2018 Ford Flex
midsize SUV / 4-door SUV
Small overlap front: driver-side
Rating applies to 2009-19 models
Tested vehicle: 2014 Ford Flex SEL 4-door 4wd
The Ford Flex was introduced in the 2009 model year.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Hip/thigh | |
| Lower leg/foot | |
|
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
The dummy’s head barely contacted the frontal airbag before sliding off the left side, leaving the head vulnerable to contact with forward side structure. The side curtain airbag deployed but does not have sufficient forward coverage to protect the head from contact with forward side structure and outside objects. The side torso airbag deployed. |
Action shot taken during the small overlap frontal crash test.
The dummy's position in relation to the door frame, steering wheel, and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was not maintained well.
During the crash, the dummy's head and torso barely contacted the airbag before sliding off to the left. The side curtain airbag did not extend far enough forward toward the A-pillar.
Despite considerable intrusion of the door hinge pillar and instrument panel, risk of injuries to the dummy's legs and feet was low.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CEN1514 |
|---|---|
| Lower occupant compartment | |
| Lower hinge pillar max (cm) | 20 |
| Footrest (cm) | 13 |
| Left toepan (cm) | 11 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 10 |
| Parking brake (cm) | 18 |
| Rocker panel lateral average (cm) | 7 |
| Upper occupant compartment | |
| Steering column | 11 |
| Upper hinge pillar max (cm) | 21 |
| Upper dash (cm) | 17 |
| Lower instrument panel (cm) | 15 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CEN1514 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 49 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 23 |
| Femur (kN) | |
| Left | 2.8 |
| Right | 2.2 |
| Knee displacement (mm) | |
| Left | 7 |
| Right | 1 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk (%) | |
| Left | 0 |
| Right | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index | |
| Left | 0.53 |
| Right | 0.69 |
| Tibia axial force (kN) | |
| Left | 0.7 |
| Right | 0.8 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 33 |
| Right | 60 |
Moderate overlap front: original test
Rating applies to 2009-19 models
Tested vehicle: 2009 Ford Flex Limited 4-door 4wd
The Ford Flex was introduced in the 2009 model year. Frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by Ford.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Chest | |
| Leg/foot, left | |
| Leg/foot, right | |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics |
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | VTF0811 |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion | |
| Footrest (cm) | 7 |
| Left (cm) | 10 |
| Center (cm) | 13 |
| Right (cm) | 11 |
| Brake pedal (cm) | 9 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement | |
| Left (cm) | 6 |
| Right (cm) | 5 |
| Steering column movement | |
| Upward (cm) | 1 |
| Rearward (cm) | 1 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 3 |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | VTF0811 |
|---|---|
| Head | |
| HIC-15 | 102 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Extension bending moment (Nm) | 11 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.34 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 36 |
| Legs | |
| Femur force - left (kN) | 2.1 |
| Femur force - right (kN) | 1.1 |
| Knee displacement - left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement - right (mm) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index - left | 0.31 |
| Maximum tibia index - right | 0.82 |
| Tibia axial force - left (kN) | 0.8 |
| Tibia axial force - right (kN) | 1.2 |
| Foot acceleration (g) | |
| Left | 59 |
| Right | 146 |
Side: original test
Rating applies to 2009-19 models
Tested vehicle: 2009 Ford Flex SEL 4-door 4wd with standard head curtain airbags for all three rows of seats and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags
The Ford Flex was introduced in the 2009 model year.
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Structure and safety cage | |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Driver head protection | |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | |
| Torso | |
| Pelvis/leg | |
| Rear passenger head protection | |
View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.
Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side
| Test ID | CES0833 |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) | -12.5 |
| Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline. | |
Driver injury measures
| Test ID | CES0833 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 99 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.7 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.1 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 28 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 25 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.53 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.35 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 1.3 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.6 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.4 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.5 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 74 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 38 |
Passenger injury measures
| Test ID | CES0833 |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 59 |
| Neck | |
| Tension (kN) | 0.1 |
| Compression (kN) | 0.2 |
| Shoulder | |
| Lateral deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Lateral force (kN) | 1.1 |
| Torso | |
| Maximum deflection (mm) | 26 |
| Average deflection (mm) | 17 |
| Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 2.22 |
| Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.23 |
| Pelvis | |
| Iliac force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Acetabulum force (kN) | 3.1 |
| Combined force (kN) | 3.2 |
| Left femur | |
| L-M force (kN) | 0.7 |
| L-M moment (Nm) | 61 |
| A-P moment (Nm) | 19 |
Roof strength
Rating applies to 2010-19 models built after January 2010
Tested vehicle: 2010 Ford Flex SEL 4-door 4wd
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,639 lbs |
| Peak force | 20,917 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 4.51 |
Head restraints & seats
Seat type: Power leather seats
| Overall evaluation | |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | |
| Seat/head restraint geometry |
| Seat type | Power leather seats |
|---|---|
| Geometry | |
| Backset (mm) | 34 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 26 |
| Seat design parameters | |
| Pass/fail | Pass |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 10.4 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 63 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces | |
| Max neck shear force (N) | 77 |
| Max neck tension (N) | 554 |
About the head restraint & seat test
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.
