Used 2015 Acura MDX SUV Consumer Reviews
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Bad Transmission
Diane, 05/17/2016
2015 Acura MDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
73 of 75 people found this review helpful
I bought a used 2015 Acura MDX. You can feel the transmission changing with every gear. At slow speeds the car feels like it is missing. Took to dealer and software was updated but still same problem. Returned to dealer and was told it had an adaptable transmission and to drive it until it got used to the way I drove. I have driven it about 2,000 miles and still the same problem. Very disappointed as I thought Acura was a great car. Has anyone else had this problem?
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Very good vehicle ***UPDATED*** x6
johnnymac_ak, 03/04/2015
updated 03/20/2023
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance and Entertainment Packages (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
41 of 44 people found this review helpful
Owned the car for about two months now. Purchased in Oregon and drove the AlCan highway up to Alaska in Feb. to where I live. This vehicle handled every bit of snow & ice thrown at it. I drove 2400+ miles, for 3+ days on glaze slick roads & never felt a slip. Very comfortable & lots of room. It drives much smaller than it is. The LED lights are very crisp & reach pretty far. The infotainment system is definitely something you have to get used to. It does so many things & is extremely complex so initially it was a little overwhelming, but after a few hours of seat time, things are getting easier now. I drove the RX450 Hybrid, Audi Q5 & Q7, VW Touareg & Pathfinder & the MDX won us. I recommend it. *** UPDATE*** Been about three years now and I'm still pretty excited about driving the MDX every time I walk towards it with the key in my pocket.... It's our vehicle of choice when it's icy or snowy outside as it handles most everything Alaska has thrown at it with ease. The SH-AWD is amazing. I'm still not very good at using some of the tech that's installed. The voice command systems is a bit sketchy. It misinterprets my commands quite often, although I've used others and have had similar results with others, so I think the technology industry wide is still getting up to speed. There are a couple of bugs I've noticed in the electronic system, like heated seats won't work after I've auto-started it twice, but nothing that would change my mind about owning it. We can load quite a bit of cargo in it so long trips and stops at Home Depot work well, and if I keep my foot out of the "go fast" pedal, we get in the lower 20mpg's combined. All in all, I am still very happy with our choice and knowing what I know now, I'd do it exactly the same again. ***UPDATED AGAIN*** Four years in now and still very happy with the car. Haven't had any maintenance or failures out of the norm. I'm a little surprised at the drop in resale value however. I would have figured that being an Acura, it would have held it's value better. According to Edmunds and other valuation sites, this vehicle has lost about 45% of its original value. We have purchased a new Ram 1500 (Laramie - completely optioned out) in the last 6 months and although the excitement of driving a new vehicle is there, and the Ram has many creature comforts, the MDX is still our favorite vehicle for longer trips as it handles better, is more comfortable and is just all around a much safer vehicle. As stated before (and even with my new truck) the voice recognition software that is designed to make things safer is entirely frustrating and it is simply easier (at least for me) to pull over and do it all by hand like I used to. *** 5th Year UPDATE*** Still happy overall. Still hate the voice recognition software. Still not happy about the resale value. Still have less than 30k miles on it but it seems that the MPG's are getting better. Still our go-to car for trips. I recommend it totally if you're looking for a few year old car that is a great machine. ** UPDATE Year 6** All of the above still applies. Runs like a champ. Will replace the Michelins this year due to age only. Still have plenty of tread. **UPDATE 2022** Still loving it. Put a set of Michelin CrossClimate2’s on it and the performance is even better. **UPDATE 2023** Still our driver of choice. Only issue at this point is the HVAC doesn't seem to like blowing hot air on our feet. I'm guessing it's a vent actuator issue. I'll take it in at some point.
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A Nice SUV ripe with electronic issues - Too bad really
goddo, 04/14/2015
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology and Entertainment Packages (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
31 of 33 people found this review helpful
I feel like a guinea pig. I was sold a vehicle and I am the one testing it. This SUV is an amazing highway cruiser and family hauler when it's not in the garage for electronic issues. My vehicle has been in the garage for multiple two-week periods trying to fix an electrical issue and now the newest issue is the keyless entry/start system doesn't work. I can't even unlock the doors without removing the key from the fob, and I have to hold the fob next to the button just to start the car (even then you wonder if it will work). I have rattles, knocks, and electronic issues that you would expect from a $15K car but not from a luxury brand. I want to like this car, I really do.
Beware of rear suspension clunk/thumping
Bizle, 04/20/2018
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
21 of 22 people found this review helpful
Bought a 2015 MDX w/ 33,000 miles on it last weekend. Noticed a clunking sound from rear suspension right away, mainly only at slow speeds on rough pavement, however very noticeable. I just dropped it back off at dealer last night. I was just told they need to replace the rear dampers as they are faulty. I have had a really good experience with dealer and am confident they will take care of it. Just want to raise awareness for any potential buyers of used 2014-2016 MDX. I was unaware when I bought the vehicle-acura is aware of the problem and issued a service bulletin 16-035 in a July 2016.
