comparable suvs's to mdx

[redlobster]

My wife really likes our 02 MDX but it is getting a little long in the tooth mileage wise and the mpg just isn't cutting it anymore. What are some comparable SUV's with similar rear seating space (we have an 8 year old and a 1 1/2 year old and my wife often babysits a friends 8 month old) that achieve better mpg? I'm looking somewhere around 2007-2009 model years and seating for 5 is fine, we no longer utilize the two rear seats in the MDX, the most important things are fuel economy and reliability.

Please no Jeeps, Dodges or Chryslers.

[symmetrical]

2007-2009 Acura MDXs are a popular choice on this board. :P

Kidding aside, I think the Lexus RX, Infiniti FX, Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca are good reliable choices. Features and specs are within range of each other.

My dad has a 2008 Subaru Tribeca and it is a work horse. 170,000 miles on the clock with basic maintenance, and he carries a bunch of heavy supplies daily. GPS, good AWD system, and good driving feel.

[Bill_de]

A friend of mine has a Buick Enclave which is a nice vehicle.It runs and rides about the same as the X, but not quitw as sporty. It does have a quieter cabin.

Can't tell how well they last as he's on his third in a year and a half. The first one was totaled while sitting in his driveway. The woman also took a corner off his garage. So, he made room and started parking the second one in the garage. When Sandy left almost 4 feet of salt water in his garage he bought a third one. Hopefully the third one will be a charm.

[wasjr]

On the subject of mpg, my 2011 Advance gets worse mileage than either my 01 or 05 MDX did. You might look at the Lexus RX hybrid. We just bought a 2013 ES300h for my wife and I looked at an RX in the showroom. It had more room that what I thought. Never having a hybrid, I was concerned about the hybrid technology, but Toyota's technology is established and they have an 8yr/100,000 mi warranty on the hybrid system.

[harry1]

Originally Posted by redlobster

My wife really likes our 02 MDX but it is getting a little long in the tooth.......Please no Jeeps, Dodges or Chryslers.

I would politely suggest your opinion of Chryco, particulrly Jeep, is way outdated. Though it does not have a third row seat, you should test drive the new Jeep Grand Cherokee. There is a V6 if MPG is a priority, Hemi for balance, power, or towing. JGC also has some other bells and whistles such as keyless entry, vented seats, etc.

We are on our second MDX and are obviously fans, but the 2011+ JGC is also in the stable and we like them both equally. Hard to find a fully dressed mid size SUV in the $42k range, both vehicles clear this hurdle. Despite equivalent pricing and general configuration, the Jeep has sold nearly 3X more U.S. units in 2011 & 2012 than the MDX (281k vs. 94K vehicles sold).

[wrestrepo]

How about a Ford then, the Edge is a pretty good alternative if you don't need the third row, and there is even a 4cyl ecoboost for those who put MPGs as a priority.


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[G. COLTON]

Originally Posted by Bill_de

A friend of mine has a Buick Enclave which is a nice vehicle.It runs and rides about the same as the X, but not quitw as sporty. It does have a quieter cabin.

Can't tell how well they last as he's on his third in a year and a half. The first one was totaled while sitting in his driveway. The woman also took a corner off his garage. So, he made room and started parking the second one in the garage. When Sandy left almost 4 feet of salt water in his garage he bought a third one. Hopefully the third one will be a charm.

With that man's luck I hope is not in the stock market.

George

[G. COLTON]

At the moment my personal favorite of the SUV's out there is the GMC Acadia Danali.

The Acadia has the best storage area behind the second seat and the best leg room for the 3rd seat. The storage room actually is the same 48"x48" found in the larger SUV's such as the Tahoe.

George

[Bill_de]

Originally Posted by G. COLTON

At the moment my personal favorite of the SUV's out there is the GMC Acadia Danali.

The Acadia has the best storage area behind the second seat and the best leg room for the 3rd seat. The storage room actually is the same 48"x48" found in the larger SUV's such as the Tahoe.

George

If it had true off road capability, that would have been my first choice.

[skinny2]

Just to clarify...you do NOT need/want a 3rd row correct?

Beyond that I guess it depends on what you mean by comparable...particularly if mpg is your biggest requirement. If you could live without the performance, the CRV is the best mpg choice out there and honestly they're not all that bad of a vehicle starting in 2012. The top end models have some decent features and there's good space inside. Beyond that, the typical SUV's seem to all get within a stone's throw of each other on the mpg side. Most of the "premium" brands require "premium" fuel....so that takes a whack at fuel costs quickly.

Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander would be other options that don't require premium and get average mpg for this class. Decent reliablity as well.

[redlobster]

No we no longer need the 3rd row seating, by comparable I mean similar rear seat width, the CRV is much narrower than the MDX, or so I believe.

[sgtglok]

Reliability is always a gamble with used cars since you have no way of knowing how the previous owner(s) treated the vehicle. I listed the top choices I would consider, instead of MDX:

1. 2009 Lexus RX
2. 2009 Nissan Murano
3. 2009 Subaru Forester
4. 2009 Toyota Highlander*
5. 2009 Toyota Venza*

*Toyotas come with choices of 2WD/4WD and 2.7L/3.5 L engines

I also like 2009 Ford Edge, but I'd need to find a quality shop first.

[skinny2]

Originally Posted by redlobster

No we no longer need the 3rd row seating, by comparable I mean similar rear seat width, the CRV is much narrower than the MDX, or so I believe.

On paper the MDX has 5-6" more width in 2nd row. If anything the CRV is closer to quite a few other vehicles (on paper)...similar or more than Highlander, RX350, etc. We bought a '12 CRV AWD LX for an elderly relative last year and was surprised with the roominess of the new model. Certainly worth taking a look if mpg is your biggest concern. She's averaging 26mpg on her CRV around town and got over 30 on a long highway trip...granted she's light on the go-pedal but still that's pretty impressive for anything AWD.