Report: Ford Flex Sales Off to Rocky Start
Ford’s enigmatic new Flex appears to be stumbling out of the sales gate. The boxy-yet-sleek three-row crossover wagon has been on the market for four months, and sales numbers have already been falling for the past two months from starting figures that were already well below expectations.
Given America’s growing financial crisis and continued fretting over gasoline prices, some of this is to be expected, but the bottom line is that Ford has gone on record hoping for 70,000-100,000 units per year, and the Flex is presently floundering at just over 2,000 units per month (about 24,000 units per year). This, despite the fact that there are already substantial cash-back options on the table for buyers. Even factoring in market conditions, early signs are that the Flex just isn’t clicking with buyers.
What’s the problem? Well, hypotheses include the Flex’s polarizing looks; its substantial base price ($28,295); middling (but correct for class) fuel economy figures of 17 mpg city and 24 highway; and trendy, glitzy advertising that may be wide of the mark for those just looking for a practical new family hauler.
There are some bright spots for the Flex—it has apparently been performing well in California, something of a bellwether state for style, so perhaps the West Coast will help ignite a sales trend as it has so many times before. Further, as more Flexes hit the streets and become talking points among friends and neighbors, there is a good possibility that more product evangelism than normal will take place (polarizing/interesting designs tend to invite more such conversations than the same-old-same-old).
Here at Winding Road and NextAutos, we’ve driven the Flex a number of times, and have found it to be a competent and compelling package, with plenty of underlying goodness to back up its design flash and ‘surprise and delight’ options list. For those in the market for larger people haulers, the Flex is a vehicle that deserves to be on people’s shopping lists.
What do you think... will sales volumes recover? Is Ford marketing this vehicle correctly? Have your say in 'Comments.'
+ Detroit News: Boxy Ford Flex isn't selling as expected in brutal market
+ WINDING ROAD: 2009 Ford Flex Road Test
+ NextAutos: Editors' Roundtable: 2009 Ford Flex Limited AWD
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Comments
xjug1987
Stick a Turbo Diesel in it. It'll get 35mpg on the Highway, and 25 in the city. Get on the stick Ford/GM & Chrysler. In 2 yrs or less all the clean diesel in Europe get here. Every car you build from now own, needs to be a hybrid or a Diesel. Gas alone is a dinosaur. Heard it here first. XJUG1987
Ducati Minor
Sorry bud--no one buys diesel in America.
xjug1987
When folks learn about 35mpg in a big car like the Flex, they will. If folks can have an Escalade that go 40mpg, you don't think that would sell. Sorry "Bud".
Zac
your comments are spot on. comments not in line with these thoughts are pure ignorance. most of these SUV/CUV vehicles are designed to haul stuff-- news flash to the diesel haters.... by the time you load these vehicles up with people or cargo ( that iw what they are designed for ) the gas engine has to tack' a ton of RPMs to get moving or go up a hill-- you can't get MGP that way. the torque of a turbo diesel gets the job done and gets great mileage to boot. smarten up america!
TheStig
No it won't recover, for all the reasons I stated last week. It's too expensive, too slow, too heavy, too thirsty, and like so many other Ford offerings, 5 years too late. Notice I left out too weird looking. There's enough strikes against it without the polarizing styling piling on. Ford has too many of these big vehicles in their fleet, and this is just another.
Sorry Ford. Doesn't look like this one will save the company either.
xjug1987
Stig, I sat in one the other day, VERY nice interior. I think you're wrong on the Flex. Its edgy in all regards, except gas mileage. The Prius is quirky but it sell because of its edgy technology and mileage. If the Prius was gas only, it would have been a Pontiac Aztek clone and miserable failure. The Flex needs great mileage and it will set itself apart, in every category. That said, Ford needs the European Mondeo, Focus, Fiesta and yes Ford, bring the Ka. If Mark Fields says no, fire him. He's long over due for the unemployment lines.
Drew
Yes, get this new 4.4 liter Diesel in the Flex, asap.
http://www.nextautos.com/news/2008/04/14/ford%E2%80%99s-new-44-liter-die...
Drew
Stig you're dead wrong. Face the truth.
Trank
I agree with xjug and Drew. TheStig is in left field. The Flex is "THE" car in its category. Every car is slow right now, but this car has it all. Get that 4.4D in it this spring and watch it take off. I predict Stig goes the way of the Edsel, ugly and wrong.
