2015 MDX Advanced: Initial Thoughts & Observations
08-14-2014, 12:58 PM
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8th Gear
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2015 MDX Advanced: Initial Thoughts & Observations
Hi everyone, new member here. I thought to share my observations and feelings after taking my new car out for its first real drive last night. First some details on the car:
Purchased last week:
2015 Graphite/Ebony MDX Advanced Entertainment for Invoice (Destination included) plus
Fog lights, advanced running boards, front trim, heated steering, splash guards, cargo tray, wheel locks, all season mats
Observations:
- The key is sexy and sleek
- Graphite is a great color, much more rich than a simple gray or gunmetal, this color has some real dynamic character to it, looking different in light and angles.
- Navigation screen is indeed a bit hazy/blurry as others have commented on this site or Acurazine. It is a start contrast to the crisp 2nd screen used for controlling the audio/climate. I own the '05 TSX and LOVED the navigation, every part of it. I'm feeling 'so-so' about this new Navi and the wheel, buttons, etc. Most of all, the screen is not crisp and clear like it used to be. It now looks like a hazy jumbled mess you see in just about every car navi system.
- My god, the number of screens it takes to do simple things in the car is annoying. One cnet video said 'Acura, please bring the buttons back!' I agree. I'm sure I will get used to the screens and routes to manage all this technology soon enough. It is just not intuitive though, requires a lot of thought and time away from the wheel.
- Love the side mirrors, maybe because this is my first SUV/crossover, but I can see so much.
- The advanced running boards do kind of get in the way of a normal adult getting into and out of the car, should've gone with the sport. Not a big deal and they look good on the car IMO.
- Fog lights look great and with the front trim, the face of this car now says "I might have this ugly shield on my forehead, but I am sleek, tough, and mean"
- The front parking sensors are 'dumbed down' they just beep around 2 feet and nothing more. I could be wrong but the rate and strength of the beeping didn't seem to fluctuate as I got closer to an object. What's the point?
- The rear sensors, which I was very excited about, are also fairly useless. My wife is terrible at parking so these are for her and honestly, they're not helping her much. Yes, the camera helps, but again, it just beeps and there's no sense of 'you're close', 'hey, you're really close to something', 'oh sh*t, you're about hit something', 'hope you have insurance'. just the camera and beeping. The BMW has an awesome heat map type sensor with green, yellow, and red heat maps constantly fluctuation, wish mdx had that. I know the lines on the camera guide mean something and I'm sure I will figure it out, but again, not intuitive or best in class.
- The drive is great and the car feels luxurious, comfortable, yet under stated. Coming from a '05 TSX, this definitely takes some getting used to in terms of size and parallel parking, but it feels nimble, agile...just like the TSX, but more substantial.
- The cargo tray is sort of flimsy, not like the older cargo trays that had a substantial lip to hold in/catch dirt or spills and were made of thick material.
- The all season mats don't provide as much coverage like weather tech, but they came to me $Free.99 so I can't complain.
- My '05 TSX went 107,000 miles with me, issue free and provided me with amazing performance and return on my money. Made me an Acura fan for life. I bought the new MDX for the reliability and the value, so hoping that stays true drive after drive. Else, I will test the great Acura resale market.
I hope this is helpful, looking to hear your thoughts and comments.
Purchased last week:
2015 Graphite/Ebony MDX Advanced Entertainment for Invoice (Destination included) plus
Fog lights, advanced running boards, front trim, heated steering, splash guards, cargo tray, wheel locks, all season mats
Observations:
- The key is sexy and sleek
- Graphite is a great color, much more rich than a simple gray or gunmetal, this color has some real dynamic character to it, looking different in light and angles.
- Navigation screen is indeed a bit hazy/blurry as others have commented on this site or Acurazine. It is a start contrast to the crisp 2nd screen used for controlling the audio/climate. I own the '05 TSX and LOVED the navigation, every part of it. I'm feeling 'so-so' about this new Navi and the wheel, buttons, etc. Most of all, the screen is not crisp and clear like it used to be. It now looks like a hazy jumbled mess you see in just about every car navi system.
- My god, the number of screens it takes to do simple things in the car is annoying. One cnet video said 'Acura, please bring the buttons back!' I agree. I'm sure I will get used to the screens and routes to manage all this technology soon enough. It is just not intuitive though, requires a lot of thought and time away from the wheel.
- Love the side mirrors, maybe because this is my first SUV/crossover, but I can see so much.
