Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Acura MDX vs Mazda CX-9

mageshmagesh Member Posts: 33
edited September 2014 in Acura
Hello

I have been plagued for the past few weeks as to which one to buy/lease.

FYI, I currently drive a 06 TL with Nav & well conversant with the Acura badge & quality. I love the way my car drives; takes corners; the 'manual' mode; the feel & the luxury of the car.

However I have to give up the sedan to a CUV/SUV due to health reasons (bad back!!!).

I have looked @ the following: Ford Edge/Lincoln MK, Toyota Highlander, Acadia/Enclave, RDX, MDX, CX9, X5, ML350 & tribeca. As can be seen the range is wide; but at the end of the first cycle we decided that we must have the following:
a) Power passenger seat
b) Power liftgate
c) Memory seating
d) Bluetooth

Based on the above, the only ones that remained were MDX, CX9, X5, ML350. The others missed something or another (example: Highlander had everything except the memory seating!!!! RDX did not have a power passenger seat!!! - and they both cost close to $37K.). X5 & MB got rejected due to price - over the $49.9K threshold that we were willing to accept. (We would have ponied that up as well; but did not see any fantastic value add for the extra $10K compared to the MDX imo.)

So we are left with CX9 & MDX. Feature to feature they both rank pretty much the same. MDX has the moonroof + heated seats for the 2nd row; while the CX9 has blind spot system & keyless go. True the SH-AWD is slightly (imho) better than the GTAWD (i drove both the vehicles one after another thru' some very twisty turns @ 45mph & decidely the MDX stuck like glue to the road with almost negligible roll; while the GT took the same but there was a more pronounced roll). Road noise/wind noise, again imo, were similar. But the CX9 had more cargo room than the MDX. (However the wife hated the safety belt that comes across the view for the middle 2nd row passenger in the CX9). Performance wise they line up close. I'm not doing NASCAR now nor plan to in the near future. All I need is torque for passing power & both vehicles give me that - even though the MDX was a bit slower.

Also the $ to $ figure: the CX9 is significantly cheaper. I'm planning to lease the CX9 & the wife wants to buy the MDX. I want to use it & dispose it off; while the wife wants to see if we'll keep it. CX9 lease rates are much lesser than the MDX. (I still can't find a trusted site to help me find the invoice on the MDX and I have always relied on Edmunds.)

So at the end of it; I'm not sure if my comparision of MDX vs CX9 is even right - meaning comparing to apples to apples? The base attributes are the same as I stated before. The wife loves the MDX; I'm not too thrilled. The design/shape is blunt imo. But I love the interior cockpit better than the CX9. (I loved Tribeca even more.) Plus the Acura badge - you cant bring that close to the CX9.

Hence for the folks who bought the MDX - did you compare it to the CX9? If so, why did you choose MDX even though it cost more? What's so special about the MDX? Looks? Cost? Oomph factor? Resale? Etc ..

Any input will always be highly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

M
«1

Comments

  • bimmerguy288bimmerguy288 Member Posts: 21
    I am in the same boat. I test drove the MDX but not the CX-9. I like the CX-9's exterior better, more sporty looking, without the hawk-like grill. The MDX's interior quality is definately a step up from the CX-9, except a few areas. The CX-9's 2nd row can slide back and forth a few inches to create more rooms for the 3rd row.

    For me, the MDX has a bit more "prestige" than the CX-9, longer warranty, "free" roadside assistance, much better stereo and navigation and you get a loaner car when you bring it to the dealer for service.

    Good luck with your decision.
  • 99zoomr99zoomr Member Posts: 55
    "However the wife hated the safety belt that comes across the view for the middle 2nd row passenger in the CX9"

    If you are not using the middle seat in the second row, there's a small slot in the seatbelt latch. You can use a key or anything that will fit in the slot to unlatch it, then the seatbelt rolls up into a slot in the roof and is no longer in your view. Have fun shopping!
  • pei4lifepei4life Member Posts: 16
    I was in the same boat as you were...looking for a 7 passenger with the luxury feel. I had 3 suv in mind...mdx, highlander, and cx9. I waited for the 08 highlander to come out...but once i saw the body style and the price you get...i nixed it. for about 40k for limited..it wasn't worth it. I was set on mdx until i saw that cx9 got suv of the year. It really didn't mean much because a few top luxury suv were not in the test. But nonetheless...i figure i stop by to test drive since Mazda was next door to Acura. I test drove the cx9 and was surprised how great it felt (driving wise). The salesman was really good..he let me do all sorts of stop and go, twist and turn on the road and very quick sharp turn. I was very surprised how great it handled. Yes you are right...all the features were the same on a GT CX-9 and MDX tech/ent. The price was was less on the mazda...like 8,000 difference for the same type of car. Especially given that the cx9 had more cargo and easier third row access. I wanted my wife to test drive it with me but she didn't want anything to do with a Mazda product. I was a previous RL owner and saw the reliability of it. In the end, i purchased a 08 mdx tech/ent. My main reason is that i am not sure about Mazda's reliability and value. I know they have improved over the last feel years...also i noticed that the CX9 is based on a Ford Edge. So i was terrified. I am happy with my MDX. I could have gone with a MDX tech package but i talked myself into the entertainment package because of the power liftgate. Yes, i know i spent more than i should but hopefully it will last me for a long time. I hope this helps in your decision.
  • bill124bill124 Member Posts: 246
    I went through this and had 2 Mazda MPVs -- both reliable. Made mistake of thinking about MDX and let wife test drive it and when she compared to CX-9 she said it was night and day. MDX heavier, more solid ride, etc. Don't not go with CX-9 because it's a Mazda and you have quality concerns. Do it for some other reason. CX-9 I think allows reg. gas -- not sure about grand touring but definitely other models. I know it's not that much but it all adds up. I really liked CX-9 but wife wanted MDX and I have mercedes convertible so it was hard to convince her that for her and kids they get Mazda. Acura is simply higher end. Compared to minivan, MDX gave up a lot of space and my mileage per gallon for all local is like 12.5 -- not good but only 750 miles to date.
  • mageshmagesh Member Posts: 33
    Made the decision: We are buying the MDX.

