I have been attracted to the Acura MDX ever since I first heard about it. It claims to offer everything my family wants/needs in a family car...reliability, luxury, value, performance, style, and 7 passenger seating.

Now that I have driven it, I have my opinion of it, and can compare it to some of it's competitors.

Reliability - Acura has a well deserved reputation for building reliable cars. The MDX will in all probability continue this tradition.

Luxury - I was a little disappointed here. The leather was well executed, and the controls were typical Honda (excellent). I think the dashboard and door trim plastics look cheap. They have a phony texture to them that doesn't quite look right. The colors of the different panels also were slightly different shades. This made them appear mismatched. I also thought the plastic wood trim looked tacky and cheap.

Value - Even with the 2002's coming out, my local dealers still demand a $2000 premium above MSRP. I respect the laws of supply and demand, but is the MDX really worth $40,000?

Performance - I found this area to be a mixed bag. The engine is powerful and definitely is the highlight of this car. Compared to most other SUV's, it stands at the top of the heap for power and smoothness. The suspension is definitely tuned on the sporty side, which results in relatively flat cornering (for an SUV, that is) and a well controlled ride. Unfortunately, the suspension tuning also allows a lot of harshness to enter the cabin. I felt every surface anomaly I drove over, which is great for a sports car, but not for a luxury car. Over even slightly rough roads, vibration invaded the cabin which resulted in numerous rattles from various components, both seen and unseen. In this regard, the MDX felt loosely screwed together.

Style - Average. It looks like much of the competition. I do think the angular look is muscular and attractive. Also, many cars in this crossover class have a passing resemblance to minivans...the MDX is no exception.

Seating - I'm 5'8" and found the 3rd row adequate. I am impressed with how much room is actually back there! I also love the split 3rd row...which makes hauling a combination of people and cargo supremely easy. I like the flat cargo area with all the seats folded down and I'm impressed with the amount of space behind the 3rd row too. Negatives? The second row seats were of only average comfort and room, and it required some acrobatics to climb into the 3rd row.

Overall, I liked the MDX. I have owned sports cars most of my adult life so I felt right at home in the MDX. I don't think it is as refined and luxurious as it should be, and the quality of materials should be better. The wind noise from the mirrors and windshield was always present, and added to the road/tire noise, I found it unacceptable for a car of this class. If Acura addresses the noise and plastic issues for 2002, it might be the perfect SUV.




Amount Paid (US$): 39,500
Model Year: 2001
Model and Options: Touring w/o Nav