I have a 2005 RL and am considering trading it in for an MDX or an RDX sometime next year. Has anyone traded in their RL for an MDX? If so, which model year? How does it compare to the RL? What about the RDX?

 

I havent done this but IF i was to, i would def. look at the MDX any day over the RDX

 

I know of two people here who have traded their RL for an MDX in the last year. The MDX, after all, is an RL inside of a crossover.

There's one person here who traded their RL for an RDX as well. The threads are around...

 

There is also buzz about a new Acura sport CUV based on the TL SHAWD platform to be more coupe-like (a'la X6). I have seen it referenced as MSX.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/tta...ura-sport-cuv/

http://globalmotors.net/2010-acura-c...nterior-spied/

http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=719441

 

If ur used to the RL, i cant see how you would like the RDX...RDX is basically the total opposite of what the RL stands for. Lux vs sport, the ride the RDX gives, you may feel like ur being battered in the front seat

but that being said...ill take the RDX over the MDX if lux isnt an issue, cant beat the drive & handling of the RDX, acuras most fun vehicle to be in imo

 

I didn't trade my '05 RL for an MDX but I did buy a 2008 MDX with Tech package and power tailgate. Obviously different types of vehicles but the features are very similar. MDX drives great but isn't as fast or as nimble as the RL. About the only thing I really miss in the MDX is the keyless feature and I do miss that. On the plus side, the MDX has the backup camera and an MP3 port.

The MDX is my wife's daily driver. We didn't look at the RDX.

 

I traded RL 06 RL for 07 MDX. Did not like the MDX only feature I liked about it were the fact that you could listen to std dvds in 5.1 & rearview camera. Seats were not comfortable fpor long stretches & ride was rough. I drive over 20,000 miles a year and mileage was a killer. Have since traded MDX on E500 & wife got R350 which is a far superior car for long rd trips as far as comfort & ride along with usable space. Great deals on R class are available & we have had no probs with hers in 4 months.

 

MY wife drives an '04 MDX. She loves it and when it's time for a new car, we'll probably go with a new MDX. When I bought my RL, I went into the dealer with every intention of buying an RDX. I took a long test drvie (a couple of hours - my sales guy was busy so he threw me a set of keys and told me to come back later). I didn't like it. It clearly drives sportier than the RL or MDX but the small turbocharged engine, while strong, sounded buzzy. The ride was harsh, and the car was not all that quiet. I felt it was missing a few things (keyless, power passenger seat, memory driver seat - a couple of years ago so these things may be in the RDX now). I didn't lke the rear seat folding mechanism...worked, but felt cheap and there were a few other things I didn't like. It's not a bad vehicle but f you're considering one, I'd take it for a good ride to make sure it's what you want.

LL

 

MDX area on AZ--click...just posting this as a shameless AZ plug...

 

RDX is going to be too rough of a ride; I'd get the MDX.

 

I have driven both. The RDX isn't in the same class as MDX much less an RL. Having said that, it's a sporty little CUV. I liked it for what it was, but it's no replacement for the other two.

As was said before, the MDX is an RL stuck in a crossover body. Sporty for an SUV, but not a substitute for a car.

Last year I was thinking of trading my Land Cruiser in for an MDX. THe only thing that held me back (aside from the fact that my Land Cruiser is paid for) is that I am concerned about towing. I occasionally tow my 21ft boat. Dry weight is 3,500 lbs, add fuel, gear and a trailer and I'm at or above the towing capacity of the MDX.

If towing weren't an issue, I'd get one.

 

I have driven the RDX and the MDX as loaners from my dealer for a few days each when my RL is getting serviced. The RDX is buzzy, goes well and drinks gas. The MDX is a very nice SUV and I went trade in a Ford Explorer for one until I found out that I had to buy a DVD entertainment system so that I could get a power tailgate. I don't have kids any more and when I did they could look out the window and see some of the real world instead of the DVD baby sitting service. $3500 for a power tailgate is a joke and as prviously mentioned, no smart key fob. The center cluster also is a little busy because the MDX has descreet A/C controls as opposed the soft keys in the RL. BTW I ended ended up buying a Pilot.

 

From the reviews people have posted here, I see why the RDX is such a poor seller. The engine is "buzzy" AND fuel inefficient? Sounds like the worst of both worlds.

The MDX, on the other hand, sounds like the best of both worlds. It has MOST of the features of an RL, plus more interior space for those fun-filled trips to Home Depot and Costco? Nice!

What features in the RL but not in the MDX do people tend to miss? For example, do people miss the keyless ignition?