    As pei4life & bill124 indicated, my 'decision' ( :blush: ) was made by my wife. My wife, a conservative lady, did not want anything to do with Mazda & as previous owners of Acuras & Mazdas, she knows first hand that Acuras are more reliable. And better resale value. Hence the MDX.

    We are getting the black/blacl with roof rails & Xbars and running boards.

    So atleast for the next 2 years, the MDX is 'it'.

    Thanks again to edmunds.com forum members. Always helpful.
  • waverleywaverley Member Posts: 10
    Congratulations on your decision. I am facing the same decision.

    We are looking for an SUV for our second home in Colorado to replace our Subaru impreza WRX. ( waaaaaay too small and the stick shift is annoying for me and impossible for our sons. Younger son has not yet learned to drive stick shift. Older son, who learned under duress, reckoned he would rather sit at home and starve to death than have to drive the stick shift out to get sustenance.)

    We purchased 2007 MDX with navigation for our primary residence about 6 months ago. I am pretty happy with it. Overall I like it, but there are minor things that annoy me.

    The car in Colorado, while not being used every day, needs to fulfill a lot of different needs and functions. It will be doing a lot of highway driving between Denver and the mountains. It needs to handle well in snow. It needs to be cool enough to fit the image of my son, the CU college student. It needs to be big enough to haul disparate groups of people and baggage, boxes, furniture etc as well as all his college possessions when moving.

    I had not originally wanted to spend over $40 000 on a car which is used only occasionally so had not included the MDX in my research. Looked at Hyundai Veracruz, Subaru Tribeca, Toyota highlander and settled on Mazda Grand Touring CX9. Liked the looks, interior volume, legroom, ease of accessing 3rd row of seats, blue tooth. I LOVED the keyless start and power liftgate trunk. ( That was one of the things I had compromised on when buying the Acura.)

    My husband wanted to revisit our decision regarding the Acura and rightly pointed out that if we forego the nav package ( which I don't want anyway) it brings the cost down to about $37 000, which is still about $5000 more than what we would pay for the GT with the features we want.

    Admittedly, I have only briefly test driven the mazda so I don't know if there will be minor things that annoy me about it.

    I want to buy something this weekend as I can't take another week of having my knees up to my chin while my son's knees poke me in the back in the Subaru.

    Any input will be appreciated.
  • nxs138nxs138 Member Posts: 481
    if we forego the nav package ( which I don't want anyway) it brings the cost down to about $37 000, which is still about $5000 more than what we would pay for the GT with the features we want.

    The base model Acura MDX, which does not include NAV, starts at $40k. How do you get to $37k--are you talking about invoice price?

    The CX-9 is nice and sporty, and is one of my top choices. You might want to take a look at the GMC Acadia if you want something that is slightly bigger, and is probably a bit more easier to get into the third row if you get captains chairs. The CX-9 feels more nimble than the Acadia, though.
  • waverleywaverley Member Posts: 10
    Sorry, I was looking at the wrong quote. I was given a price of around $38 500 before taxes and fees.
    Yes, did look at Acadia also before settling on Mazda.
    Thanks
  • mageshmagesh Member Posts: 33
    The one good thing is the timing of your purchase. This is one of the best times to buy your car.

    My needs were very specific. We looked at a wide range & ended up with the MDX. Plus it was the wife's decision ... :-)

    After driving the MDX for a week, I like it. I still think about the CX9 in relation to the keyless entry & the blind spot monitoring system. I do miss those two things.

    CX9 is a good car; but I doubt if it has the same road handling skills/ability has the MDX.

    Since you have the MDX, try the CX9. You'll notice that the build quality is not in the same league as the MDX. Plus the CX9 is based on the Ford Edge/Lincoln MK platform.

    On the CX9 the dashboard will look 'cheap' compared to the MDX. ANother thing: you cannot enter destination address in the nav system while driving on the CX9. In the MDX you can.

    Another suggestion: See if there is a rental place that will allow you to rent the CX9 for a week. Compare it.

