RIP Flex. You were too good for us.

"Saracen" (manualdoucheelitist)
10/28/2019 at 15:52 • Filed to: None

I finally got a chance to drive the Flex a few months ago. I rented one for a week’s stay on Hawaii’s big island. I had just spent time on Maui driving around a Tahoe and I hated how huge it felt and how soft it was to drive. I was looking forward to something a bit smaller a tauter.

It was clear that Ford was putting very little effort into keeping the Flex fresh. Sure, it had Apple Carplay, but the entire interior looked and felt like a ten year old design.

However, I really liked it. It drove REALLY well. It held two adults, four kids and (with a bit of tetris-ing), ALL of our luggage for a week. It was comfortable. Mileage was decent. It could fit into normal sized parking spaces.

Refresh the interior, maybe give it a bit of an exterior facelift, drop in the new 3 liter ecoboost engine paired to a DCT, and this would have been a great counter-argument to SUV’s or minivans.

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DISCUSSION (17)

Stephen Rivers > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:06

This is indeed sad. I’ve never been in the market for one but I’ve tried to justify getting the Limited TT version a few times. Such a great all around car and a sleeper to boot.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:08

A thought: do you think the name of this car actually hurt sales?

I pride myself on knowing a lot about cars, but whenever I thought about this car, it always took me a second to remember the name, if I could ever recall it without looking it up.

For Sweden > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:16

RacingShark > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
10/28/2019 at 16:22

They had a funkmaster Flex special edition.

Saracen > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
10/28/2019 at 16:45

I remembered the name because it was kinda silly.

“We need a name for a new car...pick a random word in the dictionary under ‘F’.”

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
10/28/2019 at 16:48

What always really bothered me was that the Flex was really squared off and boxy and the Edge was the curviest SUV they built. (at least at launch)

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:50

I considered one as my Milan replacement, but with the mpg rating basically matching the Yukon I ended up buying I figured what the hell, if I go big I might as well be able to tow 8700 pounds.

(For the record I intend to tow a 5-6000 pound camper once a year and potentially tow my RallyX Capri to races as opposed to driving it there. Both would exceed the 4500 capacity of a Flex. And also frequently tow the Jet Skis, aka the Fanny Pack )

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:57

I remember that it was silly/weird, but could never come up with it.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 16:58

The Ford... Ford... uh... Funk?

Saracen > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
10/28/2019 at 17:29

Ford Fjord?

Maxima Speed > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 17:30

I lived that car.never driven one but I still wouldn’t mind one. In my mind it’s the ultimate modern family car.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 17:31

If Ford had bought Saab...

Saracen > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
10/28/2019 at 18:02

Ford Flax?

Ford Fez?

Ford Fizz?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 18:10

Is it bad that until today I thought they had killed it off around 2017?

MKULTRA1982(ConCrustyBrick) > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 19:36

Another good wagon is dead

jimz > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 20:00

1) ABP

2) no surprise Torchinsky posted a stupid article acting like it’s a crime the Flex is being canceled.

20k units a year is unsustainable unless you can charge premium prices, and sorry, the Flex doesn’t. The Flex is the last vehicle on the old Volvo-derived D platform, which is obsolete. And I don’t see a Flex on Torch’s list of vehicles he owns, yet he feels entitled to call Ford “Dummies” for canceling it.

the only “dummies” here are people who demand car companies make vehicles they have no intention to buy. Car companies are in business to make money selling vehicles people actually buy. They’re not obligated to lose money building stuff to collect dust just so you can argue about it on the internet.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Saracen
10/28/2019 at 23:34

Flux?

Fab?

Fob?