SarahP
I have a Flex and love it. Tons of room and technology. Much better than any Toyota, Nissan or even the R350 I used to have. Ford has a hit, but the boyz are right. I wish it got better mileage. However, my old Highlander did not get any better mileage. Actually, I think the Flex gets the best mileage in its category, doesn't it? Thanks for letting me play boys, except you Stig.
Anonymous
I think Chris may have nailed it: brilliant car, mis-targeted advertising. Watching the ads, you'd think this was an upscale Scion xB. If you're 40 years old, with kids at home, that message obscures that this car is for you. A minivan that doesn't look like a minivan, drives better than a minivan, and doesn't have the SUV stigma either.
TheStig
I've driven Ford's new offerings including their Lincoln's. The build quality is still lousy. I doubt that's changed on this model.
And to everyone who said I'm wrong - look at the sales figures. 'nuff said.
TXCarFan80
One word sums up the thoughts of The Stig: I G N O R A N C E!! How do you know the Flex doesn't have better build quality? Unless you have gone to a Ford dealer and sat your rump inside one and actually LOOKED around for yourself, instead of judging it based on past Fords, then please do us all a favor and MOVE ON! I happen to own a Flex SE (didn't need all the frills), and I for one am very satisfied with it. Sure it may not have all the bells and whistles, but do I really need them? No. I simply needed a safe, unique, well-built vehicle that is perfect for my wife and newborn. And if you don't think that the Flex is a good vehicle, pick up a copy of the latest edition of CR. They gave the Flex and CX-9 high marks overall. PLUS BOTH the NHTSA and IIHS gave Flex top safety marks in its respective segment. Need I say more? I will if needed.
TheStig
Yes, please continue. The fact that you're using Consumer Reports of all publications to make the point that you didn't waste your money is a pretty sad and desperate argument. Read my post. I didn't judge it on past Fords. I'm judging Ford on their supposedly latest and greatest - their pinnacle machine. If Ford can't build a $48,000 Lincoln MKS to a decent standard (and yes, I've actually been in 3 of the things), what would make me think they built the Flex with love and care?
Have fun with your Flex at trade-in time.
xjug1987
Stig-er-ini is a dork. Kinda reminds me of Joe Biden. Blow hard.
TheStig
You know all about blowing don't you xjug?
Drew
Easy Stig-man, he's right. You're a knowall.... not.
Drew
Yeah, I agree, Stig is "The Authority" on everything. Hey Stig, stig a cork in it.
TheStig
Drew, do you have anything constructive to add here besides a link to a diesel engine and childish insults? No? I didn't think so. When I stated my opinion at least I backed up why I felt that way. If you think I'm wrong, tell me why and back it up with your version. Otherwise go back to popping zits in your mom's basement while the adults have a lively discussion.
Drew
Hey Stig, all you've done is criticize others and the car. Maybe you should turn off your computer and go socialize a bit. Conversation is a dialogue not you spouting off "definitive truths" which happen to be your shallow opinions. Are you even old enough to drive, Sport?
Anonymous
With the Taurus X, the Edge and now the Flex, what is Ford up too? Another vehicle I have no interest in. I used to like Fords. Reasonable quality, good safety and great value. Now it they are aiming up market, and are consumed with style and gadgets. They used to have 6 of the top 10 sellers, their cars accounted for nearly half of all 5 star safety ratings in the industry, and they were less expensive to own and operate that anything else out there. I drove a less than $10k Ford farther than to the moon. Now I can't find a reason to set foot on a Ford lot.
Ducati Minor
How many years till Ford goes under?
Styling is subjective--so that's not the real issue. The problem is lousy mileage and a high price. Ford is pumping out $30K gas hogs with 18 mpg and expects them to sell.
Time for new management.
xjug1987
Maybe a Diesel or Diesel Hybrid, "Bud"?
mo
I think there is a bunch of administration mistakes. When I saw the ads and all, I also thought this is a tiny car, I never imagined it as a van replacement until I saw one myself. Thinking how boring a van is, I think this one wins the best design prize. I don't think the milage is the problem, look at GMs crossovers (enclave and the other sisters), I see them quite often around.
Another example how Ford administration sucks. My mom, who is currently in Dubai, bought the new Ford Mondeo last February. Last week she asked me "What is the fusion? Ford is advertising of this NEW car now."