Headlights
Ratings are given for 2 different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Trim level(s)
- Limited trim
| Low-beam headlight type | HID projector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was good on the gradual right curve, fair on the sharp right and sharp left curves, and inadequate on the gradual left curve.
The low beams never exceeded glare limits.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on the right side of the road and inadequate on the left side. On curves, visibility was fair on the gradual left and gradual right curves and inadequate on the sharp right and sharp left curves.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| High-beam headlight type | HID projector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017-19 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 79.9 m | None |
| Straightaway left edge | 48.8 m | None |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 67.8 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, right edge | 47.9 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 53.0 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 48.7 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 129.4 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 113.2 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 68.7 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 71.1 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 52.8 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 52.8 m |
Trim level(s)
- SE trim
- SEL trim
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
|---|---|
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating | |
| Distance at which headlights provide at least 5 lux illumination: | |
Low beams
On the straightaway, visibility was fair on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
The low beams created some glare.
High beams
On the straightaway, visibility was inadequate on both sides of the road. On curves, visibility was inadequate in all 4 tests.
| Trim level(s) |
|
|---|---|
| Low-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| High-beam headlight type | Halogen reflector |
| Curve-adaptive? | No |
| High-beam assist? | No |
|
Overall rating Applies to 2017-19 models |
| LOW BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
Amount glare exceeded threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 82.6 m | 30.1% |
| Straightaway left edge | 46.3 m | 30.1% |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 50.5 m | None |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 42.4 m | None |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 44.4 m | None |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 39.0 m | None |
| HIGH BEAMS | Average minimum useful illumination distance (5 lux) |
|---|---|
| Straightaway right edge | 126.2 m |
| Straightaway left edge | 96.8 m |
| 250m radius right curve, right edge | 54.4 m |
| 250m radius left curve, left edge | 54.1 m |
| 150m radius right curve, right edge | 46.6 m |
| 150m radius left curve, left edge | 44.9 m |
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2014-19 models
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | Limited |
| Seat type | leather |
This vehicle has 3 rear seating positions with complete child seat attachment (LATCH) hardware.
| Overall evaluation | |
| Vehicle trim | Limited |
| Seat type | leather |
| G | Good |
| A | Acceptable |
| M | Marginal |
| P | Poor |
| Seating positions that rely on borrowed lower anchors or have only a tether anchor available are not rated. | |
thether anchor symbol | Tether anchor |
lower anchor symbol | Lower anchors |
| Lower anchor(s) can be borrowed from adjacent positions(s) | |
| No hardware available |
Details by seating position
| 1 | |
|---|---|
| Tether anchor | |
| hard-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors | |
| 3 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| hard-to-find location | |
| no other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors | |
| 4 | |
| Tether anchor | |
| hard-to-find location | |
| other hardware could be confused for anchor | |
| Lower anchors | |
| not too deep in seat | |
| not too much force needed to attach | |
| easy to maneuver around anchors |
Seat position 21
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 2-4 |
| Force (lbs) | 16 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 63 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 2-4 |
| Force (lbs) | 18 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 64 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Bottom seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 23
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 0-2 |
| Force (lbs) | 15 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 70 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 2-4 |
| Force (lbs) | 15 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 70 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Bottom seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | No |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |
Seat position 33
| Lower anchor A | |
|---|---|
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 0-2 |
| Force (lbs) | 10 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 77 |
| Lower anchor B | |
| Open access rated | No |
| Depth (cm) | 0-2 |
| Force (lbs) | 12 |
| Clearance angle (degrees) | 74 |
| Tether anchor | |
| Location | Bottom seatback |
| Confusing hardware present | Yes |
| Has contrasting label within 3 inches of tether anchor |
No |
| Tether anchors can be accessed while seatback is properly positioned for use of LATCH |
Not measured |