mini van.
My parents got the SEL model of this car, and its worth the buy! its surprisingly has a lot of space from front to rear. With very comfortable seats for long road trips, independent rear A/C control, auto trunk door, and drives very smooth and fast! I really like this car, and when i showed my girlfriend, first thing she said 'i want it!' haha...this is a must have and nothing less than that! Ford and other American Brands have really stepped up with the integrated systems they have to link everything together. This car even tells you about the cars health like if something needs to be changed than having a 'check engine' light on that doesnt say much lol...fyi no problems at all! this a great buy. Its like a van inside a SUV...you must test drive this and buy it! Great job Ford!
The Ford Flex (in my opinion) has been one of the most comfortable and spacious crossover utility vehicles in its class with a lot of goodies that is offered with selected trims. Recently my family and I went on vacation and we drove a Ford Flex with the ecoboost V6 and that V6 delivered exhilarating performance while the interior kept us quite comfortable especially on sunny days with the optional multi-panel Vista sunroofs and the power lift gate came in handy.
Yes, we didn't give our driving impressions this time around. It was a choice and by your response, not a wise choice. We'll do better next time. But let me ask you, the Everyman Driver Nation, would you ever buy a vehicle without test driving it first?
We wouldn't subscribe to you if we didn't value and respect your opinion, knowledge, and experience. You give us the ability to weed out vehicles, save us time, as well as keep us from being vulnerable, and to feel validated that we made the right decision without missing a better value or model that fits our lifestyles better. Like tvs, audio systems, phones, laptops, houses...yes we get to demo them but we go in with very little in-depth knowledge and experience with any competition, brand offerings, or past models. We experience a product under supervision, within an environment made to elicit desire of the product. You are in a position we nor salesmen get to be in. Giving us an impression of a vehicle's goals and how well it has met/exceeded/or fallen short of those goals helps us immensely. The fact that you show us when you lose Go-Pros, get stuck, have trouble with 0-60 times, and interact with your viewers are what make you a great, unbiased, and real source of usable information. I can watch guys drift supercars, dealers show off their inventories, or reviewers tell me the plastic is hard anywhere between youtube, articles, or their respective websites. Someone actually showing and telling me that a Honda or Hyundai crossover with AWD works surprisingly well off-road is unique to you.
No one would....should ever buy a vehicle without driving it but a review video without a review of the driving characteristics is like reviewing a meal on presentaion alone.
We are 2nd owners to a 2010 flex eco boost limited.. Love it.. Lots of power & room.. It's like a Lincoln inside with smith ride to boot! But $1500 trans case went out.. And A/C actuator in dash ( common issue) that I will dig in and fix. All problems happened in one day at 90k ... It's a great ride. My wife loves it so we will fix it and keep cruzingI just hope nothing else goes out!?
WE LOVE our 2014 Ford Flex! Seats are like chairs, and the adaptive cruise control is awesome. My only complaint is the Ford navigation system, not like Android, can't say "take me to the nearest McDonald's" , you have to break it down to address, and if you don't know it, you're screwed!
Well guys, I know he doesn't mention his personal opinion on the driving dynamics, but you also have to look at it for what he says at the end: It's definitely worth a test drive. Formulate your own opinions on how it drives, because you may completely disagree with everything he says soon as you drive around the block once. Dave, I like the informative way you go over interiors, show backseat room, mention how tall you are for comparison, and show all the features of a vehicle. I think you guys do a good job on reviews.
My mom has a 2014 Flex in the same color, Ruby Red. It's the SEL model with a few options like AWD, the Backup camera, and power folding seats. It is a great car for when we all are going somewhere, or if we need to haul something. We love it and we sure think it is a lovely looking car... It really grows on you after owning it for a while. She hopes to keep it for years to come!!
We love our new Flex/2014. Great for hauling three dogs and all of the gear around, comfortable. My question is anyone has information...we live in a very snowy area in the winter and our Flex is FWD. How is the FWD Flex in the snow...don't plan on any off roading either and it the terrain is pretty much flat.
I disagree with the Everyman driver in this review. Although there are plenty that drive 8 seat vehicles but don't use the third row my family is not one of them. Neither are any of the other families we know. Whether taxiing a handful of kids to bringing the in-laws or even just a couple additional friends, I would say that the third row is very important to a majority of people looking at this video. I do thank you for reviewing the Flex. I wanted to look at alternatives for the minivan. A transition I am fighting. The Flex was my best attempt but after seeing this informative video, it's clear the Flex doesn't come anywhere close to the odyssey or sienna for leg room, cargo space, or third row access (Sienna only). As far as price, mpg, or extra features, the mini vans above seem evenly matched.
Did you end up getting a van? Wife and I have 2 kids in car seats with a 3rd kid on the way. We have a 2016 Nissan Rogue with 3rd row, but realize now we want (and kinda need) something with a bigger 3rd row. We prefer japanese cars (toyota highlander, honda pilot, etc), but when I learned of the Flex....well now I'm intrigued. On paper it has at least as much room as the highlander (which had plenty for us when we test drove it tried out some child car seats in it). Our 2nd car is a Subaru WRX (so turbo'd wagon!) and the Ecoboost option on the Ford Flex is attractive, but of course the MPG suffers. That said, our Nissan Rogue rated at 28/33 is actually getting us 23/24 average even in ECO mode and being light on the throttle (less mpg than my AWD turbo'd wagon which I DRIVE spiritedly, lol). Anyway, ford flex looks interesting. I'm not sure how reliability goes though and cost of ownership. The last ford I had was a '93 ford escort wagon (5mt) which I put 200k miles on (still original clutch!) before trading in. We are trying really hard to avoid the minivan. And we love wagons...