- The advanced running boards do kind of get in the way of a normal adult getting into and out of the car, should've gone with the sport. Not a big deal and they look good on the car IMO.
- Fog lights look great and with the front trim, the face of this car now says "I might have this ugly shield on my forehead, but I am sleek, tough, and mean"
- The front parking sensors are 'dumbed down' they just beep around 2 feet and nothing more. I could be wrong but the rate and strength of the beeping didn't seem to fluctuate as I got closer to an object. What's the point?
- The rear sensors, which I was very excited about, are also fairly useless. My wife is terrible at parking so these are for her and honestly, they're not helping her much. Yes, the camera helps, but again, it just beeps and there's no sense of 'you're close', 'hey, you're really close to something', 'oh sh*t, you're about hit something', 'hope you have insurance'. just the camera and beeping. The BMW has an awesome heat map type sensor with green, yellow, and red heat maps constantly fluctuation, wish mdx had that. I know the lines on the camera guide mean something and I'm sure I will figure it out, but again, not intuitive or best in class.
- The drive is great and the car feels luxurious, comfortable, yet under stated. Coming from a '05 TSX, this definitely takes some getting used to in terms of size and parallel parking, but it feels nimble, agile...just like the TSX, but more substantial.
- The cargo tray is sort of flimsy, not like the older cargo trays that had a substantial lip to hold in/catch dirt or spills and were made of thick material.
- The all season mats don't provide as much coverage like weather tech, but they came to me $Free.99 so I can't complain.
- My '05 TSX went 107,000 miles with me, issue free and provided me with amazing performance and return on my money. Made me an Acura fan for life. I bought the new MDX for the reliability and the value, so hoping that stays true drive after drive. Else, I will test the great Acura resale market.
I hope this is helpful, looking to hear your thoughts and comments.
08-14-2014, 08:34 PM
#2
2G TLX-S
Congrats on getting the new MDX, and welcome to AcuraZine.
09-18-2014, 10:36 AM
#4
8th Gear
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I have had my '15 for about 2 months now and no major issues/problems. However, every time I drive it, I realize how much I hate certain things about this car.
- The navigation used be absolutely amazing (on my '05 TSX), now it is confusing mess and painful to use. I've used my iphone google maps multiple times. Part of this stems from having to stop to use it. I get it is for safety, but my wife, the passenger, is operating it. Don't even think about using voice control to enter in an address while moving...to that point....
- The voice recognition is absolutely useless, complete garbage. Ends up making phone calls to random people instead of entering an address for example. It's really confusing and a pain to use, I often give up.
- The touch screen is painful, it continues to be painful to manage the heated/cooled seats, rear temp, and audio. Several options (like presets for radio, audio source) have two screens you have to navigate through to get what you need. Acura - we are DRIVING, not sitting at a desk using a computer, make this easy. Big disappointment.
- The fact that much cheaper cars come with 360 degree camera views and the MDX doesn't bothers me - they put it in american cars and cheaper hondas from what I read in the forums.
- The overall quality finish of the car is an issue as well. My 2005 TSX was manuf. in Japan and I can quickly see the differences... in this Canada made MDX, I observe random pieces of padding and glue sticking out of spaces where different pieces of plastic, leather, or carpet comes together. Factory debree revealing itself from inside of buttons and knobs.
- The audio is very nice, I find it to be very high quality with rich sound and deep bass.
- The drive is amazing, however and the third row option is a cinch. We've packed in our family of 6 big adults and my car has been dubbed the 'brunch mobile'. Two 6' men have sat in the third row fairly comfortably.
- The car is sporty when needed and handles well. It's very comfortable to drive and I look forward to commutes and errands. We've enjoyed the interior comfort and drive quality quite a bit.
- The graphite color has really grown on me and when giving it a wash, it sparkles
- The front trim and fog lights were the right decision, really adds to the cars looks and makes it stand out as tougher/meaner from other MDXs i see on the road which look very station wagon-ey.
- I have also gotten used to the rear parking sensors and once you understand and practice using the line markers in the camera view, you can park like a pro in tight city spots.
Let's hope the overall maintenance and quality hold up on this car, else, I'm done with Acura. They really botched up the technology and user experience inside of the car, but the drive is great.
- The navigation used be absolutely amazing (on my '05 TSX), now it is confusing mess and painful to use. I've used my iphone google maps multiple times. Part of this stems from having to stop to use it. I get it is for safety, but my wife, the passenger, is operating it. Don't even think about using voice control to enter in an address while moving...to that point....
