The current Explorer and Flex are on the same platform, both have AWD and the 3.5 Ecoboost available, and both have a third row. Is there any substantial reason to choose one over the other?
The current Explorer and Flex are on the same platform, both have AWD and the 3.5 Ecoboost available, and both have a third row. Is there any substantial reason to choose one over the other?
The Flex looks cooler? Dunno, that's all I got. Wife wants a Flex like nothing else but she wouldn't even consider driving an Explorer.
Flex has a second row fridge and better storage behind the third row. My kids liked that and the individual sunroofs. They said they liked the third row room better as well.
I think the Flex is sexy. In case my arbitrary opinion makes a difference for some reason.
I'm pretty sure the Explorer is a little heavier. But I'd have to check that.
My father bought an Explorer about three years ago. Last year he got rid of it and got a Flex because he had a hard time getting in and out of the Explorer. Of course, he is 84.
He loves the Flex. He says that we can use that at his funeral instead of a hearse.
I work at a Ford dealer, and most of the managers drive Flexes (Flexi?)
Thats all I got....
One important thing- you can't do this to an Explorer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2qDU7dnQM
That ended up being one of our test cars.
That thing is awful 
alfadriver wrote: One important thing- you can't do this to an Explorer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2qDU7dnQM
I can't tell if you're pointing this out as a positive or a negative. 
Junkyard_Dog wrote:alfadriver wrote: One important thing- you can't do this to an Explorer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR2qDU7dnQMI can't tell if you're pointing this out as a positive or a negative.
Yes.
Flex is a premium over the Explorer as far as cost I would assume.
I had no idea that people liked the Flex that much. I knew it was a bit of a 'premium' product for some reason, but was fuzzy on the why. The more space in the back part is encouraging.
A friend has an Explorer, and it has surprisingly little legroom in the second row. couldnt for a rear facing car seat behind a tallish driver or passenger, for instance.
I assume the Flex is better in this regard. No idea if that's true.
Flex is cooler looking. And apparently from opinions in this thread has a more practical interior.
Anybody who thinks the Flex is cooler looking is just wrong!
We love our Explorer!
The Flex is 4.7” longer than the Explorer (201.8 Vs 197.1 respectively) which in our case, made the difference in terms of being able to open the rear gate with the vehicle fully in the garage so the garage door could be closed.
My wife likes to back into the garage so she’d have to move the vehicle a few inches whenever she wanted to open the rear gate (say 2/3rds of the time). If she started pulling in forward, she’d have to leave the garage door up which even though we live in a low crime area, just isn’t as safe and we’ve got two young girls.
Anyway, we liked the Flex a lot but this one difference turned out to be such a big deal to us that we decided to just keep driving our old 2003 Explorer.
The bride loves her Flex. I haven't driven it much but for what it is, I like it a lot too.
The explorer is basically a soccer-mom minivan. It is awful looking.
The flex (when not whatever-the-helled like Alfas video) is a sweet looking rig. All the chrome needs to be plasti-dipped though, you can tell who their target audience is...
They're both good cars overall.
One annoying problem that runs rampant on the Flex is second row seat latch sticking/failure. Usually entails destroying a trim piece or two to fix if its seized completely.
The Flex is a love-it-or-hate it car from a looks standpoint, and my wife hates it. But, we both agree on what a great vehicle it is. My mom has one and loves it. Personally, I like the looks of the Exploder more, but the interior and space of the Flex would push me that way if I were plunking down my own money. I think the Exploder can tow a bit more, though.
Also, for what it's worth, the Exploder outsells the Flex by a huge margin.
Flex: good. Explorer: boring
We bought my wife a Flex in 2013. It's not an Ecoboost, but we love it.
I lust over an ecoboost flex, is that wrong of me?
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