@@aayonce4 So, long story short. We sold the Rogue, bought a Pathfinder. Then sold the pathfinder and bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (PHEV) minivan. The van is far superior to the rogue and pathfinder in every way (although lacks AWD, my one and only complaint). Even lacking AWD, we've had no issue driving in snow.
I just bought a 2011 Buick Enclave CXL AWD. I like it but I'm having issues here and there mechanical and cosmetic. Did I make a bad choice instead of the Ford Flex? I am 37 with a family of 4. I feel I bought the wrong family vehicle.
Yes dude like an Enclave over the Flex?! You were smoking heavy that day! They are sooo generic and mundane !! We just got a 2019 Flex with apperance package i love how everyone looks at it when i drive especiallt after a car wash! Wish they added the auto start stop feature it sure does need it!
I liked this since they first came out. Plenty of head room for taller people 5’10 and above. I do think that it rides a little stiff. Like the tires are over-inflated. I would like to see one with the paint and chrome scheme from the fifty. That could be quite the look. Sorry to hear that there not making it anymore. I saw the year and the 4. And got interested.
Interesting - I appreciate the feedback. Also, just so you know, if you visit quotes.everymandriver.com you can see the BEST DEALS on new and used cars/trucks in your zip code! It’s a free search engine. Try it.
I see these around town a lot down here in FL, so they must have something good going for them. They definitely have a ton of space. As far as efficiency, hell, my 2001 2.4L 4-cyl single cab Tacoma only gets 18/24 MPG.
Beautiful car.....i love boxy cars, i used to love old boxy volvos, but they dont make cars like that annymore, so this ford flex is perfect for me , i would love to get one of those for my family in europe, but saddly here they are hard to find here :(
Question to the owners: Is there a significant difference of power improvement from 2009 Flex which has only 262hp to the current 287hp 3.5L N/A? I used to own a limited AWD 2009 flex which was 262hp and I felt the power is slightly inefficient. Now I'm planning of getting a 2014 AWD 3.5L NA. I can't compared coz i already ditched the 2009.
Heya Dave. Nice review. Was hoping you would have given thoughts on ride and comfort. Especially as compared to the other competitors you named. Thanks.
Ok. I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
Hmm, how come its unlisted? I personally find the Flex a good looking car, but their direction seems unclear. Its not really a van, not an SUV either, but its also much bigger than a typical modern wagon (which are just sedan with trunk lifted to the roof). So I guess it really is FLEX-ible by definition, but here's the catch; a jack of all trade but master of none. Nothing beats a van for available space, nothing beats a proper SUV for off road, nothing beats a car-based wagon for handling, this seems like it wants to be all but failed to be either.
Dave excellent review as always. Two of my brothers build these in Oakville. This to me is a very, very good mens truck. Most of these trucks look slightly effeminate, not this one.
I was going to buy one of these but the looks reminded me of hurse to much lol... it’s just really ugly on the outside, amazing interior though! Part of my wishes I bought this car though, especially after seeing all the Space U had in the second row!
I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
had a 14 limited and traded it in for a 15 rt durango. lots of options in the flex and it was fast, but alot of turbo lag, the interior felt cheap, and the dash and infotainment system sucked. i cant stand a tan upper part of the car interior and black seats, dash, and carpet. my dodge is a little better but it sucks too. im gettin a tahoe or benz next.
