IL Track Tested: 2010 Acura MDX

http://www.sealifegifts.net/user_images/parrot1.jpg

I was never a fan of the original grille on this generation MDX, but this is pretty bad and only looks good when compared to the ZDX and TL (and after a couple fifths of Jack Daniel's).

http://www.turtleseatingthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/snapperturtle_4.jpg

Yeah, this thing has the new Acura beak, but it carries it better than the new TL!

About time they got a modern transmission.

Improved over the 07 they tested by a full second to 60 and 75 mph.

Yeah it seems as though this new 6speed has a lot less drivetrain loss. I have an 06 RL with the 5-speed and I wish it had the 6-speed now. It doesn't always seem as though all 300 horses have shown up.

I think the turtle is the best comparison, given the overall shape of the MDX.

Commenting on the actual CONTENT of the track-testing, it's nice to know that the 6 speed trans has helped the acceleration a bit, and to have a professional tester confirm just how well this thing handles.

As the owner of a 2008 MDX, I'm constantly amazed by how well it drives. It really is an extremely well-rounded vehicle, able to carry LOTS of people and stuff when needed, but also able to carve up (ya, srsly) a twisty road when the mood strikes.

In the end, it drives more like a European sports sedan (like my A6 2.7T) than it does like any other SUV short of a Cayenne.

Man... I wish it still has the old grille...

Personally, I think it looked cooler...

Hope the next generation of ALL Acura vehicles are better (redesign the beak, whatever, JUST MAKE IT BETTER!!) designed...

Yeah, the pic of the turtle was more like it.

Ed, why didn`t you posted the 07 numbers as well for comparison?
You talk about 07, you talk about changes for the 10, and yet, u didn`t provide that?
That remind me of the acura grille.......

Full test of 2007 model:

http://www.insideline.com/acura/mdx/2007/full-test-2007-acura-mdx.html

LOL +1 on the turtle.

Anybody try to get into the 3rd row? How painful is it compared to the previous generation? We hated trying to get back there.

I drove an '09 MDX when a friend of mine was looking for a new car. It rode a lot firmer than I thought it would but this particular one had a lot of squeaks and rattles, especially aroung the gear shift. Overall I was not impressed and I liked them before I actually drove one.

DLu says:

08:16 AM, 03/10/10 "Anybody try to get into the 3rd row? How painful is it compared to the previous generation? We hated trying to get back there."

The access to the rear seat isn't what it ought to be, or for that matter even as good as the aforementioned Mazda CX-9. With the MDX, it helps to be flexible (or small) if you're going to ride back there. That said, my well-beyond-AARP-qualification-age mother-in-law did get in there one time, and rode with no complaints. (She's 5' 3").

The 3rd row is there for versatility - it ain't no minivan.

Kudos to Acura for making their best executed product even better. Unfortunately, an SUV is their best product overall. Get it together Acura!

Many say the J Series V6 is outdated and underpowered but considering its age (J series debuted in 1997), limited technology (no DI, no DOHC architecture, VVT intake only) it moved the MDX with authority and it's competitive in just about all measures of performance.

I hear Honda is developing an all new V6. It makes me wonder....if the current V6 is still fairly competitive without most of the technology its competitors use, the new V6 would be quite an overachiever if Honda/Acura implemented more useful and beneficial technology. Definitely something to think about.

As for the styling, Ive always liked the current body even though I thought it looked unfinished at times (a bit to monochrome). The new grill isn't nearly as bad in person and its certainly better in execution vs the TL, RL and RDX.

The beak in the grille does not look that bad from the angle the photo was taken above. Unfortunately this might be the only angle. Acura outer design sucks (not that the Crosstour is any better...)

The beak in the grille does not look that bad from the angle the photo was taken above. Unfortunately this might be the only angle. Acura outer design sucks (not that the Crosstour is any better...)