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Looking for Luxury, just can't find it in the MDX.
Gordon F, 02/11/2017
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
36 of 41 people found this review helpful
We chose the Acura MDX based largely on positive online reviews from car journals and magazines. I suppose we should've read actual owner reviews. The model appealed to us largely due to its advertised "luxury", and its size (with third-row seating) was a good match for our family of five. At $50,400, our SH-AWD model with Tech Package was certainly priced in the premium segment over the Honda Pilot on which it's based on. Unfortunately, as time went on, we grew to like the vehicle less and less. Amongst our major complains are the lack of luxury. This car simply does not feel luxurious. The windows (all four of them), when lowered even slightly, rattle uncontrollably. There is literally a half-inch of play. Acura dealer says this is normal. We don't think it is. The rattle is not only VERY audible and annoying, but it doesn't befit a $50k luxury SUV. Second, the overall interior feels cheap. Many parts are not aligned correctly, the materials feel like they were made by the lowest bidder. For example, our steering column cover has a huge gap in it. The pieces were clearly not correctly attached at the factory. When I brought this up with the dealer, he blamed me for breaking them and quoted me a price to replace it. Which brings me to my other major disappointment. Service. They do not treat their customers like valued luxury-brand car owners. They're more interested in constantly selling their high-margin services (ATF Fluid change, cabin filter, etc.), rather than addressing known issues. Our local Acura dealer is consistently cold-calling us, trying to sell us "specials". All this, despite the fact that Acura corporate tells me I do not need any service that is not displayed on the dash board. We're not due for an ATF Fluid change until 20k-40k miles. Our dealer said it was dirty and had to be changed at just 8k miles! The power liftgate has been to service three times now. Each time they claim to fix it, it breaks a day later. I don't even bother taking it in anymore. But reliability isn't a major issue for us. The car has been relatively low-maintenance. It's the little things that ultimately add-up to a less-than expected experience. The infotainment system for example. I'd expect it to be a little better. We own a 2015 VW GTI (for which we paid roughly half the price - $25k), yet the infotainment has a beautiful, fluid interface. It's fast, responsive, and does what you need it to do. The infotainment on our Acura MDX has an interface as if it were designed by a first-year graphic design student. They really aimed for the bare minimum. It's also slow and unresponsive. Changing functions or settings often results in a 2-3 second lag. Why not use an updated processor? The premium ELS Audio (as Acura calls it), is also, sadly, a joke. It simply sounds horrible. I don't have many cars to compare it to other than our 2015 VW GTI, whose premium "Fender" audio system is simply generations ahead of the one in our MDX. We're frankly just not that impressed at this, supposedly "luxurious" vehicle. It feels anything but, with a lot of the interior pieces feeling loose, being misaligned, and a the rattling windows and doors feel like they'll fall apart. I was quite optimistic about the vehicle when we first leased it, but over the past two years I've grown to really dislike it. We can't wait for our lease to be up next year.
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7 months into MDX AWD w/ tech - Using everything
Christopher, 08/26/2015
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
My first MDX. Owned a TL and a TSX so familiar with the Acura style. Overall - great SUV. The most striking thing you will notice 1st is the ride. Here in N. Texas, very bumpy riding on hard concrete roads that heat crack and leave you wishing for quite & smooth blacktop. The MDX performs extremely well taking a lot of the smashing right out of the ride. The leather on the seats is the softest I've ever encountered. Handling is great with the AWD. Engine power is throaty and responsive. For improvements, the NAV is crazy. Found the best way is to just type in the address (good display for such). Trying to use the voice recognition for NAV is just stupid. You say, "Dallas, TX" and it says "Ft. Lauderdale, FL." Whatever. Also stupid is that the NAV system locks (most features) while driving. Come on! Hey Acura, there is a passenger who can NAV while driving! Any new car with a lot of features will eventually make you reach to understand the system instead of being intuitive. The NAV takes time. Once you have the address in, the NAV works great. Storage is good so long as the 3rd seats are not used. Using the seats leaves you with a small space left. Also, these 3rd-row seats are kid seats as grown ups will have a difficult time getting to them and being comfortable. I've had luck with the quality- no issues. Got a recall notice for the bolt on the compressor for AC. Easy fix they say. Dealership experience is great. Give you a free Acura loaner if your request. This is my wife's car and she loves it for herself and our daughter. In fact, my daughter always wants to take the MDX over my car.
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Huge disappointment!
