colberto

I know it may be strange to seek a comparison of these two vehicles which are obviously in slightly different classes...but I'd like to hear what all of you have to say.

We are a no-kids couple that wants a luxury SUV experience. We don't do tons of hauling of things nor do we have tons of passengers etc.

Right now here is my pro-con...and hope you all can share your feelings:

RDX:
+ 5 Seater is sized appropriately for our needs
+ Good fuel economy for class of vehicle
+ About 8-10K less than MDX
- Interior materials not as luxurious as desired
- Lacks rear seat vents (this is a real stinker for what bills itself as luxury SUV)
- Have heard about louder interior cabin noise etc.

MDX:
+ New model this year with all latest Acura bells and whistles
+ Better interior fit and finishes and yes...rear vents/climate control
+ Bigger than RDX and yet achieves same fuel economy
+ Quieter cabin and ride
- Includes tons of features we don't need or will use (i.e. 3rd row seats, the AcuraLINK system, etc.)
- May be a bit too big for our needs
- 8-10K more expensive

So did any of you consider or debate the idea of the RDX vs. the new MDX? Any other things "seal" the deal one way or the other for you?

Thanks in advance.

davisinla

I did (briefly) consider the MDX and test drove one on the same day as driving the RDX.

Like you, we didn't really need the extra space the MDX offered. The extra features were very attractive, but to get all the ones I would have wanted, it would have cost at least $10,000 more. Having a third row of seats is a total waste for us - even when flat, it's a waste of space.

But what finally sealed the deal for me is that I simply love the way the RDX handles through the many twisty roads we have around here - close to a sports sedan without actually being one. The MDX might have had a better freeway ride, but the RDX does just fine.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

unless you haul stuff and or transport people on a daily basis, do you really need the extra space?

fuel economy is important.
the goal is to save money.

the RDX is the winner!

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

depends on what YOUR needs are.

i have an MDX, no kids and none for the future...BUT...the thing that we wanted was a comfortable road trip vehicle with plenty of room to haul our gear to races without having to strategically cram everything into the car. trust me...there is a lot of crap we take to races. at the time, the 2G MDX next to the 1G RDX...the RDX was too small and overly "functional" from an interior stand point for my tastes and needs. so i went with an MDX. no regrets and fits the ticket for what we want it to do. also having a snow car is a nice bonus too.

vbgregg

We bought an RDX. Our garage has a pair of 8-foot doors (and thus the openings are less than 8 feet wide). When we came home with our new RDX, I thought it would not even fit through the garage door opening. I got this queasy feeling that we just bought a car that would not even fit into the garage. Well, it just barely fit, with about 2" on either side. I still have to be careful every time I put it in the garage! I assume the MDX is even wider, so that surely would not have fit. Just one little thing that had never occurred to me before we brought it home.

Gregg

P.S. I know the mirrors fold in, but I certainly would not want to have to manually fold the mirrors each time I parked the car.

davisinla

I am in the exact same situation. I've got a three-car garage, with one double door and one single. The RDX gets parked in the single. I try to be very careful, but I fear some day I'll be pricing a new mirror.

ostrich

Thank you for creating this thread. I am in the exact same situation and so this is very helpful!

I want the luxury of the MDX but the size of the RDX.... hmm.... what do I do?

If I think any harder I might end up getting the X3!!! LOL

OTown

Have you considered the Infiniti QX60? It was the JX60. Positives are you get the luxury with lots of cool tech and the price is v good. Downside is it's not that quick.

Alternatively a Q5.

Texdriver

We are in a similar situation to yours. Just two of us, no need for a third row seat, not interested in all the latest tech gadgets, but like a few. The base comes with homelink, bluetooth, back up camera and ipod hook up, just what we need.

The base RDX fit our needs very well. What we like a lot is the good handling, quiet engine and interior noise level, and good pick up with sufficient power for the car size.

What we also liked is paying about $100 less each month for things we don't need.

I'd suggest a three year lease as the vehicle has good residual value, you get to use it for three years and switch to a new vehicle relatively soon. So many new energy efficient vehicles are coming out, in three years there may be better options available.

MDX is too big for us with options we would never use.