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The piece that the tire connects to broke off got it fixed and it seems to have the same thing going on. What can I do. I am afraid to drive it how can make a complaint
Having just gone out and did family vehicle shopping, the Ford Flex was a strong contender on our list going into the buying process. Sadly, after a test drive, and comparing it to the competition, it quickly hit the bottom of the list, and dropped off the charts completely. I will give a disclaimer and say that we ended up with a Mazda5, because the gas mileage, more nimble handling, and believe it or not, smaller size, was more appealing to us. But the other contender on our list was the CX-9. We felt the CX-9 would represent the next best "car like" crossover to the Flex, in a sea of more truck like SUV's. So all of the comparisons i make here, will be to the CX-9. The power train on the Flex was abysmal. Yes it does have a higher BHP figure than the CX-9. It also reaches peak torque before the CX-9. But the devil is in the details. The CX-9 felt smoother, and less taxed in suburban cruising. When it came to accelerations onto the freeway, the higher BHP and lower Torque numbers in the Flex, made the engine feel like it had to be hustled, and revved hard to get any swift acceleration out of it. Sadly, the 3.5L in the Flex is not well refined, and was very buzzy and thrashy at high engine speeds. Comparatively, the CX-9 rode a flat line of torque across the mid RPM ranges, and because of its higher RPM rating for peak torque and peak BHP, running the CX-9 hard for freeway acceleration didnt feel taxing, or sound borderline catastrophic like ti did in the Flex. Yes it was still buzzy at times, but it didnt feel as thrashy, and generally felt more powerful, and tractable than the Flex, which came across as quite anemic. Likewise the gearing, and shift routines of the CX-9 also felt much more logical, and well thought out. And in manual mode, there was simply no comparison between the CX-9 and the Flex. The CX-9 would hold a gear on a soft rev limit at redline, the Flex would shift up several hundred RPM before redline automatically. Not to mention the fact that the CX-9 had a properly oriented, and gated, manual shift position, whereas the Flex had a thumb toggle. A thumb toggle...really? Chassis dynamics between the two were equally no contest. The Flex exhibited a ton of body roll, a significant amount of bump steer at the limit (a limit which im sure most will never see, but still...). I could forgive that of a chassis based off of a Taurus, but the steering felt more like it was out of an F-150. It was slow to respond (which, IMHO, comes back to the geometry issue that causes the bump steer), had vague weighting, and felt far more at home on a highway, like the the wheel of a ship, doing little but holding orientation, rather than actually being a device to maneuver a vehicle down a winding road. In comparison, the CX-9's steering is nearly as good as what you would expect from a Mazda3. It was a little too light for my tastes, if im being honest, but the feedback was direct, and accurate, if not lending itself to being a little darty at times. Interior wise, the Flex's dash is a jumbled mess. Yes, the overall aesthetic is clean and professional, but the more you spend looking at it, the more it becomes disjointed. The digital tachometer being the most off-putting element of the dashboard. The design of it seemed like a complete and total afterthought. It didnt fit the layout design, was extremely simplistic, and worst of all, it was laggy, and notchy in its animation. I know this is no LF-A, or GT-R, but if those two cars have proven anything, its that a solid digital display is perfectly capable of replacing analogue gauges, and fitting seamlessly into the design aesthetic of the interior. Even more unbelievable, is the lack of design language coherence between the drivers dash board digital display, and the center console digital display. Colors didnt match, layout elements were different in design, and even the fonts are different in some cases. That, to me, screams lazy R&D, and even lazier QA, as obviously the design studio elements do not directly communicate with each other. The displays dont even match the same design language as the Sony head unit below it. Sure its a "Sony" unit, but its made exclusively for Ford as an OEM piece, so there is no excuse not to carry design aesthetic throughout. Either by altering the digital displays, or getting Sony to modify the interface to fit in line with the rest of the dashboard, what little there is the same between them. With the CX-9 I can understand that the amber colored gauges and interior back lighting may be annoying to some, but at least the colors are consistent, easy to read, everything is logically placed, and the dashboard comes with a real tachometer. Fit and finish wise, it was pretty even between the two. The CX-9 has some weak materials quality in the interior, and if anything, i might give the nod to the Flex on the quality of the soft touch plastics. However, between the extremely low resolution printed wood grain on the dash, and the horrid "cling, clank, clong" of the seat mechanisms, it completely ruins the interior, and makes the whole experience feel cheap and dated. And last, and certainly not least, the third row seating. The first problem with the Flex, is the access to the third row. For a car that is targeted towards family use, folding the middle row forward is completely impractical. If you have a booster seat, or heaven forbid a full child safety seat, youre screwed. Youre not folding that side of the seat forward to get into the rear, period. As a family with three children, we HAVE to utilize the third row. Thankfully Ford gives a single set of bottom safety seat anchors in the third row, but only on the right hand side. Which corresponds with the 40% fold down side of the middle row. Which means that, while buckling in my infant to their child seat would be relatively easy, buckling in my oldest to their booster seat, on the drivers side of the 3rd row, would be nearly impossible. As there wouldnt be enough room to reach across, and around the infant safety seat, to buckle their seatbelt in from the booster comfortably. And then comes the issue of putting an infant in the rear seat were they cant be reached. So does that mean Mom has to sit in the middle row now to reach everyone, and experience a less than enjoyable passenger experience? And then what of the now empty passenger seat, is that were i haul the cases of water from Costco? Its just poorly thought out. In the CX-9, on the other hand, i could put the two infant seats in the middle row (of which each side is individually adjustable fore and aft), and still be able to cheat the seat forward enough, with a child seat secured, that the oldest can get into the back row with no problems. The middle row can still be easily reached by the passenger seat occupant, and the older child can chill out in the back, in their own space, away from the younger kids. With this layout, we even still have the option to fold down one side of the 3rd row to put extra cargo in. Speaking of folding down the third row... The whole mechanism for folding the rear seats in the Flex is just as dumb as folding up the middle row. Two handed operation of a folding seat is so out dated, it makes a late 90's Dodge Cavavans seating look sophisticated. I get they want the extra "trunk well" space for added cargo room with the third row up. But in the real world, were you usually get an item half into the car before you realize "oops, i need to fold down the rear seats to make it fit", the one handed "pull the strap and shove it in" method on the CX-9's rear seat, is far superior. Now, depending on Trim Level, the Flex's middle row seat does fold flat, as opposed to the CX-9's slight slant upwards, but that is far more easily worked around than the Flex's optional center armrest refrigerator, that sticks up a few inches right in the middle of the cargo area. There is so much on paper, and conceptually, that is right about the Flex. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes, and it SHOULD be a more versatile, capable, and user friendly crossover/wagon/van/SUV...thing. But its the execution of how it gets there, and how it achieves those features, that make is hopelessly impractical for anyone who bothers to actually try and use it. When you put that up against the other vehicles in its segment that are equal on price, performance, and features, it makes it an extremely hard sell. Unless Ford does some serious interior usage upgrades in regards to the seating, it will never be more than a novel idea poorly executed.
