2010 Ford Flex Overview Change Vehicle

This 2010 Ford Flex review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2010 Flex, and includes Ford Flex safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

Think of the Ford Flex as an innovative combination of wagon, minivan and, yes, we'll say it, a touch of a sports sedan (or at least a sports wagon) if you opt for the new turbocharged EcoBoost engine – all in one stylish package. Introduced in 2009, the Flex replaced the Ford Taurus X wagon with a boxy and chrome-laden exterior people either love or hate. You'll find us on the love side of that equation.

The big news for 2010 is the addition of Ford's well-regarded turbocharged EcoBoost engine that delivers 355 horsepower and mucho muscle to the driving experience. The EcoBoost engine is available on the SEL and Limited trims for 2010. A tilt and telescoping steering wheel is also new for 2010, which helps drivers find a comfortable driving position. A second-row power fold button is also now standard.

The 2010 Ford Flex is a six or seven-passenger crossover that is available in three trim levels: SE, SEL and Limited. An all-new and optional turbocharged EcoBoost engine is available on the SEL and Limited models only.

The 2010 Flex SE is well equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise and audio controls, leather-wrapped shifter knob, auto-dimming rearview mirror, tinted front windows and windshield, an audio input jack, AM/FM CD player with six speakers, cloth seats, 60/40 second-row bench seats, 50/50 third-row fold-flat bench seat, a reverse sensing system, dual-beam halogen headlamps, fog lights, power locks, bright polished dual exhaust tips, 17-inch alloy wheels and a mono-tone roof.

The 2010 Flex SEL now includes Ford SYNC as a standard feature and includes Bluetooth and streaming audio from an iPod or iPad, a Sony audio system with 12 speakers, Sirius satellite radio capability, a six-disc CD changer, available navigation system, dual-zone electronic temperature control, universal garage door opener, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, heated front seats, eight-way power adjustable driver seat and six-way power adjustable passenger seat and available two-tone roof. A power tailgate, adjustable driver's pedals, a 110-volt inverter and heated mirrors are available in the Convenience Package.

The Limited trim includes all the SEL features and options plus a 12-speaker Sony audio system, multi-color ambient lighting, a memory feature for the driver’s seat, perforated leather-trimmed first and second-row seats, aluminum trim on the power liftgate, a wood-trimmed steering wheel and wood touches throughout the cabin and doors, a touchscreen that features a rearview camera, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

Options for the SEL and Limited trims include the panoramic four-window Vista roof, a rear-seat DVD system, heated second-row bucket seats, a PowerFold third-row seat, 20-inch alloy wheels and a refrigerated second-row console. Yes, you can have a mini-fridge in your second row. Tailgate party here we come!

The standard engine on all 2010 Ford Flex models is a 3.5-liter V6 that generates 262 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. This competent engine is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy is pegged at 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the freeway.

Before you opt for the standard engine, we strongly recommend you take the new 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine out for a spin. This engine transforms this wagon into a small rocket, returning 0-60 speeds that match or even beat a turbocharged BMW 3-Series. You can credit the 355 horses and 350 pound-feet of torque generated by the EcoBoost engine for the surprising speed. The more powerful engine is only available with an all-wheel drive system, which drivers in snowy climates will consider a bonus feature. While that package may sound impressive, what's most compelling is that you don't sacrifice fuel economy for the upgraded power. The EPA estimates you’ll realize 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. However, the 16-mpg rating in the city feels generous. In stop-and-go suburban driving, we typically averaged 14 mpg. So we wish fuel economy were better than advertised.

The Ford Flex is well equipped with standard safety features including a full complement of dual-stage front airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags. Safety belt pretensioners, safety belt usage sensors, driver-seat position sensor, crash severity sensor, a restraint control module and front-passenger sensing system are also standard features alongside a tire pressure monitoring system, child safety rear door locks and the LATCH system to secure infant seats.

The standard safety features, coupled with the substantial size of the vehicle, resulted in the 2010 Ford Flex achieving a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The 2010 Flex received the agency’s best score of Good in frontal offset, side impact and roof strength tests and includes electronic stability control as a standard feature. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration awarded the 2010 Flex 5 stars in driver front and passenger front crash tests, five-star ratings in side impact tests and a four-star rollover rating.

In terms of reliability, J.D. Power and Associates rate the 2010 Ford Flex slightly above average. Consumer Reports awards the 2010 Flex (particularly the 2010 Flex Limited with EcoBoost) a much-better-than-average reliability rating.

There is no better way to best way to assess how a vehicle drives than a long road trip. A 1,700-mile trip from Detroit, Michigan to Salt Lake City piloting a 2010 Ford Flex with the new EcoBoost engine offered a crash course in all-things Flex and we jumped at the chance to make the drive.

The first thing you'll notice about the Flex is its smooth ride. Shifts flow between gears and the ride is easy and comfortable. Acceleration is what you would expect from a 4,800-pound vehicle—until you smash the pedal and the turbocharged EcoBoost engine roars to life. Iowa and Nebraska are home to seemingly endless stretches of straight ahead freeway driving with nary a turn or curve in sight. We accelerated from a dead stop in spots and were impressed by the speed and gobs of torque. We accelerated from 80 to 100 mph and were again impressed as the big vehicle evokes comparisons to Triple-Crown winner Secretariat as it leaves fellow travelers in its dust.

Trust us: the Ford Flex with EcoBoost is fast.

Drive with a lead foot and fuel economy will suffer. But set the cruise control at 78 mph on the highway and you can expect 22 to 24 mpg. That's not spectacular but you won't top that score in any other large family hauler besides the Toyota Highlander that returns 25 mpg on the highway but doesn't come close in terms of horsepower, torque or the Flex's 4,500-pound towing capacity, not to mention style.

The Sync media system works very well and we listened to everything from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on CD to some Beatles and Stones CDs we added to the 10GB hard drive. We also streamed audio from and answered phone calls on our iPhones. The Flex even became a mobile office when I plugged my notebook computer into the 110-volt outlet and wrote most of this review while sitting in the second row that boasts the best legroom in its class with a sunroof above my head and the front passenger seat folded down and serving as a makeshift ottoman. On a cloudless Nebraska day, the drive was delightful and amazingly productive.

The Ford Flex is a terrific road trip machine with room for gear and people galore. The Flex is also a great grocery-getter and family wagon. Our only complaints are worse-than-promised city fuel economy and less overall storage space than most minivans. Otherwise, the unique, retro styling, coupled with the Top Safety Pick rating, available EcoBoost engine and the placement on Consumer Reports’ Recommended Vehicles list, makes it easy to suggest minivan and crossover buyers look very seriously at the 2010 Ford Flex as their next family vehicle.

By Michael Waterman