I got an A-Spec MDX as a loaner this week. For a family, the space is nice. It also drives much more nimbly than I expected. However, I was surprised that the overall quality seems cheaper and design less thoughtful. Does anyone else agree?

For example, they slapped a helluva lot of piano gloss black trim on the MDX and there’s a remarkably cheap-looking plastic silver grille above the door armrests. The soft touch materials aren’t as soft as they are on the RDX and the center console and dash design is very basic. Graceful design features found on the RDX like the armless tailgate and sliding arm rest are absent from the MDX.

Anyhow, it kinda bums me out because I always expected that I’d upgrade as my family got bigger, but now it feels like it would be a downgrade. :/

 

The size is too big for me so I considered but immediately unconsidered it. For me the main draw was the double wishbone but the weight meant it won’t be as nimble as the RDX and the engine is also very thirsty.

 

Really? The MDX drove much lighter than I expected, and I really dislike bulky cars. But I agree the mileage was dreadful. The engine seemed underpowered in the lower gears and felt like it was gulping fuel just to giddy-up. My neighborhood has an incline with speed bumps near the entrance and I was convinced it burned a gallon of gas every time I climbed that little hill haha.

 

I have a MDX Type S as a loaner right now and wow does that put a smile on your face when you put the pedal down! Handles just as well as my A-Spec in the corners even being a bigger car. Do I want one, yes! But I dont have kinda coin and the RDX fits best right now. But it is a very fun car and I think Type S is appointed slightly above the A-Spec trim.

 

I have a 2011 MDX that my wife drives and we love it. Its fast and nimble. That version of the MDX with the upgrades would be desirable to me. However the newer MDX is just too damn big. Its like 6 inches longer and a few inches wider. Too boat like for me, I am still in the market for a 2022+ RDX Aspec.

 

It does drive like it's lighter than it actually is, but its nothing compared to the RDX in terms of being nimble. Also I'm single and driving around with 3 rows seems like overkill.

 

Ive been contemplating on one for a while now because Acura is dragging their ass on the 2024 RDX. I’m not betting my savings that there will be any difference over the 23 model, but my luck, Ld buy a 2023, and all the changes I want will be in the 2024.

 

What changes do you want to see? They aren't going to make any major changes. The thing they need to improve to draw a different set of customers is the drivetrain (either hybrid or significantly better gas mpg), but we know that is not even on the radar. The 2023 seems to be selling ok. It's a better value than any of the gas competition.

 

Just minor things similar to some interior stuff in the MDX. I like the power steering wheel adjustment, i hate the knobs on the RDX dash for the stereo and the cheap HVAC buttons and control. Not really a fan of the gauges either. The digital dash on the MDX is better in my opinion.

 

We owned a 2003 MDX which is roughly the size of the current RDX IMPO. It was a great car. But my wife prefers the smaller RDX to the new larger MDX and I really don't mind it either.

 

Nope, too big and worse mpg. Hefty price tag for the Type S. Would consider a 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro or Land cruise hybrid and the new Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid.

 

Wow they gave you a Type S as a loaner? I thought I was privileged to get an A-spec. How much gas does it burn through?

 

I don't feel everything OP said about MDX vs RDX interior, but I only have MDX-S for comparison so that is a little different from A-spec.

I can say from owning both cars that the piano black trims feels higher quality because the paint is thicker, the leathers (real or leather) are all a touch higher quality than RDX, the armrest is softer on MDX, and of course the door trims and speaker grills look luxurious on MDX Type-S. I cannot think of anything in MDX-S that feels lower-graded than RDX in the front seat area.

I like the strut-less tailgate as well, but the MDX tailgate moves quickly so you are not losing much with the strut design. To me, the sore point of MDX is the storage space. I love RDX's console storages as they are so versatile. The space on MDX is laughable, but on MDX-S it is less painful because I know some of the space is used for the awesome ELS audio speakers.

If you want fully plush experience, unfortunately you need to go European or Genesis.

 

I would never for a variety of reasons. The MDX is WAY too big for me and for a single guy I don't need the space or the 3 rows.

Furthermore I drove a 2023 A-Spec for a few hours and for whatever reason the windows felt EXTREMELY small, like the roof was squashed down, I was having a hard time with visibility and it was stressing me out. On top of that the 290Hp felt wholly inadequate and uninspiring and to me it felt very clunky and boat-like. I suspect the Type-S would fix my power concern, but at that price and for that fuel economy I'd rather look at the German brands if I wanted a big 3 row luxury vehicle.

The RDX to me on the other hand is a very compelling option vs the German rivals and is adequate vs the base engine options on a lot of those German options, especially for the price.

 

I just went from a 2011 MDX Tech/Ent as well. Loved it but the upgrade to my 2022 RDX is night and day. I looked at the new MDX but it felt like overkill! The RDX fits just right.

 

I'm looking forward to the next Gen RDX to replace my 18 RLX Sport Hybrid. Love the 377hp power of the RLX and 28-30 mpgs always; but, I miss the utility and high sitting position of my old 08 RDX. I was set to upgrade from my 08 RDX for the +19 RDX. The +19 RDX mpgs and road noise switched me to an 19 MDX Adv Sport Hybrid. The switch from 1st Gen RDX to 3rd Gen 14-20 MDX was way easier compared to the 3rd Gen RDX to 4th Gen MDX. I gained so much more compared to losing with more hp/tq, improved mpgs, performance, handling, utility, luxury, tech, etc...

I would check out the 19-20 MDX in Aspec/Adv/Hybrid models if you do need a touch more space; but, still want performance+handling+mpgs.