Overall this is an awesome vehile. The V6 is a jewell. The fit and finish exude Honda quality. Styling is fine. Arguably this is the best intergarted car/suv/truck execution on the market.
As for the new transmission. Who care? It has negligible perfomance improvement over the former gear box and no noticable change in day to day driving. The six speed is nothing more than a "me too" marketing gimmick for the greenies. It's extra cost and added weight is not worth it.
My critiques are few, but important. The price is getting up there. You can get an entry level one in the low 40s, which is not inexpemsive. But to get Nav and, or, a back up camera you have to purchase a significant upgrade package. Also, why can't this run on regular fuel like the pilot? They are brothers afterall beneath the skin. And lastly the dealers do not seem willing to negotiate prices very much at all on the MDX. This has changed slightly over that last couple years but there are no deals on these sleds out there. The MDX pricing is a bit arogant when can park a 25 - 27K Sante Fe next to it and be hard pressed to see the differences as yor approach the two. Even the the most in tune car guy/gal (excuse me but I have to be PC) will be forced to ask where is the 25K or so difference. Sure the MDX has it all over the Hyundai, but to a novice there is no difference. And the function of each is equal. I made this observation at a recent car show. I was shocked at how close these two were in fit and finish and tactile feel. Any autophile will have to admit when these two are seen next to each other.
What's the point? Even the most loyal Honda fan such as myself (owner of 11 over the yers) has to admit that for a c/ 25K difference the Hyundai with a far better warranty may do just fine and I can keep the cash in the bank. Honda needs to start looking over its shoulder.

Overall this is an awesome vehile. The V6 is a jewell. The fit and finish exude Honda quality. Styling is fine. Arguably this is the best intergarted car/suv/truck execution on the market.
As for the new transmission. Who care? It has negligible perfomance improvement over the former gear box and no noticable change in day to day driving. The six speed is nothing more than a "me too" marketing gimmick for the greenies. It's extra cost and added weight is not worth it.
My critiques are few, but important. The price is getting up there. You can get an entry level one in the low 40s, which is not inexpemsive. But to get Nav and, or, a back up camera you have to purchase a significant upgrade package. Also, why can't this run on regular fuel like the pilot? They are brothers afterall beneath the skin. And lastly the dealers do not seem willing to negotiate prices very much at all on the MDX. This has changed slightly over that last couple years but there are no deals on these sleds out there. The MDX pricing is a bit arogant when can park a 25 - 27K Sante Fe next to it and be hard pressed to see the differences as yor approach the two. Even the the most in tune car guy/gal (excuse me but I have to be PC) will be forced to ask where is the 25K or so difference. Sure the MDX has it all over the Hyundai, but to a novice there is no difference. And the function of each is equal. I made this observation at a recent car show. I was shocked at how close these two were in fit and finish and tactile feel. Any autophile will have to admit when these two are seen next to each other.
What's the point? Even the most loyal Honda fan such as myself (owner of 11 over the yers) has to admit that for a c/ 25K difference the Hyundai with a far better warranty may do just fine and I can keep the cash in the bank. Honda needs to start looking over its shoulder.

Overall this is an awesome vehile. The V6 is a jewell. The fit and finish exude Honda quality. Styling is fine. Arguably this is the best intergarted car/suv/truck execution on the market.
As for the new transmission. Who care? It has negligible perfomance improvement over the former gear box and no noticable change in day to day driving. The six speed is nothing more than a "me too" marketing gimmick for the greenies. It's extra cost and added weight is not worth it.
My critiques are few, but important. The price is getting up there. You can get an entry level one in the low 40s, which is not inexpemsive. But to get Nav and, or, a back up camera you have to purchase a significant upgrade package. Also, why can't this run on regular fuel like the pilot? They are brothers afterall beneath the skin. And lastly the dealers do not seem willing to negotiate prices very much at all on the MDX. This has changed slightly over that last couple years but there are no deals on these sleds out there. The MDX pricing is a bit arogant when can park a 25 - 27K Sante Fe next to it and be hard pressed to see the differences as yor approach the two. Even the the most in tune car guy/gal (excuse me but I have to be PC) will be forced to ask where is the 25K or so difference. Sure the MDX has it all over the Hyundai, but to a novice there is no difference. And the function of each is equal. I made this observation at a recent car show. I was shocked at how close these two were in fit and finish and tactile feel. Any autophile will have to admit when these two are seen next to each other.
What's the point? Even the most loyal Honda fan such as myself (owner of 11 over the yers) has to admit that for a c/ 25K difference the Hyundai with a far better warranty may do just fine and I can keep the cash in the bank. Honda needs to start looking over its shoulder.