 

I traded my '06 RL for an '08 RDX in June. You will be sorry if you think the MDX or the RDX will come close to the quality and refinement of the RL. I agree the MDX is much better than the RDX, but it still lags behind the RL. If Acura could build a crossover RL they would have a winner. For now, you will get what you pay for in an MDX or RDX.

 

Yea Rexorg is right on it...anything less than the RL, you will be like WHAT?

listen...the RDX is more or less an entry level Acura, what sets its apart is its emphasis on performance/sports specs.... You get what you pay for.

the engine is by no means "Buzzy". Going from the super smooth refined RL to the RDX Turbo, there will be culture shock, this should be obvious to you, but by no means does the powerplant in the RDX go by the wayside. The RDX will outperform anything in the acura lineup up to the TL SHAWD, it handles better, has the firmest suspension they make, and whatever you may believe about the turbo, you need to drive it first to understand it, the RDX doesnt mess around....its flat out fast and handles superbly, all the while returning mpg anywhere from 17 on avg city to low 20's for highway...compare those numbers to the competition, the RDX is actually on the high side of MPG and is the best performer out of anything out there next to the Infiniti EX w/over 300 hp. and even at that point, the EX is only a tad better....

if its performance you want, look no further than the RDX..if its performance that you could care LEAST about, dont even give the RDX an afterthought because it will come up short on everything compared to an RL, let alone even the MDX, and you will NOT LIKE IT AT ALL. !!

 

The RDX's MPG doesn't sound much better than the RL's. What's the point of it having a 4 cyclinder engine?

Again, now I understand why the RDX is a slow seller. Do people really buy SUVs for "performance?" Isn't that what sports cars and compact sport sedans are for? The RDX reminds me of my old Acura CL -- a niche product that combines the worst of both worlds. In the CL's case it was the worst of 3 worlds: 1) bland-looking coupe 2) big car 3) FWD.

Great job, Acura.

 

you could look at it that way, except the fact that the whole point of smaller suv is not to be a sports car on stilts. ur missing the point.

its that fact that those of us NEED MORE SPACE than a sports car, but want a sports feel w/performance...hence the onset of the EX, Volvo, Q, X3, etc n so forth. It offers more versatility than a sedan, while retaining characteristics of the sports car you really wanted.

they are an alternative to a 4dr sporting sedan. The 4cyl engine, Acura claims, is because of size & weight (im not saying im buying this claim)...if they put a V6 in the hood of the RDX, and matched the performance that the turbo 4 gives, it would most likely have very similar MPG if not the same MPG as the turbo 4. Compare the T4 w/the EX's mpg, and the 4 does better with basically very close performance...its not the powerplant per se that gives poor mpg, its the vehicle and constant shawd...look at the X3 BMW w/V6 (a tad better mpg, but basically the same mpg), its all relative.

The way Acura managed the RDX was too specific. They basically have a great product, but its stock setup is so limited that it turns alot of people away. If it had a reg V6, what would people be saying about the RDX...

the MPG regardless of a V4 or a V6 is well within the avg of the segment. Match it up against anything else and it returns better mpg from the CX-7 all the way up thru infiniti & BMW. its unreasonable to say it should be much higher, its reasonable to think it could be better, how much who knows...why doest the RL return 30mpg, its a 4 dr car isnt it? It should get mileage like an Accord....thats just an unreasonable argument.

Which brings me to my original point, the RDX is take it or leave it, and ur response really shows why it sells poorly, and theres nothing wrong with how u feel about it....its just the nature of this beast acura created

 

As MMike1991 points out, most buyers of the RDX buy it for the versatility, which I did. I drove the MDX and it was a very nice ride, but I did not need a 7 passenger vehicle 99.9% of the time. In a perfect world, I would have kept my RL (wife drives an '08 Fit Sport), but with only a 2 garage I did not want to play driveway dodge 'em as I did when we had four cars in the family.

 

I prefer something smaller than the MDX. However, the RDX just doesn't have the refinement I'm accustomed to. It seems to me that most people who want something size of an RDX with a 4-cyclinder engine will go for the Honda CRV instead. It looks like sales of the RDX and the CRV bear that out.

 

You cannot get a 42 inch plasma in an RL, or a Lab's kennel, or a 6ft stepladder.

It does not make much sense to me to compare the RL to CUV/SUVs.

