Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Acura MDX (pre-2007)
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
/direct/view/.eea61db
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
A lease administration fee charged by the leasing company, much like points on a mortgage. This fee is often not explicitly specified in your contract, but is included in your Cap Cost when calculating monthly payments. You should ask about it if you don't see it mentioned. This fee is typically in the range of $250 to $800 which, on the high end, borders on being a "junk fee" that only adds to the dealer's and leasing company's profit
As far as property taxes go, some dealerships automatically include it in the cap costs and divvy it among your payments along with sales tax. Others don't always. However, it looks like property taxes on leases are about to be done away with here in Texas. If for some reason they are not gone, then come Jan 1, 2002 and every year afterwards for the length of the lease, you might get a bill for property tax on your MDX. If your dealer (Acura Finance)requires this, ask for another leasing company to close your deal or inquire about SmartBuy (balloon program). It's the same as leasing except the car is in your name, there is no property tax, but the interest rate/money factor tends to be a tad higher. A lot of people in Texas are going the "balloon" route to avoid paying property taxes.
Hope this helps.
I know that the constitutional amendment was approved by voters but it's not a law yet. Why are people saying their property tax was over $700 on an RL? Our other vehicles taxes aren't even close to that!
Can't wait for JD powers update on the MDX and consumer reports in march april car issue.
If acura doen's do a good job, people will move to others and loose steam as did the ML320.
Based on the first 4.5 months of reports, I don't think MDX initial quality is anywhere near the ML320's initial level. However, I don't think it's much better than the ML320's _current_ level, so that should factor into the decision for someone comparing the two vehicles. But only time will tell, and I suspect the MDX has more upside potential.
I will take issue with the relationship of road noise to quality. This is not to defend Acura, by the way, the MDX is noisier than many of its competitors.
But it's more of a design issue than a quality control issue. Honda/Acura just doesn't seem to design a high level of quietness into their vehicles. E.g. an Accord is not as quiet as its main competition, the Camry (as well as the Passat). A Civic is noisier than a Corolla. An Odyssey is noisier than a Sienna.
That of course doesn't make it better for folks who would prefer less noise (and I'm talking about road noise and not the gas tank noise). But it's not a quality control issue.
Buyers need to do their homework and test drive the vehicles they are considering, and make an informed decision. They shouldn't "lock in" on any particular vehicle. Nor should they automatically rule out a vehicle because it has one or two qualities they don't like -- no vehicle is perfect, or even close to it. The final choice is usually a compromise of positives and negatives.
If one reads through NHTSA complaints, they'll find that virtually every popular vehicle has a number of seemingly damning complaints against it. The real key is what NHTSA does about it -- it is obligated to investigate them, and if a REAL problem exists as it relates to safety and general compliance, NHTSA will take action.
If gas sloshing around in the tank was a safety issue, the NHTSA would step in. You see the occasional post on other vehicles with similar complaints; I recall reading a sloshing complaint in the Highlander forum a few days ago (or was it the RX forum?). I can only assume the Odyssey has less soundproofing in the area of the tank, so more people can hear it. I'd imagine that if one has really sensitive ears and are specifically listening for it, they can probably hear sloshing gas in a number of vehicles that have more sound insulation.
Unfortunately, while I agree that waiting for the second year of the MDX is a good idea to help overall quality, I wouldn't expect a lot of design changes. So a higher noise level, the ability to hear more sloshing gas, etc. is probably going to continue. If one can't tolerate these, it's time to move on and look at one of the MDX's excellent competitors.
Buyers also need to be careful when evaluating subjective comments. E.g. "the seats are not comfortable" or "the seats are very comfortable." We come in so many sizes and shapes and muscle tones that one person's dream chair is another. Likewise, one person's "noisy vehicle" is another person's comfortable sanctuary.
Likewise, if it's possible at all, be sure to test drive the MDX at freeway speed to make sure the wind noise won't bother you. It is higher than some of its competitors, but it's not necessarily as bad as some reports may indicate. If you find it intolerable, then don't compromise (don't compromise on anything "intolerable").
A lot of MDX buyers or would-be buyers are transitioning from sedans and have never driven a large vehicle before, and large vehicles tend to be louder with wind noise than sedans. E.g. there are a number of RX owners who have, through the last couple of years, complained about "horrible sounds" when driving with the rear windows open. Well, I'm afraid that it's a big vehicle and opening up the rear windows at freeway speeds will do that.
