I have reviewed this vehicle because I have been shopping for an SUV. I was hesitant to write anything, until I noticed at least half the reviewers do not even own this vehicle!
So I decided to jump in and join the fray.

I was also considering the less expensive Toyota Highlander. But the all wheel drive system of the MDX is standard and is more sophisticated. Some publications state that although this is not more than a medium duty off-the-road vehicle, skid control under icy and snowy conditions was superior to many true off-roaders. And we are talking about ON road conditions, where there are safety hazards. Those are real world concerns for most of us.

In addition, a 3rd row seat in the Toyota would have been a major incentive for many buyers I am sure.

Others have tried to compare the MDX with a BMW X5. From a price-point alone, the BMW is just starting where the Acura is already loaded up with options. Not to mention the base engine in the Acura is more powerful.

I have always liked BMW cars, but have not owned one since the early 80's, as the rising price of service, parts and insurance is enough to scare me away. I was not impressed when going to NHSTA.com either, and looking at the recalls for the X5 in 2001. 19 against 2 logged in by the MDX in the Acura's first year of production.

Acura dealers are not always shining examples for service or sales, but some careful shopping around for good dealers (see acuramdx.org) will pay off if you go this route.

Back to the MDX, my initial impressions is a vehicle that tries to be many things, and succeeds quite while in minimizing the expected short-comings in some areas.
Better design of the controls, especially with regards to the involvement of the display screen also used for the optional Navigation system, would have gone a long way.

More thought into the heat/air conditioning system for routing between front and rear passengers. It needs a better system for regulation. Again, an ergonomics issue, although you will never be lacking for heat or cooling at any time.
I rented a 2002 Explorer for 3 days and thought it was not that bad, and a good baseline for comparisons with other vehicles.

Actually, the ride of the MDX over rough roads, was not much different. But on a smooth highway, it definitely feels more like a luxury sedan than an SUV compared with the Ford.
The handling also is more crisp, even with it's wide track, which I think does tend to invoke more confidence in the driver, so to a great extent it may feel like it's handling better than reality would demonstrate. After all, this is a heavy vehicle, and not a sports car. But is does have a nice way of getting you around obstacles, especially under power.

Power off the line was just fine to me, and mid range passing was better than I expected. Maybe this is partly psychological as the engine sounds great when pushed.
The 3rd row seat is on the cheap side, but when you got to squeeze in 2 more, at least you have a way to do it.
The crash test results of this vehicle are very good to excellent. A bonus, is that overall had the lowest cost/damage in the parking bumper contest (5 mph). In fact zero cost when backing into a steel pole!
Insurance rates are reasonable for a vehicle of this class, and the Navigation system is a marvel all it's own.

Another lesser known advantage of buying this vehicle especially as a 'base' model, is that there are websites that sell Acura/Honda factory add-ons at about 30% off the dealer's MSRP. You even get downloadable instructions how to install them.
This is a big plus, because after you take delivery, you can decide what options you really need.

Amount Paid (US$): 36693
Condition: New
Model Year: 2002
Model and Options: Base plus Navigation