The all new 2009 Ford Flex is a crossover wagon with a striking styling and room for seven passengers. It is a thoughtfully designed and good-looking alternative to minivans and crossover SUVs and is made up of high-quality interior materials, unique styling and optional all-wheel drive.

Power and performance

A 3.5-liter V6 pumping out 262 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque is standard on the Flex. A six-speed automatic is the only available transmission. The EPA fuel economy for the front-wheel-drive Flex is 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Going for AWD drops the mileage numbers by about 1 mpg. The maximum cargo capacity has been rated at 83 cubic feet.

Body and Styling

The 2009 Ford Flex comes in three different trim levels. The base SE is available with front-wheel drive configuration only. Eighteen-inch alloy wheels, rear climate controls, a power driver seat and a six-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary audio jack, rear park assist, a 60/40-split second-row bench, a 50/50-split third-row bench that folds into the floor are its standard features.

Front- or all-wheel driven midlevel SEL gets an upgraded exterior trim and 18-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, power heated front seats, leather upholstery (vinyl for the third row) and a 10-speaker stereo with satellite radio.

The top-of-the-line Flex Limited comes with xenon headlights, 19-inch wheels, a power lift gate, power-adjustable pedals, a memory function for the driver seat, perforated leather upholstery and Ford’s exclusive Microsoft-developed Sync multimedia interface. It is available both in FWD and AWD configurations.

A touch screen navigation system featuring voice recognition, an integrated back-up camera and Sirius Travel Link, which provides real-time traffic, weather and other information, can be fitted to the Limited. A white- or silver-painted roof is also available.

A number of features of the Limited trim are available as options on the SEL, and the Sync system is also optional on the SE.

Second-row captain’s chairs (heated on the Limited), the four-panel Vista sunroof, a towing package, keyless ignition/entry and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system are among the additional features.

Safety features

The 2009 Ford Flex is loaded with a number of safety equipment such as personal safety system; three-row safety canopy system with rollover sensor; front passenger sensing system; anti-lock brakes; front seat-mounted side airbags; height-adjustable front seat safety belts with belt-minder system; stability control; child safety rear door locks; LATCH; adjustable head restraints; tire pressure monitoring system; securilock passive anti-theft system; and perimeter anti-theft alarm. Rear back-up camera is optional.