i dont know what your talking about. Our family has this car and it really stands out. were getting a lot for our money out of this car that has a lot of function, comfort, the need to add more space in the rear or to have more space for people. This car has a lot of things going for it and Ford has really stepped up for quite some time now, and the American cars we know now are not what they were 10 years ago. This has the room of a van or even a suv, but without the huge seed like style such as the Mazda 5. this car commands respect because its beyond of what other people are use to. Buying a big suv or a car that looks like everything else on the road. the one car that is stupid to own is the Scion that is seriously cheaply made with only a/c controls and radio...wow...big deal. thats how i see cars now. People are only buying the design of a car, than looking at what functions it can bring to the table. Even the new toyota corolla just as boring as last years....just buying a body design with four wheels with a/c and a radio...typical people buy typical stuff and soo afraid to buy something that is different and that can give a lot without looking like every car on the road. Japanese cars are such a waste of money. American cars is where your getting your money worth. Now the GM cars have built in Wifi, plus it has its own phone number...so why buy a Japanese brand that is all the same crap with only a radio and a/c...then if you want even half of what a Chevy Cruze LTZ you have to pay even more..where most of the stuff is standard in American brands with stuff like On Star..but you can buy the OnStar for any car now, but its still not the same.. get real...Mazda 5? waste of money..just having GPS like any other brand..how does it feel to drive around in a seed? hahaha
Obvious troll, is obvious. You talk about buying a car based on function, when 90% of what i said in my post, is a direct complaint about the function of the interior, and how it fails miserably for anyone who has more than two kids in car seats or boosters. Im sorry you have such poor reading comprehension that you missed that. The shape of the Mazda5 had nothing to do with our purchasing of it. In fact i actually hate the Smiley Face grille on it. Its goofy as hell. But the the functionality of the interior for our needs, plus its compact and easy to drive chassis, was what really made it stand out to us. Waste of money? Having a GPS? What the hell are you smoking? My Mazda 5 cost almost half as much as a base model Flex. It isnt a waste of money at all. In fact, most people would see that as smart shopping. But i guess "cause its not murican" its not good enough for you. And as for the GPS, it doesnt have GPS. None of the Mazda 5's do, nor have they ever. In fact the Mazda 5 is one of the most spartan appointed interiors in the Mazda range. As it is based on an older interior design going back to 2010. Its a basic as you can get, and almost completely manual. No touch screens, no automatic features, nothing. Its basic, and we like it because its basic. Less things to break. And why do you keep saying "seed shaped"? Its shaped like a cheese wedge...and why do you keep talking about SUV's? Its a wagon... Oh...OH!!!! You think I bought a Mazda "CX"-5...LOL! Wow...yeah, i can see why you buy "Murican". LOL! Wow! Yeah, i hope your trolling, because seriously, you may just be one of the dumbest people ive encountered on RUclips.
Even though it's a box design. It has a certain attraction to it, I like the look
Say what you want about how "ugly" it is... We've had one for a year already and it is awesome!
It's designed by Land Rover. Which Ford owns. It's a Suburb Rover. Or as I say a Ford Ranger Rover
We just bought a 2014 SEL flex, pretty much fully loaded, getting into the third seating is easier than what they showed, on the passenger side there is a button you press which automatically folds the seat up for you.
Drives very well, we took it on our first road trip and barely noticed the drive it was that comfortable. Passing was a breeze with the 286HP engine.
We had a town and Country before this, I was aiming for the AWD as winters are rough in Ft McMurray AB and this Vehicle seems to be much safer to drive than the mini van.
I think Ford refrains from calling this a station wagon, because that would shun potential buyers. However, i think it looks funky and badass too.
My parents got the SEL model of this car, and its worth the buy! its surprisingly has a lot of space from front to rear. With very comfortable seats for long road trips, independent rear A/C control, auto trunk door, and drives very smooth and fast! I really like this car, and when i showed my girlfriend, first thing she said 'i want it!' haha...this is a must have and nothing less than that! Ford and other American Brands have really stepped up with the integrated systems they have to link everything together. This car even tells you about the cars health like if something needs to be changed than having a 'check engine' light on that doesnt say much lol...fyi no problems at all! this a great buy. Its like a van inside a SUV...you must test drive this and buy it! Great job Ford!
The Ford Flex (in my opinion) has been one of the most comfortable and spacious crossover utility vehicles in its class with a lot of goodies that is offered with selected trims. Recently my family and I went on vacation and we drove a Ford Flex with the ecoboost V6 and that V6 delivered exhilarating performance while the interior kept us quite comfortable especially on sunny days with the optional multi-panel Vista sunroofs and the power lift gate came in handy.