TyroneBiggums

One negative of the MDX is that it's the first year of that new design. I know some people like to stay away from the first year, so that kinks can be fixed.

hadokenuh

It's sort of weird to compare a base RDX to a Tech MDX because their price points are pretty far off.

When I purchased my MDX, I considered RDX Tech and MDX base because they were about 4K difference. The RDX is a fine vehicle but after test driving both, I decided to go with the MDX because:

1. It offers more room and emergency 3rd row seat
2. It feels more refined, more luxious, and smoother
3. The exterior looks better with the jewel headlights
4. Gas mileage is about the same as the RDX. After 1000 miles, I average about 25.5 for mixed driving. It's darn good for a SUV of this size
5. [Minor] Rear air vents
6. I don't really need NAV and other driving aids so a base MDX has all I wanted: bluetooth, back up camera, power liftgate. I spend about 1K for accessories like roof rails, running boards, splash guards, etc. The MDX looks much better with those installed.

If you like luxurious experience and don't need 3rd row seats and your budget is under 45K, the RX350 is a better choice than the RDX. If you want to save some money, the RDX is a fine choice but it's a compromise. If you get the RDX, get the Tech package.

Stump

I would have to disagree with the MDX having 'about the same gas milage' as the RDX. It simply doesn't.

And the assertion that the RX350 is 'better choice than the RDX' is simply your opinion, not shared by more than a few of us I'm sure.
And as to the RDX being a 'compromise', again you are on shaky ground here, IMO. Folks buy cars based on their needs, their design requirements, etc. I, for one, do not feel compromised in the least cruising in the RDX.
Having owned two MDXs, am more that satisfied with the direction Acura has taken the RDX.

colberto

Wow...thanks to everyone for supporting the discussion thus far. Nice to see there were and are others that had to think through this decision.

Rocket_man

These two vehicles have nearly identical fuel efficiency.

Actually they are within 1mpg of each other. The MDX has the ED engine, the RDX does not. Once the RDX gets the ED engine it should get appreciably better FE vice the MDX.

Who made that assertion? Not the OP. But if you look at sales the market place seems to like the RX consistently for many years. The new RDX is no slouch but the RX outsells it 2 to 1 (at least). Yes on an individual basis this is subjective, the objective sales numbers speak for themselves.

Between the two I'd pick the RDX also. But I'd wait to see if the 2015 comes with the ED engine and maybe other minor updates. If you can wait.

ipribadi

I'd agree with everyone else here.
I had a single door two-car garage. My 2nd car is a mid size sedan and yes, space is already tight side to side and back.

Being non biased as much as possible, if I were you I would go with a loaded Q5, X3 or RX.

Froid

I think the OP pretty much summed up the pros of each vehicle. I found the MDX a superior vehicle, just not worth the extra bucks. And it would've come straight out of my savings, since I paid cash for my base RDX.

In my opinion, both the RDX and MDX are better than an RX. Definitely in terms of driving experience and value. It astounds me that Lexus sells so many. Most buyers must not do their homework.

Rocket_man

Lexus enjoys a very loyal customer base, more so than Acura. Spend a little time over on CL and you'll see for yourself. So when it comes time to buy a new car, they go with what they know rather than take a chance on a new brand. Personally I don't think Lexus 'is all that.' I see plenty of little quality issues on the new IS. Typical kind of stuff on all cars. Nothing major, but nothing that justifies setting them apart from other luxury brands. But don't ever say that over on CL.. you'll be attacked like a chicken that just walked into a pack of wolves.

hadokenuh

Just to reply to those comments asking why I think the RX350 is "better" than the RDX:

If OP's budget is around 45K (it should be because he considers the MDX), the RX350 does give better experience in terms of luxury, ride, amenities, interior appointments. Also, people on ClubLexus forum are getting the RX at about 10% the MSRP, so that helps a bit. In terms of driving performance, of course the RDX will be better. It looks to me the OP is looking for more of luxury then driving experience though.