The RDX is touted as a sports car with utility. I think it does that. But sports car attributes favor handling, grip, power, audible sounds, road feel, and an overall stimulating if not edgy involved driving experience. Those attributes rarely meld with or compliment refinement, effortlessness, efficiency, relaxed poise, painstaking detail, subtle elegance and overthought engineering.

The MDX does take the SUV to newer heights in both sporting performance and refinement attributes, but still it has a UTILITY purpose which again compromises the refinement attributes. The MDX is better than most of the pack, IMHO, but it has not the refinement, quality materials or construction of an RL.

The RL is a luxury driver car. It's refinement and finesse are so subtle, they are overlooked and dismissed, until you live with it, and then find yourself without it. So much so, the RL was somewhat compromised on the sporting side and certianly on the utility (space) side. I think it is a personal luxury drivers car 2 doors in excess of a luxury / prestige coupe.

But I can tell you this, my RL is approaching 2 1/2 years old and no vehicle I get into under $60K new or used has the refinement and well thought out engineering of my 2+ year old RL. Does it have compromises?....yes. But for every bemoaned attribute of the RL I can clearly see how and why the engineers decided to build it so. So few truly have found what a gem the RL is so even fewer can appreciate what they miss after the RL. This car has a harmony and sustained appeal to me unlike any I have owned before or yet to find even as a speculative replacement.

And not to drift OT and bridge another thread, the new TL does all but close the gap on the RL in capability and feature content. And even I will affirm the new TL is a step above the previous gen in engineering and build quality while turning a blind eye to styling. But still, the materials, and painstaking thought put into the TL cannot match what is so obvious to me in the RL. Have you ever looked UNDER the RL and see how is it put together? The TL, though better than before, still is more illusion and initial impression than substance, nor would I expect it to endure over time as does the RL.

The same could be said for the RDX and MDX regardless of what type of animal they are attempting to be.

 

Wow, TampaRL! You're making me consider not giving up my RL.

 

Yeah Tampa is like the RL side preacher

 

Acura should hire you, Tampa. You are to Acura as Guy Kawasaki was to Apple during its doldrums of the mid-90s.

That's what Acura really needs....an Evangelist. Worked for Apple!

 

I loves my RL!

And as the minority I am, I do 'get' what this car was designed to be.

Considering the flip side, I doubt Acura gives a rat's ass what I think. Especially with my opinionated tyraids on the current design school.

Hell, I cannot even get my subcription reinstated to Acura STYLE magazine after I wrote them complaining how little to no coverage of the flagship model they had. Even after re-subscribing online.....nuthin.

As far as evangelical enlightenment, the only person who would benefit from my hot air is me and my self affirmation that I own & drive the car best suited to me.

As much as I try to refrain, I must learn more to....

 

I traded my RL for an RDX in June. As it's a second car I wasn't too concerned about ride comfort and such, and was more happy about 20% lower payments, newer navigation system, and fold-down rear seats.

Clearly there is little comparison between the Japanese-built RL and American-assembled RDX. Leather odor/feel, switches, and general quality are all superior in the RL.

One other thing - gas mileage in the RDX blows. Variable-geometry or not, it's awful.

 

So gas milage in the RDX isn't much better than the MDX? And the RDX is much louder than the MDX? And the RDX is smaller than the MDX? So other than price, why get the RDX? And if you want to save money and have higher mileage, why not get the Honda CRV?

 

Because the CRV doesn't have a Turbo, and can't get out of it's own way.

I have BOTH an RL and an RDX in my garage. I have driven an MDX as a loaner.

If you're interested in luxury with a high ground clearance, get the MDX.

If you want to have FUN with a high ground clearance, get the RDX.

 

I think I have the answer:
Honda Pilot - V6/4/3 better than RDX gas milage, space of an MDX, Honda reliability, power everything including tailgate, built in tow-bar, Honda/Acura Navigation, quality< MDX but still good, price beat 'em all.

 

dude...ur still way off base with this comparison....compare apples to apples...the MDX and RDX other than being an SUV fall short of being compared together, at all. Would you compared the X3 to an X6? NO. CRV to the Pilot? NO.

the RDX is SUPPOSED to be smaller, has a completely differnt powertrain, its lounder for obvious reasons, and the reason why you get the RDX vs the MDX is SIZE, a few better mpg's, and most importantly the drive & handling. Do i love the MDX, o yea, would i even buy it, hell no, why? i dont have any need or want a 3rd row seat and that big of vehicle. the ride in the MDX doesnt come close to the RDX, and that was the selling point among other things (smaller size, performance, handling etc) So it matters what you value, but to make direct comparisons between the two is stupid.

