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SUVs Acura MDX Acura MDX v. Honda Pilot
50 messages, Last post on Jul 06, 2009 at 7:24 AM
You are in the Acura MDX Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Replying to: benandeleanor (Jul 06, 2008 5:53 pm) Pilot gets about 10% better MPG, and does not have to use the Premium gas - which here is about 15 cents per gallon... However, am still disappointed in the looks of 09 Pilot. I was hoping for something more stylish? Less Boxy...sort of the way Honda re-designed the CRV. I did test drive the Pilot and it was great. I think if the MDX was a bit smaller and got better Mileage than the Pilot...I would still probably go w. it..I love the interior of the MDX, the "cockpit" feel. ...I also am not 100% sure I like the looks of the MDX either. I don't appreciate driving enough to judge the MDX feel vs. the Pilot. Seems like the experts rave about how great it drives compared to other SUVs.
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Replying to: comet123 (Jul 06, 2008 6:31 pm) Some observations: 1. Honda and Acura's navigations should be identical, so no difference there. 2. The Pilot's 3rd row is definitely more user-friendly, and a knock on the MDX is the fact that you can only access the 3rd row on the right side. Also the 2nd row does not adjust positions. These were points to consider but not ultimately important ones in my decision as I hardly use my 3rd row (in fact they are usually folded down), but it is there if I need to take a 6th person somewhere. The backseats for the MDX are very comfortable if you are carrying 4 adults. 3. It's subjective of course, but I think the MDX looks a million times better than the Pilot from any angle, especially the front and rear. 4. For those with children, MDX has 3 LATCH connectors all in the 2nd row (probably can only use 2 at a time) whereas the Pilot has 4 LATCH connectors, I believe 2 in each rear row. I would have preferred the 4 LATCH's but personally for me it was not a huge deal as my family won't warrant that many LATCH's for a few years anyway and by then it will be time to replace my wife's car. 5. I get 19-20 MPG on the MDX mixed driving and 23 MPG on the highway. I imagine the Pilot won't get much better, maybe by 1 MPG. Premium gas is 10-15 cents more expensive per gallon than regular, but as an annual estimation it's probably just $200 more per year in gas, which shouldn't be a big deal if you're shopping for an SUV in the $38,000+ range anyway. 6. Last I checked, the Pilot was going for MSRP or maybe $500-1,000 off MSRP (not sure if this has changed as the Pilot has been out for a little bit longer now). The MDX now has a $2,500 dealer incentive if you purchase or $1,500 if you take Honda's special financing. This should narrow the gap considerably as you can bargain off invoice for the MDX but have to bargain off MSRP for the Pilot. When I bought my MDX Tech in mid-June, a Touring Pilot would have cost me MSRP ($40k+) before tax, titles, and fees. I bought my MDX Tech for almost $2,000 below that before the extra fees. If anything I maybe gave up RES, rear bumper sensors (MDX Tech comes with a camera) and a USB iPod connection (rumor is this will be in the 2009 MDX's), but got HID lights, a better interior, and let's face it an Acura instead of a Honda. The MDX is only in its 2nd model year as well so it's not an old design. Anyway, just wanted to give my (probably biased) observations. Good luck with your decisions! Can't go wrong either way but I do love my MDX!