    Good luck.
  • waverleywaverley Member Posts: 10
    You raise a lot of good points. Good idea about renting the CX9. However, I have found in the past, that most of the car rental companies seem to have only American products.
  • pei4lifepei4life Member Posts: 16
    the mazda dealer here in the Dallas area will actually let you take the cx-9 home for a day to try it out. that's a really good option since you can try it at your own leisure without a salesman behind your back. go see if your dealer will allow this. I recently bought an 08 mdx...like it very much but still think about the cx9 sometimes because of the low price.
  • wtliao321wtliao321 Member Posts: 35
    I started to search the second car for my family back in September. CX-9, MDX, and 08 Highlander were on my final list. The original first choice was 08 Highlander because my previous car (now is my wife's) was 07 Camry XLE V6, and I love its smart key, touch-screen Nav, powerful/smooth 3.5L V6, and comfort ride, but I dislike Camry's cheap interior design and plastic/leather seat. The Interior design in 08 highlander looks much better in pictures, but when I sat in, the same cheap feeling coming back to me. The cabin feels small and narrow, the cargo space after 3rd row seat is vert limited. Besides, the MSRP full-loaded Limited model is closed to 42K! Even after discount it still costs 38K. HID is not even an option (very important to me) so It is off my list.

    Then I saw CX-9 won Motor Trend SUV of the year, and GT model looks very sharp. It also comes with HID and bigger interior room. Fully loaded GT is probably cheapest (36K) and it also has 0% finance. But it didn't win out because:
    1. Nav is poorly designed.
    2. You can't have moonroof and rear DVD entertainment system at the same time.
    3. 20" Alloy wheel looks nice but ride is bumpy.
    4. Only one button for both the drive and passenger heated seats..

    At last I choice MDX tech/ent for 42.3K (MSRP is 46K). At the first test drive I know it is going to be my car and I didn't even look back. The handling with SH-AWD is the best, and it's suprisingly very comfy and quiet. I feel like driving a sports car! The interior is totally luxury: the leather seats are soft and comfortable, my wife loves 2nd row heated seat and trio-zone climate control. My 10-months old baby falls asleep everytime she gets in it. The ELS 10-speaker surrend-sound system is amazing. Nav is easy to use and voice command system is accurately recognize what I said. However, my only complaints:
    1. Gas mileage is not so great. I get 17 in city/20 hwy (coming from 22/31 V6 Camry)
    2. Bluetooth is not easy to use. Only AT&T Sony Errison fully supports phonebook transfer..Toyota's bluetooth can allow you edit your own phone book and speed dial on touch screen is so much easier for me.

    Even though it's 4K-6K more than CX-9 and Highlander, it's totally worthy it!
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    Yeah, I saw that on the website (DVD or sunroof). That's ridiculous. Honda did that w/ the Pilot for first few years but eventually offered both. I think that's the same w/ the Audi Q7 if I'm not mistaken.
  • waverleywaverley Member Posts: 10
    Okay, we did it!
    Drumroll please.
    We went with the Acura MDX . No additional packages this time. Up until 2 weeks ago, we had narrowed the choices down to the Highlander and the Mazda CX9 Grand Touring. Would have been happy with either but chose the Mazda because it had more rear cargo room than the Highlander and the rear seat of the highlander can not be split and folded down.LOved the smart key,( While I did like the heated washer fluid and the snow package on the highlander as this car is primarily for a second home in snow country, the Mazda was the best fit overall)
    Then, as I mentioned before, my husband wanted to revisit the Acura as we have, at home, the 2007 model with tech package and he likes it, feels it is a known quantity and has the stability, and solid feel he is looking for. I decided that going with his choice was the best decision. As this car will do very low mileage we will most likely keep it a long time. If the Mazda was found to be lacking in any way, I did not want to have to listen for the next 10 years to his plaintive voice saying, " I TOLD you we should have bought the Acura."
    So everyone is happy.
    We did not go with the Tech package on this one. Again, if we keep the car for 8 to 10 years, the GPS will be obsolete long before then. For the limited times that we need it,I would rather buy a hand held one which can be upgraded every couple of years. I will miss the back up camera. Hopefully, we won't run over any pedestrians. I won't miss the voice command system as it doesn't understand me most of the time and I end up swearing at the car. ( I am so pathetic!)
    The base model has a very good package and had everything we needed.
    Will post what the final price was. Not sure as I walked out and left DH to do the negotiating.
    Thanks to all for all the advice and input.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Will post what the final price was. Not sure as I walked out and left DH to do the negotiating.

    My wife did that to me one year (she had to get back to work). An hour later I got to tell her I got mad at the dealer and walked out on them. :shades:

    Please rate your dealer experience too:

    Dealer Ratings and Reviews

    Enjoy the new ride!
  • waverleywaverley Member Posts: 10
    Please rate your dealer experience too:

    Will do. I have to go back on Friday as I have to get the roof racks installed and give them the regular wheels on my trade-in. ( we have snow tires on now).
    I want to see how the whole transaction goes down before I make my final judgment.
    So far, there were things that irked me but I want to give the benefit of the doubt and see if things improve.
    Once we had agreed to the transaction, our salesman dropped us like week old rotten fish and left us waiting around while he went off to pursue another potential sale. Obviously, we had to wait for the financing and all the other details to be finalised but even after everything was ready to go, we still had to wait around for him because he had other bait on the hook. He was knowledgeable about the car when he finally got around to us, so as I said, I will wait until everything is finalised before I comment.
  • columbusacuracolumbusacura Member Posts: 7
    I realize this thread is a few week old now, but I'll share a few thoughts in case anyone else stumbles across it via Google (as I did).

