Acura MDX

The MDX was developed by Honda for those who don't know. They spent plenty of time developing the "perfect all-terrain vehicle." 7 years to be exact. Anyway, it's release in 2000 astonished everyone including myself. At first, I was pretty skeptical because of the weird look and small front hood region. But boy was I wrong! I went to a Acura dealer to test drive it and it was fantastic. Nice responsiveness, excellent handling, and great braking. It's styling is a little conservative(when is Acura going to get over this phase!) but not too radical that it looks so strange and weird that it looks like some kind of robot. It's aerodynamics are moderate with a little wind noise at highway speeds but is moderately quiet. The third row seating arrangement is clever and is similar to the one used in the Honda Odyssey. The third row seat only holds two people but what is great is that it folds neatly into the floor without compromising cargo space similar to the seats in the odyssey. The four-wheel drive system on the MDX is above average on all SUVS in it's class and gives the MDX above average performance off road. I took mine off into the woods near the Pochanos into a huge river and it was amazing. The four wheel drive system automatically transferred power to the wheel with the most grip(similar to the 4WD system that Subaru uses). The MDX also received the Motor Trend Sport Utility of the Year award(for those technical guys out there). The interior is extremely spacious with the rear third row seat down and high quality leather trim makes you feel like your in a luxury Bentley rather than a SUV. The MDX is available in the regular trim w/navigation or without, and in a touring edition with or without navigation. If you don't know what a GPS navigation system is, visit the Acura site and they have a detailed page explaining all the details. I would only recommend the navigation system to those with tech savvy know-how and those who can't leave home without a map. Climate Control in the MDX is extremely efficient because it has what Acura calls the "Synchronized Climate Control System" which means that the rear seat heaters and the front seat heaters(yes the rear passengers get a/c!) can be operated either independently or simultaneously for faster heating or cooling of the cabin. The exterior, I warn, can fool a lot of people. It's wider than you might think! On my way out of a parking lot, there was a lamppost right next to the driveway road and I hit my side mirror. So, just a warning! Overall, the MDX is a excellent value, leaving all the other "tall wagons" behind.