Ford – The Outdoors Guy

September 5, 2013September 5, 2017

Ford Flex’ able New England vacation

A great note of thanks to Maxine Patenaude of Thornley Fallis Communications for putting me behind the wheel of another fab 4-wheeled product.

My 10-day romance with the 2013 Ford Flex SEL included a jaunt to New England, on a 7-day family vacation to Rye Beach, New Hampshire.

I can say, having spent considerable time with this vehicle, the Flex is the possibly the most efficient family hauler I’ve had the pleasure of driving. From front to back and from side to side, the new Ford Flex is the ultimately distinctive; offering comfort and unique styling.

I was a tad apprehensive that the Flex would be a ride I could enjoy, with its long boxy stance and a silhouette more reminiscent of an old-school gangster car than a modern Crossover Utility Vehicle.

The look and feel grew on me, I must say.

My first impression of the Ford Flex, after getting past its long rectangular footprint was a feeling of modern style and effortless driving. This beast is both extremely comfortable and roomy for all seven passengers. Even my wife’s 7-passenger van offers limited leg room to the back passengers, while this one does not.

The interior space, fit and finish were just great and I found the windows offered excellent visibility from all around. Passenger and cargo space was more than adequate too with 4 adults and two 5-foot-something teens on-board.

Ford’s fancy Sync and MyFord Touch system is displayed in a groovy 8″ LCD screen, and as fun to play with as new toy, once you get used to it. Having tested a few of these newer models now, I’ve become fairly adept at the touch screen technology. My wife and I also had great enjoyment with the built-in Sirius Satellite radio.

“70’s on 7 please!”

The Flex also features a neat ‘flip and tumble’ feature to gain access to back row seating. With a touch of the button, second seats are cleverly folded out of the way to allow entry for back row passengers. I made of point of spending time in the back seat and was amazed at how spacious and comfortable it was.

The SEL model I tested comes standard with a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that pushes out 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, which I found to be more than adequate even with a full family load. If more power is to your liking, the higher trim model comes with a whopping 365 horsepower EcoBoost turbo($3000 upgrade).

With the SEL’s combined full economy hovering at around 20 mpg, I’ll stick with the standard power plant and, although I didn’t haul anything this time, the solid 4500 pound towing capacity would have made short work of our camper trailer.

Although not a full-fledged off-road vehicle, the Flex’s AWD traction was quite apparent; giving this beefy ride superior traction on the I89, or cruising up and down the curvy Seacoast Highway from Hampton Beach, New Hampshire to Kittery, Maine.

One of the more interesting redesign features of the new Flex is the front grill which, turned out to be a real head turner. I had several people comment on it during our beach house vacation. Young people in particular seem to appreciate the retro styling.

For those who aren’t used to a larger vehicle, the Flex does carry with it Michael Jordan shoe-sized footprint, and requires extra caution when parking and maneuvering into tighter spaces.

In the end, the 2013 Ford Flex SEL provided great family fun and was a joy to drive on a long trip. Anyone looking for top-of-the-line style and comfort and a radical change to your drab old minivan, this is the vehicle for you.

Outdoorsguy

May 26, 2013September 5, 2017

2013 Ford Explorer Sport – fancy fish hauler

Thanks to Maxine Patenaude of Ottawa’s Thornley Fallis for putting me behind the wheel of this new Ford product.

My two weeks with the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport included a trip up the Ottawa Valley and across the river to Témiscaming, Quebec, followed by a jaunt to our trailer up in Cobden.

The new Explorer is more than roomy enough for the whole family or group of full-sized trout anglers, with comfortable seating for 7 passengers, although I put the back two seats down to increase storage space for our fishing and camping gear.

My first impression of the Explorer Sport was ride quality, and my second impression was power, I mean big time power, and the 365 hp twin turbo had a lot to do with it!

With a 6-speed transmission and 0 to 60 mph rating of 6 seconds flat, it is easily the fastest vehicle in this class I have tried yet.

The new Explorer Sport is also being dubbed as the most fuel efficient High Performance SUV/CUV on the market(est 16 mph city and 22 mpg highway)

Since the Explorer’s redesign in 2011, this classic SUV was magically transformed into a modern-day Crossover vehicle. Gone is the traditionally stiff truck frame; now replaced with crossover-style unibody construction.

The ride is smooth and silky with smaller bumps being soaked up like a sponge in the vehicle’s suspension. And trust me, the dirt roads in NW Quebec had more than a few bumps and curls.

Off-road purists may be disappointed with the new CUV Explorer and lack of typical 4X4 features like high and low range and ladder frame construction; however, modern day families and weekend campers will appreciate the roominess, comfort and ride quality.

Instead of high and low range of traditional 4X4’s, Ford has included a new ‘intelligent 4WD system’, featuring different settings for conditions like sand, snow or mud.

The Sport model also boasts a ‘sport tuned’ suspension for a more solid and stiffer ride over uneven ground. Ground clearance is still decent however a low hanging front scoop could hinder rougher off-road driving. It; however, did not cause any problems for me on the rough northern roads.

The Explorer’s interior layout is a must see and feels more like the cockpit on an F14 fighter jet. (I nearly forgot I was on an up north fishing trip) The interior is laid out in a functional and classy manner with every luxury detail considered. Such safety features as ‘blind spot’ indicators take the guess work out of passing, and Ford’s Sync voice command system is a wonder to behold, once you practise with it a bit of course.