    A few notable corrections to some of the earlier posts:

    (1) As mentioned, the 2nd row seatbelt in the CX-9 *can* be retracted and hidden.

    (2) The CX-9 does share the same platform as the Ford Edge but is substantially longer. There are some other big differences. It uses an Aisin transmission, which is also used by Toyota I believe. The engine is also Japanese-made.

    (3) Like the MDX, Mazda does have Roadside assistance (for the 3-year warranty period).

    (4) There are two buttons for the heated seats, not just one for both seats (?) as wtliao32 suggested. Maybe I misunderstood him? It is true there is only one heat setting (no high/low).

    Our past three vehicles were 2004 Acura TL, 2003 4Runner and 2008 Acura TSX. We were looking mainly at the Highlander and MDX (and Explorer, Acadia and Expedition) before "stumbling" across the CX-9, which we eventually went with. On a 3-year lease, a loaded CX-9 is still about $70 cheaper per month than a base MDX (without Nav/backup camera, etc). This was one factor, among many, in our decision.
  • crfrcrfr Member Posts: 1
    I found this thread while researching the CX-9, which we just bought. I looked at the MDX as well, and while I think there are some things I liked about the MDX a little better, the fact that the CX-9 is compared to the much more expensive MDX and not a loaded Honda Pilot, which is priced similarly to the CX-9, is a win for the CX-9. We traded in an Infiniti FX45 for the Mazda, very very powerful and sporty, and have no regrets. If you can afford the MDX, want the status of an Acura, need a sunroof and a DVD player, or want the sportiest handling, go for it the MDX. But the CX-9 is truly a beautifully designed and executed vehicle. They are much rarer than the MDX's. If you want the best 3rd row access and comfort, get the CX-9. If you want the most bang for your buck, its the Mazda again. Good Luck.
  • suharshsuharsh Member Posts: 33
    This is a year thread but the topic is still applicable. I have been living with this dilemma for two - three weeks now. Finally pulled the trigger today - Acura MDX. Trust me it wasn't an easy choice.

    CX-9:

    33K + TTL (with Navigation package, bose/moonroof) Grand Touring. No special financing ... cash or 6 to 7% 60 months

    Acura:

    38.7 + TTL (Tech package) + some freebies.

    As you can see the difference was about 5.5 grand. I test drove both vehicles on the day of purchase twice each. It basically came to driving and handling --> The MDX was more confident on the road even though it wasn't as smooth as the CX-9.

    CX-9 had some good points- blind spot monitoring, 20 inch wheels. However I guess it was the driving of MDX, Extra Warranty, Reliability and Label / Brand status that drove me to that conclusion. Also I had been at three Mazda dealers before hitting the lowest price ... all 3 were bad experiences in terms of customer service. The same at Acura was more pleasant, even though there were a few unpleasant moments. But overall very courteous at Acura.

    Also the Bose sound system in CX-9 sucked whereas the Acura one is excellent. I do some surround encoding and CX-9 couldn't even recognize the files, but Acura played them!

    Whereas I had initially thought that MDX had 3rd row seats for namesake, I actually found out that they were more comfortable than those of CX-9.

    My wife is only 5 ft 1" and the CX-9 seat didn't go up that much as did the Acura.

    I wish I had money to buy both! It was truly a difficult one. I think you can't go wrong with either. If you don't have that 40K (but have 30K) don't think of MDX, but if you have it, don't think about CX-9.

    Hope this helps someone if in the same quandary!!!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    We'll update the title a little; meanwhile, congrats on the new ride (and thanks for the report)!
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    Other than the $5.5K, I bet you did not factor in the maintenance cost difference.
    They charge you "luxuriously" at Acura/Lexus. Your 1st oil change will wake you up. At Lexus, that will be about $187!!! compared to what I got for my Mazda $25.
    Including tire rotation, that is still less than $45. For a typical Lexus, the 60K service runs about $1000. For a Mazda, it costs about $4-500 at most.
    Anyway, it costs to carry a badge, which I personally do not care as much as you do.

    > My wife is only 5 ft 1" and the CX-9 seat didn't go up that much as did the Acura
    This is one legit reason for choosing MDX over CX9. No doubt. You got to make the wife happy.

    Acura's audio system has been one of the best. The one on CX9 is good but can't compare.

    I did not choose MDX because of
    - styling
    - roominess
    I am a big fan of SH-AWD, but most people probably don't care at all, or don't get to use it enough to appreciate its value.

    Anyway, I am sure MDX will also have better resale value. I own my vehicles for 7-8 years, therefore, resale value does not concern me that much.