Consumer Reports provides some framework information; no one puts a gun to one's head and forces them to buy the vehicle they recommend, and no one should base a buying decision too much on any review or someone else's comments. It's your decision, your responsibility. It's a lot of money, so make sure you're happy with it. If you don't think you'll be happy with the MDX, look elsewhere, as this segment is full of worthy alternatives.
I could not program the homelink transmitter (ie, the integrated garage door opener) because I have a Craftsman opener with rolling codes. The Craftsman opener does not have the training button as mentioned on the MDX manual. As a result, I could not get the transmitter to work.
Your ideas are very much appreciated. And also thanks to wmquan for the comment on the sound from gas tank.
If you have, did it fit well and without problems? Which seating position did you use? Did you use the Britax's rear tether? I would be very appreciative, thank you!
Our 5-month old is developing quite rapidly and he's almost outgrown the 29" height limitation on his infant seat (a Century Avanta SE, which we're happy with and have gotten to fit well, albeit with some slight rub on the back of the driver's seat when it's raised high enough). I'm very interested in the Britax but have heard complaints about setting it up rear-facing in some vehicles. I'll definitely buy it from a place that'll let me try it and return it.
By the way, an excellent web site that has information on which car seat fits well into your vehicle is at:
http://www.carseatdata.org/
Unfortunately, there's little MDX data at the present time.
Thanks again!
Good post on the differences. I noticed that as well. The Honda steering, in general, feels more precise than Toyota's which feels fuzzy/cushy/numb. You get the same effect when comparing the Accord and Camry. The Hondas are also noisier than the Toyotas (although I'm not sure I'd agree at the Civic/Corolla level...the old Corollas I've ridden in were noisy) and the suspension is stiffer. It'd be interesting to see if this carries over to the Odyssey/Sienna.
The MDX seems to have overboosted power steering for my taste, even though it is still precise. If you compare it to the RX300, the above differences (noise, steering, stiffness) still remain true.
The recent CR minivan comparison listed "road noise" as a negative for the Honda, and "quietness" as a positive for the Sienna (though, strangely enough, both were given above-average scores for noise comfort -- go figure!).
Similarly, the 2/01 CR review of several small sedans complained about "road noise" in the Civic. It didn't list "quietness" as a positive for the Corolla but the article text claimed it was quiet. To be fair, though, the Corolla is a bit older now and the Civic is a fresh model.
I'd prefer CR just put a decibel meter in their reviews, wouldn't be too hard.
As you know, early on Lexus emphasized highly-isolated comfort (the LS400 was a huge example of this), while Acura emphasized sportier performance. Not too far from the quieter, smoother riding Toyotas (e.g. Camry), and the somewhat peppier Hondas (Accords and Civics).
Of course, Acura lost its way and lost its edge in many places and only recently has done well with the 3.2TL and the MDX. Meanwhile, Lexus has made some deliberate movements toward the sporty side again, especially in its IS300. There's even that "Euro-tuned" Silversport edition of the RX300 coming out, though obviously it's not an X5.
It's always interesting to contrast the rivalries and the differences in philosophies and approaches. Look at the differentiation of BMW's and MB's. AMG versions aside, most folks consider BMW's more sporty and precise, and MB's more comfortable and luxurious. Both manufacturers, to their credit, strongly emphasize safety, though MB goes further.
On that note, I hope that Acura doesn't let Toyota get too far ahead on safety. Toyota's adoption of VSC for many of its vehicles is something Acura shouldn't ignore with its own VSA. And Toyota has put side curtains in the Sequoia (though not in the Highlander or RX0. The 3.2TL came out without front side airbags and front belt pretensioners (second year model fixed that), and it was a bad omission.
1) Leaking mirrors: Yes, this is a nuisance problem, but I believe it can be resolved. A couple people have reported solutions to this. Even if Acura service centers don't act on this problem, it certainly isn't something to make me change my mind about the MDX. Instead, I re-wipe the area a couple extra times after I've washed the MDX. Since we are talking about the mirror housings, I believe this is not a potential rust problem. Nevertheless, I agree it is not a good design, and I hope there is indeed an easy fix for it.
2) Wind Noise: I'm one of those former upscale Sedan drivers, and I don't notice any unusual wind noise in my base MDX. This is after putting over 8000 miles on it. I notice just as much tire noise as wind noise, but neither do I consider above acceptable for a large vehicle such as this. I still believe the roof rack is playing a significant factor into the reported wind noise issue. Tomorrow I should be able to test drive my neighbor's MDX, which has the Touring Package. Because he reports a wind noise problem when driving at 70mph, this test should help provide some conclusive evidence as to how much of a difference the roof rack makes with wind noise at highway speeds.