I though this is really strange. why would ford in the middle east sell the mondeo and the fusion side by side. they introduced the fusion which is now almost 5 years old to the middle east as a new model. As well, why would they sell the 5 years old fusion besides the freshly baked Mondeo. That is an example of how horrible ford is in planing.
At the end I told my mama that your mondeo is better than the fusion since the latter is not a brand new model.
P.S: My mom bought the mondeo because I recomended it.
Ducati Minor
Normally, I'd start this off with a joke (Dubai just leaves such an opening)...but I don't need to cause trouble.
I have to question the logic of your claim. The Euro Mondeo isn't "fresh-baked." This incarnation has been on the market for two years.
Second, the "Fusion" is quite common in foreign markets. The Fusion is sold side-by-side with the Mondeo, and has been for years. The twist is that the foreign Fusion is a different vehicle than the North American sedan. In fact, the Euro Fusion is a rather ugly crossover.
Any market, Middle Eastern or otherwise, accustomed to the UK Ford line would have known about the Fusion. It's a pretty common machine.
mo
no dude, I am not talking about the Euro fusion. I even checked the website myself. here you go, check it out yourself.
http://www.altayer-motors.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=14&Itemid=82
Ducati Minor
I checked out Ford's Middle East website for the UAE, and spotted the US Fusion. This what I can tell you about the situation as I know it: there really isn't an Arab product development group that I know of. Arab importers and regional divisions are more interested in grabbing what they can.
The Mondeo isn't a cheap sedan; in fact, sales have been sluggish in the UK and Europe. The Fusion, in contrast, is a bargain with a lower real-world price and a deflating dollar. Despite the crap some people fling at it, the Fusion isn't a bad car. The V-6 package with AWD is exceptional. The overall car is getting stale with the new Accord, Altima, Mazda6, and Malibu out, but it has its strengths--and is due out for a facelift for 2010. The Fusion's biggest weakness is the low V-6 power compared to others in its class.
If you look at the UAE offerings, the Crown Vic, Escape, and Mustang are all part of the lineup. Price is a factor, which is why Chryslers and Dodges do get sold in Europe, believe it or not. They do have the benefit of diesel engines, too.
xjug1987
They do have the benefit of diesel engines, too. WOW, "BUD" great idea! Moron!
Ducati Minor
Watch out now...your brilliant wording may leave my handicapped lab a little jealous.
The WR agreement has an idiot clause, as well. No more than two posts. You went over.
xjug1987
I count yours at 5... whats that make you...?
Anonymous
WHAT IS FORD THINKING!? It's a stupid vehicle, a freak'n Scion box rip off and I never liked that mess either. Anyone of you that thinks this is a sharp vehicle probably own a AZTEK.
stevedbmw
When I look at a Flex my brain instantly jumps to "mini-bus" (small bus not a Mini used as a bus!) I will allow that this will have some appeal to some limited set of the minivan/SUV buying population, which appears to be shrinking rapidly.
Good luck Ford
Russ Bellinis
The Flex is not a vehicle that I would have any use for, but it might be a useful option for a family needing more seating space than found in a Prius. The question that comes to my mind is how much of the sales slump is due to buyer preference for vehicles produced by other manufacturers and how much is due to the lack of available credit for the financing of anything right now? My nephew works as a service writer for a Ford dealer in Sacramento. We were visiting him just 2 weeks ago and I think he said the dealer he works for is the last Ford dealer left in the Sacramento area. The Saturn dealer has already closed, and it looks as though a bunch of the GM and Chrysler dealerships will be closing. The question is not how are Flex sales compared to what Ford's sales goals were when the car was introduced, but how do the Flex sales numbers compare with sales numbers for the competition?
ben
I think the current state of the US economy is to blame for poor sales numbers. I would bet vehicle sales across the board are suffering.
TXson
The Flex is TOO Expensive!!!!
I want a new US product.
Where is the well equipped family hauler for $ 18K ?
The Koreans are winning the price war.
Anonymous
I love the Flex for many reasons. I think it's International travelall styling is one reason. Something about it. My girlfriend hates it. Says it's too big, but it's actally same length as most minivans. It is priced too high, but I'm waiting till July to buy mine. I think there will be some serious deals being made then. I think Ford really thought it would be the end all, but for some reason, many people don't see it that way. Economy alone is killing sales. It's perfect for my big family and the interior is by far better than competitors. I can't wait! I'm also willing to travel to those dealers who bought too many. They will be eager in a few months to let them go.
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