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Interested in comments from those owning a Ford Flex. What are the WORST things about this vehicle? What do you like the most. Replacing a F-150 crewcab.
Priorities: Reliability & durability / Front seat support & comfort / Fuel economy / Discounts & incentives / Materials & workmanship
Preferred Bodystyle(s): Wagon
Car Needs: Daily commuter / Family transporter / Errands about town / Long trips / Towing or hauling
Primary Driver(s): Senior driver / Tall driver
Will consider both new and used cars
Maximum mileage: 15000
Maximum age: 2 years
I don't own a Flex, but have driven them for a total of nearly a month.
Pluses: styling (if you like it), room, comfort, quietness, ride, luggage space behind the third row
Cons: spotty reliability, a little hard to see out of, so large it's a challenge to maneuver in tight parking lots (but easy compared to an F-150), handling a touch clumsy
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Still looking for comments on a Flex. Have not bought anything yet.
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I have a Ford Flex Limited and love it! It's a great car - I bought it new in 2011 in California and have not had any problems with it (knock on wood). It's my first Ford after many European cars (the one before the Flex was a BMX X5 and I hated it). The interior is well designed, nicely appointed and the seating arrangements are flexible. Right now, I have all the back seats down/flat.
Pluses: It drives well, handles well. I can't push it into the curves of an entrance ramp like my Audi A4 but it's not a dog. The 4-cylinder with Eco-Boost is surprisingly punchy (in a good way - the sound is "throaty") at getting up to 65 (speed limit in Massachusetts) and the mileage is decent ~21/22. The visibility is good - I prefer the boxy shape to the flattened or curved windshields and back windows of the Edge and the like. The capacity/room is amazing - it has a nice square shape to it so you can get furniture or dog crates in there easily. It's a head-turner too.
Cons: I didn't have any problems parking in California - lots are spacious and relatively new - freeways are huge. In Massachusetts, everything is older, smaller and taking a sharp right-angle turn into a small farm stand parking lot with another car exiting is a challenge. Backing out of a small Main Street angled parking slot is a challenge because the car is longer. The back-up camera is a god-send. Other nits: the bluetooth connection drops sometimes for no reason and the interface for picking music is tedious.
Note - you'll see in another thread that I am looking for a fun, smaller hatchback. I'm selling my Flex not because I don't like it but because it is WAY bigger than what I need now.
Hope this helps!
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Great response, thanks. Yup I have dogs and I need the space of a pickup with a little more comfort and pizazz (if you can call the FLEX pizazz...)
I cant get because of the dogs, but wow, the Fiesta hatchback looks really nice in the sport package and good MPG. The Cmax is a little odd and expensive, but nice to see they are trying with some hi milage hybrids. Can't believe the Cmax get 88 mpg, but at least you have an alternative to getting bent over at the gas pump only.
Good luck with your search.
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Thanks! I should have mentioned I have had 7 dogs (2 labs, 2 border collies, & assorted small, white fluffy dogs) in the Flex with no problem - enough room for everyone and strategically placed air vents (separately controlled from front) in the back. Also, GREAT for senior dogs - the rear doors open wider (than BMW X5), the floor & folded down seats are lower, and the back gate is fantastic (controlled from key fob too). Good luck with your search!
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Minor correction: unlike the Taurus and the Explorer, the Flex isn't available with an EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. Only two V6s (with and without EB). The turbo V6 is very quick.
I like the appearance and functionality of the Flex. The main problem I had with one I rented for a couple of weeks is that it feels very large when maneuvering in tight spaces, as bellabee notes.
I really enjoyed driving the C-MAX for a week. Suburban mpg with the regular hybrid is about 37 mpg. The 88 mpg figure would be for the plug-in hybrid, meaning that it runs on electricity for the first 10-12 miles of the test cycle. The main things against the C-MAX are that it's not stylish and doesn't have a lot of cargo space. For those who drive often in traffic and who don't need more space it can be a good way to go.
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