Yes, we didn't give our driving impressions this time around. It was a choice and by your response, not a wise choice. We'll do better next time. But let me ask you, the Everyman Driver Nation, would you ever buy a vehicle without test driving it first?
We wouldn't subscribe to you if we didn't value and respect your opinion, knowledge, and experience. You give us the ability to weed out vehicles, save us time, as well as keep us from being vulnerable, and to feel validated that we made the right decision without missing a better value or model that fits our lifestyles better.
Like tvs, audio systems, phones, laptops, houses...yes we get to demo them but we go in with very little in-depth knowledge and experience with any competition, brand offerings, or past models. We experience a product under supervision, within an environment made to elicit desire of the product. You are in a position we nor salesmen get to be in. Giving us an impression of a vehicle's goals and how well it has met/exceeded/or fallen short of those goals helps us immensely.
The fact that you show us when you lose Go-Pros, get stuck, have trouble with 0-60 times, and interact with your viewers are what make you a great, unbiased, and real source of usable information. I can watch guys drift supercars, dealers show off their inventories, or reviewers tell me the plastic is hard anywhere between youtube, articles, or their respective websites. Someone actually showing and telling me that a Honda or Hyundai crossover with AWD works surprisingly well off-road is unique to you.
No one would....should ever buy a vehicle without driving it but a review video without a review of the driving characteristics is like reviewing a meal on presentaion alone.
We are 2nd owners to a 2010 flex eco boost limited.. Love it.. Lots of power & room.. It's like a Lincoln inside with smith ride to boot! But $1500 trans case went out.. And A/C actuator in dash ( common issue) that I will dig in and fix. All problems happened in one day at 90k ... It's a great ride. My wife loves it so we will fix it and keep cruzingI just hope nothing else goes out!?
Jay jay dynomite That’s just not acceptable on such a low mileage car...that’s why FORD is at junk bond status in 2018
WE LOVE our 2014 Ford Flex! Seats are like chairs, and the adaptive cruise control is awesome. My only complaint is the Ford navigation system, not like Android, can't say "take me to the nearest McDonald's" , you have to break it down to address, and if you don't know it, you're screwed!
I have loved this review of a Ford Flex. Finally, a Good-looking guy to review this vehicle. Very happy with video.
Samm B. No argument here!
Well guys, I know he doesn't mention his personal opinion on the driving dynamics, but you also have to look at it for what he says at the end: It's definitely worth a test drive. Formulate your own opinions on how it drives, because you may completely disagree with everything he says soon as you drive around the block once.
Dave, I like the informative way you go over interiors, show backseat room, mention how tall you are for comparison, and show all the features of a vehicle. I think you guys do a good job on reviews.
My mom has a 2014 Flex in the same color, Ruby Red. It's the SEL model with a few options like AWD, the Backup camera, and power folding seats. It is a great car for when we all are going somewhere, or if we need to haul something. We love it and we sure think it is a lovely looking car... It really grows on you after owning it for a while. She hopes to keep it for years to come!!
We love our new Flex/2014. Great for hauling three dogs and all of the gear around, comfortable. My question is anyone has information...we live in a very snowy area in the winter and our Flex is FWD. How is the FWD Flex in the snow...don't plan on any off roading either and it the terrain is pretty much flat.
This is my question too. How's the winters with the fwd?
Great review as always!
I disagree with the Everyman driver in this review. Although there are plenty that drive 8 seat vehicles but don't use the third row my family is not one of them. Neither are any of the other families we know. Whether taxiing a handful of kids to bringing the in-laws or even just a couple additional friends, I would say that the third row is very important to a majority of people looking at this video. I do thank you for reviewing the Flex. I wanted to look at alternatives for the minivan. A transition I am fighting. The Flex was my best attempt but after seeing this informative video, it's clear the Flex doesn't come anywhere close to the odyssey or sienna for leg room, cargo space, or third row access (Sienna only). As far as price, mpg, or extra features, the mini vans above seem evenly matched.
Did you end up getting a van? Wife and I have 2 kids in car seats with a 3rd kid on the way. We have a 2016 Nissan Rogue with 3rd row, but realize now we want (and kinda need) something with a bigger 3rd row.
We prefer japanese cars (toyota highlander, honda pilot, etc), but when I learned of the Flex....well now I'm intrigued. On paper it has at least as much room as the highlander (which had plenty for us when we test drove it tried out some child car seats in it). Our 2nd car is a Subaru WRX (so turbo'd wagon!) and the Ecoboost option on the Ford Flex is attractive, but of course the MPG suffers. That said, our Nissan Rogue rated at 28/33 is actually getting us 23/24 average even in ECO mode and being light on the throttle (less mpg than my AWD turbo'd wagon which I DRIVE spiritedly, lol).
Anyway, ford flex looks interesting. I'm not sure how reliability goes though and cost of ownership. The last ford I had was a '93 ford escort wagon (5mt) which I put 200k miles on (still original clutch!) before trading in.
We are trying really hard to avoid the minivan. And we love wagons...
@@slandshark what did youse get?
@@aayonce4 So, long story short. We sold the Rogue, bought a Pathfinder. Then sold the pathfinder and bought a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (PHEV) minivan.
The van is far superior to the rogue and pathfinder in every way (although lacks AWD, my one and only complaint). Even lacking AWD, we've had no issue driving in snow.