CORunner, 08/13/2015
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
30 of 34 people found this review helpful
I have owned my 2015 MDX for about 8 months so far. I have tried to love it, or even like it, but I cannot. I traded in my 2008 MDX after six years of loyal service to “upgrade” to the new model. That was a big mistake. The 2008 MDX was a great car and I loved it from the day that I bought it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good at almost everything. The 2015 was a hassle starting on the day I drove it home. It was raining really hard outside, so we did most of the deal looking at the showroom floor model. My mistake. The salesman informed me that all models had parking sensors, fog lights, and Michelin tires and I assumed that he was correct. In fact, he had lied about all three… I got the dealership to agree to swap my tires to Michelins for free (they only come on the top of the line model now). The fog lights and parking sensors were something I should have checked, so I decided to pay for the upgrades myself. Buyer beware. The fog lights went in without issue, but the parking sensors were a joke. When you upgrade, you can only get rear sensors, not front, and they are not the same sensors that are used on the top model. My installed sensors were not flush with the bumper and they did not work. I had to back almost completely into a brick wall to make them start beeping. So a 50% success rate for dealer installed options. Not impressed. Why Acura would dream of building a $50,000 CUV, make it longer, and not include parking sensors as standard is beyond me! The changes from the 2008 to the 2015, or rather the 2nd generation MDX to the 3rd, were largely not improvements. The power to weight ratio is better on the new car, but acceleration feels anemic in comparison. The suspension is absolutely awful. I had the electromagnetic dampers on my 2008 and it was impressive in the corners! The new model feels far less confident when pushed and my front dampers have developed a constant squeak that causes pedestrians to watch my car as I drive past. The stereo in the old MDX was one of my favorite features and somehow they managed to ruin that on the new model as well. The bass response is weak at best. The touch screen controls are simply awful and make things like adjusting the fan speed for the climate control dangerous while driving. The safety features, like lane departure warning was such a nuisance that I had to disable it. The forward collision warning is dangerous. Mine would go off randomly when I wasn’t near another car! The last thing I want is for my car to slam on the brakes and cause an accident that otherwise would not happen. I spoke with the dealership about the function and was informed that sometimes metal manhole covers or expansion joints will cause the system to produce a false positive. Another safety feature that I had to disable. The materials used inside look and feel cheap. I have a black interior and much of the plastic actually appears to be dark brown. I have had people ask me about it as soon as they get into the car for the first time, so it is noticeable. Finally, the redesign has lowered the height of the vehicle, so while there is a slight increase in cargo space, I’m finding it to be less useable. Oh, I just received my first recall notice… Acura North America has been useless. To be fair, there are a few minor improvements. The cabin is generally much quieter, the LED headlights are great, and the gas mileage is better. I was previously getting 14-16 mpg city / 20-22 mpg highway and I am now seeing 19-21 city and 26-28 highway. If I could go back and undo this deal, I would! My 2008 MDX was superior in almost every way. Build quality has seriously gone downhill. I'm not sure if it's just with the introduction of the 3rd gen MDX or if it's also the assembly line moving from Canada to Alabama. If you are seriously considering a new MDX, I suggest that you take your money elsewhere. I wish I had.
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Disappointed with ride
Florida buyer, 09/10/2018
2015 Acura MDX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Test drove many MDX that seemed great. Bought a different one that seemed a little bumpy on test drive but not super noticeable. 6 months later and after having dealer change shocks and factory recall dampers in rear it still handles road bumps terrible. Hear thud and clunking and makes you cringe with every bump. Its like it has no shocks when it hits bumps and potholes. Transmission hunts at certain speeds and RPM becomes jerky. Highway ride on smooth pavement is very good. Changes the driver seat position from 1 to 2 at random. Good interior space, seating, and interior arrangement. Overall its not the dream MDX we thought it was. Other years ride better from what we understand. But this 2015 is very bad and we have to get rid of it now so we dont have to deal with the bumps for 6 years.
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Very quiet - drives like a car...
woodsfortysix, 03/28/2015
2015 Acura MDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
Our last Acura was in 2005 - an RL. Probably one of the best autos we have ever had. Customer service was excellent. Since then, several SUVs (another manufacture) and a van for family vacations. We purchased this car about three weeks ago, and just returned from a 1,000 spring break trip with our two grandsons. Car worked great! Very comfortable - handled quite well on the interstate.
GPS and Bluetooth are unsable- get a base model
jesseg2, 06/14/2015
updated 12/19/2018
2015 Acura MDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
23 of 26 people found this review helpful
I have had my tech package MDX for over 6 months now and can confidently say that a $100 tomtom GPS beats the in-dash hands down. Boot time takes about 60 seconds. Sluggish input. Passenger cannot input an address while moving. score 0 of 10. The Bluetooth phone is horrible. People ask if I have the windows down or if they are on speaker phone. My $100 Plantronics voyager works perfectly. Also can't press any digits on touchscreen when vehicle is moving. But can use the iPhone to press # for conference calls, etc. 0/10 Save your money and get the base MDX. I do love the ride and 28mpg highway that I average. Probably the most comfortable front seats on any SUV out there. 10/10 After owning for 3 years, not a single issue and they treat me well at Acura of Troy. 10/10
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