Ford Flex - Counterpoint

theoldwizard · July 11, 2008

2009 Ford Flex is the right car for big families, at the wrong time

In absolute terms, the Ford Flex is squarely brilliant. ...

And yet, right about now, nobody cares. Such is the wholesale misery of near-$5-per-gallon gas ...

Here's my prognosis for the Flex. It's too good a vehicle to be ignored entirely. ... It will garner the attention of buyers with big families — and only those with big families. In the space of six months, the Flex has gone from mass-market vehicle to niche product. ...

And I predict the Flex, as good as it is, as on-point as it is, won't help Ford uncircle the drain.

Read the whole article. The author had many fine things to say about the product. He didn't even complain about it's high price or mediocre mileage.

Just that it is a niche filler and at the moment Ford needs mass market appeal.

igor · July 11, 2008

I see his (and your ) point, but I disagree with such a grim outlook on the industry. The next 12 months will prove one of us wrong - but the rest of the review - is once again - glowing actually -he said the Flex will swy minivan buyers from the almost-perfect and highly acclaimed Odyssey and Sienna - I wish more Ford products wer epredited to hurt Honda and Toyota.

Ewither way - that was a good and insightful review - I liked it - and we shall see how the market goes in the coming months. The Flex will not become the 1986 Taurus - and it is not intended to - but some 6-10k sales a month - would be something tremendously important for Ford.

No it will not singlehandidly push Ford to "uncycle the drain" - but bit by bit great product like the Flex will.

Igor

silvrsvt · July 11, 2008

mediocre mileage.

Nice to see that gas prices have you going oh noes when it comes to a product that is just as good as its competition... People have to quit being so myopic when it comes to gas prices...expecting 40 MPG out of a car the size of the Flex is pure folly...its physically impossible at this time.

30 OTT 6 · July 11, 2008

I saw a Flex and Taurus X parked side by each on a dealership lot. They are pretty much the same size which surprised me because I was under the impresion that the Flex was going to be a larger vehicle. They also have the same seating capabilities. The Flex and Taurus X pretty much compete with each other on the same lot, which represents a General Motors type problem within the single Ford brand name.

The Taurus X is a pretty good vehicle in it's own right but Ford needs to dump it and run with the newer Flex.

Catalepsy · July 11, 2008

I saw a Flex parked in downtown Summit, NJ last night without any plates or paper...very odd, but my first thought was that it was much smaller than I imagined. The interior looked amazing.

I saw a Flex and Taurus X parked side by each on a dealership lot. They are pretty much the same size which surprised me because I was under the impresion that the Flex was going to be a larger vehicle. They also have the same seating capabilities. The Flex and Taurus X pretty much compete with each other on the same lot, which represents a General Motors type problem within the single Ford brand name.

The Taurus X is a pretty good vehicle in it's own right but Ford needs to dump it and run with the newer Flex.

theoldwizard · July 11, 2008

I saw a Flex and Taurus X parked side by each on a dealership lot. They are pretty much the same size which surprised me because I was under the impression that the Flex was going to be a larger vehicle. They also have the same seating capabilities. The Flex and Taurus X pretty much compete with each other on the same lot, ...

While the same size, my impression was that the Flex handled adult sized passanger better (especially in the 3rd row) while the Taurus X had better cargo capability.

The Taurus X is a pretty good vehicle in it's own right but Ford needs to dump it and run with the newer Flex.

Taurus X will morph into the new Explorer, and it can not happen soon enough !

jobu37 · July 11, 2008

One of his main points was that only buyers with large families will be interested in this vehicle. As if that differs from the original target market. Granted the market is not what it used to be for any segment of the industry except sub-compacts. However, how many people with large families bought a Tahoe, Yukon, Expedition, Suburban, or high end Odyssey, Sienna, Town & Country or Caravan three to four years ago? That's a lot of potential customers looking to downsize or move away from the "uncool" image of being overbreeders. Maybe society will look at these families as hip in the Flex instead just veiwing them as just idiots for having more than two kids.

I certainly don't see this vehicle hitting 100K units in this environment but I also know that a lot of families are used to dishing over $35K plus for comparatively crappy high end Chrysler minivans with horrible engines so there is definitely a potentially large market to be tapped. Time will tell.

twintornados · July 11, 2008

I saw a Flex parked in downtown Summit, NJ last night without any plates or paper...very odd, but my first thought was that it was much smaller than I imagined. The interior looked amazing.

I agree, I saw one at the Ford dealership and the first thought I had was, "Wow, it looks so much smaller in person" but when I got in it....it was huge. Then I started looking at it from a view point of how this would work as a SWB with rear doors like on the Honda Element, and as a pickup similar to Ridgeline....

twintornados · July 11, 2008

I saw a Flex and Taurus X parked side by each on a dealership lot. They are pretty much the same size which surprised me because I was under the impresion that the Flex was going to be a larger vehicle. They also have the same seating capabilities. The Flex and Taurus X pretty much compete with each other on the same lot, which represents a General Motors type problem within the single Ford brand name.

The Taurus X is a pretty good vehicle in it's own right but Ford needs to dump it and run with the newer Flex.

