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Is there any cooler seven-seater than a 2010 Ford Flex?
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2010 Ford Flex Limited with Ecoboost
Here is the hypothesis: The Ford Flex is the coolest vehicle now made that can seat seven.
And now the argument: First, the Flex defies classification. It’s not SUV, definitely not mini-van, and not even an off-road wanna-be crossover. It sports retro side ribs and a long, flat roof, and is otherwise very modern inside and out. The two different-tone roof makes an extra impact, and can keep a darker car cooler inside. I’ve owned a white-roofed vehicle before (see slideshow), and it makes a big difference.
Our 2010 loaner was a black body with a silver roof, which was near-Oakland Raiders motif. We preferred the 2009 loaner which had a deep root beer body and white roof.
You either love the styling or you hate it, but think about it, does anybody love or hate Toyota Camry styling, or is it just “pleasant” to everybody?
Inside cool is greater than or equal to outside cool. The overall feel of materials is pretty upscale, though the leather seats look better than they feel, which is a little bench-like.
You can choose between seven interior lighting colors. Want purple mood lighting? Or are you feeling orange? Your footwells, cupholders, and front console reflect it.
The coolest interior tech comes from the “Sync” system. Hands-free, you can navigate; get traffic & weather information; the nearest gas stations with prices; and the nearest movie theatre with ratings and showtimes. Voice navigation is not a perfected technology, and a lot of it stinks, but the Ford system is one of the best we’ve tested of these emerging technologies. We remember how GPS systems stunk when they first came out, too.
Our 2010 had seating for seven, with power fold-down second-row seats. Our ’09 replaced the second-row center seat with a refrigerated bin. Ford claims it can cool “up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles from room temperature to 41 degrees in a little more than two-and-a-half hours – 40 percent faster than a standard home refrigerator.” Bear in mind that’s “or.” It’s not cube-shaped. We had a family outing where we stopped at Arctic Circle, and then two of the kids couldn’t finish their shakes and we were an hour away from home. We couldn’t fit both in the freezer at the same time, but rotated them (the shakes, not the kids) and kept both fresh until we got home. Very cool; serendipitous pun intended.
It’s also pretty practical inside, taking on furniture or park benches like nothin’ with a flat floor.
A carryover engine from the ’09 is the 3.5 liter V-6 putting 262 horsepower through a six-speed automatic transmission. We thought it was pretty quick, especially for a vehicle of this size. This year, you can get the twin-turbo Ecoboost V-6, making 355 egads-that’s-fast horsepower. Fast = Cool, as a theorem. 16/22 mpg isn’t super cool, but still admirable considering the size and speed of the Flex.
The twin turbo excels at high altitude, and Ford gave extra attention to its durability and easy use. If you see a rice-rocket kid idling a minute or two before she leaves her car, she’s waiting for the turbo to cool down. With the Ecoboost, you can just shut it off and jump out. Turbos are known for their short lifespans, but the Flex’s is engineered for 150,000 miles of use.
To summarize: “Cool” is determined by individuality, innovation, and just a good look. Compromise for looks does not equal cool (Toyota FJ Cruiser).
We all love the inside of a mini-van, but most are too insecure to be seen in one. The next wave of cool was “In this big SUV I’m not dropping my 2.4 kids off at their suburban school, I’m on my way to some big mountain-bike adventure.”
By bucking the bleach-blonde SUV moms, going for its own distinctive look, and being very easy to live with (oh yeah, it has all kinds of safety and convenience features, including all-wheel drive available), the Ford Flex is the coolest vehicle currently manufactured, that can seat six or seven. Pricing starts at $29,270, and can option-up over $40,000 (I never said it was cheapest, just coolest).
And now your challenge: I have defied a good friend to come up with a Flex-topper. If you know of a cooler seven-seater of any price, PLEASE leave some feedback and help him out.
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