FM 106.1 please!

Most every aspect of the Explorer can be monitored from with the Sync System: navigation, heating & cooling, sound and so on. You can use the touch command screen, or really take charge of this beast with the voice command!

I managed to Sync my cell phone and my daughter even Sync’ed her iPod.

The Explorer tells you how many KM’s left before you need to fill up which isn’t a new feature for 2013, but I really like it on long trips, and it also boasts a wide assortment of modern day necessities like MP3, USB, SD memory card slots and even a 11o power outlet.

For those who aren’t used to it, though, this vehicle does carry a good-sized footprint and requires care in parking and manoeuvring into tighter spaces. It is considerably larger than Explorers of days-gone-by and feels more like a luxury vehicle in many ways.

With perhaps the nicest overall look on any SUV/CUV I have seen yet, there are few remnants of the old Explorer left. This vehicle is definitely a head turner, with its sleek look and 20-inch mag wheels.

In the end, the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport was a great experience and a vehicle very comfortable to drive. I have never travelled north in such luxury, and it is so fast that I feel fortunate to have returned home speeding ticket-free.

For those looking for modern day convenience and luxury in a full-size crossover combined with off-road ability, this is the vehicle for you.

And for the avid angler, this is one fancy fish hauler indeed.

Outdoorsguy

May 25, 2012September 5, 2017

2012 Ford F-150 the Country Boy Cadillac

truckpic1

Fresh air, clean water and nature’s wondrous bounty all at your doorstep. Yes, growing up in the country certainly has its benefits and I’m proud to say I have been apart of that lifestyle.

Every country boy (& girl) I know either currently owns a truck or has owned one at one time. Quite a few city folks own trucks as well. I have owned two in my life and both of them were Fords. Of course that was many moons ago, and the vehicle I often refer to as a Country boy Cadillac has come a long way since those days.

I consider myself fortunate to be a country boy; fortunate to have an upbringing which brought me deep into God’s country, and back, on more outdoor adventures than you can shake a stick at. One of those special trips is my annual trout fishing trip into Northwestern Quebec in search of nature’s most perfect fish. It is 23rd anniversary of this trip with my father and brother-in-laws.

To gain proper access to nature’s perfect fish ( in case you didn’t know) requires not only good knowledge and equipment, but and a good solid truck as well. This year I was fortunate beyond belief when my old pal Kristine Simpson of Thornley Fallis asked if I would like to try out the new Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost engine?

“Ummmmm, I dunno Kristine. lemme think about it” I said with a smirk.

“OK, I’m in!”

Before I even had the bug spray or fishing stuff packed for my trip, I was Googling the new F-150. Man, there is a pile of info available on this bad boy!

The new Ford F-150, as I discovered, is not unlike the F-150 of days-gone-by except for one big difference – the new EcoBoost engine!!

What is the EcoBoost engine? Well, it is something best enjoyed while pointed northward out-of-town, and driven as fast as humanly(& legally) possible.

The EcoBoost has a feeling not unlike other power plants, that is until you step on the gas, and if you open the window while driving on a bush road, my brother-in-law and I agree, the EcoBoost actually has a similar hum to a jet plane taking off. You can hear and feel the old school ‘spooling’ of the turbo engine; as it quickly and efficiently builds power.

All that to say, the trip was off on the right foot once the truck was packed and loaded on our 5-day trip into God’s country. Yes, the interior layout and comfort was something to behold. Bright and roomy and I almost felt a bit guilty for getting it dirty.

The F-150 FX4 model boasts a lot of great amenities including full leather, Sync command system, Sirius satellite radio, generous drink holders and fully adjustable electric seat controls with lumbar support. (Man, my back loved that)

When it comes to seating and storage space, the new F-150 FX4 comes with comfortable folding rear seats which tuck neatly away against the back wall. Since we usually travel two men per vehicle, this feature is great for allowing extra camping and fishing gear to be stored inside during the trip. (And trust me; I had stuff piled to roof.)

Another feature of the FX4 I really enjoyed was the pop-out step sides, which allowed for great access into the truck box from the sides. When loading and unloading the vehicle, having a leg-up from the side is a real bonus!

Once we arrived at our lakeside paradise in Northwestern Quebec, the F-150 seemed to fit right into the surroundings with its rugged outdoor appeal. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of style and class when you’re roughing it in the wilderness. That’s what I kept telling the boys anyway.

The tailgate also made a super place to ‘cop of squat’ after a long day on the water, room enough for three tired (but happy) campers.

For those who are into statistics, the new Ford has plenty of impressive ones. The direct-injection twin-turbo 6-cylinder has a tow and payload rating (5,125 kg/11,300 lb and 1,388 kg/3060 lb respectively. As far as gas mileage goes throughout the trip, the truck saw as high as 18 L/100 KM in fuel consumption, but averaged somewhere around 16 L/100 KM, I would say.

All in all, the new Ford f-150 FX turned out to be a worthy fishing companion and a head-turner as well. The truck performed flawlessly, got great gas mileage and held up like a charm to the punishment of 4 hours on some of the toughest roads in Quebec. (& without shaking your kidneys too much)

The 2012 F-150 EcoBoost was a huge part of this year’s fishing trip and from I’ve seen, would be perfectly suited for any hunting or fishing trip you can think of. (And I can think of a lot)

The Outdoors Guy