Best Road Trip Car: 2009 Ford Flex Limited

When Ford unveiled the Flex at the start of the 2008 model year as a 2009 even some salespeople were scratching their heads trying to figure out exactly what it was. It was long; it was lean, but it wasn't a wagon and it wasn't a van, so what was it.

The Ford Flex turned out to be Ford Motor Co.'s replacement for the Windstar/Freestar minivan line that disappeared a couple of years ago, the victim of an aging design and a market turning to crossover machines, vehicles that could handle like cars, yet could haul like Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). Customers were looking for what seemed like a contradiction.

Enter the Flex and its three option levels. At first look, it seemed a bit on the wild side: it was low and lean and looked more like a stretched wagon than anything else. Yet, customers were excited about it.

The Flex sported some advanced technology including some very interesting interior illumination schemes that used indirect lighting to highlight cupholders, storage and other control surfaces. It was a neat touch, as was the SYNC software that allowed you to sync up to 12 Bluetooth devices to the Flex, each with its own recognition code so that anyone each person with a Bluetooth-capable cellphone could have the Flex find and use it so you could use your phone through the Flex's sound system. There was also voice recognition, too, along with the usual MP3 player outlet and an outlet for an additional Bluetooth device.

This might seem like small stuff, but it really isn't because it lets you conduct conversations on your phone without taking your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel. It's a nice piece of work that is only now appearing in other brands.

Of equal interest, though, was the advanced 3.5-liter V-6 engine that could achieve around-town mileage of about 20 and on the road mileage of between 29 and 31, depending on whether you ordered the front-wheel-drive version or the all-wheel-drive version (AWD). (AWD in the Flex is an interesting system that keeps the Flex primarily in FWD mode most of the time, however, when wheel sensors sense slippage or poor traction under a rear wheel, the system automatically comes into action moving power to the wheels with traction and cutting power to the wheels that might slip. They use a viscous-coupling and sensors at each wheel, as well as at the transaxle to make the system work seamlessly.)

The reason it is probably one of the best road trip cars around has to do with the configurations, the comfort, ride, handling and amenities. This seems like the whole ball of wax, doesn't it, and it is.

For starters, the Ford Flex Limited can be equipped to car seven to eight people. The configuration gives you three people in the third-row bench (who really had better be good friends because it could get a tad tight, but it is still doable, even on a long trip); three people in the second-row bench, and two people up front in the bucket seats.

This is the base configuration -- and the one most people will probably buy -- but what sets this vehicle apart is the ability to order a special second-row seat that, while it does eliminate one seating position -- in the center -- does give you a small refrigerator unit that's good for storing cold drinks or water or even some sandwiches, if you pack it right. It's a nice addition.

In itself, the refrigeration system is a nice addition, however, there's more.

Let's say you decide to opt for the standard seating arrangement (bench, bench, buckets). If you do, look closely at the bench seats and you will see they are 60/40 split bench seats. Now, in most 60/40 split seats it merely means the seatback drops down, allowing you to pass something through, unless you are willing to yank the whole bench forward so the rear will drop into the floor. In the Flex, you have the option of having the 60 or the 40 and a totally flat floor from the rear hatch to the front seat. It just depends how you set the seat portion. Ford's engineers arranged it so that the third row seat also disappears into the floor so that you have a flat surface and the same is true of the second seat. You don't lose anything by having to pull forward the seating portion. In this way, you can seat either two on the 60 side or one on the 40 side and have loads of room for hauling stuff.

Interestingly, it might seem like it could be an ordeal getting into the third-row bench, but it isn't because Ford has engineered it so that either side swings up and away, allowing easy access to the third bench from either side door.

Once you are in the bench, you notice that it is a very comfortable, supportive seat with a nice level of back support and good thigh and hip support. The same is true of the second row bench, although I wouldn't want to try to ride on the refridge top if you have one because it is more like a storage bin top than anything else, which is as it should be because it is not made for sitting.

The front buckets are comfortable and supportive and provide nice back support and side bolstering. The hip and leg bolsters are also very good and keep you quite comfortable and fresh even on long rides.

Speaking of those rides, the ride engineering department certainly did its homework on the Flex as it feels and rides like a nice car, yet it is quite definitely a crossover. The suspension geometry is very good and rear wheel placement is excellent on any surface short of a mountain-side. The ride engineers made good use of rear coil-in-strut suspension pieces as well as excellent control arm and tube placement. Up front, the suspension is, again strut type that not only combines the shocks but also the struts and front upper rack and lower control arms with the half-shafts and constant-velocity joints needed for front-drive into a very nice handling vehicle that not only keeps the ride quality high, but also gives you excellent control through turns and corners, while keeping the body stable. Altogether, this is a nice design job.

The Flex Limited is the top-of-the-line with good reason because it has available one of the best factory-installed 12-speaker sound systems out there. It is the rival of many aftermarket systems. And, when you combine that with a rear entertainment system that features a huge screen (or screens if you opt for headrest installs -- a special order at most dealerships), you have a system that not only provides you with great audio but excellent video that will keep kids of any age happy. All of the key controls are readily available.

Moving to the front the Flex features an integrated climate control, radio, climate control system through which you can set things to your liking for the driver or passenger. It's a nice piece of work as is the display system which features fiber-optic electroluminescent instrumentation whose color choice is up to you.

The Flex comes with a huge panoramic moonroof and two smaller skylights in the rear, a very nice feature.

So, given all the amenities, a truly high-tech, flexible interior that can be changed around to fit every need including just plain hauling (dropping both rear seats), you can see why this is the car for the road. The 3.5-liter V-6 delivers the right amount of power and the six-speed automatic transmission handles the power well. It also features advanced crash protection such as an integrated chassis that is more rollcage than body so that there's lots of crushability and safety builtin as is one of the most advanced dropdown curtain and side airbag systems in the business.

Ford's engineers deserve a hat's off for the Flex, although it's more likely the bean counters would prefer sales to hat's off. So, here's where you get both because sales are good and the public is excited. So, what's not to love about this vehicle? There's nothing, noting at all. In fact, it's all good.