The all-new 2009 Ford Flex is going to start at $28,995 when it goes on sale this summer. The 2009 Ford Flex is larger than the soon to be dead Ford Taurus X and it also replaces the Freestar minivan in Ford's lineup.
Ford's largest crossover will come in three versions with either FWD or AWD configurations. The base front-wheel-drive SE will start below $30K, while the top of the line all-wheel-drive model will be well over $37K with options.
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2009 Ford Flex Revealed...too Bad its Just a Glorified Station Wagon
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Comments (29)
what a grotseque car who designed this thing i give it 3 years tops
stop defending yourself ford USA just let europe get on with the job they have better designs better engnes better refinement and better interiors
Posted by o | February 27, 2008 2:20 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 02:20
Finally, a mass production vehicle that looks like a hearse. The funeral homes will be lined up buy the Ford Flex to transport dead bodies. Way to go Ford!
Posted by Wired_Monk | February 27, 2008 2:23 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 02:23
Wow it looks like an elongated xB... Yuck!
Posted by chris | February 27, 2008 2:46 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 02:46
I like the way it looks and I believe this will sell pretty well. Ford needed a big crossover considering that the big SUV market is coming to an end. This will prob replace the Expedition in the near future which will be a good move on Fords part to fill in the void.
Posted by SteelCity1981 | February 27, 2008 3:23 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 03:23
WTF is with the photos? Admins, where are .jpg extensions??? Not working correctly with Firefox!
Posted by xxx | February 27, 2008 4:01 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 04:01
kill it! kill it with fire!
Posted by Dan | February 27, 2008 7:21 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 07:21
Well,
And I though the mini clubman was an ugly car...
Posted by Rafael Fernandes | February 27, 2008 7:50 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 07:50
looks like a badly disguised land rover.
Posted by Kings | February 27, 2008 8:21 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 08:21
Wow, 29-37k? That's ridiculous expensive.
Ford, what are your designers smoking, and who approved this in upper management?
It's so ugly I'd pay more for the Subaru before this, and it's 10k less...
Posted by Cheap Car Lover | February 27, 2008 8:28 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 08:28
The boxiness! It hurts!
Posted by SEALBoy | February 27, 2008 8:39 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 08:39
Wow, Ford is definitely pricing themselves out of the market. At that price you can get a full-frame Expedition with 4WD. If they are trying to lure away the minivan crowd, I don't see comparable value there.
Posted by WS | February 27, 2008 9:46 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 09:46
I'm a bit perplexed.
Partially by it's looks. It resembles a Mini in a lot of ways. Maybe it's a Maxi?
It somehow manages to be boring looking, and yet overly busy at the same time. (horizontal body creases on doors and rear, chrome strip under the windows all around, scattering of bits forming the grill.) I get the feeling that maybe someone designed a good simple look (good thing) and someone else said 'Add more! Add more!" and ruined it.
But I'm mostly perplexed by the name. In the current market of rising fuel prices and interest in alternative fuels, I expected it to refer to flex fuel options. I would have been VERY interested if Ford were to produce a sort of SUV version of Chevy's Volt concept. An electric vehicle, chargable at home, but with a built in IC powered charging system as well.
Instead, it seems it's just another crossover/SUV under the perplexing skin.
Posted by kw | February 27, 2008 10:01 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 10:01
And now Ford wants to make box-like cars.
Posted by Tommy Boy | February 27, 2008 10:46 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 10:46
You might be surprised just how many people don't care about looks. If Ford made this a diesel with a 6 speed manual transmission. It would sell. Why? Because it SHOULD then return about 45mpg. Make it a serial hybrid with a diesel motor and they wouldn't be able to make them fast enough.
Will Ford make such a bold move? Oh h#ll no.
Posted by Ty | February 27, 2008 10:47 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 10:47
"Ford, what are your designers smoking, and who approved this in upper management?"
Well whatever it is Ty is smokin the same sh#t. A diesel engine with a 6 speed manual? You honestly think people in North America will buy a DIESEL MANUAL MINIVAN? Thank god Ford doesn't have you under its employ. A vehicle like that would sell slower than the old Five Hundred.
People who buy minivans generally live in North America. They are primarily women (so they won't know or can't be bother to shift themselves). They don't know what diesel is so would probably try to fill up with gasoline and even if they could they probably would not like the louder idle and lack of power when attached to an auto transmission.
No one in Europe is going to buy this. Its too large for them.
This is probably using the new Mazda designed 3.5L V6 paired with the Ford-GM 6speed.
Also I'm sure this has body-on-frame construction so it will handle better and deliver better fuel economy compared to the hefty Explorer. With fuel economy now being "considered' by most shoppers I'm sure this car will look more appealing than a full-sized SUV.
