[mango]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2001-06-26-honda.htm
wow, interesting, I wonder what it is going to cost, and how close is it going to resemble the MDX, I hear it is an MDX with options for cloth interior, they want to bring the price to mid 25k

"Honda to halt Prelude; hybrid Civic planned"

By James R. Healey, USA TODAY

Honda also gets a version of the Acura MDX sport-utility vehicle "soon," says Honda's U.S. sales chief, Executive Vice President Dick Colliver, but he wouldn't say just when. Acura is Honda's luxury brand.

-Mango, Orlando FL
MDX Owner wannabe.....

 

[JNanas]

Actually - being on hold waiting for the 2002 MDX - if it came out soon enough, I'd opt for one. Not that the MDX won't be nicer, but I question the sense of spending $44k for a vehicle I'll occasionally leave on some very harsh NYC streets.

You wonder though - just how much cheaper could the Honda version be? By the time you add leather seats and a moonroof to the sucker, it'll probably cost what an MDX does anyway.

 

[wait4mdx]

The Expedidition, even well a equipped Eddie Bauer, was avaialable much cheaper than Lincoln Navigator. Happy as I am with the MDX, I would have to think long and hard about paying more for an Acura than a roughly equivalant Honda. I wonder how Honda does in the service area -- my experience with Acura's service has been very good.

 

[JNanas]

Wait4 - I agree, but think about the parallel you raised - the Navigator was considerably more expensive than the EB Expedition. The MDX is a very reasonably priced vehicle, and cars ain't cheap these days (I sound like a real old timer, eh?). How much cheaper could the honda possibly be? If it starts at around 30, and makes it into the mid-30s after options, it's what, a full $5k less than the Acura?

The Navigator on the other hand had a 10-15k price difference in between itself and the Expedition. I don't see how Honda could make an MDX for $25k and still make a profit.

 

[mango]

very interesting

Some how we need to get more info on what the Honda version is going to have, just look at what Lexus and Toyota have done this year, they are saying the Highlander is Roomier, lower-cost alternative to Lexus RX 300 sport-utility vehicle. They do look different, but they do share the same engine, chasis, and suspension.

 

[bdespain]

Have to drop something.

Honda will have to drop some features. Here are my guesses.

Honda LX

• no sun roof.
• front wheel drive.
• smaller engine than MDX.
• cloth.
• smaller deminsions.
• 4 speed automatic

Honda EX

• include sun roof.
• viscous AWD like CRV.
• smaller engine than MDX, but more HP than LX.
• leather optional.
• smaller deminsions.
• 4 speed automatic
• optional nav.

Who knows, they may even be mean and have a solid 3rd row (no split). That in itself would be enough to buy the MDX.

 

[rogmandude]

This news

does bother me..I dont want to spend 10k more just to have a few features if the two vehicles are going to have the same basic makeup..I ordered my 2002 MDX 2 weeks ago but I would be very interested to know what the timetable is for the Honda version and what the real scoop is on the features being offered..what model year are they looking at? 2003?

 

[mogur]

Re: Have to drop something.

Frankly, I wish that Acura offered a version of the MDX with just front wheel drive and traction control, as Lexus does with the RX300.
Here in southern California, I have no real use for four wheel drive, and I'd just as soon save
the cost and reep the increase in gas mileage and performance that dropping the 4 wheel drive would bring.
I realize that this is likely a minority position but Lexus DOES sell a lot of 2WD RX300s, so there is clearly a market
for it...

Tom

Honda will have to drop some features. Here are my guesses.

Honda LX

• no sun roof.
• front wheel drive.
• smaller engine than MDX.
• cloth.
• smaller deminsions.
• 4 speed automatic

.

 

[mdmdx]

front wheel drive mdx?

Sounds like what you really need, mogur, is a minivan. No offense, but those looking for a front wheel drive vehicle which gets great mileage and has lots of cargo space really should be buying minivans. It's the piece of mind when wheather gets foul that many of us purchase a sport-ute for. In my case, I rest easier knowing that my wife is driving our 3- and 1-year olds in a 4WD vehicle when the roads turn to ****.

 

[A2MDXer]

Smaller engine??

I would guess the Honda version gets the same engine. In fact, there is speculation elsewhere on this board that the 2003 MDX engine will grow so that it will not be identical to the Honda. I would guess the Honda will start in the high 20s (28-29) but will jump to low 30s with options such as leather. The base MDX will probably be a few thousand more than a close but lesser Honda. Certain options such as heated seats, trip computer, Navi will probably not be available. No concrete info here, just speculation. See the RX300 vs. Highlander comparison. I would guess the Honda would be similar. There likely will be an order backlog as well judging from the CRV and Odyssey history.

 

[123]

I owne a Honda CRV and an MDX. If the CRV trend is any indication, I am quessing that the Honda version will be larger than the MDX not smaller. CRV is pretty large inside as a mid-size SUV. A smaller MDX (although much more powerful) does not make sense in the same market. A larger one to compete with Sequoya, Taho, and Expedition makes lots of sense. Look at Honda minivan and how it grew.

Looking at my crystal ball, I see a slightly longer Honda version (possibly by 12"). That way you can carru people and Cargo in the back. I think the engine will be pretty much the same as MDX but because of the more weight, it will have less HP.

- I can see leather being an option
- Tinted privacy glass an option
- All the lights in the door, and some of the minor bells and whisltes will be gone.
- Most importantly it will have less chrome on the outside to look more rugged than classy (Not that MDX is very good looking). Probably more black trimmings on the outside ala CRV.
- I am guessing it will start at about $29K base, and go as high as $36K fully loaded (comparable to MDX).