People buying Acura's arent trying to "save money and have higher mileage" of course those are all great benefits of good engineering, if the primary goal of a lux or near lux shopper is money saving and mpg, then they obviously dont know what category to shop in. The reason why people buy hondas and not acuras are regular fuel, lower price. People shopping Acura's dont have regular fuel and low price on the top of the list, and nix reg fuel because no car in Acura's lineup takes anything other than premium.

Why buy a TL, or RL? You could just get an Accord, no? seriously.

 

Tampa,

I have never been able to get a subscription going, and I never even complained about anything to corporate! So it may be that the online sign up just does not work!

 

Did you ever get one? I was getting them until I at them. THEN it stopped. I tried to re-subscribe online, but I must be on the list.

Maybe they just read you were doing the Baja thing in your RL Chas...yeah that must have been it.

 

You have a memory like a steel trap!

 

so I have been told....

and while I am at it....have you ever cleaned that dust from your RL's dashboard???

 

OMG! I cannot believe it!

I just called Client Services and asked them for the magazine. They said no problem, we will sign you up and send you a couple of back issues, and apologized for the trouble. What a pain. They have started to put some links on line to articles appearing in the mag. I found them as I was looking for the client services number. The initial links are in the My Acura section of Acura.com

Oh, and while on the phone, I had to give them all the name phone number address email etc that was typed in when I initially signed up....sigh

http://owners.acura.com/stylemagazin...leKaufmann.pdf

 

I have both an MDX sport and an RL. The MDX is great. Simply think of an RL that rides high and has a lot of trunk space The only real negative is that the MDX drinks gas like a drunken sailor, that said, its no worse than other SUV's its size. Of course, compared to the RL, its a little slower and the handling has lower ultimate limits. In my expirience the MDX handling is better than an accord's, its acceleration is comparable to a 6 cyl accord (hell one day my wife caught me off guard when I was in my s2000 and left me in the dust). It is fabulous in the snow and is very adept off-road (not for jumping rocks or tree trunks). Its comfort, quietness and refinement are definitely as good as the RL. One point to keep in mind, The sport version of the MDX is a must the non sport is clumsier than the sport. If you read consumer Reports you will notice that they didn't think that the MDX's handling wasn't exactly stellar (not bad but not quite X5) the reason is they tested the regular version, the sport puts the X5 to shame without the X5's crummy ride. The delphi magnetorheologic system works in spades. The comfort mode of the suspension is great when travelling in unpaved areas, where the sport mode would cause a nervous ride. Also the Sport version has more comfortable seats (better leather) which have nothing to envy the RL in any measure. In normal driving, the MDX sport and RL are essentially identical as far as comfort, handling and drivability are concerned, only when pushed to the limits of handling or acceleration is that you would notice any significant differences.

 

BTW the RDX is pure unadulterated crap. Its not even in the same universe as the MDX. I would rather drive a loaded CRV than an RDX any day of the week. The ride is horrible, the turbo is horrible (flat at both low and high RPMS) and the handling is nothing special. The RDX is the only Honda in the history of the company that I tested and actually said YUK after the test drive.

 

Isnt it about time to move this to the mdx or rdx bd?

 

Thanks to everyone for their input. I test drove the MDX while my RL was in the shop. It doesn't feel like an SUV at all, except for the ride height. That being said, I can tell where Acura made shortcuts in the MDX. I'm going to hold on to my RL for a while; it really is the most elegant vehicle to wear the Acura brand.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. The RL specifically and solely adds elegance to the Acura lineup even if it is an understated and underappreciated attribute. The MDX, RDX and not to exclude the TL and TSX are all great vehicles for the purpose they are intended. But they focus more on sporting nature, technology, flash and verve and some with utility; whereas the refinement is much lower in the priorities. I will give a nod to the MDX for refinement compared to SUV/CUVs, but NOT compared to the RL. The TL is closer, but again, style and performance are higher priority. The RDX is a different beast alltogether, the TAZ of the line. The TSX impresses me should the 4 cylinder engine have priority.

At the end of the day if the refinement and elegance of the RL is not something you wish to sacrifice, none of the other Acura vehicles is a comparable replacement. And in the <$50K pricerange, I have yet to find ANY vehicle that impresses me as does the RL.

 

No arguments here. The MDX does use some cheaper materials here and there (as on the center console, less aluminum in the suspension, etc) because probably, if not, it would be significantly more expensive. Plus, you'll save a significant amount of gas too!
Personally, I don't see using swapping an RL for an MDX if you don't need need of the additional "utility".