more about this model
Pros Loads of passenger and cargo space, high-class interior with available high-tech features, comfy seats, flip-and-fold second row, low step-in height, hipster styling.
Cons No telescoping steering column, smooth but lazy transmission, irritating Sync operation with navigation system.
"Hey, that's a cool car," says a 13-year-old boy as he gives a good long look at the 2009 Ford Flex parked in the driveway. A three-row, six-passenger family vehicle shouldn't in theory draw this sort of reaction from a generation devoted to its text messaging, skater boy fashion sense and that quasi-punk band we don't know the name of. But here is such a vehicle connecting with a pretty indicative member of that generation — plus several others. If that doesn't send Ford's hard-up head honchos into a celebratory Carlton Banks dance, nothing will.
However, under that boxy silhouette, white roof and ribbed body panels lie the mechanical bits and pieces of the practical and decidedly uncool Ford Taurus X. The last time one of those visited the Edmunds garage, the general consensus was "smart packaging, loads of room, decent to drive, but the interior stinks and it couldn't possibly look more dull." Well, the Ford Flex comes off the same way — only the two major "buts" have been soundly taken care of with several pluses to boot. In other words, a redo well done.
In our time with the 2009 Ford Flex, this crossover wagon proved itself as a practical family-toting appliance. The fact is, though, any number of new large crossovers can do that. What they can't do is elicit the sort of reaction the Flex does. "Hey, that's a cool car" is probably all the incentive moms and dads will need.
Performance Weighing in at 4,828 pounds, the 2009 Ford Flex is an awfully big box — and that's when it's empty of passengers and their stuff. Still, with a respectable 262-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 aboard, our all-wheel-drive Flex Limited managed to get up from zero to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds — which is just a hair slower than the last all-wheel-drive Saturn Outlook and Mazda CX-9 we tested. Better news can be found when going from 60 to zero mph, as the Flex bucks Ford's recent trend of horrendous braking performances with a very respectable emergency stopping distance of 128 feet.
As always, we drove the Flex on a wide variety of roads and, not surprisingly, it was most happy out on the highway. Around town and in parking garages, the wide boxy front end can give the impression that you're about to hit every mailbox and pedestrian around. Nose-in parking can be a pain and smaller drivers in particular should take note of this on a test drive. On the upside, the steering is reasonably precise for this type of vehicle, being light enough at parking speeds and weighting up well at higher ones. The Flex quite competently handled the winding, rolling roads of Ontario cottage country. If, however, you find yourself taking ski vacations into mountains, something more involving like the Mazda CX-9 is a much better choice.
Besides the steering, such a mountain road journey will quickly show one of the Flex's more frustrating points. Geared to achieve the best fuel economy possible (16 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined), the Flex's smooth six-speed automatic transmission likes to change up to the highest gear possible and takes an ample bit of coaxing to downshift. This got annoying on the high-altitude climb up to Big Bear Lake, California, as the transmission perpetually hunted for gears. Some sort of manual override — like those found in competitors — would be helpful for such situations, but Ford only offers a mostly useless L gear.
Comfort Passengers of all shapes and sizes tended to jump into the Flex's seats and immediately declare them to be very comfortable. In fact, despite being able to flip and fold better than Nastia Liukin, the two rows of backseats are nearly as comfy as those up front. The optional second-row captain's chairs slide and recline, providing tons of space for anyone (although they lack inboard armrests without the optional center console). A child seat is also very easy to install whether rear- or forward-facing.
The third row comfortably accommodated a pair of 6-footers on an afternoon drive. The ample amount of space helped here, but the Flex's big rear quarter windows and our test car's optional dual-pane skylight provided an airiness that no three-row vehicle (short of a Dodge Sprinter) can match. Standard and optional amenities like rear climate controls, a 115-volt house-style power outlet and a rear-seat entertainment system make the kids feel at home.
Mounted high off the ground and offering a wide range of motion, the front seats provide good leg and body support on long drives. Unfortunately, like the Taurus it's based on, the Flex does not feature a telescoping steering column. This is the Flex's most glaring fault, as average-to-tall drivers end up with an uncomfortable arms-out driving position. Our test car's adjustable pedals don't really help, as they're more beneficial for shorter drivers.
With either the Limited trim's 20-inch wheels or the SEL's 18-inchers, the 2009 Ford Flex feels well planted and never floaty like minivans of yore. But neither does it provide the sort of assuredness characteristic of GM's large crossovers like the Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia. Road noise is well muted (better with the 18-inchers), while wind noise is most noticeable around the B- and C-pillars. Not bad, though, given that the thing is shaped like Wyoming.
Function A box is an inherently functional design. There's a reason United Van Lines doesn't use Buick Enclave-shaped cardboard to transport Grandma's china. So despite having less overall cargo capacity than large crossover SUVs like the Enclave, its GM siblings and the Mazda CX-9, the Ford Flex more than makes up for any deficiency thanks to its boxy shape. Storage bins and cupholders aplenty add to the practical capabilities.
