The 2009 Flex is Ford's newest and arguably most attractive crossover SUV. Designed to carry seven passengers, yet achieve the same kind of fuel economy as a mid-size sedan, the Flex is part of a growing trend away from V8-powered leviathans and toward more efficient vehicles, particularly when towing is not a high priority. If all you need is room for the family, the Taurus X could certainly do the trick, but it doesn't have the cutting-edge cool the square-as-a-shoebox Flex seems to ooze; you might even have to wrestle your teenagers for driving privileges. And why not? With room for lots of their friends, an optional built-in refrigerator and the technology-friendly SYNC audio system, the Flex can easily transform itself from family transport to Friday-night cruiser with just a turn of the ignition.