Lets hope that Ford sends the Taurus X up market to the Mercury dealers as Sable Colony Park or Mountaineer.

fordmantpw · July 11, 2008

Nice to see that gas prices have you going oh noes when it comes to a product that is just as good as its competition... People have to quit being so myopic when it comes to gas prices...expecting 40 MPG out of a car the size of the Flex is pure folly...its physically impossible at this time.

I agree. For what it is (a 7 seater used to haul lots of people in comfort and style), the Flex does pretty good with it's fuel economy. We had one for a day, and we averaged ~26MPG with it. My wife took her normal route to work in which she averages 21 MPG with her Escape, and she achieved 26 MPG with the Flex. The Flex is MUCH larger, has more power, rides better, hauls more people in more comfort, and is just an all-around better vehicle, while getting 5 MPG better fuel economy. Now, the Flex was FWD while the Escape is a 4x4, but say it's a 2 MPG penalty, the Flex still gets 14% better fuel economy. That's with only 100 miles on the Flex! That's not bad in my book!!

NLPRacing · July 11, 2008

Nice to see that gas prices have you going oh noes when it comes to a product that is just as good as its competition... People have to quit being so myopic when it comes to gas prices...expecting 40 MPG out of a car the size of the Flex is pure folly...its physically impossible at this time.

I don't get the "mediocre" mileage statements about the Flex either. This vehicles is aimed at people driving full size SUV's that average around 12 mpg. If you can double your mileage and have SUV room, then people will buy it.

P71_CrownVic · July 11, 2008

Funny enough...even Ford doesn't want to sell the Flex. Here is a story I found on another site:

I just test drove an AWD flex today. It rides really smooth and its super quiet. The engine is adequate for the job. Its not a tire screacher, but then again its not a car that was meant to be on. there is a lot of interior room for in the flex. Im 6'1 and over 300 pounds and I found the 3rd row more comfortable than my parents expedition.

My parents wanted to trade in their 02 expedition for one but the ford dealers are not budging on the price. They are now looking at a fully loaded Hyundai Veracruz. which has a bit more options than the flex for the same price. My parents might pick that up tomorrow.

And now, the rest of the story:

Ford wanted to give us $1800 bucks to trade in our 02 Expedition XLT with leather/wood trim 2wd, and 65k miles and pay $682 per month on a $37,000 flex.

Hyundai offered $7000 to trade, and pay 499 per month for a $37000 Veracruz which has, rear backup sensors, Navigation, power tilt steering wheel, and a rear DVD entertainment system. These extras alone on the Flex would have been on the limited which ups the price to $40K.

At first I wasn't too crazy about the Veracruz since it does look like every single SUV/crossover out there, but it's a smooth ride and the interior looks better than the flex, (not to say the flex is awful)

Too bad Ford doesn't want to sell their station wagons.

NickF1011 · July 11, 2008

Funny enough...even Ford doesn't want to sell the Flex. Here is a story I found on another site:

And now, the rest of the story:

Too bad Ford doesn't want to sell their station wagons.

Yeah...nothing like Internet anecdotes to reveal the "truth" of the matter.

Ron W. · July 11, 2008

Ford wanted to give us $1800 bucks to trade in our 02 Expedition XLT

That should say the Ford dealer, Ford does not control the asking, selling or trade in dollars offered.

And yes if this is true $1800.00 even with fewer people looking for a truck, it's a joke of an offer.

Harley Lover · July 11, 2008

P71, be fair. That's the dealer, not Ford, conducting that negotiation. And I know you know that any manufacturer cannot control the stupidity of its dealers.

P71_CrownVic · July 11, 2008

And yes if this is true $1800.00 even with fewer people looking for a truck, it's a joke of an offer.

The guy has no reason to lie. He likes the Flex and I think he would have preferred his parents to buy one. But with Ford unwilling to make legitimate offers, no deal.

mlhm5 · July 11, 2008

2009 Ford Flex is the right car for big families, at the wrong time

Read the whole article. The author had many fine things to say about the product. He didn't even complain about it's high price or mediocre mileage.

Just that it is a niche filler and at the moment Ford needs mass market appeal.

The author was just stating the obvious, vehicles with 17/24 mpg have little consumer appeal in a $4+ gallon USA.

NickF1011 · July 11, 2008

The guy has no reason to lie. He likes the Flex and I think he would have preferred his parents to buy one. But with Ford unwilling to make legitimate offers, no deal.

There's no law saying you NEED to trade in your vehicle at the dealer to buy a new vehicle there....

If he really wanted a Flex, he could have sold the Expedition somewhere else and take the check back to the Ford dealer, no?

NickF1011 · July 11, 2008

The author was just stating the obvious, vehicles with 17/24 mpg have little consumer appeal in a $4+ gallon USA.

So what of those who are now driving fullsize SUVs that get 12/17 mpg? Are they expected to euthanize a couple of their children when they need a new vehicle so they can fit into a Jetta diesel comfortably?

The only thing obvious in all of these threads about Flex fuel economy (and there have been several -- and they're ALL the same) is that you are a bonehead.

fordmantpw · July 11, 2008

The guy has no reason to lie. He likes the Flex and I think he would have preferred his parents to buy one. But with Ford unwilling to make legitimate offers, no deal.

Again, like others have said. What was offered has nothing to do with Ford...it is solely on the dealer.

In case you didn't hear the first time...