sooththetruth

I backed off buying a 2017 Sports Hybrid Advance when I saw CR's evaluation to be below average. I have done some searching, and all the problems seem to come from the infotainment module. I've looked on this forum, but just the first two pages, and have found no complaints in that regard.

I test drove the vehicle, and in Sports (+) this car is giving me the fun I want out of a vehicle. There is wondrous practicality. ( I never tow). For every day driving around town the fuel efficiency is fantastic for a vehicle this size.

My only other complaint is that the ELS sound system was very accurate, but did not have full 3 dimensional sound that I expect from such a high end system. Did the Salesman not known how to set up the music for that depth? I played with the system, and it seemed the sound sat over the dashboard, and did not fill the cabin.

The title should have been, Owner's comments?

Donn0128

Cant comment for the hybrid have a 2018 Tech. There are a myrid of settings for the sound system. One thing I have found is the sound gets much better if you crank it up. Low sound settings are dull to me. Of course I wear hearing aids too, so that does not help. There are several features you loose by going to a 2017 that you might want, so do your homework.
The issues I have had have all been electrical system related. Dealer did replace my entire sound system because the display would randomly not go bright during the day. My only regret is for the price the car has a lot of road noise.

getakey

A lot of road noise? I have 2017 hybrid and it is the quietest car I've owned. (RL and RLX were last 2 cars)

Donn0128

yea, sadly my old Suzuki was as quiet as my new MDX.

moose66

No issue from me. I subscribe to CR and scratched my head when I saw this. CR isn't the only one saying many of the Acura models are sub par these days. I have had no issues at all with either of my hybrids. I can't speak for who reviews/writes for CR. But I do think you get realistic, good, and mostly unbiased knowledge here at Acurazine from owners who have driven the car for many miles, not just as small sampling. And yes, we are a small bunch relatively speaking. But the regulars here do a great job of telling us about real experiences. Long story short, believe who you want. There will always be naysayers. Just the way of the world.

mrgold35

I've noticed the ELS in my 11 MDX sounds a little deeper, more bass, more subwoofer, and richer compared to my 19 MDX hybrid. They both sound pretty good depending on audio source. It can be garbage in/garbage out if you don't have a good source. Night and day difference with XM compared to DVD audio disk with my 11 MDX. It has only been XM, bluetooth audio streaming, and Apple Carplay with my iPhone so far. I have no complaints where I'm thinking of upgrading the system.

The info-tainment system has been solid for me since purchase in March of this year. The only issue I've had was when I upgraded to IOS 13.X.X on my iPhone 6S+ and it broke my Apple Carplay. It caused it to reset both screens every 5-10 seconds. The last upgrade seems to be holding steady; but, I haven't used it for more that just short drives around town. Not really an info-tainment issue compared to an iPhone issue. The only other issue is sometimes the screen is hard to read if you get direct sunlight from the windows. I put a glossy screen protector and that is a little bit easier to read compared to the normal matte finish on the touch screen.

The +18 MDXs have Carplay standard as the only change from the 17-20 sport hybrid models.

sooththetruth

Quote:

Originally Posted by moose66

No issue from me. I subscribe to CR and scratched my head when I saw this. CR isn't the only one saying many of the Acura models are sub par these days. I have had no issues at all with either of my hybrids. I can't speak for who reviews/writes for CR. But I do think you get realistic, good, and mostly unbiased knowledge here at Acurazine from owners who have driven the car for many miles, not just as small sampling. And yes, we are a small bunch relatively speaking. But the regulars here do a great job of telling us about real experiences. Long story short, believe who you want. There will always be naysayers. Just the way of the world.

Reviews seem like such a good idea, but there is a lot of "juror-like" thinking in interpreting them. Some seem to be too glowing, and maybe a plant. Others are so negative, and with such unrealistic expectations from the consumer, that you dismiss the negative rating. But what is clear is that you can't purchase any vehicle without compromise. I have considered the MDX Sports Hybrid to come closest to that intersection of practicality and fun. I have to go listen to the Stereo again because, remarkably, it is the one area that I cannot compromise. But the road noise was something that I wondered about on the test drive. My current vehicle is a 2010 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 sedan, and the stereo is incredible, the car has double pane glass up front and quiet, the back seat space and trunk size incredible, and it runs on regular gas. Compared to the cost of using premium, it gets 27 mpg in the city and 32 mpg Highway. I DID HAVE TO REPLACE THE SHOCKS WITH AFTER MARKET ARK ( a Korean aftermarket brand, and I had to purchase it thru Canada) to get a ride that offered the cornering I wanted, without the roll. Ride was too wallowy before then.

