2007 New York Auto Show: Ford Flex Video

Ford’s new Flex crossover brings the box-on-wheels design to the masses – or at least to masses of seven. The Flex is reminiscent of the Scion xB but has three rows of seats, leaving plenty of room for all your friends to travel in conspicuous comfort. We snagged the guy who designed the Flex, Peter Horbury, and asked him a few questions about the latest in Ford’s ever-growing lineup of SUVs and crossovers. A video of the chat, including a look at some of the Flex’s features, is live now on our New York auto show page.

Comments

This does not look like the vehicle that will save Ford. With so much on the line you think that they would focus on something other than another SUV/crossover type of vehicle. When are they going to start producing vehicles that someone really wants to buy?

Even if Ford could make an attractive vehicle I still wouldn't buy it. Not after my experience with three transmission failures in my Explorer and one in my Taurus. I find the Ford Flex to be a very unattractive vehicle. Ford burnt to many people over to many years. My family will only buy quality, we will only buy Japanese. Sorry Ford, you missed the boat.

Ben is right. It is probably too late for the Big 3. I will not touch Ford because I kept giving them another chance and was always burned. No more. Same with Chrysler. There are too many other options available now. Customers will stand for crap only so long. It is too bad Detroit didn't catch on to this sooner. The damage is done.

I too agree with both Bob and Ben's posts. I will never consider a Ford or Chrysler car or truck again. Just too many nightmares ranging from a Taurus, Focus, Explorer, to a Town and Country that fell apart at 60,000 miles. Although I find the Flex design interesting this is not the time for Ford to sell such a car. Ford should first focus on selling cars with mass appeal and build them with Quality (not just make it a slogan!). For now I'm a die hard Nissan fan as my wife and I have two (Pathfinder, Z) with a combined 300,000 miles and only one minor problem between the two.

Wonder if anyone from Ford reads these comments. Probably not.....they're too naive. Anyway, Ford continues with the same front plastic grill on all it's models. Can't understand why either. Making models distinct is a plus. Then again it doesn't matter since it appears many former Ford owners won't touch another Ford again. Me....I've never owned one, and probably won't.

I've actually owned quite a number of Fords and never had a problem besides a used 89 probe I had in high school which was a lemon pretty much. But over the years I don't think there was every anything beyond a minor recall on a taillight that bothered me in the new Fords I purchased/leased.

All these "I'll never buy a Ford again" kind of comments happen with almost every make we run a blog post on. I'd really like to hear people's thoughts on just this particular model (this goes for every post we do).

If we actually discussed the topical aspect of the post rather than domestic vs. import, brand x sucks etc. then maybe we'd have a better discussion going on.

Dave start with yourself as the board has had to listen to you whine on more than one occassion about your JGC. Stop trying to be a message board nazi. Is Ford greasing your palms trying to get you to buy a Escape for your wife? Of all the companies to defend you pick Ford...that says it all.

Stephen J.
My point was for every "I had a ford and it broke down" comment we get there are probably just as many "I've had Fords and they never broke down" comments. That's all. As noted by anyone reading my stuff, I slammed the Flex, The Escape is not atop our list of vehicles to buy and I'm pretty even handed with everybody else.

What does Ford not understand about designing a vehicle that people want to buy. As in the Flex, they put in these cheap looking interiors, have the ugly three bar grill and if you listen to the executives in charge of design and marketing they think these characteristics are what are going to drive the people to buy this vehicle. It seems to me that Ford wants people to buy what they build instead of building what people want to buy. There needs to be more innovation and better attention to detail. If this is the best Ford can do they might as well hang it up right now.

To clarify clworks the 3 bar grille is doing quite well on the Fusion and Edge, the first two vehicles to get it. So while your other points may be valid, plenty of people do not see them as negatives.

After being a solid ford customer for 15 years, Ford has decided to not repair issues with a brand new Ranger I purchased so I am finished with ford. Please be advised, no matter what brand you will buy there will be complaints, I just can’t believe how Ford has decided to handle my claim. Rust on a 1 year old truck is not their problem. It’s “environmental fall out” and is not covered. This will be my last Ford. Sorry American workers, my money is going to Japan.

I hear all these complaints about Ford, but my 1994 Mercury Marquis has over 200,000 basically trouble free miles on the odometer and is still running strong. I talk with other owners of this brand car and they say you can't wear them out, that they last so long you just get tired of driving them and want something newer.

I find it interesting that so many Americans believe that Japanese cars are the end all. All manufacturers have problems.Americans love to make the exception the norm.Most knowledgeable people know that the quality of American made vehicle are on par quality wise with teh Japanese and in some instances better. Remeber the loss of sales in the American auto industry has trickle down effect. Auto worker unemployed today you tomorrow.

The Ford Flex is especially getting my nod as the Flop of the year. I COMPLETELY AGREE with previous posters that the Flex WAS NOT the correct vehicle for Ford right now. They simply need to market a good car that WILL SELL. The days of the first Mustang, Falcon, Taurus and many other Fords which arguably changed the rules of the entire industry are long gone. In a time when Ford is barely alive and their showrooms growing cobwebs to market a car that was admittedly ''polarizing'' was insane.