Midsize SUV - Acrua MDX vs VW Atlas

[Jerms]

Hey guys,

My wife and I are in the market for a new midsize SUV and we were close to pulling the trigger on a new Tech Package MDX. It wasn't until last Saturday, a friend of mine told me about a VW Atlas. We were close to Northland VW so we decided to pop in and I ended up taking it for a test drive. Both cars in my opinion look and feel great. They both offer what we are looking for in a new SUV but slightly different in options and feel. The MDX is obviously a bit more luxurious feel, great handling and very smooth. The inside trimmings of the MDX doesn't have crappy plastic parts like the VW but the VW have sweet functionality in terms of Iplay and more room in the 3rd row seating. The VW also handles pretty good and I found it easy to drive. My main question surrounds the maintenance reliability of the VW. I've never really dealt with owning VW but do you think that it could be a major concern compared to owning an Acura?

Any insight would be great!

Thanks

[Masked Bandit]

I think it would depend on how long you plan on keeping this vehicle. If you like to change vehicles every three or four years then it doesn't really matter, just pick the one you like better. If however you are one of the guys that keeps a car 10+ years then I have to think that Acura will be better in the long run.

[jaylo]

I personally have test driven both vehicles, you're comparing luxury vs. non-luxury. But do research, research, and research.


MDX is luxury class and what you get is far beyond what you see. It goes a long way with in regards to having a quiet cabin during long trips and the luxurious feel every time you drive the vehicle. If you visually look at any luxury SUV's you will notice they added extra comfort and sound deadening materials around the wheel wells, doors, carpet, etc... You also get nicer windshield and driver and passenger glass which buffers some wind and outside noise, which is not present in a normal SUV.

I see Atlas as the modern-day Honda Element, very utilitarian, lotsa room, and have a bulletproof engine. But it's no Audi Q7. It is the best value overall in its class.


Browse or review posts from MDXers.org mainly the common issues, there's quite a few. VWVortex is your friend for the Atlas.


Also felt like MDX was priced steep compared on what you get. Ended up getting an F15 X5 (2014-current), it did cost about $10K more all said and done compared to a Tech MDX. But that 10K was absolutely worth it in terms of performance, luxury, and reliability. It had defied the typical stereotype of breaking down all the time and had 0 issues with the X5 whatsoever. I frequent in MDXers.org and is plagued with some serious random issues like drivetrain, infotainment, snakes and rattles, and handling.

TLDR;
Atlas - Modern Day Honda Element, pretty sweet tech if you grab the Execline. Best overall value.
MDX - Luxurious, pricey, some outdated tech, some random issues will pop up if you can live with it. Where is the panoramick roof?
X5 - Luxurious, can get pricey with Options, performance and luxury factor is great, reliable (xDrive35i with the bulletproof N55 engine).

[jaylo]

Personally, I'd be crazy to pick up an MDX for the price it is selling and its offering without looking at its competitors. The MDX's soul disappeared after 2013.

[Xtrema]

The problem I have with MDX is that they have not fitted the new Honda head unit in it, everything is quite dated.

As for bad plastic, I think both are pretty much the same when I checked out the Atlas at the car show. But Atlas does have more modern VW electronics in there.

As for service, stay away from Northland VW is all I have to say on that subject. And MDX does enjoy better reliability and retain value better if you are keep it for long term.

[Jerms]

Thanks for the inputs - I am still unsure as to which direction we will go in. I am leaning more so towards the MDX as I'm looking at it from a reliability, maintenance and value perspective. I have read some folks have encounter engine and start up issues with their Atlas's already and it being a 1st gen, there could be more kinks that they need to iron out.

[Mitsu3000gt]

When I was in an Atlas, the first thing that stood our for me was how poor the interior quality was. I was disappointed by VW on that one, and it was bad enough I would never buy one.

With the MDX you get SH-AWD, resale value, guaranteed reliability, many years of production to work out the bugs etc. Definitely the 'safe' choice.

If you're leasing though it doesn't matter, just run the numbers and see what works for you.

[jaylo]

I definitely agree with the Atlas' interior, also note that the seats I felt were not "SUV" grade in terms of comfort and possibly durability. It could be the same seats and configuration as the Passat and/or other VW sedans.

