Review - I Drove the new 2007 MDX

rangerfan · #1 11-03-2006, 11:02 AM

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.