I just bought a 2011 Buick Enclave CXL AWD. I like it but I'm having issues here and there mechanical and cosmetic. Did I make a bad choice instead of the Ford Flex? I am 37 with a family of 4. I feel I bought the wrong family vehicle.
Acuravigor47 Normally GM's always have annoying issues just like my friend GMC terrain.
Yes dude like an Enclave over the Flex?! You were smoking heavy that day! They are sooo generic and mundane !! We just got a 2019 Flex with apperance package i love how everyone looks at it when i drive especiallt after a car wash! Wish they added the auto start stop feature it sure does need it!
Great review!
You have such a radio voice.
I was sad because we saled our flex SEL it had a button to let the seat down by it's self I loved it 😍
Dave thanks, great review.
Still better than a minivan.
I liked this since they first came out. Plenty of head room for taller people 5’10 and above. I do think that it rides a little stiff. Like the tires are over-inflated. I would like to see one with the paint and chrome scheme from the fifty. That could be quite the look. Sorry to hear that there not making it anymore. I saw the year and the 4. And got interested.
Interesting - I appreciate the feedback. Also, just so you know, if you visit quotes.everymandriver.com you can see the BEST DEALS on new and used cars/trucks in your zip code! It’s a free search engine. Try it.
I see these around town a lot down here in FL, so they must have something good going for them. They definitely have a ton of space. As far as efficiency, hell, my 2001 2.4L 4-cyl single cab Tacoma only gets 18/24 MPG.
And I think 24 is a bit optimistic. I usually get about 19 it seems.
good review ....now I want it
Beautiful car.....i love boxy cars, i used to love old boxy volvos, but they dont make cars like that annymore, so this ford flex is perfect for me , i would love to get one of those for my family in europe, but saddly here they are hard to find here :(
Can it go across country?
I like your review. Thank you
Question to the owners: Is there a significant difference of power improvement from 2009 Flex which has only 262hp to the current 287hp 3.5L N/A? I used to own a limited AWD 2009 flex which was 262hp and I felt the power is slightly inefficient. Now I'm planning of getting a 2014 AWD 3.5L NA. I can't compared coz i already ditched the 2009.
I never knew that ford has such a cool car!
I can see a SUBARU sign in your jacket :)
Heya Dave. Nice review. Was hoping you would have given thoughts on ride and comfort. Especially as compared to the other competitors you named. Thanks.
Magazines. Ancient terminology. I believe its an old reading device.
I much prefer the explorer, because of the seating height
I love the 2014 flex, the only problem is we have to trade it in because it broke only 11 years of owning it!
Ok. I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
It's a canvas screaming to be customized. Like a giant luxurious Cube or Xb. The mileage is the only real downside
I’ve owned all 3!
Hmm, how come its unlisted? I personally find the Flex a good looking car, but their direction seems unclear. Its not really a van, not an SUV either, but its also much bigger than a typical modern wagon (which are just sedan with trunk lifted to the roof). So I guess it really is FLEX-ible by definition, but here's the catch; a jack of all trade but master of none. Nothing beats a van for available space, nothing beats a proper SUV for off road, nothing beats a car-based wagon for handling, this seems like it wants to be all but failed to be either.
you forgot to highlight that almost ALL stereo and HVAC controls are touch and that is INCREDIBLY infuriating!
You just did, thanks!
Is it snowing???
good sounding exhaust im surprised
Dave excellent review as always. Two of my brothers build these in Oakville. This to me is a very, very good mens truck. Most of these trucks look slightly effeminate, not this one.
I was going to buy one of these but the looks reminded me of hurse to much lol... it’s just really ugly on the outside, amazing interior though! Part of my wishes I bought this car though, especially after seeing all the Space U had in the second row!
I really want one of these man
I appreciate the feedback. By the way, you NEED to try this “Free Car Shopping" website: quotes.everymandriver.com See the best deals on NEW and USED cars in your area from qualified dealership! You’ll get Insider Access to Dealer Pricing in your zip code! Click here to start saving big: quotes.everymandriver.com! 🌟
I thought all limited models where power everything including the rear folding seats. But not this limited.
had a 14 limited and traded it in for a 15 rt durango. lots of options in the flex and it was fast, but alot of turbo lag, the interior felt cheap, and the dash and infotainment system sucked. i cant stand a tan upper part of the car interior and black seats, dash, and carpet. my dodge is a little better but it sucks too. im gettin a tahoe or benz next.
The begining of this episode is a little bit like the begining of motorweek :) You know
what happened to alex le friec? he was in ur 2013 vids then he disappeared .-.
I didnt realize they still made these
They don’t make them anymore
very informative! imight consider this if i have more than 3 kids :}
Like your voice.
Typical Spokane weather it’s snowing!
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The piece that the tire connects to broke off got it fixed and it seems to have the same thing going on. What can I do. I am afraid to drive it how can make a complaint
Having just gone out and did family vehicle shopping, the Ford Flex was a strong contender on our list going into the buying process. Sadly, after a test drive, and comparing it to the competition, it quickly hit the bottom of the list, and dropped off the charts completely. I will give a disclaimer and say that we ended up with a Mazda5, because the gas mileage, more nimble handling, and believe it or not, smaller size, was more appealing to us.
