RL S

Reviewed a 2013 Ford Limited on Nov 1, 2013

As our Ford Escape lease was closing out we were shopping again. We really liked the Escape but wanted a more comfortable and upscale product. We shopped the X5, Q7, Grand Cherokee, Durango, Edge, Cross Country, and Evoque. Lots of great products, and my wife was set on another Q7 TDI, we'd had two before the Escape. As a last minute decision we drove the Flex and she instantly felt at home. Not saying she liked the Flex more than the Q7, but once cost was factored in, the choice was easy. At the end of the day she found the Flex easy to drive, very comfortable, and had a ton of useable storage. She works out of her vehicle and places a lot of value on those factors. Also, the way the second and third row seats reconfigure is simple to operate, viz is good all around, and all the controls are easy to figure and operate. This is our second Ford with Sync, so we know and now like the system...but there is a learning curve imposed by the system. Power is OK, I wouldn't mind having the EcoBoost though. One thing I really like about the car is how well its steering, ride, brakes, and throttle are sorted, all very linear and evenly weighted. No lurches or secondary movements just about every SUV imposes. Our mileage in about 40/60 city/highway has been around 23 mpg. Frankly, my wife feels the Flex is a special and unique vehicle, it fits her. As an update, we actually purchased our second Flex. Because we put around 25k miles yearly on the primary vehicle, it was time for a fresh start. This model was essentially identical to the first with one exception -- we passed on the sunroof. We like the airiness the glass roof gave the rear seats but we grown to hate the litany of rattles and squeaks that seemed to come from the roof area---a quick test drive in a roofless model clearly indicated the multiple glass panes and sliding screens were the cause. So no roof and the new Flex is completely squeakless after 5k miles. We also had a chance to take the Flex on a long road trip with kids and all the stuff that means. The journey reaffirmed our belief that this is the ultimate family highway machine...just incredibly comfortable, roomy, and with all the right toys.