>> As you might imagine I have no problem with the Ford Flex, but then again everybody else I know hates this car. I can't quite figure out why. So let's get inside, check the tech and if we can figure it out. Maybe it needs wood sides.
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>> Now our Flex is loaded up. They usually are when they send them to us and we've seen synch before. You know the rig. It's the touchscreen, the voice recognition that works really well. That's all well and good. Now let's talk about a couple of things that are different on this vehicle. Watch this when I turn the key on and off you're gonna see something you don't normally see, a Sony branded audio. I don't think anyone else does a Sony system branded in their car. It's 390-watts 10 speakers around the cabin. In terms of discs, you got two kinds. One: The optical disc that go into an internal 6-disc changer. The other disc we have a hard drive system here that can hold they say about 2500 tracks of typical MP3 audio. They've also got the usual synch options in here. There's our old friend the aux jack and right next to it, a USB jack for either thumb drives like I'm using or connect the player like an iPod to it and control it here on the screen. One thing we learn if you saw our recent Mercury Mariner video we couldn't get our USB thumb drive full of music to play on the system. Well here is why, I had a folder, I had a PowerPoint, some other stuffs on there and synch spat it out. And while we're in here check out the button on the far left, that's your Ambient light selector. Look in the cap over there, you can see the colors changing. Now the backseat passengers have lots of toys to play with. Optionally, you can get two rear seat entertainment systems. One goes in the headliner. It has a dropdown. I think it's a 7-inch LCD. The better option is dual back of headrest monitors, 8 inches each and they tie into the front system as well. And check out what's in between the second row seats. Yeah, it's a console, that's pretty cool in itself, but it's got a fridge in it. It's got a button on the front that says freeze or cool. Plus they put a wine model on the label I kind of like that. And check it out. We have the optional Vista roof. This is a fixed panel over the second row and the third row folks get one too. The looks, you either love them or hate them. I know you probably hate them, but I don't. I mean from the front it's a clean look, kind of long and low along the sides as well, but when you come to the back that's where I kind of start to join the haters. That's the big old rump, but that is elegant as your grandma walking away. Our flex has kind of a gutless power train. I don't think it's the engine's fault. When you dig down deep there's good power there and the numbers confirmed it 262-horse power, 248-foot pounds and 0 to 60 in like 8.8. So I blame the one choice only 6-speed automatic, which is a truce slashbox. And this power train has no behavior changing tech, no sport mode, no shiftable gate, no paddles. You just have low, like transmissions from fifty years ago. At least the gas mileage is solid for a big car, 1622 for all-wheel drive and a significantly better 1724 for front-wheel drive. I like this default screen layout. Everything you need, map, audio, climate, neatly laid out in one place. Steering and handling are just nice. Nothing sporty, but this is a great road trip car. So if you miss the big wagons and you love high-tech this is kind of the only game in town. Let's price it. Thirty seven thousand for this limited high trim edition with all-wheel drive. You're gonna add 2400 for the nav and rearview camera, though synch is included in the limited. On top of that $2000 gets you the dual headrest rear seat entertainment rig. That's how I'd go. Seven sixty for that cool fridge slash freezer and 1500 puts all that glass over head. Not a cheap ride, but then again you're not gonna drive Carol Brady around in a hoopty.
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