2007 Acura MDX First Drive
Are you considering a new MDX? Check out our First Drive and post your comments here.
First Drive: 2007 Acura MDX
First Drive: 2007 Acura MDX
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I used to have a TL. While the DVD-Audio discs do sound great, unless something has changed, it seems like a dead technology, with very few discs available (despite continued hype about how "that's going to change...""
My '06's third row is barely large enough for 2 leprechauns.
(And then there's no room for their pots of gold in the remaining cargo area.)
The styling is evolutionary in a good way. Much more sporty but still as elegant as the first gen. I could do without the gaudy grill but the styling is typical Honda "unoffensive".
It'll sell well just like the first one did. Excellent effort.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2796740425732126980&q=2007+MDX&hl=en
Yes, you are being penny wise and pound stupid.
Both of these are very nice vehicles. But they are quite different as we found shopping a year ago. The 3rd row of the GX is a huge pain in the butt. For anyone that intends to alternate between using the third row seat and using two rows with significant cargo capacity, you better be prepared to detach and lug those fold up seats in and out of the GX. On the other hand, the V8 in the GX would be a better choice for hauling 5 or fewer people and a 5,000 lb. boat or trailer. You better think harder about how you are going to use the vehicle, because from a functionality perspective, they are very different. My wife would have taken the Volvo XC90 V8 over the GX when it comes to third row use/flexibility - and it's a pain compared to the MDX.
Lamenting
Seriously, get the vehicle that suits your needs and preferences and forget about which pump you will need to pull up to. Or if you really are pained by an extra 15-20 cents a gallon, buy the Pilot, spend $5,000 on an upgraded wood, leather and stereo job, and then send me half of your remaining savings as a consulting fee. I need it for premium gas for my 911, damn Porsche.
I just reread the Edmunds review and came across something odd. At the end of the article, the author lists "drawbacks". (Every article should include something critical, however insignificant.) The first sentence lists two.
"If there are drawbacks to the 2007 Acura MDX they are its grille and price."
I can certainly understand the grille being an issue. It's got a love/hate thing going on.
However, when the issue with pricing is revealed, this is what the author has to say...
"Considering base MSRPs of a comparably equipped BMW X5 3.0i, the Porsche Cayenne and the Volvo XC90 V8, we think the MDX is priced just right."
So, lemme get this straight. Being priced "just right" is a drawback? If that's true, my price-o-meter needs a serious recalibration. I've been going about this all wrong.
I visited family last week. My sister learned for the first time that Acura was a Honda product.
I don't pay consulting fees to people who spew their unsolicited opinions, namely recommending a Honda Pilot over a Lexus, when I never asked for the advice. And no,it is not silly to take into account the cost to fuel a car these days when gas costs are higher than they have ever been. It is just smart shopping to consider all things when making a $50k purchase, so there are no surprises.
Perhaps "Porsche owners" don't need to be smart shoppers.
As far as the cost for gas, in my city Premium costs an average of $.30 more per gallon, not 15-20, as you indicate. At about $6.00 more per fillup, and the fact that I travel 50 miles per day it is something to consider.
I am not towing anything, nor loading lots of cargo. The third row is simply a convenience for neighborhood children, carpooling, etc.
So you see, Porsche-man, both cars suit my needs and preferences. Why don't you tone down the name-calling a bit!
Moving on... You have every right to be concerned with whatever aspects of the car are most important to you. Some people cannot buy a car they consider ugly and will sacrifice safety for style. Some will sacrifice style to get the most practical car. Others will sacrifice practicality to get the best mileage.
To each his own.
Having said that, if your expected usage does not include towing nor hauling lots of stuff, why an SUV? (I assume you're not off-roading, either.) :confuse:
I mean, a Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, or Town & Country will haul those nighborhood buddies far more effectively, safely, and get 5-10 mpg better mileage on regular dino juice. Each of the three vans I listed can also come pretty well loaded.
My assumption, and I could easily be wrong, is that you prefer to avoid the mommy-mobile stigma of a van. That's fine. Image is a valid concern.
And you've also got a valid concern regarding operating costs. At your prices, the additional cost for premium would be $312 per year.
Obviously, on-road performance is not an issue or you wouldn't be considering that particular Lexus.