If the OP wants to have a fun SUV while still having some luxury experience, I highly recommend to look at the FX37. A FX37 with Premium Package (NAV, Bose, All-around camera and other goodies) can be had for around 43K (that's like 7K off the MSRP). Something else to consider

kevTL888

to me this isn't difficult, if you can afford the MDX, get it. the price difference of $10k is really only the concern here. MDX is heads and shoulders better than the RDX.

if you don't need 3 row seating, just fold down the seat, the exterior dimension of 3G MDX is not that bigger than the outgoing model. who wouldn't want to drive a slightly larger MDX with all the goodies come with it (ED engine, LED Jewel headlights, better material, with no penalty at the gas pump) over the RDX, unless that $10k is the sticking point.

kevTL888

agree, RX350 F-Sport can be had for $43k - $44k brand new.

markAZ

I don't know about you but $10K price difference for a car is real money to me. I suspect that's true for a lot of people.

And I don't NEED a bigger car, the RDX is plenty sufficient (probably more than sufficient).

Bigger is not always better (or more desirable).

Kyrra

I wish Acura would publish the width of their vehicles INCLUDING mirrors. The body-width of the MDX is 3.5 inches wider. With mirrors, it's hard to say.

I'm in the same boat as the OP right now, trying to decide between an RDX and MDX. There are a lot of little things I like about the MDX, but I'm not sure we're ready to move to a vehicle that big just yet. . The smoother and quieter ride of the MDX definitely has me tempted, along with the overall extra space.

For those with kids, I believe the 2nd row on the MDX has 3 LATCH points, while the RDX only has 2. As well, I'm interested to see how the MDX does in the small-overlap IIHS crash test. It may do better than the RDX as they probably did more to prep for that test.

Pricing wise, Base RDX vs Base MDX (invoice) is only $6,756 different. Tech RDX vs Base MDX (invoice) is $3,331 different. Sadly, dealers are still trying to hold to MSRP with the MDX much more than the RDX.

weather

If I had to stray from Acura, the X3 would be my choice. It is a gorgeous rig, especially in white

knv8

just saw a commercial that the mdx has street level traffic, does the rdx?

Kyrra

I'm down to RDX Tech or MDX Tech right now as well. I went and test drove both back-to-back a few days back. My view of Pros/Cons:

2014 MDX:
+ More cargo room.
+ Smoother & quieter ride
+ Nicer Safety tech features (Lane Departure, Forward collision, Blind Spot)
+ Near the same acceleration and fuel economy as the RDX
+ Possibly better safety rating (still waiting on IIHS small-overlap test)
- Size (3.5 inches wider, 10 inches longer). Makes it harder to fit in a garage or parking space.
- Cost. MSRP is $9000 more
- New model year (watching the MDX forums, a lot of people are reporting various problems)
- Seat adjustments. The range of adjustments for drivers seat isn't all that great.
- Higher load height to the trunk bed


2014 RDX:
+ Lower cost (initial cost and insurance)
+ Smaller, so it is easier to park in garage/parking-lot
+ Tighter stearing, gas, and brake (could be seen as a negative, but it feels more car-like to me).
- No fancy tech safety features
- Less cargo space
- Less hip/shoulder room for second row (an issue if you try to stick 3 people back there, or have 2 car seats + a person)
- Rear seats aren't adjustable (sliding or reclining).


I'd say my biggest issue with the MDX at this point is its size. As someone who has only drive compact or mid-sized sedans, an MDX is a pretty big leap. My wife will also be driving it regularly and it may be a bit too big for her (though I'm sure we'd get used to it).

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

^^just FYI...the 2G MDX is about the same size of the 3G TL (length and width). lengthwise the MDX has about an inch on the TL while we know the width...the MDX has a big butt with 6 in more in width.

the 3G MDX is about 1.5" skinnier but about 3 inches longer than the 2G. the 3G MDX is comparable in size to the 4G TL in length, but a little wider.

basically the point is that the MDX is about the size of a midsize sedan just a hair fatter. it just seems to be bigger b/c of the shape of the car. it would be a big jump from a compact car. you do get used to it and you certainly feel safe in an MDX.

ostrich

Hey, Weather, I am not into white cars (OOPS! I know you love white cars!!! Sorry....) but I do find the white X3 to be very nice indeed! One of the better colours for the X3.

I will have to make a decision - I probably will be able to get an X3 for about the same monthly lease price as the MDX Tech. But the RDX Tech will be quite a bit less per month. I can afford to pay for the X3/MDX but the question is, DO I NEED IT......... hmm..........