The value of Atlas is there, along with the reliable VR6 engine, but it's no MDX. Bottom line if you want to save about $10K go with Atlas but has to sacrifice luxury and long-term reliability.

Have you looked into the BMW X5 just for fun? I know the starting price is a bit ridiculous, but there could be some great deals out there for 2017's.

[botox]

We have a 2013 MDX and it is a solid reliable vehicle and that's what you are paying the premium for vs fancy options, gimicks and toys. They always have a year end clearout $10k off for cash, $5k off if financing.
Pro's: Quiet, Comfortable, decent power, For a vehicle with a 3rd row it's quite compact.
Con's: Takes premium and not very good gas mileage, boring to drive. No cargo space if 3rd row is up. Interior a bit dated compared to other similar year vehicles. Do NOT get the factory remote starter it's expensive and has terrible range and features.

Thing I hate about it is it has terrible blind spots for shoulder checking and for some odd reason I can not tell if I'm straight or not when front or back parking. My wife has the same problem so she doesn't like driving it.

[Jerms]

I should be a little bit more detailed but the car is for my wife and we have a baby on it's way so it's more for her and I would be driving on the weekends. Her first and only car is a VW so she really likes the Atlas - She is a big fan of the functionality (carplay) and the fact that it's easy for her to drive. Looks like the direction we will be going, whether I like it or not - we are going to lease so it's fine with me, but the interior does irk me, with the plastic but ultimately I want my wife to be comfortable with the car more than me.

Jaylo - I would love to get a X5 or even a ML but will probably have to wait it out... knowing my luck I'll probably be driving either a Sienna or Odyssey haha

*Edit - I just checked and an X5 drive35i is around 85k all in - that's way over my budget haha

Thanks for all your inputs

[botox]

^^ Welcome to my world, we have a MDX and Sienna LOL. Days of sport coupes and sedans are long gone for me and it's all family vehicles now.

[jaylo]

@botox - the 3rd generation is 2014- current and it does have its own irks and perks. When I drove a 2008 (2nd gen like yours) it felt like a tank and a fatty girl with the bulging pillars and gigantic seats.
@Jerms - Congrats on the selection. Functionality is key and a happy wife is a must. I heard that production just started this week for mass production (Week 27) and you may not see your order until late this year towards December.

[Aleks]

As others have pointed out the two are in a bit of a different class as shown by MDX being quite a bit more expensive.

I would compare the Atlas to the CX-9. It has a nicer interior and would be more fun to drive, costs about the same but it is quite a bit smaller inside and is missing some of the features that are standard in the class now.

[Jerms]

Alright everybody - here's a nice little update for everyone. The story might be a little long. So after much deliberation, my wife and I went with the Atlas late July. We were referred to a salesperson at Fifth Ave Auto Haus and we decided to purchase the Atlas, Execuline model which they would have to order for us. We were told that the car will be delivered and ready for pick up August 18th. Come middle of August, we were told that the car is not here yet, no big deal (we just had our first child, so my wife couldn't drive for at least 6 weeks), so regardless weren't in the biggest of rush. Anyways, we got the call on Sept 13th that car was ready for pick up.

We go and pick it up on the 14th, the car is awesome, brand new and drives great. The next day, my wife is driving to grab lunch with her friend and all of a sudden she got a notification on the dash stating "Car Battery is not charging". Luckily shes only 4 minutes from her destination and was able to make it there with no issues. She calls our sales rep and he advises that she call AMA to get it look after. An hour later, AMA comes and tests out the battery, they told her that there's a missing voltage with the battery and that they would need to get the car towed. 30 minutes later, the tow truck comes and tows the car away. My wife is with our newborn and was able to get a ride home from her friend. Next day, VW calls us and says that they need to replace the alternator and since it being Friday, it won't be here till Tuesday. We were provided a loaner car.

Come Thursday of last week, the car is ready to go - we pick it up after work on Friday. On Saturday, we are out running errands. The car has a total of 120 kms on it and while driving home around 6pm, I get the same pop up on the dash. I make it home fine (was 10 minutes from home) and park the car. I send our salesperson a text stating the same issue occurred. An hour or so later, I go out and test the car. No power to the ignition, the headlights and inside lights flickering. This morning we got the car towed to VW for them to look at.