    Reliability? My CX9 has been trouble-free (other than 1 assembly defect inside window mechanism and 2 TSBs).

    Overall, depending how people value their $5.5K dollars, I would say that Mazda CX9 still have the best "bang for the buck" value in this class. It desires a test-drive, at least.
  • tastycakes55tastycakes55 Member Posts: 35
    Well stated. I was ready to pull the trigger on a Q5 back in April but realized the cargo space just wasn't adequate.

    I've been going back and forth since between the CX-9, MDX, Venza, Pilot, Highlander, Q7, X5, and now throw the Outback into the mix.

    This is the toughest segment to shop, IMO. If it were going to be my driver I'd pull the trigger on a CX-9 but as it's for the wife she likes the Pilot best but can't get over its looks and marginal price difference between it and the MDX.

    Every vehicle in this class is excellent for a specific group of people but has a serious flaw for everyone else. The X5 is great but hard to justify the price. The Highlander meets all needs but doesn't really excel in any area (IMO). The Venza is too expensive for where it should compete (for a V6 AWD) and has terrible blind spots. The Pilot is just butt ugly and lacks some of the more luxury quality in the Venza and CX-9. The Q5 and Q7 lack cargo space (surprisingly) and the Q7 has quality issues from what I've heard.

    The MDX is at the top of my list for a car I hope to have in time to lug the family on a long thanksgiving trip but it's hard to buy knowing people were able to get 08 MDXs this time last year at around 32k for a base and 34-35k for a Tech.

    To keep this on topic I wish there was another way to distinguish the CX-9 and MDX other than making it do you want to pay for the Acura badge and resale value.

    Decisions decisions!
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    This is off topic, but if you are thinking about Highlanders,...
    It uses a very very special tire size (for the V6 models)
    245/55R19
    http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?skipOver=true&width=245%2F&r- atio=55&diameter=19&x=12&y=8
    As you can see from tirerack.com, there is only ONE choice, which is the OE tire.
    The OE Bridgestone Dueler is very bad for its price. It sucks on snow (see tirerack.com's review).

    Yes, CX9 also uses the same Dueler, but with 245/50R20 or 245/60R18. Both tire sizes have many other alternatives.
    Just some things to ponder on before you commit to buy.
  • suharshsuharsh Member Posts: 33
    Ceric,

    Good points ... it was a very tough decision I have made, after many difficult weekends. CX-9 has many features that MDX doesn't. If I had bought CX-9 I would still have thought about MDX and wondering if I made the correct decision and ofcourse vice-versa!

    I still miss two cars, I had eliminated earlier --> Ford Flex and Buick Enclave .... an oh I forgot to mention the mini vans :)

    Even the insurance on Acura is more than CX-9 ... but I knew this before the purchase.

    I know a guy who makes boat loads of money ... he changes his cars very frequently ... he doesn't even do any research or no after thoughts ... right? But for me (and probably for you) ... we just have sufficient money to buy one of these ... that is what makes the decision the most difficult!

    So ... let's enjoy our cars ... yours is great too ... probably as good as MDX.
  • suharshsuharsh Member Posts: 33
    Just to add, the 5.5K difference is in a way not accurate. The mazda dealer was asking for me to forego $3K in incentives, if I wanted to avail the special financing from Mazda - I believe 2.9% for 5 years.

    So really the difference would have been 2.5K!
  • sedmundsedmund Member Posts: 93
    We were in the same boat 2 years ago deciding between CX9 and MDX. We had narrowed it down to these two and did quite a few test drives/comparisons of both. The price difference was around 5K. One of the main things I liked about the CX9 was its steering, it was surprisingly quite comminicative, especially for a vehicle of this size. My wife loved features like the keyless start, rain-sensing wipers and power tailgate. We ended up buying the CX9 and we enjoyed the car. For about a year.
    The first disappointment came when the CX9 faced the second snowy winter. It was so absolutely horrendous in snow that it was shocking! We have had cars and minivans before, but none this bad. And this in fact was our first AWD utility vehicle and we thought we are all set for winters and boy were we wrong! We realized that this was because of the factory tires that the CX9 came with, though we had put on less than 20K miles on these tires and found out many CX9 users were complaining about the same issue from many forums.
    So half-way thru this second winter we replaced the tires and I put on Yokohama Parada spec-x's. The Paradas were a huge improvement over the original Bridgeston Duelers in snow. But to my disappointment gone was the edge in the communicative steering, it's not bad but it no more had the difference to me that made it stand out compared to other SUV/CUV's in this class. Of course may be if I have one set of summer tires and one set of winter tires may be I will be able to enjoy this vehicle more, but I don't want to deal with all that with an AWD SUV (I already do that with my car). Other than that CX9 overall is ok, but I also feel it's not aging well, I feel that the engine has become louder and hear engine whines which weren't there before.

