2009 Ford Flex: First Impressions

By Christy Brewer

Christy Brewer

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Although a stereotypical soccer mom would have been ideal for the Family Car Guide, none exist. So, Christy steps in with her unique blend of art... More

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4 1,475 views Mar 6, 2009

2009 Ford Flex SE

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I saw the Flex for the first time at the South Carolina auto show. Not a great place to have my first Flex experience--it was nestled in between two teeny cars, and it looked mammoth. I made a rotten face and moved on. Bad move. Now I'm going to have to go drive one, since the Flex is piling up kudos from writers in other niches of the car world.

TheCarConnection.com's review of the 2009 Ford Flex notes competitive fuel economy of 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, so you'll have to stop at a lot more of those gas stations than you'd like. But it's not much more than the Honda Odyssey, which is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. For its class, that's pretty good. The fuel economy isn't due to blistering acceleration, as the Flex runs from 0 to 60 in about 9 seconds.

When it comes to safety, the Flex is equipped with  six airbags, anti-lock brakes, and stability control with anti-rollover technology. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives it 5 stars for front and side impacts, and so did the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). (Even though hubby has been involved in safety testing for years, I still forget how many times various independent agencies have to do this to make sure the initial ratings are good.)

The Flex, it seems, was one of three finalists for North American Car of the Year. And just a few weeks ago, Cars.com chose the Flex as its "Family Car of the Year" for 2009 based on reviewer's experience of driving the vehicle. Apparently the Flex is very fun to drive, does great on road trips, and is comfortable for seven passengers. The review immediately hits on what I experienced: the look of the Flex will scare a lot of people off. It might also turn you on, though.

Mostly, I was intrigued by Cars.com's assessment on fuel economy: "Unlike most minivans, the Flex offers an all-wheel-drive option and returns mileage that's on par with the best entry in the minivan segment: last year's Family winner, the Honda Odyssey." 

I'll check back in with a more comprehensive look at the Flex in the near future. In the meantime, you can see more photos and get pricing information here at FamilyCarGuide.com, and read the consensus of Web opinions over at TheCarConnection.com's 2009 Ford Flex review.