But the other contender on our list was the CX-9. We felt the CX-9 would represent the next best "car like" crossover to the Flex, in a sea of more truck like SUV's. So all of the comparisons i make here, will be to the CX-9.
The power train on the Flex was abysmal. Yes it does have a higher BHP figure than the CX-9. It also reaches peak torque before the CX-9. But the devil is in the details. The CX-9 felt smoother, and less taxed in suburban cruising. When it came to accelerations onto the freeway, the higher BHP and lower Torque numbers in the Flex, made the engine feel like it had to be hustled, and revved hard to get any swift acceleration out of it. Sadly, the 3.5L in the Flex is not well refined, and was very buzzy and thrashy at high engine speeds. Comparatively, the CX-9 rode a flat line of torque across the mid RPM ranges, and because of its higher RPM rating for peak torque and peak BHP, running the CX-9 hard for freeway acceleration didnt feel taxing, or sound borderline catastrophic like ti did in the Flex. Yes it was still buzzy at times, but it didnt feel as thrashy, and generally felt more powerful, and tractable than the Flex, which came across as quite anemic. Likewise the gearing, and shift routines of the CX-9 also felt much more logical, and well thought out. And in manual mode, there was simply no comparison between the CX-9 and the Flex. The CX-9 would hold a gear on a soft rev limit at redline, the Flex would shift up several hundred RPM before redline automatically. Not to mention the fact that the CX-9 had a properly oriented, and gated, manual shift position, whereas the Flex had a thumb toggle. A thumb toggle...really?
Chassis dynamics between the two were equally no contest. The Flex exhibited a ton of body roll, a significant amount of bump steer at the limit (a limit which im sure most will never see, but still...). I could forgive that of a chassis based off of a Taurus, but the steering felt more like it was out of an F-150. It was slow to respond (which, IMHO, comes back to the geometry issue that causes the bump steer), had vague weighting, and felt far more at home on a highway, like the the wheel of a ship, doing little but holding orientation, rather than actually being a device to maneuver a vehicle down a winding road. In comparison, the CX-9's steering is nearly as good as what you would expect from a Mazda3. It was a little too light for my tastes, if im being honest, but the feedback was direct, and accurate, if not lending itself to being a little darty at times.
Interior wise, the Flex's dash is a jumbled mess. Yes, the overall aesthetic is clean and professional, but the more you spend looking at it, the more it becomes disjointed. The digital tachometer being the most off-putting element of the dashboard. The design of it seemed like a complete and total afterthought. It didnt fit the layout design, was extremely simplistic, and worst of all, it was laggy, and notchy in its animation. I know this is no LF-A, or GT-R, but if those two cars have proven anything, its that a solid digital display is perfectly capable of replacing analogue gauges, and fitting seamlessly into the design aesthetic of the interior. Even more unbelievable, is the lack of design language coherence between the drivers dash board digital display, and the center console digital display. Colors didnt match, layout elements were different in design, and even the fonts are different in some cases. That, to me, screams lazy R&D, and even lazier QA, as obviously the design studio elements do not directly communicate with each other. The displays dont even match the same design language as the Sony head unit below it. Sure its a "Sony" unit, but its made exclusively for Ford as an OEM piece, so there is no excuse not to carry design aesthetic throughout. Either by altering the digital displays, or getting Sony to modify the interface to fit in line with the rest of the dashboard, what little there is the same between them. With the CX-9 I can understand that the amber colored gauges and interior back lighting may be annoying to some, but at least the colors are consistent, easy to read, everything is logically placed, and the dashboard comes with a real tachometer.
Fit and finish wise, it was pretty even between the two. The CX-9 has some weak materials quality in the interior, and if anything, i might give the nod to the Flex on the quality of the soft touch plastics. However, between the extremely low resolution printed wood grain on the dash, and the horrid "cling, clank, clong" of the seat mechanisms, it completely ruins the interior, and makes the whole experience feel cheap and dated.
And last, and certainly not least, the third row seating. The first problem with the Flex, is the access to the third row. For a car that is targeted towards family use, folding the middle row forward is completely impractical. If you have a booster seat, or heaven forbid a full child safety seat, youre screwed. Youre not folding that side of the seat forward to get into the rear, period. As a family with three children, we HAVE to utilize the third row. Thankfully Ford gives a single set of bottom safety seat anchors in the third row, but only on the right hand side. Which corresponds with the 40% fold down side of the middle row. Which means that, while buckling in my infant to their child seat would be relatively easy, buckling in my oldest to their booster seat, on the drivers side of the 3rd row, would be nearly impossible. As there wouldnt be enough room to reach across, and around the infant safety seat, to buckle their seatbelt in from the booster comfortably. And then comes the issue of putting an infant in the rear seat were they cant be reached. So does that mean Mom has to sit in the middle row now to reach everyone, and experience a less than enjoyable passenger experience? And then what of the now empty passenger seat, is that were i haul the cases of water from Costco? Its just poorly thought out.
