Bumping this - Rob, what's your thoughts on the new MDX now? Sister's eyeballing one to replace her old Q5.
Also, how's the XC90 doing Stan?
Three words...hybrid or nothing.
So the MDX got its mid cycle refresh for 2017. The new grille is also showing up on the 2018 TLX sedan releasing this week. Like it or not, the "diamond pentagon" or whatever it's being called is here to stay for some time.
One of my biggest gripes about the MDX is the ZF sourced 9 speed automatic. I hate it. It's also in my TLX. Damn I hate it. Honda just released an in house designed and manufactured 10 speed in the new Odyssey. Perhaps it sees its way into the 2018 MDX.
Or...you can get a 7 speed DCT transmission which works great. It comes in the new 2017 MDX Sport Hybrid. You get a slightly smaller 3.0L V6 (regular MDX is 3.5), but you also get three electric motors. Two of which are in the rear and drive the rear wheels in lieu of a propeller shaft driven conventional differential. These electric motors provide instant torque and can even reverse torque when needed. This takes Acura's torque vectoring SH-AWD system to another level. This system is very similar to the hybrid setup in the $200k NSX supercar. In the MDX hybrid, you also get active shocks so it rides and handles better too. The battery and guts for the hybrid system are all underneath and do not intrude or compromise any space in the cabin at all. At city street speeds, the thing runs in EV quite a bit, so you get quite a mpg boost over the regular MDX.
It's more powerful, rides and handles better, is quieter, gets 6mpg average better, and in a nutshell better in every way than the regular MDX. And the best part? Compared to a regular MDX SH-AWD, it's only $1500 more on the MSRP. I call that the biggest no brainer ever.
The catch is that they are super limited for the rest of the 2017 model year. My dealer will only get 7. Our first one sold in less than 48 hours. Our next two are pre sold already. Another catch? Full sticker price for these, while you can probably get $4-5k off the sticker of a regular MDX. So it really is actually more than a $1500 premium isn't it. 2018 will bring much more supply and probably production will be moving from Alabama to Ohio so fit and finish will get a bump up. If you can hang in there for the 2018 model, which will be around August, then great. Otherwise, if you want a 2017 hybrid, it's certainly possible but most dealers have already ordered most if not all of their allocation. So if one shows up and is open to buy, you'll have to take whatever color and configuration it is.
