Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ford had an antidote to the minivan - the Flex. This was a minivan with attitude, personality, and the sort of trim seen on luxury cars. Ford said it drove like a car, not an SUV, and it could get to 60 in 6 seconds. What wasn’t to like? Well, a lot it seems. Why did the Flex fail despite being based on a concept car that got high praise, and despite this, why was it in production for so long?
If you'd like to support what I do please consider supporting me below:
PayPal: paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
My other channel - Little Car: youtube.com/littlecar
Sources:
goodcarbadcar.net/usa-minivan-sales-figures-by-model-2004-year-end
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fairlane_(Americas)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodie_(car_body_style)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Freestyle
motortrend.com/news/2005-ford-fairlane-concept
web.archive.org/web/20060206183712/https://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=19669
web.archive.org/web/20110728080559/http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_ford_oks_fairlane
web.archive.org/web/20070323104046/https://www.caranddriver.com/dailyautoinsider/11644/ford-develops-people-movers-to-replace-minivans.html
web.archive.org/web/20080414094824/https://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-establishes-100000-annual-flex-sales-goal.html
eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=emm_epmr_pte_nus_dpg&f=m
topgear.com/car-news/ford-flex-news-fords-flexible-friend-2007
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_People_Mover
web.archive.org/web/20080929215343/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28397&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=0&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
Ford Flex brochures
web.archive.org/web/20080929221000/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28644&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=92&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
web.archive.org/web/20080929215417/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28721&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=92&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
web.archive.org/web/20080929215402/http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1564&press_section_id=398&make_id=92
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista
web.archive.org/web/20080929215422/http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1564&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=92
motortrend.com/reviews/2008-ford-taurus-x-first-look
caranddriver.com/reviews/a15145252/2009-ford-flex-limited-awd-road-test
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Recession
caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15387460/2009-honda-pilot-vs-ford-flex-and-four-other-crossovers-comparison-tests
caranddriver.com/reviews/a16580754/2010-ford-flex-ecoboost-v6-instrumented-test
web.archive.org/web/20091125164844/http:/findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KJI/is_6_120/ai_n26679012
youtube.com/watch?v=kLV9O8fs9dQ
web.archive.org/web/20090223055502/http://cardesignnews.com/site/home/design_reviews/display/store4/item145099
caranddriver.com/news/a29611853/ford-kills-flex-crossover
Ford had an antidote to the minivan - the Flex. This was a minivan with attitude, personality, and the sort of trim seen on luxury cars. Ford said it drove like a car, not an SUV, and it could get to 60 in 6 seconds. What wasn’t to like? Well, a lot it seems. Why did the Flex fail despite being based on a concept car that got high praise, and despite this, why was it in production for so long?
If you'd like to support what I do please consider supporting me below:
PayPal: paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
My other channel - Little Car: youtube.com/littlecar
Sources:
goodcarbadcar.net/usa-minivan-sales-figures-by-model-2004-year-end
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fairlane_(Americas)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodie_(car_body_style)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Freestyle
motortrend.com/news/2005-ford-fairlane-concept
web.archive.org/web/20060206183712/https://media.ford.com/newsroom/feature_display.cfm?release=19669
web.archive.org/web/20110728080559/http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_ford_oks_fairlane
web.archive.org/web/20070323104046/https://www.caranddriver.com/dailyautoinsider/11644/ford-develops-people-movers-to-replace-minivans.html
web.archive.org/web/20080414094824/https://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-establishes-100000-annual-flex-sales-goal.html
eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&s=emm_epmr_pte_nus_dpg&f=m
topgear.com/car-news/ford-flex-news-fords-flexible-friend-2007
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_People_Mover
web.archive.org/web/20080929215343/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28397&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=0&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
Ford Flex brochures
web.archive.org/web/20080929221000/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28644&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=92&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
web.archive.org/web/20080929215417/http://media.ford.com/products/press_article_display.cfm?article_id=28721&vehicle_id=1564&make_id=92&CFID=12568366&CFTOKEN=8e418b85c942c181-AF90C054-ABA2-1125-4502FD840BB2A392
web.archive.org/web/20080929215402/http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1564&press_section_id=398&make_id=92
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Vista
web.archive.org/web/20080929215422/http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle_id=1564&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=92
motortrend.com/reviews/2008-ford-taurus-x-first-look
caranddriver.com/reviews/a15145252/2009-ford-flex-limited-awd-road-test
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Recession
caranddriver.com/reviews/comparison-test/a15387460/2009-honda-pilot-vs-ford-flex-and-four-other-crossovers-comparison-tests
caranddriver.com/reviews/a16580754/2010-ford-flex-ecoboost-v6-instrumented-test
web.archive.org/web/20091125164844/http:/findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KJI/is_6_120/ai_n26679012
youtube.com/watch?v=kLV9O8fs9dQ
web.archive.org/web/20090223055502/http://cardesignnews.com/site/home/design_reviews/display/store4/item145099
caranddriver.com/news/a29611853/ford-kills-flex-crossover