    And finally in general the service dealership experience isn't great with Mazda (I have tried 2 different dealerships) compared to the kind of service two of my friends get with their Acuras. May be this is a co-incidence and not to be generalized, but may be this has to do with the premium (especially Acura) vs non-premium brand. In fact once it was ridiculous that the dealership told me that to address a service bulletin I may have to leave the car with them for 2 days because they may have to order parts once they start working on my car and find out that it needs some parts, but as the overall time take actually spent on my car will be less than 4 hours they can't give me a loaner car! I know my friends that have Acura get a loaner car every time even when they just go for basic service. So some of the money you pay upfront for a brand like Acura you get back indirectly by this kind of better service and of course the better resale value. So the actual difference may not be 5K but something less.

    So overall, though we are not totally disappointed with the CX9, we are definitely not as excited as before. Our CX9 lease is getting over next year and it's decision time one more time but I would definitely lean towards Acura much more this time. Let's see. Of course I understand that these are our experiences and yours and others' may be different.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    So, you are disappointed by CX9 because of tires and dealership service.
    Is that correct? Not by the vehcile itself.

    Tires can be replaced. One can always find another dealer. My dealer is very nice.
    Actually much better than my old BMW dealer, which was basically outright arrogant. I don't know about how much Acura charge for basic oil service to allow a loaner car for you. As far as I know, even for Lexus, you need repairs or major services (15K/30K/45K/60K) to get a free loaners. That is the experiences from my co-worker. i.e. the 5,000 mile service which costs $187 does not include a loaner car. Seriously, a loaner car probably costs dealer only $50 or less.

    My local Mazda dealer provides loaner for repairs and TSB fixes.
    For loaner, they send you to a nearby Hertz, which charge about $50 for a Camry.
    The so-called "free-loaner" is out of your own pocket. Nothing to celebrate about.

    P.S. people over-maintain their vehicles. The so-call 15K/30K/45K/60K services are scams if you ask me. Other than typical oil changes (motor, transmission), modern vehicles do not require lots of maintenances until 100K. One can always change filters by themselves for costs of parts only.... :)
    BTW, CX9 has life-time transmission fluid which is not required to be changed by intervals. Is that the same with Acura MDX?
  • my3rdrxmy3rdrx Member Posts: 167
    I think you all should do what I and my wife did ~ we got both ~ and we love them both :)!
  • koho955koho955 Member Posts: 97
    I am driving a 3 year old 2007 Acura MDX (Base model) that came with the Bridgestone Dueler tires. I have gone through 3 brutal super snowy Chicago winters and I never noticed a problem with these tires. This is my third AWD SUV and these tires seem to work just fine in deep snow or snow-packed roads.
  • tastycakes55tastycakes55 Member Posts: 35
    This has been the most exhaustive car decision I've ever had to make. It's taken nearly 9 months and at different points I was within hairs of buying a Q5, X5, CX-9, and Venza.

    Lots of long holiday car rides over the next couple months forced me to make a decision. I loved the Q5 best but eliminated it for not having as much cargo space as I need. I didn't love the X5 enough to warrant paying the 10k more (how I wanted equipped) over a MDX w/Tech + Ent. The Venza did not appeal at all to my spouse.

    So it came down to the CX-9 or the MDX. For me it came down to personal preference. Since it would be my wife's daily driver, I let her decide. I wanted to get a loaded 2010 CX-9...it was where the value was strongest and I prefer the styling and drive. She preferred the badge, residual value, and SH-AWD on the MDX.

    So, we bought an MDX. I'm happy that she's happy, but still a bit disappointed I won't get to drive the CX-9 on the weekends when I'm running the errands!
  • koho955koho955 Member Posts: 97
    Last week I went back and forth between a fully loaded Mazda CX-9 Vs the Toyota Highlander. I don't know if it was the dealer (or lack of them) but I was't confident in the Mazda build quality and all the complaints I have been reading. I went with a car which is a whole different story.
    Be glad you didn't go with the BMW X5. After owning 2 of them I will never buy another BMW as long as I live unless I hit the Lotto. The up-keep for repairs gets out of control and they are constantly broken.
    My 2007 MDX (first year of this build) had really loose steering when going down a road or highway over 45 MPH. I was always adjusting. Did they solve this problem?
    The MDX was flawless...never anything but oil changes in the 3 years I owned it!
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    In that case, a better tire will surprise you even more.
    The bad reviews from tirerack.com on the Bridgestone Dueler was not all done by me. The score of 4.x vs 8.x is shocking to say the least.
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    You needed to own TWO BMWs to learn the lesson?
    I owned one ('98 BMW 540iA) and that was enough for me.
    BMW = Break My Wallet.
    I lost count of the amount of problems I had with my 540iA.
    After owning it for 9 years, I finally got rid of it.
    I estimated that I spent about $4000 on repairs AFTER OE warranty.
    That is not a lie. No major issues, just a bunch of smaller ones (except for the entire cooling system needed to be replaced).

