Used 2013 Acura MDX Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2013 MDX, so we've included reviews for other years of the MDX since its last redesign.
Oil Burner!
Dave M, 04/25/2017
updated 10/31/2019
2012 Acura MDX Advance and Entertainment Packages 4dr SUV AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
79 of 80 people found this review helpful
Bought a used 2012 MDX to replace a 2007 MDX. Quickly discovered it burns oil at a rate of a quart every 1100 miles. Thought the previous owner had abused the engine and not changed oil regularly. WRONG. Seems that most "reviewers" and organizations have missed the fact that Acura has a bad engine - the J37A - out there on the 2008-2014 MDX. A new cylinder material is rumored to be abrasive against the piston rings - and the oil is being burned quickly. Acura has taken the stance that a quart/1000 miles is "normal." And they are only ponying up money to totally irate consumers with signing of an NDA. There is the rumor that the rings were installed improperly at the factory. Initial statistics show that over 11% of Acura MDX's have this problem with the J37A engine. Advise strongly again buying unless some warranty guarantee from Acura. The problem has shown up in cars with as few as 40,000 miles. Usually AFTER the warranty is expired. Caution!!!
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BEST SUV IN THE CALSS
AmithW, 11/23/2015
2013 Acura MDX Technology Package 4dr SUV AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
37 of 38 people found this review helpful
I always buy less than 2 yr old cars. Due to high mileage driving(25K/yr) I cannot lease. I compared the BMW X5, MDX, Lexus RX 350, and Benz GL class. After loads of research and test driving it was easy to zero in on the final 2 of RX 350 and MDX. MDX won due to following. Exceptional road handling over RX 350. Killer looks to match the Road handling. Excellent acceleration combined with the growl from under the hood makes you feel like a F1 race driver. And finally I only saw 5 star user reviews for MDX. I have now clocked 45000 miles in 2 years. (No major repairs only maintenance so far) Still feel like a kid getting into it every morning. Feels good to drive it knowing it will not fail me and give me the best driving experience. I just returned from the 2016 LA Auto show and realized my MDX is still so very good. I do get 17.5mpg combined. Highly, highly recommend this car. I wish Acura continued with the same or higher powered engines for the 2016 and up models. I strongly feel when one's willing to pocket out $60K price tag 2 or 3 mpg shouldn't be an issue. I shall have mine for 2 more years and hopefully by then Acura will come up with a higher hp MDX...
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Satisfied with my Purchase
Anonymous, 08/14/2016
2013 Acura MDX Technology Package 4dr SUV AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
19 of 19 people found this review helpful
I purchased my 2013 MDX in April of 2016 as a Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle. I researched the vehicle for about 5 months before finally making a purchase, I wanted to make sure I was buying a reliable vehicle since the car I traded in for the Acura was less than reliable. While I am overall very satisfied with my purchase the MDX did fall short in a few areas, at least for the 2013 year, there is no push button ignition, backup camera is very blurry and useless at night, and the vehicle likes to shift out of first gear very quickly which can be aggravating instantly losing that power(shifts at about 2200 RPM, would be smoother shifting around the 3000 RPM point), I also don't like the lever release for the parking brake, I'm use to "push to release" parking brakes, but it's no big deal. With those 4 complaints though, the MDX makes up for it in other areas. For starters, it runs great, there is no shortage of power and the engine has an amazing sound running through the RPMs. The vehicle also handles like a dream, you can take it on a mountain road and not feel like it's going to tip over or that you need to crawl up the mountain. Of course the appearance is what first caught my attention to consider the MDX, I have received nothing but compliments from coworkers and friends over the way the vehicle looks, it has a very aggressive front and rear end. The stereo is also amazing, while I could stand it to be a little louder at times, most people are not going to have an issue at all. I also get decent gas mileage, I average around 20 MPG, given the size and horsepower I don't consider that bad at all, although requiring premium gas does make that number a little irrelevant spending at least 50 cents more per gallon at the pump than a rival running on regular. One issue that has been prevalent since I purchased the car has been a vibration that comes and goes, after changing 2 of the tires it went away then came back a few weeks later, running the car to 5500 RPM completely eliminated the vibration, now only a slight vibration shows up on rare occasions and goes away shortly after. I have also noticed complaints about bearings going bad fairly quickly on the MDX, I have an appointment soon to check a slight roaring noise that I believe may be one of the bearings. Overall though, i would recommend the vehicle to anyone.
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love but a few problems some chronic
Jean Hale, 05/18/2018
updated 11/22/2019
2013 Acura MDX 4dr SUV AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
18 of 18 people found this review helpful
We bought this as a certified used car from a dealer at 9mo old and very low miles. PROS: Very comfortable especially for my taller husband, most switches in easy reach, manipulation of back seats very easy, lots of cargo room, peppy engine for larger SUV, grips the road very well. CONS: Very noisy cab- lots of road noise and wind noise. Burnt smell occasionally coming from circulation vents- mechanics have not been able to source it so not fixed over almost 6 years of ownership. Controls on steering wheel not intuitive. Climate control difficult and not real efficient. Of the 2 USB ports, one quit working after a year (front of console). Biggest and most dangerous issue was an issue with electronics; warning lights would come on, often several, radio lights would come on, engine would speed up and not be under normal control (this was after a year of ownership, still under warranty). This progressed to multiple attempts to start (warning lights all on and acting like dead battery). Would get jumps to start, bought a new battery and the car would still be difficult. Became dangerous to drive so was hauled to dealer by tow truck. Dealer attempted a repair that was not successful and car died again when out of town. Dealer tried to fix again and was unsuccessful- could not find issue. Finally had a relative who was a mechanic tell us about a Honda recall on electrical issues and steering column electronics. Had dealer do the fix for the Honda issue and this fixed the problem. Look up related Honda issues for Acura issues.
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Traded down to Trade up!
wayne91, 01/30/2012
2012 Acura MDX 4dr SUV AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
46 of 51 people found this review helpful
I traded my 2011 QX56 for the 2012 MDX. Why? Well, I am looking to downsize my life while not giving up everything. Then MDX offers all I need and what I want. Versatility, sportiness, comfort, performance, and better MPG. Thought about LEXUS, MERCEDES, and found the pricing too high. The Range Rover does not provide the reliability and resale of ACURA.
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