A Tale of Two Road Trips - 2014 Acura MDX AWD Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

A Tale of Two Road Trips - 2014 Acura MDX AWD Long-Term Road Test

Two back-to-back road trips in our 2014 Acura MDX provide a complete picture of its long-range performance.

Read the full story here

juddholl10

I don't go on very many road trips, but seats would be a deal breaker. I'm not buying a car I can't stay comfortable in.

stever

Unless you can find a dealer willing to loan you a car overnight or can find one to rent, it's hard to get enough seat time in a car during test drives to really know how the seats are going to fit you over a long day of driving. And everyone is built differently, so what fits me may kill your back.

legacygt

Bad seats could be a problem but more than anything else, this can be a personal thing. What's amazing about this car is the fuel economy. This car is doing better than anything else in the class. You didn't do this well with the Explorer ecoboost and that was FWD and there were countless complaints about drivetrain performance. I can't understand why Honda is taking so long with the next Pilot. There's no reason why the PIlot (which could weigh less and be tuned more for efficiency) can't add another mpg or two to the MDX's already impressive efficiency. That would make the Pilot a standout in it's segment, where fuel economy is an even bigger selling point.

chaser2008

Perhaps the MDX was not designed for tall people since you also had an issue with the sun visors. I'm 5'10" and 170 lbs and have no issues with seating position/comfort.

s197gt

i have kept three of the last four vehicles i purchased overnight. i also kept another car i didn't buy overnight. having said that, i still ended up selling the 05 jeep grand cherokee because i couldn't get comfortable in the driver's seat on road trips. around town it was fine. but only after an hour or so would it become noticeable.

regardless, i highly recommend taking any car overnight to "think about it". i then go over it with a fine-tooth comb in my driveway; much more comfortable to do it there.

fordson1

Good thing it did so well heavily laden, but think about what you're saying here...five people and luggage in a three-row SUV...and you estimate it's at GVWR or above - WTF? So basically you have to choose between filling all the seats with people, and filling some of the seats with people and being able to carry their luggage.

And this isn't a slam against Honda - they all do it with their SUVs. My 2011 GTI will carry a 150-lb. person in EACH of the 5 seats, plus carry 250 lbs. of cargo. Most 3-row SUVs and minivans have maybe another 250 lbs. of GVWR higher than that. What a joke.

bao1

How are the seats in the MDX compared to the Highlander's that is in your long term fleet?

explorerx4

Other than newer pickup trucks, I think most vehicles are underrated for GVWR.
My '02 Explorer has done thousands of miles with 5 passengers, 18 ft cargo box up top, 2 to 4 bicycles on the rear hitch, and only the front row can put their feet on the floor.
That MDX needs roof top cross bars and a rear hitch to see how it can really travel.
I had a 2011 Explorer, which was a great road trip vehicle, once I got used to the seating position.

chuckie6

bao1 said:

How are the seats in the MDX compared to the Highlander's that is in your long term fleet?

I agree the MDX needs an adjustable thigh support for bigger people, but I would have a hard time calling these seats bad. Tested the '14 Highlander and seats were good with ventilation and power thigh support at a lower price, but the MDX seats were still better. Owned an '02 MDX and had countless MDX loaners of '06-'12 models and these seats are by far the best. Driven regularly for 4+ hours through the flat Midwest and for 2-day trips to Virginia through windy, hilly Penn. mountains. Seats are pretty frickin' great and my wife, who is spoiled with Volvo S60 seats, even says they're pretty good.