chassis
COMPARISON TEST
FAMILY VALUES
FORD FLEX SEL
On comparos, our “leader” is re quired to remain within sight of his trailing flock, tricky when all of the ve hicular faces are so bland and familiar that civilian interlopers can join unnoticed for miles on end. So it was a relief to have one lamb that stuck out like a stalk of corn in a sea of crab grass—the vanilla-roofed Flex. Love it or hate it, this Ford doesn’t look like an SUV. Can’t we all just get along—with wagons? We recently pushed a Flex through the road-test mangle [September 2008] and thus already knew its forte—a cheerful, classy, beautifully assembled cabin that
THE HIGHS
World’s best middle-row seats, cool styling, easy ingress/egress. THE LOWS
Slow to react, a titch too much NVH, wheel too close to the IP. THE VERDICT
As functional as pliers but needs to be more carlike to satisfy.
4
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT *Stability-control-inhibited.
126
NOV 2008
13.0-inch disc
yes
yes
13.0-inch vented disc
13.1-inch disc
yes
yes
12.6-inch vented disc
12.8-inch disc
yes
yes
12.6-inch 12.8-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
12.9-inch vented disc
yes
yes
12.2-inch disc
TIRES
12.8-inch vented disc
REAR
yes
Goodyear Fortera HL Edition, P255/65R-18 109S M+S Goodyear Assurance, P235/65R-18 102T M+S Goodyear Fortera HL Edition, P245/65R-17 105T M+S Michelin Latitude Tour, P245/60R-18 104T M+S Bridgestone Dueler H/L 400, P245/50R-20 102V M+S Toyo A20 Open Country, P245/55R-19 103S M+S TEST AVERAGE
LANE CHANGE (mph)
MAZDA CX-9 GRAND TOURING
yes
ROADHOLDING 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD (g)
HYUNDAI VERACRUZ LIMITED
12.8-inch 13.0-inch vented disc vented disc
BRAKING 70–0 MPH (ft)
HONDA PILOT EX-L
multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
STABILITY CONTROL
FORD FLEX SEL
struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
ANTI-LOCK CONTROL
CHEVROLET TRAVERSE LT
BRAKES FRONT
CHASSIS
SUSPENSION
REAR
BEST IN TEST
FRONT
C/D RESULTS
194
0.78*
57.7*
192
0.78*
58.9*
198
0.78
57.3*
191
0.79
58.7
176
0.81*
56.7*
177
0.78
55.4*
188
0.79
57.5
CARANDDRIVER.CO M
FAMILY VALUES
FORD FLEX SEL
On comparos, our “leader” is re quired to remain within sight of his trailing flock, tricky when all of the ve hicular faces are so bland and familiar that civilian interlopers can join unnoticed for miles on end. So it was a relief to have one lamb that stuck out like a stalk of corn in a sea of crab grass—the vanilla-roofed Flex. Love it or hate it, this Ford doesn’t look like an SUV. Can’t we all just get along—with wagons? We recently pushed a Flex through the road-test mangle [September 2008] and thus already knew its forte—a cheerful, classy, beautifully assembled cabin that
THE HIGHS
World’s best middle-row seats, cool styling, easy ingress/egress. THE LOWS
Slow to react, a titch too much NVH, wheel too close to the IP. THE VERDICT
As functional as pliers but needs to be more carlike to satisfy.
4
TOYOTA HIGHLANDER SPORT *Stability-control-inhibited.
126
NOV 2008
13.0-inch disc
yes
yes
13.0-inch vented disc
13.1-inch disc
yes
yes
12.6-inch vented disc
12.8-inch disc
yes
yes
12.6-inch 12.8-inch vented disc vented disc
yes
yes
12.9-inch vented disc
yes
yes
12.2-inch disc
TIRES
12.8-inch vented disc
REAR
yes
Goodyear Fortera HL Edition, P255/65R-18 109S M+S Goodyear Assurance, P235/65R-18 102T M+S Goodyear Fortera HL Edition, P245/65R-17 105T M+S Michelin Latitude Tour, P245/60R-18 104T M+S Bridgestone Dueler H/L 400, P245/50R-20 102V M+S Toyo A20 Open Country, P245/55R-19 103S M+S TEST AVERAGE
LANE CHANGE (mph)
MAZDA CX-9 GRAND TOURING
yes
ROADHOLDING 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD (g)
HYUNDAI VERACRUZ LIMITED
12.8-inch 13.0-inch vented disc vented disc
BRAKING 70–0 MPH (ft)
HONDA PILOT EX-L
multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
STABILITY CONTROL
FORD FLEX SEL
struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar
ANTI-LOCK CONTROL
CHEVROLET TRAVERSE LT
BRAKES FRONT
CHASSIS
SUSPENSION
REAR
BEST IN TEST
FRONT
C/D RESULTS
194
0.78*
57.7*
192
0.78*
58.9*
198
0.78
57.3*
191
0.79
58.7
176
0.81*
56.7*
177
0.78
55.4*
188
0.79
57.5
CARANDDRIVER.CO M