In particular, space behind the third row is better than all the aforementioned crossovers because of the deep, minivanlike well. This area is ideal for groceries (they won't fall out when you open the power tailgate) and can even hold several stacked roll-away suitcases. When folded, the third row creates a perfectly flat load floor for those times you don't have passengers six and seven. The second-row seats also fold flat to expand cargo space further, while they flip forward with the press of a button to grant access to the third row. Parents be warned, though; this button is within easy reach of mischievous third-row children (or automotive editors) and the seat can move with someone in it. Nothing dangerous, just something potentially aggravating (and/or hilarious).
Our Flex Limited test car came with a rockin' Sony surround-sound system and Ford's latest navigation system, featuring Sync voice-activated commands and a very large touchscreen with crisp new graphics. Included is Sirius Travel Link that provides up-to-the-minute traffic, weather, sports scores, movie times and probably even your horoscope if asked nicely. However, with the navigation system, Sync's usually quick-and-easy voice commands for the iPod (and Bluetooth phone) are rendered quite frustrating as you continually have to go through at least three to four prompts just to select a new track or playlist. It takes too long, and the Sync found in the nav-less Flex SEL is much quicker to operate.
Design/Fit and Finish The 2009 Ford Flex sports the nicest interior Ford has ever created — nicer even than the various Lincolns. Soft-touch materials abound, while switchgear is of high quality. Everything appears to be screwed together well. Contrasting leather stitching, cool blue illumination, restrained faux wood trim and the Limited's diamond-pattern leather upholstery lend a classy feel that should justify its lofty price. However, we'll leave you to decide how much is too much for a Ford.
Who should consider this vehicle A family with two or more children seeking a kid hauler with the type of style that hides the fact mom and dad are driving a kid hauler. We think that'll apply to a great many.
Others To Consider
Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, Mazda CX-9.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Used 2009 Ford Flex listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2009 Ford Flexs for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 135 used and CPO 2009 Flexs listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 5,990 and mileage as low as 77,143. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2009 Ford Flex. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 263 on a used or CPO 2009 Flex available from one of 2,634 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2009 Ford Flex ?
Save up to $262.6 on one of 13 used 2009 Ford Flexs for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $5990 as of Apr 19, 2018, based on data from 12 dealers and 16 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 4.1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2009 Ford Flex trim styles:
The used 2009 Ford Flex SEL is priced around $7512 with average odometer reading of 160216 miles.
The used 2009 Ford Flex Limited is priced around $11468 with average odometer reading of 106271 miles.
The used 2009 Ford Flex SE is priced around $8244 with average odometer reading of 112045 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2009 Ford Flex?
Available Ford Flex 2009 Submodel Types: Wagon
Available Ford Flex 2009 Trims: Limited, SEL, SE, Titanium
Exterior Colors: Magnetic Metallic, White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat, Ingot Silver Metallic, Shadow Black, Ruby Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Blue Metallic, Oxford White, Tuxedo Black Metallic, Mineral Gray Metallic, Burgundy Velvet Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Blue Jeans Metallic, Deep Impact Blue Metallic, White Suede, Black Clearcoat, Kona Blue Metallic, White Gold Metallic, White Suede Clearcoat, Kodiak Brown Metallic, Redfire Clearcoat Metallic, Too Good To Be Blue Metallic, Bordeaux Reserve Red Metallic, Brilliant Silver Clearcoat Metallic, Bronze Fire Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Cinnamon Clearcoat Metallic, Cinnamon Metallic, Dark Ink Blue Clearcoat Metallic, Red Candy Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Steel Blue Metallic, Sterling Grey Clearcoat Metallic, Tuxedo Black
Interior Colors: Charcoal Black cloth, Dune leather, Dune cloth, Charcoal Black w/Gray Inserts premium leather, Medium Light Stone cloth, Medium Light Stone leather, Charcoal Black leather, Charcoal Black premium leather, Dune premium leather, Light Earth Gray Inserts w/Dark Earth Gray Bolsters leather, Medium Light Stone premium leather
Popular Features: Post-collision safety system, Back-up camera, Remote Start, Keyless Entry/Start, Mobile Internet, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Blind Spot Monitoring, Navigation, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Sunroof/Moonroof, Towing Hitch, Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Cooled Seats, 2nd Row Bucket Seats, 3500lb Towing Capacity, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Aux Audio Inputs, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Parking sensors, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Stability Control, Third-row seating, Tire Pressure Warning, Trip Computer, Auto Climate Control, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Multi-Zone Climate Control, AWD/4WD, Bluetooth, Power Liftgate/Trunk, USB Inputs, Upgraded Headlights, Upgraded Engine, Rear Entertainment System
Engine/Mechanics: 6 cylinders
Transmission: AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: premium unleaded (recommended), regular unleaded
Drivetrains: all wheel drive, front wheel drive
Used 2009 Ford Flex Overview
The used 2009 Ford Flex is offered in the following submodels: Wagon. Available styles include SEL 4dr Wagon (3.5L 6cyl 6A), SE 4dr Wagon (3.5L 6cyl 6A), and SEL 4dr Wagon AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A). Pre-owned Flex models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2009 Flex comes with front wheel drive or all wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 6-speed automatic.