    Early models of CX9 have some minor annoying issues (mainly electronics integration and noises in suspension, etc.) The transmission is as solid as Lexus (same supplier), the engine drinks 87 octane and yet it is responsive, powerful and torquey.
    My 2008 CX9 with 23K miles had only 1 small assembly issue inside the rear doors. Other than that solid still, no rattling, noises, in the cabin. Can't say the same thing about my wife's Toyota Prius... (lots of rattling, but 0 problem).
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    I visited SF Autoshow this past weekend, and I own a 2008 CX9.
    I have to admit that the interior quality of MDX is one-step ahead of CX9 (though 2010 CX9 comes with a much nicer leather - softer).
    I guess that is where you spend the money on. I am sure the stereo system is better also. However, the 3rd room remains pretty tight for MDX.

    I hope the new MDX had better transmission that the infamous ones on '01-05 MDX (and many other Hondas). I had a '01 Odyssey. At 80K, the transmission started to show slow engagement. I traded it in within days. I heard that the new 2010 MDX has the new Honda 6-speed transmission. Hopefully, Honda has learned their lesson from the transmission failure before.

    MDX is really nice, but I needed the extra space of a CX9.
    I was also disappointed that some features I like such as the SmartKey remains unavailable on Acura MDX (only RL and ZDX).

    The ZDX when fully loaded costs about $57K. I don't know what Acura has been drinking, but for a luxury "wagon" with 3.7L V6, who is going to pay that much $$$ for it. We will see.... Compared with ZDX, MDX certainly is a much better value.
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    "The ZDX when fully loaded costs about $57K. I don't know what Acura has been drinking, but for a luxury "wagon" with 3.7L V6, who is going to pay that much $$$ for it. We will see.... Compared with ZDX, MDX certainly is a much better value"

    ...not to mention that the ZDX is:

    1) not in the same class as the MDX or CX-9 because Honda/Acura considers it a sports sedan with a hatch crossover (which in my opinion is a big mix of uncertainy to define WHAT that thing really is).
    2) ZDX only seat five versus 7 like the MDX and CX-9 and,
    3) (subjective) that thing they call ZDX is by the far the ugliest creation yet by Honda/Acura also trailed by the "Accord Crosstour" which is essentially a badging engineering.

    No thanks...I will kepp my CX-9 anyday, anytime!!
  • dreamcast18dreamcast18 Member Posts: 5
    We were looking @ the Q7, MDX and CX9. Test drove all of them.

    Q7 was overpriced and underpowered for the V6. Then Acura came out with the 4K incentives putting the CX9's cheaper pricing completely moot.

    Picked up a spanking new MDX for 33K + 0% financing. Was a no brainer at that time. Love the car.
  • 10sfan10sfan Member Posts: 136
    Can you share the name of the dealersip with me?
  • caprice2caprice2 Member Posts: 34
    Can u pls share the dealer. That is the best price I heard so far for new MDX Base.
    I believe the financing is not 0 % , i only heard of 0.9% & 2.9%.
    If possible the salesman, pls email capricorn-70@hotmail.
    thx in advance :)
  • rbairbai Member Posts: 8
    Could you share the dealer information with me as well at gracewb@gmail.com? BTW, where I can find that $4000 incentive information?

    Thanks a bunch!
  • sedmundsedmund Member Posts: 93
    I leased my CX9 in 2007 and the lease end is coming up in June this year. This time I'm planning to buy the vehicle and surprisingly for what we are looking for the choices right now are coming down to the same 2 vehicles that we had come down to in 2007! The CX9 and the MDX. Right now we are slightly leaning toward the CX9 again though it has some shortcomings, as it seems to be the best value for money and the features we are looking for (specifically keyless start, Xenons, rain-sensing wipers and BSM).
    I typically don't give too much importance to resale values as we have typically kept our vehicles for a long time in the past - except of course this CX9 which we have leased. But I just compared in kbb.com the resale value of 2007 CX9 (GT AWD) and 2007 MDX Tech models. When I shopped in 2007 the best deal I got for the MDX was about 4.5K more that the price I could get for the CX9 both new at that time. But I was shocked to see in kbb.com that the trade-in price of the 2007 CX9 comes in at 11K less than the 2007 MDX (I put in 40K miles which is what I have on my CX9 now)! Is this for real? I thought kbb.com isn't necessarily accurate for used car prices but at least a guideline? Is kbb.com completely off the mark here, anybody have any comments on this?

    Thanks.
  • jcpharmjcpharm Member Posts: 92
    couple reasons i can think of off the bat:
    1) you noted the new price on 07 Acura was $4500 more than 07 CX9 so it started higher to begin with.
    2) 07 CX9 has since had an engine upgrade in 08 so that may add to depreciation relative to other CX9 model years (only time will tell).
    3) Acura (and Honda in general) have high reliability ratings and resell value. it is a luxury brand and is thus reflected in the marketplace with higher resell value.

    If resell value is one of your highest priorities, Acura will beat Mazda every time.
  • vg33e powervg33e power Member Posts: 314
    What he said ^ plus for depreciation purposes you are comparing apples to oranges.

    Acura is a "premium luxury" brand whereas Mazda is not. A better apples to apples comparison would be a Honda Pilot. However, bottom line Acura/Honda will always beat Mazda as far as residual/depreciation/resale value. Even if Mazda has neared or equaled the bar set by Honda, the fact that people have made Honda's image be what it is for years helps the resale value of any Acura/Honda vehicle.

