You're looking at one of my biggest complaints about the 2009 Ford Flex. The steering wheel is too far away (by at least a couple of inches) and it does not telescope in and out. Sure, there are power adjustable pedals, but they mainly adress the needs of shorter drivers. Taller folk like me need to pull the wheel back to maintain an ideal reach to the steering wheel as we slide the seat backward to gain legroom and kneeroom.
But in the '09 Flex, setting the seat where my legs want it results in a straight-armed, elbows locked 9 and 3 driving position that is really tiring. I find myself cruising along the straighter sections of insterstate with my fingertips down at 5 and 7 -- not a good thing.
But relief is on the horizon.
Here's the inside of the 2010 Ford Flex SEL with EcoBoost. I sat in one a couple of weeks back when a pair of them were in the hands of the Ford Fiesta race team that contested the Pike's Peak hillclimb and the X-Games.
A couple of differences are readily apparent. Both are very welcome, indeed.
1) This is a telescopic steering column, and in the above picture I've pulled it all the way out. Compare the position of the turn signal stalk relative to the dash as you shuffle between this picture and the last. See how much more daylight there is? I estimate that the 2010 Flex steering wheel pulls back about 1.5 inches, perhaps more. Whatever the figure is, it makes all the difference to me.
2) There are steering mounted shift paddles to allow easy gear selection: press on the front to downshift, pull on the back to upshift. Use the left or right side as you choose, because they both do the same thing.
Meanwhile, our '09 Flex has a really lame shifter with meager control options: "D" or "L". There is a "grade assist" button that acts like an "OD off" switch, but the results are unpredictable and unsatisfying. Overall, the driver has poor control over a 2009 Flex's transmission.
But there are two problems with this new solution. First, you have to shift the lever to "M" before the manual buttons do anything. That's OK as far as it goes, but it's also nice to have them "live" when the transmission is in "D" because there are many times when you want to command a temporary downshift without committing to full manual mode. There are plenty of well-executed examples of how this can work really well out there in automobiledom. Second, we have an unconfirmed feeling that this arrangement will only be paired with the EcoBoost engine. Anyone who buys a 2010 Flex with the base 3.5L engine (the one we have in our '09 model) will probably have the same lame shifter that we have.
Still, it's nice to see that the already-good Flex is going to get better in 2010.
Dan Edmunds, Director of Vehicle Testing @ 30,089 miles
jm1212 says:
04:40 PM, 08/14/09
good to hear they are adding a telescoping steering wheel. that has been pretty much the only thing that has been keeping me from looking at one for my next car.
billt9 says:
05:01 PM, 08/14/09
http://media.ford.com/images/10031/2010_flex_pricing_and_packaging.pdf
The telescoping steering wheel is suppose to be deployed on all trims of the Flex according to Ford's product sheet.
"Late Availability"
That would mean you have to get a 2010.5 Flex to get it. So if you want telescoping, you'll have to wait til Fall of 2010 and get the end run of 2010.
carguy622 says:
05:09 PM, 08/14/09
The interior looks so much better without all that Plastiwood.
Nice to see Ford has listened to the critics and ADDED a telescopic wheel instead of REMOVING it like they did with the Focus.
eidolways says:
06:56 PM, 08/14/09
I must admit, I'm still not much a fan of that generic Ford steering wheel...
hondacura4 says:
12:34 PM, 08/15/09
The major interior issues Ive had with Ford products Ive sampled:
- The gauges tend to be small in contrast to the available real estate while being over designed. (This could be said for a number of manufacturers not just Ford)
- The HVAC/Radio buttons on the center stack tend to be small, too close together and a bit too low.
- The interior design is fresh but the overall finish and presentation feel dated.
- Green display lighting is seriously old as Ford used this back in the 80's I believe. I prefer white (gauges) and white or blue (back lighting for buttons) like in my sisters 09 Sonata. Its clear, legible, fresh and modern.
- Seats are wide and flat and offer virtually little to no side bolstering or support regardless of application. Chase lounge if you will.
I know MID's have taken over gauge clusters but in terms of layout, overall clarity and simplicity I miss this type of simple setup:
http://www.cartype.com/pics/5740/full/acura_nsx_targa_speedo_04.jpg
benson2175 says:
01:59 AM, 08/16/09
With that fake wood gone it finally doesn't look like someone accessorised it at Wal-Mart - well done Ford.
jedienigma says:
11:29 PM, 08/16/09
I test drove a 2010 Limited Flex sans Ecoboost. It was also sans paddle shifters.
For those complaining about the Plastiwood you should note the 2010 pic is of an SEL model, not the Limited. The Limited is tricked out with more wood accents (or Plastiwood as everyone calls it). However the 2010 Flex Limited w/Ecoboost pics that I have found show the 10 to 2 section replaced with wood throughout that segment. It looks better than the Plastiwood stick-on look.
actualsize says:
01:00 AM, 08/17/09
Update: My parents happen to own a 2007 Mini Cooper S with the automatic transmission. It has steering mounted paddle shifters just like those shown above. I drove it last night.
But the BMW/Mini transmission differs in one crucial way: it allows one to make temporary manual shifts while the lever is in "D". You don't have to put it in "M" unless you want to make ALL of your shifts manually.
dougtheeng says:
06:32 AM, 08/17/09
Looks much better without the fake wood, with the exception of the steering wheel. That base wheel looks ghastly and the upgraded leather/wood one is a world better. Glad to hear about the paddle shifter addition, even if I don't actually believe any significant number of people use them.
actualsize says:
06:44 PM, 08/26/09
@dougtheeng: I agree with your infrequency of use comment, and that's why I think they should be live in "D". Few may ever feel committed enough to go into full manual mode, but I can see lots of people wanting to drop a gear or two to get around that semi up ahead. That and other similar scenarios played out several times during this trip. Live in drive needs to be there, as the need to temporarily override the transmission will only grow as the shift programs get more and more fuel-economy oriented.