3) Poor Radio Reception: Not on our MDX. I think our MDX has better reception than my previous BMW.
4) Seats Rubbing: Haven't seen this problem.
5) Glove Box Ticking: Another nuisance problem that should be easily correctable.
6) Thuds in Front Suspension: Haven't seen this problem, but from previous posts, it looks like this problem is easily correctable for the few people who experience this problem.
Compare these problems to the problems reported on the 2000/2001 BMW X5, or to the problems on the first two years on the ML320. As has already been mentioned here, these problems seem insignificant even when compared to the Odyssey. To expect the MDX to have all the reliability faults of the Odyssey is very pessimistic. They share a common platform, but that doesn't mean they will share equivalent reliability records. They're built within the same factory, but they are not built on the same line using the same components. In my opinion, comparing the Odyssey to the MDX is similar to comparing the Camry to an RX300.
I could later be proven wrong, but for now I am an MDX owner who stills sees many more significant positive attributes of the MDX versus the negative problems that have been reported thus far.
Any suggestions would kindly appreciate.. thanks!
I don't know Kevin, but I would greatly appreciate it if you tell him that Rob, a former customer of Tracy Beaudry, referred you. Since I don't know Kevin, I can't predict how his customer service will be for you. However, when I took delivery, everyone at that dealership was very pleasant. The building itself wasn't upscale as I would have expected, but they were about to remodel it last October.
If you have any problems with Kevin whatsoever, I would recommend talking to Tracy Beaudry. She is their internet sales manager, and as you can guess by her last name, she carries some clout there! ;-) I also highly recommend her to anybody else who is considering one of the available MDX's I listed in Post #1648. She usually replies very quickly to emails.
I certainly don't mean to portray the MDX in a negative light. I think it's an excellent vehicle, and I agree that it will not share all the problems that the Odyssey had. My main point is that everyone needs to evaluate the vehicles fairly and watch out for the negative (and overly positive) comments. In these forums, "little problems" tend to get massively magnified, by both perfectionists, folks looking for something to focus on and debate, or the stranger element that roves around message boards looking for fights.
I think jjr's made up his mind and I chose not to debate his complaints directly; they've been well addressed by previous posts (including some from you). On the other hand, I don't want to sound like a blinded MDX fan who won't take or acknowledge any criticism of the vehicle (and you most certainly do not fall into that category), and falsely sway a potential buyer who is sensitive to some of what you and I probably agree are quibbles and not real, serious problems, especially in regards to safety.
As far as the seat rubbing go, I really think it's a trivial, non-issue. A lot of vehicles have leather or vinyl rubbing noises, and all it takes is a cloth and some leather/vinyl cleaner or conditioner. It's silly to blow up an NHTSA complaint about such a correctable problem.
Indeed, the NHTSA complaint database ranges from legitimate safety concerns to bad dealership experiences (which will vary for everyone) to outright whining.
I'll post my six-month ownership positives and negatives next month, as I hope you will too.
P.S. How's your new A4 doing? I think our next vehicle isn't 'til '03, around the time we hope to have another child. Can't predict what the choice will be that far down the line; if we had to choose today, it'd be a lower-end Passat 1.8T (170hp in the 2001.5 release) for its plethora of safety measures or a Subaru Legacy (hopefully by 2003 it'll have better safety features).
Perhaps a more paranoid person would be concerned about placing a deposit over the phone, but you shouldn't have any problems with Acura dealers. Personally, I feel a little safer leaving such a deposit with fleet sales or internet sales personnel as opposed to some of the floor sales people, but I'm probably a bit too paranoid for my own good. If your sales associate is some young kid who just started working there one week ago, then you might want to think twice about it! ;-)
One thing I strongly recommend is for you to ask for a receipt of your deposit to be mailed to you. Make sure the deposit is fully refundable, and that the refund can be performed over the phone (if the dealer isn't conveniently located for you). Also, based on what we've seen in this discussion group, try to do some research and ensure that the dealer is NOT one of those "slimy" Acura dealers who occasionally sells an MDX out from under a deposit holder to someone else who is willing to pay an extra $2000 above MSRP.
