New SUV sports Flex appeal

0 Comments | USA TODAY, June, 2008 | by James R. Healey

NEW YORK -- Start with the obvious. Ford Flex has a squared-off styling that Ford concedes will trigger love-hate reaction, hoping, of course, for more love.

A market embrace would be heartening because Flex has integrity in form and function. It looks like a straightforward family hauler, and the boxy design creates space for it to be just that. Seldom does a design excel at both form and function.

For argument's sake, let's declare Flex the most honest- and best-looking SUV since the now-departed Jeep Cherokee.

In a sense, Ford has reinvented the station wagon. Flex sits a bit lower than usual for a crossover SUV, giving it a more carlike appearance. The long, straight roofline evokes Ford Country Squires of yore. But Flex provides optional...