Limited 4dr All-Wheel Drive
2019 Ford Flex
The 2019 Ford Flex was introduced in 2009 with fanfare and to hails of innovation. It's now in its 11th year. Was its original idea that brilliant? Well, Ford's boldly blocky people-moving crossover, a geometric cross between a minivan, sedan and limo, continues to stand apart from the crowd. The Flex remains a practical, seven-seat, family-friendly utility vehicle, while being distinctive in the driveway. At 118 inches, the Flex wheelbase is almost 7 inches longer than that of a Honda Pilot and 5 inches longer than the Ford Explorer. It's also a whole lot lower than both, and that looks cool.
There's been no redesign for a decade, although it was facelifted in 2013. This is now the third year with no changes, save for two new colors, and the universal garage door opener is more available.
Standard engine is the long-lived 3.5-liter V-6 making 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, paired with Ford's familiar 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine works well with front-wheel drive, but because the Flex is fairly heavy to start with, the available all-wheel drive claims a significant amount of performance. The AWD system is a good one, able to transfer 100 percent of the power to either the front or rear wheels.
Optional engine is a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that develops 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet, also working with a 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard on a Limited with the optional engine, and it's really the way to go to get the most out of the Flex. But this adds a lot to the price of a front-wheel-drive Limited with the standard engine.
Three-row seating is standard, along with a rearview camera, important so the driver doesn't have to look in the mirror through the heads of the passengers in the third row.
Torque vectoring is standard, too; it was added along the way, and we say kudos, to have this feature on an 11-year-old design. Torque vectoring works by dabbing the brakes on the inside front wheel in a corner, to help rotate the long, heavy Flex. The driver doesn't specifically feel it, but he or she feels the result: security in the corner.
The fuel mileage is disappointing, though compared to a full-size SUV, it isn't that low. The standard V-6 with front-wheel drive is EPA-rated at 16/23 mpg City/Highway, or 19 mpg Combined; with all-wheel drive it drops 1 mpg. The twin-turbo V-6 gets 17 mpg Combined; that's still low compared to some rivals (although it might be argued that there aren't any, because the Flex is unique), but 2 mpg isn't a big price to pay for its extra power. The good news is the Flex uses regular unleaded fuel even with the twin-turbo engine.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the Flex its top Good scores for most crash tests, with an Acceptable …
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At 118 inches, the Flex wheelbase is almost 7 inches longer than that of a Honda Pilot and 5 inches longer than the Ford Explorer. It's also a whole lot lower than both, and that looks cool.
There's been no redesign for a decade, although it was facelifted in 2013. This is now the third year with no changes, save for two new colors, and the universal garage door opener is more available.
Standard engine is the long-lived 3.5-liter V-6 making 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, paired with Ford's familiar 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine works well with front-wheel drive, but because the Flex is fairly heavy to start with, the available all-wheel drive claims a significant amount of performance. The AWD system is a good one, able to transfer 100 percent of the power to either the front or rear wheels.
Optional engine is a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that develops 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet, also working with a 6-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard on a Limited with the optional engine, and it's really the way to go to get the most out of the Flex. But this adds a lot to the price of a front-wheel-drive Limited with the standard engine.
Three-row seating is standard, along with a rearview camera, important so the driver doesn't have to look in the mirror through the heads of the passengers in the third row.
Torque vectoring is standard, too; it was added along the way, and we say kudos, to have this feature on an 11-year-old design. Torque vectoring works by dabbing the brakes on the inside front wheel in a corner, to help rotate the long, heavy Flex. The driver doesn't specifically feel it, but he or she feels the result: security in the corner.
The fuel mileage is disappointing, though compared to a full-size SUV, it isn't that low. The standard V-6 with front-wheel drive is EPA-rated at 16/23 mpg City/Highway, or 19 mpg Combined; with all-wheel drive it drops 1 mpg. The twin-turbo V-6 gets 17 mpg Combined; that's still low compared to some rivals (although it might be argued that there aren't any, because the Flex is unique), but 2 mpg isn't a big price to pay for its extra power. The good news is the Flex uses regular unleaded fuel even with the twin-turbo engine.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives the Flex its top Good scores for most crash tests, with an Acceptable …
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| Engine | 3.5L V-6 |
| MPG | 16 City / 22 Hwy |
| Seating | 7 Passengers |
| Transmission | 6-spd w/OD |
| Power | 287 @ 6500 rpm |
| Drivetrain | all wheel |
