This is from wmquan on the Edmund's forum: The two finalists for our next vehicle are the Acura MDX (Touring) and a 2000 MB ML320. My goal was to test-drive them in the same day so I could compare them closely. (We had eliminated the RX300 earlier because we felt that it was just too wallowy for us in its handling, and shorter on space than we would like -- though it's probably perfect for a lot of folks, and we did like the ride comfort and luxury, and the Lexus service, a lot!) Strong points: Excellent balance between good handling and ride comfort, good power, versatile seating, excellent value, good cargo room, spacious interior, all-around positives. Weak points: Should have stability control (please, no wars over this!), clumsy 2nd row middle seat belt, styling needs a little more pizzazz, dealers will be charging MSRP and trying to gouge on mark-ups and/or accessories for some time. Explained: I thought its handling was quite good; we didn't try a slalom, obviously, but it's definitely responsive and in control. We tried the 45mph hard left-right swerves (like we did with the M-class), and the vehicle felt in solid control, with only the tiniest hint of body lean. I think the ML320 definitely has the better handling, but the MDX is closer to the ML320 than the RX300, which we found to be a clumsy handler. The good news is that the MDX's good handling doesn't come at the expense of ride comfort. We took the vehicle over the same road that we took the ML320 over. All three of us immediately noticed a major difference. The ML320 jiggled most of the way, transmitted road patches clearly, and even delivered some surprisingly stiff jolts when going over small bumps or depressions. While we still could feel some degree of road imperfections with the MDX, we didn't feel any jolts and it wasn't jiggly. Overall, I'd rate the MDX's ride comfort closer to the RX300 than the ML320 (please note that this was the Touring Package with the Michelin tires, which may or may not make a difference over the base model's Goodyears). Power was plentiful, with a pleasant note when applying power aggressively. I've read that Acura left some of the noise in on purpose, and it is fairly rewarding. Please note, however, that when you add suspension, tire, engine, and wind noise together, I thought the ML320 was quieter than the MDX, though the MDX wasn't bad. Seating is pretty versatile, with the third-row seats (children only) folding pretty flat, and the second-row seats folding sort of flat (they angle up around 15 degrees, but as a continuation of a very long cargo area, I didn't think this was a problem. The second row seat is 60-40 split, the third-row 50-50. Folding them down was an easier operation in the MDX than the ML320; however, the ML320 has greater versatility in that the second seat can tumble forward to permit entry to the third-row, and the second seat can fold forward and downward for cargo room (and also slide forward) and the third-row seats are individually removable. The width of the MDX helps provide a fairly good feeling of spaciousness, though not as much as I had expected it would. Still, the driver and front-seat passenger are well-spaced apart, and each has good width in legroom. Second-row legroom was plentiful, especially since the front seats permit a lot of legroom allowing them to be pushed forward without much problem. (I'm only 5-7, my father-in-law, behind me, is about 6-2). Cargo area volume is quite good. I couldn't help but get the feeling that the MDX has a strange, somewhat qualitative, somewhat quantitative "all-around" quality about it. Not the best handler, but good or very good at it. Interior quality is nice, material sophistication is only adequate (fake wood trim, a lot of vinyl, though it's attractive and well-done). Not quite as versatile in seating as the ML320, but still good. At $37,450 for the Touring Package model (including destination), I think it's an excellent value, even at MSRP. I definitely could not bring myself to spend more on the RX300. I realize I'd get a better service level, some higher quality materials, but I'd also definitely lose some content, passenger and cargo room, the third row seat, and a good amount of handling. And that is what the MDX seems to have been designed to do -- Acura wants to hit the RX300, get folks who are predisposed to a Japanese luxury SUV, and try to win with a lower price, trading off some items for more room and, relatively speaking, more sportiness. Nail that Accord/Camry/Civic/Corolla owner before they buy an RX300. I really felt this during and after the test drive, and thinking back to our RX300 drive. Sure Acura would like to take a bite out of ML320 sales, but it's clear that it isn't the primary target. The ML320 feels decidedly German; the RX300 and MDX definitely feel Japanese. I think the vehicle would benefit from stability control, and I'm convinced that Acura will add it in later (next model year or the year after), without damaging the vehicle's value proposition too much. I disliked the second row middle seatbelt, which retracts into a recessed ceiling compartment. It comes down and anchors, and can be used as a lap/shoulder belt. If left anchored, it hangs there, where it's a bit distracting but I suppose drivers get used to it. Cost reduction from Acura, and also an attempt to relieve bulk in the fold-down second row seats, without having to resort to more expensive seat folding/lowering mechanisms as exist in the ML320. We liked the styling, more so than the ML320 (which we find blocky and minivan-ish). However, the side view definitely needs some more pizzazz. Even something as simple as rubstrips would go a long way. My dealership (Acura of Bellevue) is not charging a markup over MSRP, though they are charging a hefty amount for accessories. Significantly higher than the prices posted on Acura's web site, no apologies, just a "the web prices are suggested prices" comment. Made me think "mail-order and third-party accessories" very quickly. Unfortunately for those hoping for eventual discounts, Acura seems to have a definite winner here. There were people crawling around the dealership looking at the two MDX demos (which were always out on a test drive, limited to 20 minutes because of the demand), and one showroom model that had been pre-sold but people could sit in it until the 12th (after the launch party, when it was being delivered to the customer -- wonder if that customer works for the dealership or something, it seemed strange). When they brought our reserved model out front (only 21 miles on it), they left it locked to keep people off of it. When we unlocked it and started looking it over closely, it attracted quite a few different groups (our salesperson, who didn't know my father-in-law was with us, was horrified when she saw him sitting in the