(When we ordered our MDX, I wasn't taking any chances so requested a sales manager immediately. Even though a sales associate handled the final test drive and sale, and she was very helpful, I didn't want to take any chances with the deposit.)
Since you mentioned a credit card, and just in case you've not heard of this and have a credit card that earns frequent-flyer miles or other rewards, see if the dealer can put part of the balance on your card when you make final payment. It'll vary from dealer to dealer, as they can't put a certain amount on the card without having to pay a fee. Our dealer had a $3,000 limit which they put on our frequent flyer credit card.
Glad you found an MDX in a spot you're willing to go to. With the aid of helpful posters like Rob (cotmc) and others here, and www.acuramdx.org, it's becoming easier and easier for residents of high-demand areas to bypass the greediness of some local dealerships.
I saw a post (maybe it was your's) on www.acuramdx.org about traveling to pick it up, but stopping off and skiing on the way. What a nice way to break in the vehicle if you have the time!
There have been a few serious problems reported, but those have hopefully been within a very obscure minority of the MDX's sold during the past 5 months. If anything, I would say the biggest problem we've seen, that affects more than a scant 1% of the MDX buyers, is the inconsistent sales policies and customer service treatment exhibited by many of the Acura dealerships.
In my opinion, jjr brought up some real problems, along with some other issues that are subjective and debatable. However, none of them were significant, in my opinion, especially when considering this is a large complex vehicle in its first year of production. These issues might cause a buyer who was already on the fence to reconsider an MDX purchase, or they may cause a potential "lukewarm" buyer to wait another year before purchasing an MDX, but these issues weren't cause to rant and rave, IMO.
By the way, for the price and options, I'm very pleased with my A4! I have that same 170hp engine that is going to be used in the 2001.5 Passat, and it is very peppy. Because it provides peak torque below 2000 rpm, the passing ability on this car is amazing, considering the horsepower. Thus far, I have found my A4 1.8T just as easy to pass people on our 2-lane roads as it was with my '99 328i, maybe easier! I know you mentioned some questions or unknowns regarding A4 safety, but Edmunds has always described it as a very safe vehicle, and that was before side curtain airbags were incorporated. I admit I am generally ignorant on key safety ratings and organizations.
Regarding the Passat, I understand VW will soon come out with a V8 engine for it. My main question for VW: When will they upgrade their bumper-bumper warranty beyond a mere 2-year period?
The RX300 has a low rear seat and fairly high side windows. When sitting in his child seat in the back seat of the RX300, my son could not see out the side windows. Believe it or not, that was a serious issue my wife and I had with the RX300. (He loves to look out windows when riding in our cars!) This was not an issue with the MDX or the M-Class.
Transpower
Just for your information, Tracy had charged me $70 for the rear mud flaps back in early October. However, she later told me accessory prices would be increased some. (I committed to buying some accessories before the dealer had established any permanent pricing on them.) I figured prices might increase by about 25%-50%, but NOT 150%!! Again, I don't think fleet would try to charge these prices. I'm betting the floor sales people are just trying to get some extra profit.
If you want to have those mud flaps installed at the dealer, I would recommend replying to Robert's email again, and ask him why your salesman is charging you $175 for an item that is listed as $70 on Acura's website? Maybe you can negotiate on some middle ground, like maybe $100? Either that, or install your own mud flaps (from Tim) at the dealer's lot, as you had mentioned!
Thanks to replying to Robert about my referral!
Come to think of it, our son can now see beyond the tinted windows in the MDX when I'm going to the back, and definitely recognizes me. So he also might be on his way to wanting to look out. He's pretty high up now, what with the base for the (current) infant seat as well as the higher second row seating position in the MDX (as you may recall from the brochure, the second row definitely sits higher -- or the first row sits lower, and Acura, somewhat amusingly, call it "stadium seating").
Regarding personal fit with seating, my wife says she's quite comfortable in the MDX's seats, and gave me a blank look when I told her that some complain about an off-center driving position. That reminds me of "CanadaCraig"'s complaints about the MDX's seating (mostly on www.acuramdx.org); he had such a bad fit with it that he ended up having to get rid of it.
That lets me go somewhat off-topic for a second and mention that the main obstacle for us getting a Passat in a couple of years would be the fact that the loaded 4motion wagon we drove gave her a pain in her back after 30-45 minutes drive. Very firm seats, pinched her shoulder blades and gave her a sharp pain in between. Didn't do it to me, I just noticed that the seats were REALLY firm. Hopefully in two years it might be a bit different.