So y'all know I'm an efficiency nerd. I am not writing an ad for the 2010 Genesis, but I like it better than the new ones, because it drives much lighter, and corners better. The front brakes lasted 100,000 miles, and the rears are still the original pads. So I want a vehicle LIKE THAT. I presumed that Acura would be long lasting, and this vehicle has a panache that I really like, so I am going to drive a 2018 MDX SPORTS HYBRID this weekend for another taste. I would not even be looking, but the dash on my genesis has a crack from the sun/heat, despite the windshield protection ( clear) i had put on new. I keep the car clean and polished, but the crack is too expensive to fix.

Donn0128

Go test drive a Kia Teliruide or the Hyundai cousin as a comparison. Both seem to be getting really high praise from the writers.

sooththetruth

Good idea.

mrgold35

HIgher than normal road noise has always been an issue with every Honda/Acura I've own since 1990. Aftermarket tires and rotations seem to help a little bit keeping the noise at a certain level long-term with my other vehicles. For me, it is all about the best "bang for the buck" performance and handling I can get up to 150,000 miles I was close to 500,000 miles between my 06 TSX (R.I.P.), 08 RDX, and 11 MDX Adv and they never stopped being fun to drive. Decided to add the MDX sport hybrid because it was the closest thing to a MDX Type-S in Acura's history (and 1/2 million miles is a lot on the other vehicles). Haven't been disappointed after almost 10,000 miles with MDX hybrid. I like my MDX sport hybrid so much, I decided to sell my 11 MDX Adv/Ent and look for a +18 used RLX sport hybrid to replace it.

getakey

Best stereo ever was the Krell in my RLX

mrgold35

Not sure why Acura didn't put the Krell, HUD, or the RLX double jewel eye LED headlights on the MDX Advance model? Even the TLX wireless charging and thigh extender seemed to be easy adds for the MDX Adv also.

wallyo

In the Sound settings, adjust the fore-aft setting, moving it two or three notches to the rear. This will fill out the sound and get rid of the "dashboard" problem you're describing.

jcbama85

I too disagree with the road noise. I had a 2017 Honda Pilot EX-L and it was significantly louder than my 2020 MDX. II realize both are similar, but for my $ the MDX is the best value in the crowded luxury SUV space.

merlin the wrench

therein lies the issue. It is not a "Luxury SUV" although it is marketed and sold as such. It is actually engineered like a Truck with a cabin and rides like one - stiff. I'd call it an upscale large SUV with a reliable engine/transmission package. People who buy it as a "Luxury SUV", like I did will be disappointed in the ride and noise. That said, it handles just fine, and generally the engineering is above average.

jcbama85

We’ll respectfully disagree. Moving up from a Pilot, the MDX is a luxury SUV to me. I also shopped the X5 and Q7 and selected the MDX because it was a better value and my positive experience with Honda and Acura’s (my wife is on her second RDX). I agree it handles well and has quality engineering. For my use, it’s ideal.

wallyo

You're speaking from experience with a 2014 and 2015 Tech, but my only Acura experience is with a 2018 Hybrid Advance. I compare the Hybrid to two other "luxury" cars we currently own, a 2012 BMW 750i and a 2017 Mercedes E 400 4Matic wagon). In terms of comfort and road noise, the Acura is equal to the Mercedes or a hair better, and it is clearly better than the BMW. It is also more agile and handles better than either of those cars, as the full-time torque vectoring of the Hybrid puts it in a class of its own. As a result of this experience, the Acura is the car I usually select for longer drives. I mostly use it in Comfort mode around town, Normal on the highway, and sometimes Sport on winding roads. Occasionally I put it in Sport+ to pass another car on a two-lane road. The one problem I found with the Acura was the OEM Continentals, which hummed badly on certain kinds of pavement. Switching to a set of the Michelin LTXs solved the problem. As for whether the Acura is a "luxury car" of not, I couldn't care less. My other two cars, particularly the MB, are luxury cars only because of their blinged up interiors, which I find almost vulgar in their effort to look "classy" and expensive. The honesty and simplicity of the Acura interior is much more honest. Your characterization of the MDX as a hard-riding truck pretending to be a luxury vehicle doesn't at all fit my experience. If you wanted a luxury car, you should have at least gone for the Advance, and these days the Hybrid Advance. The Hybrid Advance is a steal compared to the other cars I drove before buying it, including an X5 and Q7. Similarly equipped those two cars were both about $20k more.

getakey

+1

MDX is no where near to being engineered as a truck. Trucks have frames. MDX is a unibody.