Product Review - the Affordable Acura MDX Mid-Sized Luxury SUV

If you're looking for the perfect mid-sized luxury SUV, you've found it with the Acura MDX. While equipped with all the amenities of similar sized SUV's like the Lexus, Mercedes and BMW, the Acura MDX can be far more affordable.

I first learned about the Acura MDX back in late 2003 when it came time for me to replace my car. After analyzing my needs, I determined that a well-equipped mid-sized SUV was perfect for me, accommodating my career, my family, even my dog! I am a realtor, so an adequate number of comfortable seats, as well as luxurious and professional appearance are important. As I spend a lot of time driving clients around to look at houses, a GPS system was also a high priority. I wanted an area that my Golden Retriever could ride in, without having to worry about his dirtying or damaging the seats, so the cargo area behind the passenger seats in a mid-size SUV was just right. Next, as a mom to a teenaged son, I often find myself chauffeuring kids, bikes, skateboards and backpacks, so, again, seating is important, not to mention a lot of cup holders!

I checked out a number of SUVs, including various models by Mercedes, Lexus and BMW. All were very nice, but several were actually quite small inside, in spite of their large price tags. When I came across the Acura, I found everything I was looking for: the features, the luxury, the look, and at a price I could afford.

My Acura MDX seats as many as seven people. While we normally keep the last row of seats down to leave room for plenty of cargo, groceries or my dog, the two rear seats pop up easily for extra passengers when needed. There are seat/shoulder belts all around, as well as cup holders for everyone! (A total of eight!) For added comfort, the Acura MDX includes a separate control for passengers in the back seat to control their own heating and air conditioning.

I purchased the technology and entertainment packages for my Acura MDX, so my SUV includes a six-CD changer as well as AM/FM radio, tape deck and in-dash CD player; it has a DVD player which can also be used to play video games such as X-Box or PlayStation; and I got the GPS system. With the DVD player (and the optional headphones if I want to keep the movie sound only in the back), I am able to keep my clients' children entertained on long afternoons looking at properties, or my son and his friends entertained on long road trips. With my GPS system, I can easily line up six properties at a time, without having to squint through hours of mapping with my Thomas Brother's Guide. Although they may seem like luxury items, after having them for several years now, I don't know how I ever got along without them!

When ordering your Acura MDX, you can also add all sorts of cosmetic amenities, such as wood grain dash and gear shift, fender flairs, running boards and gold exterior emblems and accents. You can also get luggage/ski racks, a cargo cover for the back, even a dog guard to block your pet from the passenger area of the car. I got the works, making my MDX as elegant for clients as it is functional and fun for my little family and me. And still, my Acura MDX SUV was thousands of dollars less expensive than similarly equipped Lexus, Mercedes or BMW models.

I do have a few complaints about my Acura MDX, but they are minor. I have had difficulty with blind spots on both sides of the car. It seems that it is just tall enough to cause me to miss seeing shorter vehicles as they come along side, invisible both in the mirrors and even at a glance, especially on the passenger side if someone is sitting there. There is about a four second gap in visibility that has caused me several near misses, but I have adjusted by being doubly cautious when changing lanes. Apparently, this is a problem common to most similarly sized SUVs.

I also have several small dents in my doors that came from what seemed to me the tiniest impact - Both from shopping carts in parking lots. It seems to me that Acura could make a little bit tougher skin on their cars to prevent this.

The final complaint that I have with my Acura MDX is that they apparently manufacture them with rather small breaks for the weight and capacity of the vehicle. On a trip through somewhat windy, hilly roads in nearby California Wine Country with my MDX loaded down with two adults, two large teens and our camping gear, the brakes began to "bounce" and a burning smell came from them. Apparently, my brakes were warped on that trip from the heat of the excess friction put on them, caused by inadequate sized brakes for the load capacity of the SUV. This is without question the most serious of my complaints. I would highly recommend checking into this when buying an Acura MDX and, perhaps, having larger brakes installed if you plan to take any trips with the car loaded down heavily.

But, other than these mostly minor or common complaints, I am very happy with my mid-sized SUV. I would highly recommend the Acura MDX as an affordable and beautiful mid-sized luxury SUV.