Overall this is an awesome vehile. The V6 is a jewell. The fit and finish exude Honda quality. Styling is fine. Arguably this is the best intergrated car/suv/truck execution on the market.
As for the new transmission. Who care? It has negligible perfomance improvement over the former gear box and no noticable change in day to day driving. The six speed is nothing more than a "me too" marketing gimmick for the greenies. It's extra cost and added weight is not worth it.
My critiques are few, but important. The price is getting up there. You can get an entry level one in the low 40s, which is not inexpensive. But to get the Nav and, or, a back up camera you have to purchase a significant upgrade package. Also, why can't this run on regular fuel like the Honda Pilot? They are brothers afterall beneath the skin. And lastly the dealers do not seem willing to negotiate prices very much at all on the MDX. This has changed slightly over that last few years but there are no real deals on these sleds out there. The MDX pricing is a bit arogant when you park a c/ 25K - 27K Sante Fe next to it. One is hard pressed to see the differences as you approach the two side by side. Even the the most in tune car guy/gal (excuse me but I have to be PC) will be forced to ask where is the c/ 25K or so difference. Sure the MDX has it all over the Hyundai, but to a novice there is no difference. And the function of each is equal. I made this observation at a recent car show. I was shocked at how close these two were in fit and finish and tactile feel. Any car guy/gal will have to admit it when these two are seen next to each other.
What's the point? Even the most loyal Honda fan such as myself (owner of 11 over the years) has to admit that for a c/ 25K difference the Hyundai with a far better warranty may do just fine and I can keep the cash in the bank. Honda needs to start looking over its shoulder.

The new ACURA FRONT ENDS LOOK GREAT. There. I said it.

Badge engineering at it's finest, not a bad thing, but the new TL is hideous and the new Acura nose is weird. I have a Toyota 4Runner and if you craw under it, there's little difference between it and the Lexus 470 except the 4Runner is better looking. Last years Lexus is sold as a Land Cruiser in the UK with a 3 liter diesel, which gets 30mpg and can tow 6,000lbs. I will admit the new 4Runner based Lexus is better looking than the thing it replaced.

No body likes the new "beak" design of the Acuras but after a quick photo comparison with the 2007 MDX I think it actually looks better- less alien like.

Anyone would be lucky to have one of these in their garage. Thanks for posting the article.

Not sure what is really wrong with the styling of this vehicle, honestly I don't think it's bad looking. I am praying for the day that passion returns to the Honda engineering department, then we will see what they are really capable of. I will agree that the Crosstour is a misguided vehicle styling-wise and purpose-wise, but I believe some of their other products get an unnecessarily difficult time. The fact that they can remain competitive with old-technology shows that there must be some worth in the company, if only they choose to be innovative again.

Impressive acceleration gains from mostly adding a gear. (if accurate, as they seem to vary so much in recent years' testing due to varying factors)

This vehicle looks good from some angles and in some colors. Not so great in others.

It's disappointing that the market demands luxury first, performance later. You cannot buy this vehicle with the better suspension setup w/o buying thousands of dollars of luxury items I couldn't care less about. Getting $2500 of suspension costs you about $10,000. Add this to the already luxurious trim and features on the base model and it takes what could be a nice driving $35,000 SUV and wings it up to over $50,000. No thanks.

This and this entire class of vehicle are impressive, but overpriced if you look at what they have that sets them apart from the mundane vehicles below them. You're paying for brand image, dubiously useful luxury and features (sorry, I don't need to watch TV, replace my $150 garmin with a $2,000 NAV, help backing up w/o hitting things, etc.), higher profit margins, and the costs of lower production volumes.

Nice SUV for someone with a large family who likes a vehicle that handles and has money to burn. I'll take a used X5 4.4 at half the price, thanks.

@bobbygm--"As for the new transmission. Who care? It has negligible perfomance improvement over the former gear box and no noticable change in day to day driving. The six speed is nothing more than a "me too" marketing gimmick for the greenies. It's extra cost and added weight is not worth it."

According to Edmunds original test of the 2007 MDX this model with the new six speed automatic is a full second quicker to 60. I would say that is a significant improvement in the efficiency of the drivetrain hence more usable power and better fuel economy in daily driving.

In my opinion that old 5 speed automatic that honda has been using for years is a piece of crap as it consistently makes it's cars slower than it's competitors because of drivetrain loss. I'm so glad they're finally replacing it.......hope they start putting it in all their cars with the next model year.