09 Ford Flex By: ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net The new 2009 Ford Flex.  A lot of folks had been waiting on this unique little crossover, especially now with these high gasoline prices.  Well, the wait is over.  The Flex is here and available. The Ford PR people call the Flex daring, different, provocative, and distinctive.  I am not sure I would go to quite that extreme in my adjectives, but the Flex really is a special vehicle.  It does challenge the crossover norm and brings a lot of new technology to the marketplace.

The Ford Flex is distinctive, no doubt.  It is all black with a two-tone roof.  It has very noticeable side grooves, that make the car appear to be longer.  Another key feature is the prominent wheel arches.  The overall effect is enhanced with darkened glass against the black body. 

There are three rows of seating, but the third row will probably be folded flat in most cars, so there is more cargo room.  It is nice to know that there is a third row for passengers such as grandchildren whenever you need it.  The second row of seats provides a lot of legroom, wide windows, and comfortable seats.  Even the rear doors have been designed to provide easier opening and closing as well as ingress and egress.  The third row of seats are just that – a third row.  This is not a limousine that provides all seats being equal.  However, the third row is slightly elevated, referred to as theatre style seating.  That allows passengers in the third row to see out the windows easier and communicate with other passengers without having to be lost in the rear of the car.  The second row seats fold and tumble forward with the touch of a button, providing fairly easy access to the third row.  This third row will actually seat two adults.

Interior noise has been minimized in the Flex and it is quite enough that you are not aware of it until someone mentions how quiet it has become inside the car.  Actually, the design engineers have worked to blend the array of sounds, such as wind, engine, and road noise, so that they harmonize together.  This blending as well as additional sound-proofing materials make the Flex one of the most quiet cars on the road this year. 

The Flex offers a variety of technology, such as SYNC, the hands-free, voice-activated communications system by Microsoft.  Ford also has added the capless fuel feature, a refridgeration console unit, a reverse camera system, and even a voice activated navigation system.

The Flex is powered by a 3.5 liter V-6 engine that puts out 262 horsepower.  That is enough to give you power when you want it, but not so much that you burn up gas just to prove you have more power under the hood than the next guy.  The Flex has the new Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system, that provides torque to each wheel independently, as it is needed.  The wheels are monitored constantly so that that the torque is provided before slippage might occur.  Roll stability control is also part of the Flex array of safety features.

This is one nice vehicle.  Ford Flex is a family-friendly small utility crossover with a lot of features to make the drive safe yet fun.  Check out the new Flex at your Ford dealership.