- The voice recognition is absolutely useless, complete garbage. Ends up making phone calls to random people instead of entering an address for example. It's really confusing and a pain to use, I often give up.
- The touch screen is painful, it continues to be painful to manage the heated/cooled seats, rear temp, and audio. Several options (like presets for radio, audio source) have two screens you have to navigate through to get what you need. Acura - we are DRIVING, not sitting at a desk using a computer, make this easy. Big disappointment.
- The fact that much cheaper cars come with 360 degree camera views and the MDX doesn't bothers me - they put it in american cars and cheaper hondas from what I read in the forums.
- The overall quality finish of the car is an issue as well. My 2005 TSX was manuf. in Japan and I can quickly see the differences... in this Canada made MDX, I observe random pieces of padding and glue sticking out of spaces where different pieces of plastic, leather, or carpet comes together. Factory debree revealing itself from inside of buttons and knobs.
- The audio is very nice, I find it to be very high quality with rich sound and deep bass.
- The drive is amazing, however and the third row option is a cinch. We've packed in our family of 6 big adults and my car has been dubbed the 'brunch mobile'. Two 6' men have sat in the third row fairly comfortably.
- The car is sporty when needed and handles well. It's very comfortable to drive and I look forward to commutes and errands. We've enjoyed the interior comfort and drive quality quite a bit.
- The graphite color has really grown on me and when giving it a wash, it sparkles
- The front trim and fog lights were the right decision, really adds to the cars looks and makes it stand out as tougher/meaner from other MDXs i see on the road which look very station wagon-ey.
- I have also gotten used to the rear parking sensors and once you understand and practice using the line markers in the camera view, you can park like a pro in tight city spots.
Let's hope the overall maintenance and quality hold up on this car, else, I'm done with Acura. They really botched up the technology and user experience inside of the car, but the drive is great.
09-18-2014, 11:31 AM
#5
Hi everyone, new member here. I thought to share my observations and feelings after taking my new car out for its first real drive last night. First some details on the car:
Purchased last week:
2015 Graphite/Ebony MDX Advanced Entertainment for Invoice (Destination included) plus
Fog lights, advanced running boards, front trim, heated steering, splash guards, cargo tray, wheel locks, all season mats
Observations:
- The key is sexy and sleek
- Graphite is a great color, much more rich than a simple gray or gunmetal, this color has some real dynamic character to it, looking different in light and angles.
- Navigation screen is indeed a bit hazy/blurry as others have commented on this site or Acurazine. It is a start contrast to the crisp 2nd screen used for controlling the audio/climate. I own the '05 TSX and LOVED the navigation, every part of it. I'm feeling 'so-so' about this new Navi and the wheel, buttons, etc. Most of all, the screen is not crisp and clear like it used to be. It now looks like a hazy jumbled mess you see in just about every car navi system.
- My god, the number of screens it takes to do simple things in the car is annoying. One cnet video said 'Acura, please bring the buttons back!' I agree. I'm sure I will get used to the screens and routes to manage all this technology soon enough. It is just not intuitive though, requires a lot of thought and time away from the wheel.
- Love the side mirrors, maybe because this is my first SUV/crossover, but I can see so much.
- The advanced running boards do kind of get in the way of a normal adult getting into and out of the car, should've gone with the sport. Not a big deal and they look good on the car IMO.
- Fog lights look great and with the front trim, the face of this car now says "I might have this ugly shield on my forehead, but I am sleek, tough, and mean"
- The front parking sensors are 'dumbed down' they just beep around 2 feet and nothing more. I could be wrong but the rate and strength of the beeping didn't seem to fluctuate as I got closer to an object. What's the point?
- The rear sensors, which I was very excited about, are also fairly useless. My wife is terrible at parking so these are for her and honestly, they're not helping her much. Yes, the camera helps, but again, it just beeps and there's no sense of 'you're close', 'hey, you're really close to something', 'oh sh*t, you're about hit something', 'hope you have insurance'. just the camera and beeping. The BMW has an awesome heat map type sensor with green, yellow, and red heat maps constantly fluctuation, wish mdx had that. I know the lines on the camera guide mean something and I'm sure I will figure it out, but again, not intuitive or best in class.
- The drive is great and the car feels luxurious, comfortable, yet under stated. Coming from a '05 TSX, this definitely takes some getting used to in terms of size and parallel parking, but it feels nimble, agile...just like the TSX, but more substantial.
- The cargo tray is sort of flimsy, not like the older cargo trays that had a substantial lip to hold in/catch dirt or spills and were made of thick material.
