Review - I Drove the new 2007 MDX
 

And I must say I was mighty impressed. Here's a quick mini-review.

A friend of mine spend close to an hour putting a new 2007 MDX through a rigorous inspection yesterday. We drove a Technology and Entertainment (no Sport) car, Silver on Black. It is much more masculine looking than the outgoing model, something which might end up hurting Acura in the momswhodontwanttodriveaminivanortruck crowd. I like the look overall. In fact I prefer it without the roof rack, but from a utility standpoint you have to get one (as a dealer installed accessory I might add).

The interior is very luxurious with high quality materials. It is typical Honda--functional and well built. The center console storage bin is a bit small, and there is an oddly placed 110v plug in there. That makes no sense, since the iPod hookup (also dealer installed) is in the glove. Seats are VERY comfortable. There is lots of side support. They are on par with the X5 Sport Seats, if not better. Second row room is sufficient. Third row is for kids only. Getting back there is a chore unless you are under 5 feet tall. Radio sounds great. Storage is tight with the 3rd row up. When down, there is plenty of room for a Costo run! Nav is excellent, though I think it lacks the split screen of the X5 nav. We didn't spend too much time working on the Nav, but I was told there are up to 800 different voice commands. The car has a Japanese version of iDrive. It is simple to use to control the Nav. All radio and a/c functions have their own buttons. The interior also looks cool! Thumbs up from me!

Performance was a mixed bag. The MDX on the road feels like a German car and not a Japanese car. The ride is firm (not stiff, but the Sports pkg has different suspension which can make it stiff), very well grounded, and quiet with a nice engine growl (yes, it is only a V6). The steering is tight, especially for a Japanese car. There is almost NO body roll. Brakes are excellent. Seating position is nice and high. Visibility is a bit less than what I would have liked, but the side mirrors work well. However, it feels slow off the line. It isn't, but it feels that way, because it lacks the oomph. The dealer thought I was nuts, but coming from a V8 X5, it is what it is. A high-revving V6 powered ride. In fact, my friend who was with my said his wife's new Odyssey is faster. Handling on I95 at 80 to 90 mph was exceptional. It has the same feeling you get in a BMW--85 feels like 55.

Overall, it is a great, functions people mover with the latest and greatest of on-board technology. If you are a gadget freak (like me) and need a 3rd row (like me) and want a reliable and fun car to drive (like me) I don't think you can go wrong. With Technology, Entertainment and Sport packages, the ride sells for $50k. There are a bunch of dealer installed accessories to bring the price up mugh higher. Some should be standard, like the roof rack and auto dimming rearview mirror. But that's the Honda/Acura way.

Great review, RF. I appreciate it. :thumbup:

One thing, though: it's not a bimmer. :D

(yes, I'm a bimmer snob... what can I say.)

Juan

before i bought my X i test drove a 2006 MDX. for the price tag i was highly disappointed by the interior's plastic wood and knobs.

i know some X's are very plain inside...but that doesn't bother me. as long as i'm not getting plastic bits on items that shouldn't be.

The 07 MDX is a big improvement over the 06. True, it is not a BMW, but for a savings of $10k on a highly depreciating asset, it is a nice freakin' ride imho.

Is the 07 alot different from the 06. I didnt realize they changed it.
I always liked the MDX beacuse its an acura but when I drove one for a week once as a rental left me very dissapointed. I thought it felt like a piece of crap compared to an X5. The interior looks like it belonged in a chevy. Alot of road noise in the cabin and it didnt handle all that well. And the brakes were absolutely horrible compared to the X5.

The nav can be configired to split screen with next 4 turns and it switches to visual when you are approaching a turn to show split in road with an arrow showing exactly where to go when highway forks into several splits. That's how it is in RL and I am sure they have same in MDX :thumbup:. MDX has the SH-AWD inherited from RL. Most auto mag reviews for new MDX state that it is direct competition for X5.

How is the low-end torque?

Japanese cars just don't do it for me, the only way i can describe it is "they have no soul".

I completely agree. Every Japanese car out there is a copy of another current car. They have no original ideas ever. The designer of the MDX even admitted to copying heavily off of the X5 for design

Good review--thanks for the info...I was in a friend's 06 and when I shut the door it felt about half the weight of the X5. And the interior did feel like a Chebby...His (wife's) MDX has had ZERO problems though--gotta love that.

Oh yea I just rembered the doors sounded like tin when you closed them. Very cheap. But In acuras defense the X5 has to have the heaviest doors to open out of any car ive ever had. Damn they are heavy. My mother complains about them when ever she is in my X5.

But your right they are perfect as far as reliablity is concerned. Before I married My wife she had 2 acuras. A integra then a TSX. Both cars were flawless. The only reason you had to open the hood was to change the oil literally.

Not as much as if you were living at home and riding the bus, right?

:rofl: :rofl: Thats what im gonna tell her next time she complains about the doors.

One of weak point of Honda's is the terrible body rollover on ramps. Wonder how much of that they have addressed in MDX.

It seems that Honda and other makes are improving. Did you see the dash on the new Suzuki, it looks like a direct copy of the BMW.

The other thing about all the Honda SUVs is that the steering is severly over-boosted and have ZERO feedback. How was that aspect?

Y'all are comparing the 2007 to the 2006, and that is not a fair comparo. The 07 is completely new. Interior design and quality are top notch imho.

Check it out on the website. http://www.acura.com/

The 07 has 300hp, but the low end torque is weak. I just didn't feel the the car was fast. Steering, however, was much improved over the old model. I actually thought it was as close to a German car ride/experience that I have ever felt in a Japanese car. I would still rather drive an X, but when you factor in the price and reliability, including out of warranty ownership, the MDX must be given serious consideration.