This car has been nothing but problems for the extremely short time that we've had it and is not safe for us to own. I am waiting for the GM of Fifth Ave to give me a call back. Has anyone dealt with any issues on a brand new vehicle and what was the outcome? Can I ask for a replacement vehicle? Is there anything I can do to get out of the lease?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

edit* to those who PM'd me, the customer service I've encountered at Fifth Avenue Auto Haus hasn't been the greatest. Some aspects have been great - the parts/service crew at the location have been awesome... as for dealing with my salesperson, seems like all he cares about was that he got the sale.

[Disoblige]

What ended up happening with this Jerms?
How are you liking the Atlas now after a longer ownership period?
I'm looking at various options like 4Runner (new/used), Atlas, Q7, etc. so your input would be valuable

[Jerms]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

What ended up happening with this Jerms?
How are you liking the Atlas now after a longer ownership period?
I'm looking at various options like 4Runner (new/used), Atlas, Q7, etc. so your input would be valuable

Hey - so what happened was they had to replace the alternator on the vehicle, pretty lame for a brand new car but ever since then it's been pretty good. The car itself is pretty big (I only drive the car on weekends, it's taken me a bit to get used to the size but there's also shit ton of room inside the vehicle. I filled the 3rd row with people one night and surprisingly they had enough room and when we put the third row down, we can haul a bunch of shit in the back. The car drives okay, held up pretty good in the winter despite no winter tires.

Since we leased the Atlas, I'll probably be looking to get rid of the vehicle after its lease. I really like the 4runners and would probably be my next ride, it's not a 7 seater but realistically we don't need the third row. If I had the money, I'd definitely get a Q7 though.

[Disoblige]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Hey - so what happened was they had to replace the alternator on the vehicle, pretty lame for a brand new car but ever since then it's been pretty good. The car itself is pretty big (I only drive the car on weekends, it's taken me a bit to get used to the size but there's also shit ton of room inside the vehicle. I filled the 3rd row with people one night and surprisingly they had enough room and when we put the third row down, we can haul a bunch of shit in the back. The car drives okay, held up pretty good in the winter despite no winter tires.

Since we leased the Atlas, I'll probably be looking to get rid of the vehicle after its lease. I really like the 4runners and would probably be my next ride, it's not a 7 seater but realistically we don't need the third row. If I had the money, I'd definitely get a Q7 though.

Cool. Yeah Q7 is pretty sweet.
Also, 4Runner can get 7 seater, but if I buy one, it would be a 5 seater so I can store more cargo.

[Jerms]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Cool. Yeah Q7 is pretty sweet.
Also, 4Runner can get 7 seater, but if I buy one, it would be a 5 seater so I can store more cargo.

Even better! Definitely feeling the looks of the 2018! We'll see how they look in 4 years, but I'll probably be picking up a Sienna or Odyssey at that time lol

[Buster]

I picked up an Atlas a couple of months ago as a family hauler. It's working really well. The wife loves it. The interior is a bit of a downgrade from the GLS we had before, but certainly livable. As a mini-van replacement, it's far superior to the Benz offerings at this point. The technology is modern, and the features are great. The wife prefers driving it to her benz, which surprised me. I wouldn't consider it a mid-size, however. It is a step up in terms of size from the common midsize segment. It and the traverse from Chevy (and benz) are what I would call fullsize or large crossovers. This is compared to say an MDX or a Q7 or a Q5. I think BMW is going to get into the market next year with the X7. But with three kids, we wanted the extra space.

Complaints: the suspension is a bit crashy...even harsh. Feels more truck-like. This is a common complaint among reviewers. I can live with it...but I wish it was different. It is also really under-powered.

[jaylo]

I looked at the 4Runner and it is quite a dinosaur of a vehicle with outdated interior and exterior, but it can go off-road I guess. With the Standard 4Runner you get 7 seats but looks and feels cheap and you have to up to a Limited version to get some leather and such.

The BMW X7 will be leaning towards more of an upper luxury class SAV and expect the price to be at least 6 figures to start.