This morning on the way to work I realized that our $42,080 long-term 2009 Ford Flex Limited does not have auto up and down windows. Only the driver's window has the feature. The other three aren't auto up or down.
The fact that I haven't noticed this until now (the Flex has more than 26,000 miles on it) tells me this isn't a big deal, but I still find it disappointing in such an expensive vehicle.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief
gjupp says:
11:14 AM, 07/ 2/09
I really can't figure out why this would be disappointing? If it takes a second long to lower the window by holding the button, what's the big deal?
The only auto window feature I like is on the models where you can lower the window's using your remote. That's just cool.
canadia says:
11:26 AM, 07/ 2/09
From personal experience, i've found that the one-touch feature is less likely to appear in kid-friendly family type vehicles.
Family X would hate to accidentally shut Johnny's arm (or their doberman's face) in the window.
1487 says:
11:57 AM, 07/ 2/09
what is the point on the other windows? only the driver pays tolls or gets food from drive thru. What do you need that in the back?
audisport says:
12:00 PM, 07/ 2/09
canadia, the auto up/down feature includes pinch protection. It is a feature that you don't appreciate until you've had it and then had to drive a car without this feature. On a nice hot day its nice just to press the buttons and not have to hold them down. Not a deal breaker by any stretch of the imagination however.
dougtheeng says:
12:03 PM, 07/ 2/09
I loved the auto-up/down in my MINI. It was great to be able to open or close both windows at once, in one movement. I wish my 4-window'd vehicle had it, just for sake of ease.
briancam says:
12:07 PM, 07/ 2/09
It's disapponting for one reason and one reason only - "$42,080." At that price they should all be one touch up and down.
wobbly_ears says:
12:42 PM, 07/ 2/09
I am kinda surprised Ford didn't put the Auto Up/Down buttons. I am sure they're going to change in the next model year.
Is it me or there seems to be a lot of Flexes on road these days? Just this morning I saw 2 (1 black & 1 Maroon).
Good job, Ford!!
subytrojan says:
01:43 PM, 07/ 2/09
Just pretend it's a Subaru, chief! But if you did, its traction might be much better. :o)
greenpony says:
03:34 PM, 07/ 2/09
Does Ford offer auto-down on all four windows? Does the competition?
pengwin says:
03:44 PM, 07/ 2/09
"From personal experience, i've found that the one-touch feature is less likely to appear in kid-friendly family type vehicles.
Family X would hate to accidentally shut Johnny's arm (or their doberman's face) in the window."
VW's have auto up/down on all the doors. Also johnny can put his arm there and the window will bounce back down. no pinch technology, works marvelously.
gdmstrb says:
04:29 PM, 07/ 2/09
Ford's implementation of auto up/down has been spotty at best. I wish they would just suck it up and make it standard on all of their vehicles.
ahightower says:
07:41 AM, 07/ 6/09
Doesn't bother me at all. Auto driver window is useful for toll booths and drive-thrus, but the other windows in my car rarely go all the way down. Big whoop. Having said that, what would it cost, $5 to add this to all windows? Why not just do it?
madlock says:
07:42 AM, 07/ 8/09
I find it amazing that omitting such a feature MUST have been an oversight rather than specific decision, not to mention the blogger's admission that this is already a practical non-issue for him.
As other(s) have correctly noted, many, if not most "family" oriented vehicles specifically and deliberately omit auto up/down on the basis of the risk it could pose to children and pets.
While it may be a feature whose presence (or absence) is one to either like or not, it's hardly a basis for claiming a $42,000 SHOULD have them simply based on price. Personally, if Ford's decision was safety-based, at $42,000, I'd expect nothing less and presume that Ford has access to far more research data than I.