I so wished that the RDX would do an "Advance" or "Elite" trim so that it will be more luxurious inside with more features!!!!! Then I would be set :-)

fuzzyrover

We had the same dilemma up until last night when we had a back2back test drive of RDX tech and MDX navi (the first step up in Canada). RDX was first. Well...we liked everything handling, brakes, low noise, legroom. The car size was perfect for us. We thought it was it. Then we got into the MDX and what a difference. Talking luxury here. I don't think you can compare them, they are just in different categories. Its not just fancy safety features such as blind spot, lane departure etc. it's a whole different experience. Seats...ahah are so much more comfortable in MDX especially if you do long hauls. As soon as we drove up the dealership it was clear 10K difference is nothing for such comfort

davisinla

As I mentioned way at the beginning of this post, we also drove both. The MDX is indeed an impressive vehicle, a bit larger (and more expensive) for our needs.

So did you buy it? What options?

BLEXV6

Although I did not drive the MDX,I saw one the other day @ the dealer and I just don't see the value for me over the RDX. The RDX is just the right size for me.

BlackDogRDX

I just took a quick look at edmunds and they're claiming that the base MDX doesn't have Bluetooth audio (but it does have bluetooth phone connectivity, in case anyone thinks I'm confusing the two). Can anyone confirm that? I'm asking because the '13 RDX does have bluetooth audio.

Edit - I checked Acura.com and it does look like you need to get the Tech package on the MDX for bluetooth audio. That's so odd that it's included in the base RDX but not the base MDX.

Vividsi

I think a 13 ZDX would be the car for you if you can find one.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I was about to say that the ZDX sounds like it would fit the bill as well.

To the OP, I am curious why you want and SUV if you are not doing any hauling. The extra size and weight will incur a penalty in driving dynamics and fuel economy and it does not sound like the typical uses for and SUV are a part of your current lifestyle. Just trying to understand the need as there may be other good options out there that are not SUVs.

thephantom

Personally, I don't think the rear vent is such a big deal. The RDX is a small CUV that should get enough circulation (hot or cold) from it's current vent configuration.

I chose the RDX over the MDX because:

1. 14 MDX is first-year production.
2. Price.
3. No real need for the third-row seat right now.
4. Gas mileage.

I had an 07 RL prior to owning the RDX, and the RL was such a gas guzzler that I am now welcoming the more gas efficient feature in the RDX.

hadokenuh

The base MDX has bluetooth audio.


And the MDX has similar (if not exact) fuel consumption. The MDX may use a bit more gas, but my point is, the difference is small enough to not take into account when consider the RDX vs. MDX.

fuzzyrover

Just picked up the new MDX Navi (Tech in US). They are selling like hot pancakes. It was the last white/black in the area. The dealer had to bring the car from another place ~100 miles away. Discovering voice commands...amazing. You don't need to learn the new touch screen icons, there are a lot of commands even for basic things like temperature, heated seats, audio, phone. Yes, BT audio is in

OTown

We were debating the same but at $13k after negotiation difference between the RDX Tech and MDX Navi (Tech equivalent in Canada) it's just not worth the extra to us. We broke down how much the touch screen, nicer seats, storage, residuals, etc are worth to us and we're about $5k short. In fact, the trunk is probably more usable in the RDX unless you constantly have the back seats down in the MDX for our needs at least. Add on a smallish garage, tighter parking spaces in Canada, etc and I would rather we get more of the mortgage paid off than pay for something we really don't need.

Gen4MDX

It was mentioned earlier about the similar MPG's....but when the Earth Dreams engine is put in the RDX, there should be a significant gain in MPG's for the RDX. As for the tech differences, Acura needs to step it up on the RDX if they want to remain competitive against many other brands.

ViperZ

I looked at the 2014 MDX, while its a nicely appointed vehicle, it was never really on my dance card as its too big for my needs.

As much as I am a BMW fan, it the X3 was too close to the small size, and the X5 was much like the MDX, too big.

The 2014 RDX Tech fit my needs perfectly in size and level of luxury. About the only thing I wished it had was a panoramic glass roof and full LED lighting. I can live with out all the other tech aids like lane departure, etc...

weather

^^^ and don't forget the passenger seat height adjuster *lol*