    Now as far as design and handling...Mazda outright beats Acura/Honda anytime hands down!
  • sedmundsedmund Member Posts: 93
    Guys, I definitely understand that Acura is going to beat CX9 in the resale value department, it's no surprise and I was/am fully aware of that fact. I was just taken aback by the scale of the difference in such a short time, especially given that their price wasn't that far apart to begin with.
  • sedmundsedmund Member Posts: 93
    BTW, Edmund's Used car Appraiser shows a difference of just 6K between the two (as opposed to the 11K that kbb shows).
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    edited April 2010
    If resale value was everything, everyone would be buying the same vehicle.
    Luckily we have many choices, and resale value is merely one factor of many.

    CX9 is much cheaper to maintain.
    An oil change + car wash only cost $30 at my Mazda dealer.
    How is that at your Acura Dealer?
    Coffee, donut, who does not have that?
    My Mazda dealer also gives loaner for repairs/recalls and major service.
    Not to mention all parts and accessories are all cheaper.

    I used to own a BMW 540 for 9 years. Luxury vehicles are OVER_RATED.
    That is just my opinion, of course. :P

    In my people's mind, Acura is "near luxury".
    I used to own an Acura also. Reliability? Great. It drove just like a Honda,
    fortunately or unfortunately... My CX9 has been very reliable also for 26K miles.
    Every Toyota/Honda owners who ever sat in it praised the vehicle. Some people just have their mind set on Toyota/Honda, and never even give other brands a small chance to compare.

    If buying a vehicle is all about saving $$$, we should all be driving a Civic, which has the highest resale value of all.
  • sedmundsedmund Member Posts: 93
    Extremely high differences in resale value isn't something to completely ignore. Things like cheaper to maintain etc won't translate to 6 or 7 thousand dollars between the two in 3 years. But of course there could be other reasons why one would pick one vehicle over the other. For example, for us the keyless start and the blind spot monitoring seem so useful that we would dearly miss it. MDX doesn't have keyless start and we wouldn't consider the "Advance" to get the blind spot monitoring as it's ridiculously expensive in our opinion. Other than that, both CX9 and MDX drive well and sporty for a 7 seater of this size. MDX definitely feels more luxurious but we don't think it's worth the difference especially as the difference between the 2010 MDX and CX9 is even bigger than the difference that was there in 2007. Plus the 0% for 60 months for the CX9 sweetens the deal quite a bit. Plus we would most likely keep the CX9 for a very long time, and typically after that the resale value differences diminish big time.
    So long story short, we are most likely going to be ending our lease and end up buying a 2010 CX9 tomorrow.
    BTW, I used to own a BMW 3-series sometime back and enjoyed it thoroughly - not because it was just luxurious but because it was a blast to drive and my next car would most probably be a 2011/2012 535 :-)
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    edited April 2010
    Seriously, not a Acura MDX hater here.
    I waited for MDX to come out before I was thinking about replacing my Odyssey. If I had to classify myself, I would say I have been a Honda/Acura camper. I owned more Honad/Acura than other brands.
    The MDX was simply too small for me (the 3rd row especially).
    Yes, more luxurious and better AWD, both did not translate into $5K more value for me. I bought my CX9 fully loaded for $33K, a "comparable" MDX at that time, would have costed me more than $40K (I checked the dealer).
    Resales value is more important for those who own their vehicle only for very few years. For me, I own mine for at least 7 years. The difference in resale values deminishes as you own the vehicles for a longer period.

    So, yes, if you only plan to own MDX/CX9 for 3-5 years, you should consider resale value. Then, again, if you own a vehicle for so few years, you should consider leasing instead.

    P.S. I also waited for Pilot to come out, but was disappointed at the design (both in and out).
  • ozeyozey Member Posts: 18
    We got a new 2008 cx9, after 19k miles, not happy at all. The AUX does not work, because we have GPS and Sat. The transmission make weired noise in the 4th and 6th gears, Mazda said its normal in some cars. The interior is shabby, the knobs are falling a part. I can't wait to get rid of it!
  • cericceric Member Posts: 1,092
    edited April 2010
    The mentioned GPS/Aux/Sat issue is a design oversight for 2007-8. There is an extra accessory needs to be installed for it (a switch box).
    Transmission problem? Take it to another dealer for second opinion.
    Remind you that the transmission is from Lexus/Toyota's supplier (Aisin), not the infamously problematic Honda transmission.
    Interior shabby? Knobs falling off? Mine is very much intact. It makes so much less rattles and noises than my wife's Prius. Also, much quieter than our replaced Odyssey, the most noisy vehicle I ever owned (a 2001).
  • ozeyozey Member Posts: 18
    I took it to the dealer and asked for the switch to be installed, the dealer said he can't install the AUX switch, because of the GPS and SAT. Basically no way to have everything.I did not want to disconnect the SAT. So I gave up on that.

    Regarding the transmission noise, I will tape the noise and call CarTalk and see what they recommend. Then, I will take it to a private mechanic and get some advice. Most likely I will trade the car for a different brand!
This discussion has been closed.