At this point, Habitat's suggestion of the Pilot makes a whole lot of sense. Put aside his frank manner for a moment and you'll see that you could save both the $312 AND roughly 10-12 THOUSAND dollars by going with the Pilot.
If costs and image are really that important to you, then this is a good option. Or, you've got to clue us in on what your other priorities are.
Susan, Why are we even talking about regular and premium gas when you want to buy a $50K vehicle. If you are so worry about spending $$ on gas, take the bus. I am sorry but when you are buying a vehicle in this price range, you should be looking for several things such as styling, features, performance, utility, convenience, etc. AND DEFINITELY NOT GAS MILEAGE OR REGULAR VS. PREMIUM.
Check out the Pilot and you will realize that you are getting a great car for the money and....Oh, it runs on regular gas. Wow that is the deal of the century.
My3rdrx, my sister did own a Civic years (decades?) ago but your office manager really has no excuse at all with both in the garage. :shades: I guess that means that the Acura, Lexus and Infiniti "rebranding" worked though!
Are you all Honda salesmen? Major stockholders in Honda? Your assumption on the van thing is correct. My hubby and I don't want the soccer-mom type vehicle. He is a tall guy and needs lots of leg room. Thats why the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7 didn't work. We're also the rare couple that actually keeps both cars in the garage, so we don't want a giant SUV.
We currently have a Lexus ES 300 and have enjoyed the luxury and terrific customer service. Since we want an SUV with the 3rd row, the Lexus GX seems like a good choice.
All the hype surrounding the new MDX has piqued our interest. I like its car-like drive, but I like the look of the Lexus better. Although the Pilot may meet the need for 7 passengers, we prefer something more luxurious. Both the Lexus GX and MDX vehicles meet our needs for passengers, luxury and comfort.
When considering which vehicle to choose, isnt it standard practice to "compare"?! Doesn't Edmunds compare like vehicles side-by-side? Thats what its all about. I didn't mean to stir such contoversy, just clarify the gas requirement, as a feature of comparison. Over the course of a 4 year lease, as I am considering, the gas difference could be $1200. (more if gas prices rise).All other things being equal, I'll choose the car that costs less to operate. If I loved the MDX so much more than the Lexus, it may not matter, but (now don't hate me for saying this), I don't.
Thanks for all the advice!
I'm curious about your calculator. Based on EPA estimate, MDX is rated at 19 mpg, and GX470 is rated at 17 mpg. Over 48K miles, MDX is expected to consume 2526 gallons of gas, and GX470 is expected to consume 2824 gallons.
At $2.20/gallon for 87-grade and $2.40/gallon for 91 (or 93) grade, we're looking at MDX saving you a whopping $200.
How did you manage to get $1200? BTW, if gas prices were to rise by 50%, GX470 will burn $500 more of your dollars.
BTW, doesn't GX470 also use premium grade? Per EPA website, it does. That makes your case, even worse.
As for printers, Steve, inkjet are basically disposible equipment. The price is so low on the injet printers, why buy replacement cartridge, just chuck it and get a new one. Laser printers are a different story.
You may be interested in the Regular vs Premium gas - what's the consensus? and What about fuel types & gas mileage? discussions. Lots of cars recommend premium these days but not that many seem to require it. Maybe someone will have the energy to go survey a few luxo-SUV specs and let us know.
Premium fuel is not required for any newish vehicle with electronic ignition. The computer will automatically retard or advance the timing to adjust for the speed that the gas ignites. Regular gas could slightly degrade your performance (not a consideration for anyone except drag racers), and could reduce your gas mileage (would have to test to know for sure). You won't hurt the engine by running regular in an MDX unless it knocks (which is very doubtful). The most economical choice is to always run regular in your car and if you think it's too slow, or is getting much worse mileage than expected, try a couple of tanks of premium to compare.
I'm very relaxed.
We're all veeeery impressed that you have a Porsche!
Thanks, but I guess YOU wouldn't be impressed that I owned a "lowly" Honda S2000 before that. I still have no hesitation highly recommending the $32k S2000 over the $48k Porsche Boxster to anyone, especially someone that's worried about operating expenses.
