https://driving.ca/acura/features/fe...-the-acura-mdx

Saw this article about the MDX Gen rankings. They Rated the 2nd Gen MDX 4th out of 4 models. I still think the 2nd Gen would still be in the top 4 if you expanded the list to include all luxury brands.

I still have my 11 MDX Adv+Ent with +145,000 miles along with a 19 MDX hybrid Adv with +20,000 miles. What I like about my 11 MDX is it felt like a heavy duty go anywhere you point me SUV. I would set the ACC to 80 mph and be in all day comfort for 4-12 hours on the hwy with just gas stops. It was my 11 MDX age, 14-16 city mpgs, and total mileage that got me looking at the hybrid MDX as a replacement.

The MDX hybrid is a improvement on the 11 MDX is almost every box; but, it doesn't seem to have same emotional connection like the 2nd Gen had with me. Probably the reason why I haven't sold my 11 MDX after having the 19 MDX for almost 2 years.

 

I struggle with this article. I've enjoyed my 2nd gen MDX. I drove a 3rd gen for a week (as the dealership was prepping my MDX) and honestly believe the 2nd gen was better for what I was looking for in an SUV.

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Reviewers place too much emphasis on "technology" and hide behind the word "safety".
The days of buying a basic stripped down vehicle and adding a passenger side mirror, color matching seat belts, and wiring for a radio are long gone.
In 50 years, everyone will be riding the bus.

 

Found hilarious that the 1st gen scored higher than 2nd gen, Specially due to the horrible failure rate of the 1st gen.. The 2nd gen scored lower due to the beak? I mean seriously??
It really is a horrible list since its putting the UNRELEASED 4th gen in 3rd place above the 2nd gen when it hasnt even come out.

 

1st gen had tons of trans issues but was a "next level" move for acura. 2G MDX was another revolution of the SUV, and the 3rd gen is an evolution of the 2nd gen. Same with the 4th being an evolution of the 3rd gen.

2nd get gets almost every single checkbox of what you want from a SUV in this segment. It's road noise isn't the best (can be loud inside), the car's passing power on the highway isn't the best (try passing in texas guys with 80 MPH speed limits. I felt like I was in reverse!) and third, acura being stupid and cheaping out on random small parts like the seat motors, air mix motors, HFL, etc. But those are minor compared to having a trans fail and cost you your job because you missed work!

3rd gen is great besides ZF trans issues and the whole infotainment debacle.

 

Each Acura SUV was made for a different time and each was at/near the top compared to the competition at the time. Very hard to compared each MDX gen to one another. It would be like comparing the early iPhone 3 to the latest iPhone 12 Pro Max version. I count the horrible Isuzu Trouper based Acura SLX as the original iPhone 1 or 2 we all want to forget about.

I was all set to get an used 04-06 MDX before 2010 because the new/used +07 MDXs were too expensive. The 1st Gen MDX 5AT issues scared me off and went for an used 08 RDX tech instead; which, wasn't too much of a sacrifice interior wise compared to the 1st gen MDX (added a hitch and roof rack to make up for having less space in the RDX for traveling). The RDX is still going strong with zero 5AT issues with +180,000 miles on her (handed down to my daughter).

Love or hate the 2nd Gen MDX; but, it has a timeless design that still looks good today and you can spot a 2nd Gen a mile away.

 

Interesting article, which I clearly dont agree with. Got me thinking what they could have based it out of, could it be sales for each gen and the numbers sure seem to suggest that 2nd gen was least sold from the 3

Here are the sales figures starting 2005 so its missing initial 5 years of sales data on gen 1, https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/acura-mdx-sales-figures/

I summed them up as per years and looks like Gen 2 sold the least.

Gen 1 112069 (2005-2006)
Gen 2 333719 (2007-2013)
Gen 3 385639 (2014-2020)
Grand Total 831427

However what this doesn't show is that 2008 onward the car markets crashed and people weren't buying expensive less mpg vehicles.

I still find 2nd the most handsom SUV, the gen 3 was soft and 3.5 kinda redeemed it.

 

isn't it 2nd gen have issue with Oil consumption and most of owners complaint about TC issue?

 

The 10-13 model years of the 2nd Gen MDXs had the hit or miss oil consumption issue (I'm at 1.25 qts per 9000 miles). The 07-09 had the coolant/AT fluid mixing issue in the radiator and bluetooth module power drain. All 07-09 MDX Sport and 10-13 MDX Adv had magnetic struts/shocks issues. I don't think the 2nd gen MDX had a tq converter issue (07-09 had 5AT, 10-13 had 6AT).