second row behind us and asked us if we needed help getting people away from the vehicle!) (she apologized profusely later, but there was no need). Obviously, this will fade in a few or several months, and perhaps dealerships will not drop from MSRP, but at least throw in some stuff. I also think this will vary greatly by region -- I live in the SUV/minivan-crazed Pacific Northwest so I expect it to do quite well here. We liked both the ML320 and the MDX a lot, and think they're both excellent vehicles that would both make us very happy. What kills me in some of these impassioned "my car is better than your car" debates is the failure to factor in subjective preferences, tastes, and priorities (not to mention that in many cases, one or both debaters doesn't even OWN the vehicle they're defending, and/or plan to get it, and/or hasn't test-driven it -- though the MDX was vaporware until recently, to be fair -- and/or is basing everything on one article out of twenty!). As well as failing to acknowledge the strengths of the other vehicle. We decided to purchase the MDX. Dealership people stayed late, did our paperwork, and now it sits in our garage, a big silver monster where a trim bright red Integra once dwelled. Didn't expect things to go this quickly, but our MDX was in, and the dealership was able to move (we didn't even have a chance to say a proper goodbye to our Integra!). I rated the ML320 a very close second choice (55/45 in my final analysis). My wife, who will be the primary driver, definitely liked the ML320 (and even her father, an avowed hater of German engineering, liked it!). But my wife LOVED the MDX (same for her father, though that's no surprise). Why? Primary reasons: 1) The MDX had good handling, and very good ride comfort. This balance, for us, makes it a much easier vehicle to live with every day than the ML320, which has excellent handling and fair ride comfort. This is of course subjective, but we took both vehicles over roads we would normally take, and the difference was VERY clear. I daresay that if I was a single lad again, and looking to push some curves, the ML320 could win here (though the crazy X5 with its great handling and poor ride comfort would become a factor since I'd be able to afford it, being single ...). But I'm no longer in the prized 18-34 demographic (though my wife is), and maybe my butt can't handle a firm ride anymore. But I'm not ready for the RX yet! 2) We're comfortable with our Acura dealer's service department, and they've done very well for us in the 6 years we've had the Integra. Best example I can give is that they respond really well to my wife, when some service people really patronize women. I've had some concerns over the only two area MB dealership's service departments, especially after reading some comments on the MB message board. Obviously this wouldn't have been an issue if I lived somewhere else, with MB service departments with solid reputations. 3) Familiarity. Besides the service departments, my wife has become accustomed to driving her parent's Odyssey, so the MDX was a snap. Obviously, the MDX's Odyssey heritage helped persuade her father, who also owns an Integra (as we did until the trade-in). The reviews are right in that the MDX has that typical Honda feel -- pretty good handling, good control (as compared to, say, the Toyota feel, which is usually vague on steering and high on isolation). 4) The all-around goodness of the MDX, and its good value. Materials aren't as good as the ML320 (though I still think the ML320's interior looks plain because of its classic MB heritage). Not the better handler, but still good. Not quite as versatile seating, but still quite good. The above four are the primary reasons we selected the MDX, with (1) being weighed the heaviest in the end. I think after six years of pounding by the Integra, we didn't want to spend $40k and not get a more comfortable ride. Other factors that played a part, or didn't: a) Value came into play, though I still think we MIGHT have eventually been able to buy a very-loaded 2000 ML320 for only $1k to $1.5k more (and it has free maintenance the first four years, though it can get pricey after that). But the "might" was a real problem. I decided the ML320 was close enough that I submitted a Priceline bid, for only $700 over dealer net cost (factoring in the incentive). (You have to be serious when you submit a Priceline bid since you will pay $100 if the dealer accepts and you renege.) However, it was not accepted by the two local MB dealerships. Part of it could be that the incentive doesn't seem to have hit this area yet. That of course gave me some uncertainty as to whether or not I could pull off $1k-$1.5k more than the MDX, and I didn't want to lose out on the reservation for the MDX by waiting (and possibly ending up paying more for the MB than what I was hoping). Timing is everything. b) I know I might get flamed for this, but I still think the ML320 is the safer vehicle. More solid construction, built like a tank, crash photos to prove it, probably better in a rollover, and, it has features like stability control, brake assist, pretensioners and force limiters in all outboard positions, rear side airbags. HOWEVER, I also think the MDX is a safe vehicle, especially for our type of driving profile. I just think the ML320 is safer. And unfortunately, the ML320 doesn't have child-proof rear door locks, which I consider essential for child safety. The 2000 U.S. ML320 doesn't come standard with childseat top tether anchors, though you can use the off-center cargo hooks. (Note that in the MDX, the second-row tether anchors are well-located. The third-row ones are not; they're on the floor, behind the seat, near the tailgate, and they are, ironically, off-center!) This decision on safety was not made without a lot of agonizing in this department, especially with a two-week old baby. I hope to god I never regret not having the extra safety margin I think the ML320 provides. c) Call me vain, but I'd still rather have a BMW or MB than an Acura, or even a Lexus than an Acura. However, I don't think it's vain, because we did end up getting the Acura. Just that owning an MB was a childhood dream. Guess that'll have to wait at least another 6 years. ====================== The dealership experience was positive. Boy, here I was, all paranoid and ready to do battle over the trade-in value, potential fees, accessory pricing, etc. But they gave me a very fair trade-in value, and did not attempt to tack on any fees (no documentation fee, no advertising fee). I just paid MSRP for the vehicle, plus only accessories I wanted. While I wasn't able to get them to move on accessory pricing yet, they were polite about it, and I just purchased the running boards (I'll probably order the other parts from a discounter or get them aftermarket).