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I don't see much activity on this comparing the MDX to the Pilot. I have driven both....and both seem great. Am leaning towards MDX..just because I already own a Honda van and don't have the need for the 3rd seat. If it was our only large vehicle and I needed extra room, definitely Pilot. |
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Replying to: hodog16 (Jul 08, 2008 6:13 pm) |
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| I started focusing on the Highlander, new Pilot and CX-9 (I also checked out the Arcadia, etc. but eliminated them). I wanted to like the Highlander but it has too many flaws for someone who wants a luxury trim and really needs the third row for trips (no split fold-down seat, no memory seats, no iPod integration, nav can't be controlled when driving, RES completely kills rear view, etc.). I didn't love the look or the drive on the new Pilot. I ended up checking out the MDZ closely as a result, especially with prices so low. But the MDX really loses on seating. The third row is useless for adults (I had to bend my neck sideways to sit there and my knees jammed into the second row) and even the middle seat in the second row was useless for me. We would use this for long car trips with adults sometimes in these seat positions. I also didn't like the worse fuel economy and premium fuel requirement. | |
| Ended up getting the Pilot for what it's worth. I test drove it, the MDX, the Highlander and the CX-9 at least several times each. The dirve is nicer on the MDX (and CX-9) but fine on the Pilot. And its baffling to me (and, they admitted, the Acura sales guys) that even the '09 Pilot still doesn't have iPod integration. The Pilot is using the exact same nav system but with more features. It really is a great tech car. And the seating is equal to if not best in class (the GMC line being the only competition). If the third row is an after-though, a "nice-to-have" for the rare occasions, the MDX is probably the better choice. But if it is an important factor in the buying decision, the Pilot is a better choice by far. Also, around here the Honda dealers are being more aggressive on pricing (proportionately) than the Acura dealers... | |
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Hello all- I am leaning towards purchasing a used (2006-2005) MDX but also considering the Pilot. What do you think the financial incentives will be post-labor day? Any 0% for 36 month financing, or extending 0.9% for more than 36 months? And anything I should be evaluating between the pilot and mdx other than cost? Thanks
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Last I heard, the low interest financing on the Dealers inventory of used models is available if they are Certified by the dealer, which add $1,800. to the cost. I have a 2005 that is great but AHF want $3,000 over Market value to purchase so I extended the lease for a few months. Looking for a deal on a 2005 or 2006 MDX. Assume with every manufacture ending their big sale 9/2/08 and with vehicles, SUV's especially not moving, better financing deals may be forthcoming to move the 2008s. Will wait to see what happens in the next 60 days or so. |
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Replying to: pilotsearcher (Aug 27, 2008 10:44 am) * How important is seating capacity to you? The Pilot seats 8 pretty comfortably. The Acura seats 4 very comfortably and 3 not at all comfortably (as in not practical for most adults unless you want to bend your neck sideway the whole time). It's also easier to access the third row seating in the Pilot and there is more leg room (which is adjustable). * The Pilot has more cargo capacity. * In theory the Acura should have a better residual value but it doesn’t at the moment. Perhaps the ’09 will. * The Acura drives nicer, no question: More responsive, zippier, better suspension, etc. * The interior of the Acura is much better appointed. Many people have correctly complained about the obvious plastic finishes on even the high-end Pilot – they don’t even attempt fake wood. * Acura will have 1 year more warranty and probably more white glove treatment at the dealer when serving. When I had a Lexus they wasted the car after every visit and offered me a loaner. Not so much with Toyota, for example… * The Pilot has a little better MPG. It has variable cylinder management (i.e. it can save fuel by shutting some off when not taxing the engine). And the Pilot doesn’t require premium fuel like the Acura. * The Pilot has iPod integration into the nav screen controls and voice control. There is a rumor the ’09 MDX will but the dealers I spoke to said no and it definitely isn’t in the ’08. * The Acura has an option for real-time traffic re-routing in major markets. It requires a monthly subscription. Other than the iPod and traffic differences, the navs and audio systems in both vehicles is identical (at least when comparing to the Touring Pilot). * The Touring Pilot has a numerous standard features that are always options in the Acura, such as the tow package and hitch. So make sure to factor that into your cost comparison if they are important to you. * The exterior stylings are very different. Chances are if you are leaning toward an Acura you will not like the exterior of the Pilot. It was designed to appeal to people who liked the classic SUV boxiness. I personally don’t care for it but the other features won me over. That said, I am indifferent to the exterior of the MDX – its fine, but it doesn’t wow me either. I prefer the exterior of the CX-9 or the XC90 myself. In my experience with competitive bidding there is about a $5-6K difference in price between the 4WD Pilot Touring and an ’08 MDX w/ Tech and Ent (though before the optional towing, etc.). It makes the MDX tempting. If seating had not been a priority for me I would have strongly considered it. If seating and cargo capacity is a priority, it is a total no-brainer decision for the Pilot. |
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| To clarify my residual value comment, I meant proportionately. It doesn't hold a percentage of its value better, at least in the lease terms being offered right now. Obviously it holds a higher absolutely dollar value as it started higher... | |
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