In the CX-9, on the other hand, i could put the two infant seats in the middle row (of which each side is individually adjustable fore and aft), and still be able to cheat the seat forward enough, with a child seat secured, that the oldest can get into the back row with no problems. The middle row can still be easily reached by the passenger seat occupant, and the older child can chill out in the back, in their own space, away from the younger kids. With this layout, we even still have the option to fold down one side of the 3rd row to put extra cargo in. Speaking of folding down the third row...
The whole mechanism for folding the rear seats in the Flex is just as dumb as folding up the middle row. Two handed operation of a folding seat is so out dated, it makes a late 90's Dodge Cavavans seating look sophisticated. I get they want the extra "trunk well" space for added cargo room with the third row up. But in the real world, were you usually get an item half into the car before you realize "oops, i need to fold down the rear seats to make it fit", the one handed "pull the strap and shove it in" method on the CX-9's rear seat, is far superior. Now, depending on Trim Level, the Flex's middle row seat does fold flat, as opposed to the CX-9's slight slant upwards, but that is far more easily worked around than the Flex's optional center armrest refrigerator, that sticks up a few inches right in the middle of the cargo area.
There is so much on paper, and conceptually, that is right about the Flex. It certainly ticks a lot of boxes, and it SHOULD be a more versatile, capable, and user friendly crossover/wagon/van/SUV...thing. But its the execution of how it gets there, and how it achieves those features, that make is hopelessly impractical for anyone who bothers to actually try and use it. When you put that up against the other vehicles in its segment that are equal on price, performance, and features, it makes it an extremely hard sell. Unless Ford does some serious interior usage upgrades in regards to the seating, it will never be more than a novel idea poorly executed.
Are you sure you've summarized your thoughts?
elton john Nope, im pretty sure i got them all in there.
i dont know what your talking about. Our family has this car and it really stands out. were getting a lot for our money out of this car that has a lot of function, comfort, the need to add more space in the rear or to have more space for people. This car has a lot of things going for it and Ford has really stepped up for quite some time now, and the American cars we know now are not what they were 10 years ago. This has the room of a van or even a suv, but without the huge seed like style such as the Mazda 5. this car commands respect because its beyond of what other people are use to. Buying a big suv or a car that looks like everything else on the road. the one car that is stupid to own is the Scion that is seriously cheaply made with only a/c controls and radio...wow...big deal. thats how i see cars now. People are only buying the design of a car, than looking at what functions it can bring to the table. Even the new toyota corolla just as boring as last years....just buying a body design with four wheels with a/c and a radio...typical people buy typical stuff and soo afraid to buy something that is different and that can give a lot without looking like every car on the road. Japanese cars are such a waste of money. American cars is where your getting your money worth. Now the GM cars have built in Wifi, plus it has its own phone number...so why buy a Japanese brand that is all the same crap with only a radio and a/c...then if you want even half of what a Chevy Cruze LTZ you have to pay even more..where most of the stuff is standard in American brands with stuff like On Star..but you can buy the OnStar for any car now, but its still not the same..
get real...Mazda 5? waste of money..just having GPS like any other brand..how does it feel to drive around in a seed? hahaha
Obvious troll, is obvious.
You talk about buying a car based on function, when 90% of what i said in my post, is a direct complaint about the function of the interior, and how it fails miserably for anyone who has more than two kids in car seats or boosters. Im sorry you have such poor reading comprehension that you missed that.
The shape of the Mazda5 had nothing to do with our purchasing of it. In fact i actually hate the Smiley Face grille on it. Its goofy as hell. But the the functionality of the interior for our needs, plus its compact and easy to drive chassis, was what really made it stand out to us.
Waste of money? Having a GPS? What the hell are you smoking? My Mazda 5 cost almost half as much as a base model Flex. It isnt a waste of money at all. In fact, most people would see that as smart shopping. But i guess "cause its not murican" its not good enough for you.
And as for the GPS, it doesnt have GPS. None of the Mazda 5's do, nor have they ever. In fact the Mazda 5 is one of the most spartan appointed interiors in the Mazda range. As it is based on an older interior design going back to 2010. Its a basic as you can get, and almost completely manual. No touch screens, no automatic features, nothing. Its basic, and we like it because its basic. Less things to break.
And why do you keep saying "seed shaped"? Its shaped like a cheese wedge...and why do you keep talking about SUV's? Its a wagon...
Oh...OH!!!! You think I bought a Mazda "CX"-5...LOL! Wow...yeah, i can see why you buy "Murican". LOL! Wow!
Yeah, i hope your trolling, because seriously, you may just be one of the dumbest people ive encountered on RUclips.
Was gonna give you a thumbs up but lost me when you insulted the other commenter at the VERY end.
FRONT WHEEL ?/////
Хороший обзор есть на ютюб канале "US cars на русском"т
"Plenty of knee room" - You're 5'11, dude.
Sit up straight. You're probably less than 6 foot too.
Dude you are hot
Probably going to be discontinued.
copied the rover.
Range Rover clone.
Ugly clone.
crazyjack000 This is a vehicle where the designers cared more about function than style. This is allot more practical than a range rover.
I am 13 and I use to want a wrangler but then I saw a flex I getting one in 3 years 😁😢
KMBAD KMBAD will you be able to afford it when your 16?
Ugly car.
whhhhyyyy are the wheels always soooo uglyyyyyyy its like every car has the ugliest wheels possible