Honda is smart about rebadging their cars (look at Integra/Civic, Odessy/MDX, TL/Accord) and this one should look totally different than a MDX (not like the Lexus RX and identical square brother Toyota Highlander).

Or I could be very wrong and I just wasted your time

 

[mogur]

Re: front wheel drive mdx?

Can't fit what we need to carry in a mini-van... And we don't tend to get much bad weather out here in Southern CA <G>... If I truly wanted piece of mind in foul weather, however, I'd buy an all wheel drive station wagon which is a far more stable and capable vehicle than any SUV. Again, though, it can't carry what I need to carry...

Sounds like what you really need, mogur, is a minivan. No offense, but those looking for a front wheel drive vehicle which gets great mileage and has lots of cargo space really should be buying minivans. It's the piece of mind when wheather gets foul that many of us purchase a sport-ute for. In my case, I rest easier knowing that my wife is driving our 3- and 1-year olds in a 4WD vehicle when the roads turn to ****.

 

[sgtglok]

toyota's highlander is the cheaper version of lexus and it costs around 30k not fully loaded; that's with RX3K being sold at heavy discounts.
MDX's price hasn't dropped a bit, in fact it is harder to get the vehicle at MSRP now than it was 3 months ago (consider waiting time increased from 3 months to 6+ or going right for 2002 model).
honda's 'stripped mdx' for 25k? in 3 years maybe... but i seriously doubt that it would cost this much less, until consumer's attention gets drawn by another newcomer; until then, most likely the MDX'02's price tag will go up 1k - consider edmund's TMV as '02 MSRP (with minor bug fixes and hopefully a better quality interior); thus providing a 6k gap for Honda's 'stripper' (read: MSRP - 27-28k w/out options) IMHO

 

[mogur]

I can't see the Honda version of the MDX selling for less than their minivan, which currently lists for about 24K to 29K, depending on model. Considering the four wheel drive system and other items that must be on the SUV that are not on the minivan, I'd think it would have to sell for a minimum of $2k more than the comparable Honda minivan... Also, I doubt it will be bigger, smaller or much different looking other than trim and non structural details. Honda needs to keep them both as same as possible to take advantage of economies of scale. I most certainly could be wrong but I'd seriously doubt you'll see a fundimentally different body...

 

[KK]

Newsweek re: SUVs

Received the new Newsweek yesterday (with the awful multiple drowning story on the cover). There was an article about how America loves its SUVs with a nice picture of the MDX (as a member of the new breed of SUVs that is gaining more attention). In the text of the article, there was a brief statement that Honda would get its version of the MDX next year, with an estimated price of around $25K.

I have no idea where they arrived at this figure (they didn't quote a source) but it certainly seems like Honda is starting to leak information about the release intentionally.

 

[mango]

That is what I heard

I heard the same they are starting at 25k, and in order to have it at that price they will try to use most of the configurations from the MDX plant in order to profit more "JCP" justifiable cost of production. So if they use the same plant to make the Honda version of the MDX, than for sure there will be less MDX's on the road next year.

 

[bdespain]

I can't image Honda/Acura would be stupid enough to start production of the Honda version before the new plant opens in Kentucky. As it is the Odessey and MDX are made in the same plant in Canada and they can't produce enough of either. Adding a third product to that plant would be in poor judgement. People are already tick about having to wait 1-2 months for an Odessey and 6+ months for an MDX. Can you imagine waiting 3-4 months for an Odessey, 12+ for an MDX, and 12+ for the new Honda.

Just because of capacity constraints I don't think they will introduce the new Honda until the 2003 model year. The Kentucky plant should be coming up to full production early in the 2003 calendar year. Even this would mean that things would be really tight from Sep 2002 until Feb 2003.

Just my thoughts.

 

[C&J01MDX]

We are currently getting our first parts off of the honda version of the MDX...first off production is slated for end of april 02.
The overall size of the honda will be abit larger than the MDX. Exterior will resemble more of the CRV styling than the MDX. Interior will resemble many of the MDX characteristics.(Duh the size will be closer to the MDX than the CRV). The honda will include options that either reduce cost(cloth-no cd player, etc) but will also feature a couple of items that were not done for the 01-02 MDX...for example DVD screen. (Please wait for the 03 MDX-along with a big engine). The honda will be offered in the current MDX engine only(3.5 vtec)(until the big one comes out)....
thats it for now....any other questions you have...fire away.
cya

 

[JNanas]

C&J Thanks for the info...

had a question for you - do you know if the Havasu Blue is a dark blue or a medium/light blue?

I really wanted a deep, dark blue for the car, since the other alternative for me is a black, which is an even bigger pain to keep clean. I see that Acura has a nice (Aegean?) dark blue, but doesn't make it available on the MDX. Hope they change their mind.

Also - the April 02 date you mention - is that when they start production, or when the first models roll off the line? I would really hate to buy an 02 MDX, just to find out that a Honda rolls off the line 3 months later with an equivalent setup (and maybe some extra features) for about 5-7k. I'm not into luxury - I just want what's the most functional for my use.

 

[dancall]

My wife was at a Honda Dealership just the other day and inquired about the SUV. They told her Marh 2002. Anyway, I'm headed to Japan and actually have a customer visit with Honda so maybe I'll get a chance to ask..??