Posted by A.J. | February 27, 2008 10:59 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 10:59
i'll rent a white one from AVIS
Posted by rene | February 27, 2008 11:44 AM
Posted on February 27, 2008 11:44
How is this not a minivan? The whole crossover nomenclature is retarded. And yes this is fugly, but it probably won't sell any worse than the Freestar its replacing.
Posted by gm0n3y | February 27, 2008 2:07 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 14:07
Wow, A Large Brick On Wheels !!!!. This why Ford is going out of business. This is as bad of a decesion as the Ford 500. This thing needs to be cancelled before it starts or another DUD will be born at Ford.
Posted by Ozric | February 27, 2008 3:44 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 15:44
"Also I'm sure this has body-on-frame construction so it will handle better and deliver better fuel economy compared to the hefty Explorer."
I think you are confused. The Flex will be on a unibody based platform. The Explorer is body-on-frame construction as are most truck based SUV's.
Posted by Ozric | February 27, 2008 4:06 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 16:06
Gome on guys, give the design team at Ford a break.
It was an very intensive 10 minutes that it took to design this one.
Posted by Peanut | February 27, 2008 4:54 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 16:54
Why do you all give Ford so little credit on their accomplishments? Where is your American pride? IMO, I think they might have finally gotten it right besides the $37,000 price tag. I love Ford I am working towards becoming a car designer for them as well. I think I can really turn them around...Hopefully!
Posted by saheed | February 27, 2008 4:54 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 16:54
Come on guys, give the design team at Ford a break.
It was a very intensive 10 minutes that it took to design this one.
Posted by Peanut | February 27, 2008 4:55 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 16:55
I'd be ok if it only took 10 minutes. Because it would be cheaper than the current plan.
However, it was likely worked on by several committees, and they had to get it approved by conservative bean counters, which is why it looks like it does. And all those people have to get paid, which is why they are planning to charge so much for it.
Saheed, best to you on your desire to design cars and turn Ford around. I'd love for that to happen.
Posted by kw | February 27, 2008 5:13 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 17:13
When I first saw it I thought they were going after that Scion "thing" but not with that price tag. 30K for a FWD pos!?? Guess you gotta waste the money your making from the Mustang on something...
Posted by Alex | February 27, 2008 5:25 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 17:25
Saheed:
I really don't like it when people bark about "American Pride" when it comes to cars. Maybe we just like the best available, and it isn't always going to be American. If the American car companies want my attention, then they need to churn out some interesting stuff.
I like the interior, however.... but it still looks like a Minivan to me
Posted by Joan of Arc | February 27, 2008 8:32 PM
Posted on February 27, 2008 20:32
"Where is your American pride?"
I don't know about you but my American pride does not reside in ugly Fords. If you want to support America, rally and get Ford to get their act together.
Posted by John | February 28, 2008 12:10 AM
Posted on February 28, 2008 00:10
I'm probably in the target market for this thing (even swalled my pride and test drove a minivan the other day) and actually like the styling after seeing a prototype at a car show. Don't understand the "busy" comments. Yes it could be cleaner, but at least it's not creased and flared to high hell like most crossovers.
But it appears to be an expensive gas guzzler. The packaging is just not efficient compared to a minivan and Ford can't seem to build any light vehicles. So while Toyota readies the Sienna hybrid, and gas keeps climbing to $3.50 or $4/gal, this will hit the market at roughly the same time and for the same price. Too bad...
Posted by Helgin | February 28, 2008 10:33 AM
Posted on February 28, 2008 10:33
I don't care if this pig gets 50 mpg, there is no way in heck I would ever consider driving this repulsive and expensive atrocity. It is offensive to look at. I simply don’t understand how a LARGE group of college educated brainiacs sit around and then turn in something like the FLEX and think it’s a good idea. They should all be fired immediately. Heck, old folks don’t even want to drive Fords anymore. Ford needs to take some chances and build at least one new design with a cool factor. (The Ford GT does not count because that is an exact copy of a car from decades ago.) Ford needs an original idea -- one that gets people excited.
If this is the best that Ford can do than I am going to short Ford’s stock and ride it to zero.
Posted by Joe | April 2, 2008 6:33 PM
Posted on April 2, 2008 18:33
I think the ford flex is nothing new. like cmon, cars in the 60's were boxy and those old s#i++y station wagons. its like the desighners said "hmmmm lets be original and bring the station wagon back". why would ford release this vehicle at such a bad time for gas prices as well? It looks more so to compete against the chevy hhr or the chrysler pt cruiser which both I think are ugly and not a popular car but more suited for the market with high gas prices. Who in the right mind would want to fork out 30k for a steel box as well. like cmon, a more fuel efficiant toyota is around that and it holds its value as well. Ford just keeps looking back and not forward. This car is just one more disater and just how many more can the brand take until it goes under.
Posted by zak | September 26, 2008 9:05 AM
Posted on September 26, 2008 09:05