"it is not silly to take into account the cost to fuel a car these days when gas costs are higher than they have ever been. It is just smart shopping to consider all things when making a $50k purchase, so there are no surprises. ".
Let me clarify, IMO, it IS silly to be lamenting the fact that the MDX uses premium gas that, in my area, costs about 8-10% more than regular, when the MDX gets 15-20% better fuel economy than the GX. You don't need a HP-12C calculator to figure out that the annual fuel cost for an MDX will be LESS than a GX premium vs. regular gas prices notwithstanding.
"I am not towing anything, nor loading lots of cargo. The third row is simply a convenience for neighborhood children, carpooling, etc."
Fair enough, but I don't know of anybody who owns a GX that uses the third row seats regularly and/or would call them "convenient". Of all of the people we know that own GX's (5-6), none have more than 2 kids and none do much serious carpooling with it. Frankly, most are owned by lawyers and business people that had the ability to write off the purchase of a 6,001+ lb GVW vehicle (the previous MDX was just short of that IRS threshold).
"So you see, Porsche-man, both cars suit my needs and preferences. Why don't you tone down the name-calling a bit!"
I checked and re-checked my last post, and did not find any name calling, Lexus-lady.
I think she is referring to your statement: "you are being penny wise and pound stupid." It doesn't take much of a leap to see it as namecalling so let's try to be a little more careful with our pronouncements.
tidester, host
Also, Varmint, Steve and Lo ball and everyone else...
I appreciate all your advice. I am convinced that the difference in fuel costs, if any, is negligible. I still believe though, that it is valid to check and compare all features before committing to a vehicle.
We can agree to disagree.
It would be nice if we had a little more time to delete.
You can find it here: hpowders, "Article Comments: 2007 Lexus LS 460 Full Test" #31, 25 Oct 2006 1:52 pm
tidester, host
Thank you.
tidester, host
Just curious to see if anyone who posred here recently has both a TL and 911 and eliminated the TL from the post.
If not, no more rumcake for me!
It is very possible that you could run regular in the engine, however you'd be doing it against the specific requirements of the manufacturer. This probably wouldn't void the warranty or anything, but I don't know that I would recommend it.
hpowders - I'm guilty as charged relative to vehicle ownership, but don't recall what post you might be referring to. Pass the rumcake.
The way I look at it, if an engine design doesn't have the ability to take advantage (i.e. maximaize performance) of high octane fuel through high compression, variable valve, multi valve and other design advancements, it shouldn't be in a premium car. I was critical in the past of Toyota/Lexus milking the hell out of their 10+ year old 4.5 liter V8 that probably could have run on old paint. It had a whopping 230 horsepower and when you mashed the gas, sounded and accelerated like anything but what you would expect in a Lexus. They've tweaked it some for the 470 series of SUV's, but it's still, IMO, a generation or two behind the engineering in most other "premium" engines.
I'm O.K. with my 5 hp Briggs and Stratton lawnmower engine running on regular. But if I'm spending $40-50k+ for a "premium" car, I expect it to have premium engineering. You don't go to a custom tailer to have a nice polyester suit made so that it doesn't need to be dry cleaned as much, do you?
Speaking as a real man, no rum cake could actually, really do that to me... Could it?
I really have to get out more! :surprise:
I really should read the The Inconvenient Truth About Ethanol and Is Ethanol good for the environment? discussions. :shades:
anyways, just drove the MDX and overall we liked it. The handling and braking are much improved from the last generations design (although it was a very short test drive with little room to get up to speed). The suspension is
firm but not harsh.
I like the styling when comparing side-by-side with the last generation. There were a few RDX's there, and I have to agree with some people that front of the vehicle is not very stylish.
A few questions for the forum members:
1) Is there an aux input for mp3 players?
2) anyone drive one with the sport package? it was not available at the dealer we went to. comments?
3) how is the visibility? I drove the vehicle, but I have not owned a SUV before. It's hard to compare the visibility of this car to the smaller cars I am used to.
4) Anyone seen the blue exterior or brown interior? comments?
5) Do people think the steering wheel has a rather long radius?
To me, the last generation's MDX was a solid performer in the safety category with ample room for hauling stuff. But
the handling and braking performance were poor. They've focused on these 2 major issues, and I think they have a very solid car for this segment.
thx