- The all season mats don't provide as much coverage like weather tech, but they came to me $Free.99 so I can't complain.
- My '05 TSX went 107,000 miles with me, issue free and provided me with amazing performance and return on my money. Made me an Acura fan for life. I bought the new MDX for the reliability and the value, so hoping that stays true drive after drive. Else, I will test the great Acura resale market.
I hope this is helpful, looking to hear your thoughts and comments.
Purchased last week:
2015 Graphite/Ebony MDX Advanced Entertainment for Invoice (Destination included) plus
Fog lights, advanced running boards, front trim, heated steering, splash guards, cargo tray, wheel locks, all season mats
Observations:
- The key is sexy and sleek
- Graphite is a great color, much more rich than a simple gray or gunmetal, this color has some real dynamic character to it, looking different in light and angles.
- Navigation screen is indeed a bit hazy/blurry as others have commented on this site or Acurazine. It is a start contrast to the crisp 2nd screen used for controlling the audio/climate. I own the '05 TSX and LOVED the navigation, every part of it. I'm feeling 'so-so' about this new Navi and the wheel, buttons, etc. Most of all, the screen is not crisp and clear like it used to be. It now looks like a hazy jumbled mess you see in just about every car navi system.
- My god, the number of screens it takes to do simple things in the car is annoying. One cnet video said 'Acura, please bring the buttons back!' I agree. I'm sure I will get used to the screens and routes to manage all this technology soon enough. It is just not intuitive though, requires a lot of thought and time away from the wheel.
- Love the side mirrors, maybe because this is my first SUV/crossover, but I can see so much.
- The advanced running boards do kind of get in the way of a normal adult getting into and out of the car, should've gone with the sport. Not a big deal and they look good on the car IMO.
- Fog lights look great and with the front trim, the face of this car now says "I might have this ugly shield on my forehead, but I am sleek, tough, and mean"
- The front parking sensors are 'dumbed down' they just beep around 2 feet and nothing more. I could be wrong but the rate and strength of the beeping didn't seem to fluctuate as I got closer to an object. What's the point?
- The rear sensors, which I was very excited about, are also fairly useless. My wife is terrible at parking so these are for her and honestly, they're not helping her much. Yes, the camera helps, but again, it just beeps and there's no sense of 'you're close', 'hey, you're really close to something', 'oh sh*t, you're about hit something', 'hope you have insurance'. just the camera and beeping. The BMW has an awesome heat map type sensor with green, yellow, and red heat maps constantly fluctuation, wish mdx had that. I know the lines on the camera guide mean something and I'm sure I will figure it out, but again, not intuitive or best in class.
- The drive is great and the car feels luxurious, comfortable, yet under stated. Coming from a '05 TSX, this definitely takes some getting used to in terms of size and parallel parking, but it feels nimble, agile...just like the TSX, but more substantial.
- The cargo tray is sort of flimsy, not like the older cargo trays that had a substantial lip to hold in/catch dirt or spills and were made of thick material.
- The all season mats don't provide as much coverage like weather tech, but they came to me $Free.99 so I can't complain.
- My '05 TSX went 107,000 miles with me, issue free and provided me with amazing performance and return on my money. Made me an Acura fan for life. I bought the new MDX for the reliability and the value, so hoping that stays true drive after drive. Else, I will test the great Acura resale market.
I hope this is helpful, looking to hear your thoughts and comments.
09-19-2014, 02:55 PM
#8
10th Gear
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 11
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Congrats...
Just added the 15 MDX SH-AWD Tech White Pearl with Eucalyptus last week...Also, got the Remote Engine Start, Fog lights, Heated Steering, All Weather Mats...The drive is really nice and a nice change from my TL that is still one of the family cars...Its too early to notice anything but I am having some issues with the Radio and there is disturbance or the 2 channel mash-up at different places on the way to work...
Has anyone else been having similar issues with the Radio...
Just added the 15 MDX SH-AWD Tech White Pearl with Eucalyptus last week...Also, got the Remote Engine Start, Fog lights, Heated Steering, All Weather Mats...The drive is really nice and a nice change from my TL that is still one of the family cars...Its too early to notice anything but I am having some issues with the Radio and there is disturbance or the 2 channel mash-up at different places on the way to work...
Has anyone else been having similar issues with the Radio...
06-20-2018, 09:03 PM
#9
Azine Jabroni
I've been critical in the past, but this is definitely an Acura worth the premium badge.
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