 

No. The MDX was too big for us. I considered the Lexus NX, but that was just a little too small in terms of cargo capacity. The RDX is just right!

 

I dont have a smile when I see price tags for Type S MDX. Its crazy money.

 

No. RDX will be my last Acura. Quality and fitment is just not there. Will keep this for atleast 10 years though.

I'm fortunate enough where my next car will be a true luxury brand like the Germans or Lexus.

 

Spend some time in the other forums and you’ll find people saying — this is my last lexus, mb, bmw, etc. I for example left BMW because they lost their magical steering and suspension that made the car feel like it was on rails. Every time I thought of MB and spent time in the forums, I knew it wasn’t my next car. Acura may not be perfect but they are the best value and the car is reasonably fun to drive — better than almost all the competition in terms of steering and suspension. They are weak in engine, transmission, and infotainment but I’m ok with that.

 

I was enjoying the car and always kept in at least sport mode, I reset the trip when I got it and was getting about 16mpg. I drove it ~400 miles and needed 1.5 tanks of 93.

 

The window sticker was in dash, $68,300. Hefty yes but for the power, handing and features I still think its a decent deal compared to competitors (a BMW X5M starts at 90k). The brakes felt amazing and the adjustable air suspension was nice.

 

@jmhumr, I thought the 2nd row got cheaper in the '22 redesign. Coming from the '18 MDX Tech, I remember the 2nd row having more bolstering and more support. The latest MDX 2nd row is thin and looks like a straight bench from pics.

 

The comfort of one seat is the only one I really care about! Ok, maybe the passenger too for rare occasions.

 

Not sure why you had to go to X5M as I'm sure even the $68,495 X5 xDrive40i can smoke the MDX Type S too.

This is the folly of competing w/the Germans on price...

 

Folks buying MDX typically want that 2nd row filled (3rd row completely optional). If 2nd row for you is an afterthought, then the RDX can do the job too and is a lot cheaper!

 

Yes, the base X5 has 20hp over the Type S, but I was looking at it as the Type S is Acura's performance package, as the M is for BMW.

 

Which is why I went with the RDX for now! However, if im the one driving, I dont really care about the comfort of the passengers. Im sure its still more than good enough, but as I dont sit back there, prime comfort doesnt matter to me. The kids are just going to trash it anyways!

 

That's how it should work for comparisons but unfortunately it's worse than that. Both the TLX Type S and MDX Type S are either on par or worse than the equivalent BMW non-performance models.
Why do you think both current/former Acura fans have been so disappointed w/anything Type S the last few years? All the vaunted "value" proposition from Acura goes flying out the door when the price is allowed to inflate w/o the comparable performance.

 

They are thousands cheaper though.

If you care about Type S, M, etc. you should buy electric. You'll get near super car acceleration numbers for the price. Acura Type S, BMW M, MB AMG, Audi S/RS, Lexus F are all a waste of money these days. A ton of farting and wheezing, yet easily beaten by a silent car with mom & kids. How embarrassing is that? They are just milking what is left of the ICE era.

 

Only the non-S are thousands cheaper. They will always have their market...

You do know there are folks who want performance but don't want to spend a dime on electric, right? Perhaps you still haven't heard enough horror stories of folks being stranded yet (F-150 Lightning, etc.)?

 

Not everyone lives in California.

There's a reason why there are huge swaths of the country where nobody drives EVs, and it's not just because of the political preferences of the buying public.

 

Not embarrassing at all, the mother and children are in a soul-less boring car. Such a narrow focus to believe performance only means 0-60, most are looking for handling and braking to go along with that not to mention a little personality. You couldn't pay me to drive a pure EV at this point. Performance hybrid is the segment that should expand as it makes the most sense.

 

Pretty much all of the next gen of super cars are going to be all electric. They come with the requisite braking and suspension tuning otherwise they wouldn't be posting record performance numbers at the track. From my perspective, BMWs lost their soul when they went to electric steering and modified their suspensions so they now either too soft or too hard. A Tesla now has much more soul than any BMW, Audi or MB. (Honda and Toyota never had a soul to begin with, right? )

 

I’ve owned 2 BMWs and a Lexus, I still have my BMW hardtop manual tranny convertible with the N54 twin turbo inline 6. Wonderful cars, but I’m not sure what “true luxury” means to you. This is my first Acura and I’m very happy with it. I spend a fair amount of time on the BMW forums and the complaints of rattles, squeaks, etc. even on new models is there. As are the comments of “I would never own a BMW outside of warranty”. Lexus is reliable, but just plain boring, imho, save the IS500 or RC-F.

 

I’m with you. Owned a BMW myself and my family has owned BMWs. I found them quite utilitarian, as well as frustrating to own due to all the maintenance quirks. The engines are strong and the assembly fit is good, but the materials are basic and don’t wear any better than most other brands. People forget that BMW and Audi are mainstream brands in Europe. Kudos to their brilliant marketing for compelling Americans to pay premium prices. Kinda reminds me of this bit, haha:

Jim Gaffigan - Selling Water

 

I would also add the big advantage of BMWs, for those who appreciate it, are the driving characteristics. The taught suspension, cornering, and the once great steering. The RDX drives much closer to a BMW than Lexus. I was pleasantly surprised by the suspension on the RDX. However, in terms of pure luxury, I would say Mercedes takes the mantle, but again, I would not want to own one out of warranty.

 

is your bmw e93 or f33?

 

e93. They stopped putting manuals in the f33 except for the M cars.

 

you’re lucky! You have the last of the cars with BMW’s magical steering and suspension.