Anyway, I was thumbing through a Passat review in Consumer Reports and found out that they wrote that they found the seats generally comfortable but some of their testers felt "pressure points in the seatback." My wife goes, "see?"
I'm glad you, your wife, and your son are comfortable in the MDX.
(Off-topic ... yes, the 2-year basic warranty of the Passat is a joke, but the 10/100k powertrain warranty -- though not very realistic in terms of years/miles for most -- is pretty good. I haven't looked into it but I'd imagine that there are VW extended warranties to get the basic one stretched to 10/100k as well, and I'd hope they're not too expensive given that they don't have to cover the powertrain. I could be totally off, though, and one day I'll research it. I'm glad you're enjoying your A4, those 20 extra horses in the 1.8T engine are sure nice; in the Passat, it's only 20 less hp now than the V6. According to CR, the Passat V6 has a lower reliability score than the 150-hp 1.8T engine -- go figure!!!)
http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=797
MB doesn't include mudflaps as standard equipment either, but that's because owners who want to go off-road would rather not have them since they significantly reduce clearance/approach & departure angles. They're also rather stiff and don't flex a lot; this obviously doesn't help off-road.
The painted fender flares on those MDXs are far nicer than the unpainted ones. However, in my humble opinions, the fender flares make the stock 235mm tires look even narrower than they already are by making the body wider than it actually is. That's part of the reason why I didn't want fender flares. My 255mm tires fit the wheel wells just fine; the ML430, OTOH, looks good with the flares, as does the ML55. Of course, there's still than pesky sanding issue.
Those painted rub strips look quite good, even though they're fairly expensive. Then again, as someone said, if you get a body shop to paint them, they'll probably cost just as much, and you'll need to cut them to fit too. I wish there was another picture though. The shadows and the camera angle is a little bit vague as to how it will look with the vehicle in its entirety.
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
I could see how Acura could use the excuse that having rear mudflaps might interfere with departure angles of the rear end, but that'd be pretty weak and sad given their real target audience (folks who do little offroading).
Those dealer-painted side moldings for the MDX will probably get better photos and more concrete reviews once they're in the hands of owners. I had immediately emailed the dealership and told them that I'd be glad to get a "tester" set and try them out, and would post photos and experiences. They didn't bite, though ;-)
I'm curious about how they will turn out. As you know, the www.acuramdx.org membership is fairly, uh, unforgiving and to-the-point so I'm sure there will be lots of info.
However, I do think any side moldings on the MDX will look weird. Partially because the vehicle's general "look" wasn't designed for it, and partially because we're not used to it, so any addition will look strange.
I'm not a fan of the MDX fender flares at all. And I think the grey ones on some colors look hideous (personal opinion, don't mean to offend anyone who likes them and/or has them). Plus I suspect Ken's concerns are correct when it comes to sand and junk getting between the flares and the paint.
(Off-topic; I read about that Autoweek article on the 2002 ML320. Good lord, those quotes implied a much more dramatic set of alterations than has been speculated with some authority. Modified suspension? Is it going to ride softer to better suit the tastes of the high-volume buyers who prefer RX's? Improved AWD system? What else is there left to improve, unless we can tone down the ASR cutoff level to hopefully match the vehicle's capabilities? If there are as many changes as implied, and the price increase is acceptable, why would anyone who can put it off not wait for the 2002 edition? Or is the Autoweek article just a rumor explosion?)
No doubt it's rather rude for Acura to not include rear mudflaps on the MDX (they do provide front mudflaps). But I was even more surprised to find out that the X5 (both version$) lists "dealer installed front and rear mudflaps" as an option/accessory.
For those who aren't familiar with them, Hondacuraworld has a new web site at:
http://www.hondacuraworld.com
This is a brand new website so there may be a few glitches. Don't let that deter you. Many folks are extremely happy with their prices and service. Their previous web site is at:
http://hometown.aol.com/hondacuraworld/myhomepage/business.html
the HL doesn't have a center console you have to buy it separately. weird isn't it.
That's one reason I don't agree with the concept some have advanced that "you can't really compare the MDX with" SUV's that don't have third-row seats. Because quite a few (a lot?) of MDX buyers (or prospective buyers) don't need it or will never really use it.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a pack rat and I like the idea of having it for the infrequent occasions I'd use it. Namely for when relatives are over.
