Just when you thought all Ford could do was re-badge some of its more forgettable products, along comes a welcome change.
Ford Flex Crossover
Continuing our tour of the Ford Motor Company display, we come to the 2009 Ford Flex. Designed to replace the Freestar minivan, the Flex certainly makes a bolder styling statement. Where the Freestar could easily get lost in the sea of minivans at soccer practice, the Flex stands out – looking very much like a cross between an uber-Mini, with its upright style and contrasting roof, and a super sized version of the Scion xB. Truth be told, if you squint real hard, you can almost see the outline of the station wagon/country squire Fords of yore.
Inside, the Flex offers all of the electronic wizardry of the corporate parts bins, and then some. The Sync communications/entertainment system – developed in collaboration with Microsoft – comes replete with a 2,300 song jukebox hard drive. The six passenger configuration (seven-passenger seating is also available) offers an optional refrigerator between the middle seats. The optional Multi-Panel Vista Roof consists of an electric sunroof over the front seat passengers, while a larger fixed panel acts as a skylight for rear seat passengers. And when the sun sets, the interior ambient lighting system can be set to one of seven color combinations.
Safety features include a full compliment of front and side airbags, as well as a curtain airbag system designed for all three rows of seats. 4 wheel disc brakes along with ABS and Ford’s Roll Stability Control round out the standard safety features.
The Bottom Line
When you add up the styling as well as all features the Flex has to offer, it appears that Ford has a winner on its hands. The good news is that buyers won’t have long to wait – the Flex should be in dealer showrooms beginning this summer.
Tags: Ford Flex Crossover, Ford Freestar
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