The third row is definitely for kids (and smaller kids too), and not comfortable for most adults. But I also feel that there's been a lot of overdone criticism focusing on how small the third row is. Some of it coming from folks who are just looking for ways to put down the MDX.
The reality of how folks use autos in the real world is that even having the tiniest seat can prove useful. I'm sure many of us have jammed ourselves into the tiny rear seats of 2+2 coupes, where the rear seat seemed almost an afterthought, and had our knees around the front seat.
For those who legitimately need a larger and/or easier to access third row seat, the ML320 is a good candidate (though it's still not especially comfortable for an adult, but certainly more tolerable than the MDX), but a full-sized SUV or a minivan may be a better idea. I'm not familiar enough with the new Explorer/Mountaineer's third-row seats.
Many MDX buyers, such as myself, find it to be a great blend of power (actually better than the two competitors you mentioned), handling (in between the two), utility (more cargo room than either), comfort (perhaps not as luxurious as the two, but with a ride quality in between), projected reliability (again, probably between the two), and value (yes, even at MSRP).
Those who don't see it that way can find a lot of terrific alternatives. As always, people should list out their priorities, and then determine which vehicle best meets those priorities. Whether or not it's the MDX (or RX, or X5) is immaterial, one should get the vehicle that best suits their needs, which includes their own personal perception of styling and luxury.
Funny you should call the MDX a station wagon on stilts. That term has been used repeatedly for the RX300 since it was born ("raised Camry station wagon" is the usual term), as well as the X5 ("tall 5-series wagon"). As you can see, beauty, and value, is in the eye of the beholder, and that's what emphasizes the wonderful differences between the thousands of us here.
Cheers.
It is difficult to imagine how the seat could be too much larger without affecting the size of the vehicle and then we are getting into the territory of a larger SUV. I thought this was what many people were trying to avoid by purchasing the MDX in the first place. Of course, there is always room for improvement in quality - the seat could be softer, ect., but it is going to be hard to stretch the seat back too far without adding more length.
As for the continued mini-van/station wagon/sedan comments, what in the world is all of that about? I guess this is meant to be insulting, but I don't get it. What is wrong with a station wagon or a mini van anyway? When did they start to be the pariahs of the automobile industry? What would these observers rather you drive? Is the MDX not enough of a truck? Is that what they are saying?
I don't want to drive a truck. I also don't want to drive one of these huge SUV's that many of my neighbors drive. On the other end, I would bet that any wagon/mini van owner would argue that the MDX represents them in any fashion - they see absolutely no resemblance to their cars in the MDX.
In the end result, I guess this is a case of not being able to categorize these mid size SUVs. They just don't fit in any group that we are familiar with. The third seat is a nice option to have. When you run into a situation that warrants its use, you are very grateful to have it. I feel it is meant more as a convenience seat than as a totally viable third seat.
Thanks!!!!
If those off-road sections have large bumps/ruts and mud, you will have to be cautious since the vehicle is not mean for driving on those roads and the softish suspension can bottom out easily and make all sorts of noises. The MDX's strength is on asphalt in normal driving, where its soft springs result in a smoother ride. BTW, the ML320 can't really climb over boulders either :-) You need a Jeep Wrangler or a Land Rover Defender for that!
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket and Accessories message boards
have to swerve,to avoid an incident. This is the
word of the NTSB.
by insurance companies.Check under Edmund's safety ratings.
Do you mean the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)? There is no "National Institute For Highway Safety," but the IIHS is funded by insurance companies. However, the IIHS has not yet published any info on the MDX.
I looked in a number of places in Edmunds and couldn't find the info. Could you please provide the URL? Thank you.
spirolli: Although you claim the RX300 and X5 have more "bang for the buck", you talk mostly about "style". Since when can you put a dollar figure on "style"? For me, "bang for the buck" means minor little things such as more horsepower; better acceleration; more passenger capacity; more cargo capacity; better climate control system; standard features such as CD audio, moonroof, and heated seats; and so forth. It has much better fuel economy than the X5 (about the same as the RX300), and it has better handling than the RX300. You have trouble calling the MDX an "SUV", and yet you admire the RX300?!!
No sense getting a vehicle that doesn't fit your physical proportions right. We were very interested in a Passat 4motion wagon but the firm front seats hurt my wife's back.
As I remember, Shaquille O'Neal's favored SUV is a customized Lincoln Navigator, but I'd imagine the seats have been heavily tailored for his frame.