Acura is Honda's luxury arm and shares drivetrains directly. The 3.5L J35 V6 in MDX and TLX V6 is one of the most reliable luxury engines available. Acura's big stumble was the ZF 9-speed transmission in 2016-2020 MDX and 2015-2020 TLX V6 - the same software-plagued transmission used in Honda Pilot. The new 2022+ MDX/TLX move to a 10-speed Honda automatic, eliminating that risk. Build quality is well above mainstream Honda.
Acura has been a top-10 brand in Consumer Reports rankings for several recent years. J.D. Power places Acura above the industry average for dependability.
Last year of the 6-speed before ZF 9-speed. Excellent.
New 10-speed; SH-AWD; J35Y6 V6. Best modern Acura.
J35 V6, even with 9-speed it has been more reliable in Acura tune.
K20C 2.0T (Civic Type R engine) + 10-speed. Strong.
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Hard shifts, hesitation. Multiple reflashes. Some buyers got class-action settlement.
Niche luxury crossover with weak resale.
Some had transmission issues; sourcing replacement is expensive.
ZF 9-speed transmission shudder (2015-2020 MDX/TLX V6), VCM cylinder deactivation oil consumption (older MDX), AcuraLink infotainment lag, and minor air suspension complaints on TLX.
Average $501/year per RepairPal - below the industry average and far below European luxury. Resale is strong. Long-term cost is roughly Toyota-level.
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Yes - one of the most reliable luxury brands you can buy, just behind Lexus. The ZF 9-speed in 2016-2020 MDX/TLX is the brand's main weak spot.
Slightly less, because Acura adds more electronics and (in 2016-2020) the ZF 9-speed. Mechanically the engines are identical.
The ZF 9HP transmission in 2016-2020 MDX and TLX V6 has documented hard-shift, hesitation, and harsh-engagement issues. Multiple TSBs and a class-action settlement.
A J35-powered MDX or TLX commonly crosses 250-300K with maintenance. The K20C in the RDX is similarly durable.
Yes - the K20C is the same engine that powers the Civic Type R, with reinforced internals and excellent track record so far.
Yes, but avoid 2016-2020 MDX/TLX V6 with the ZF 9-speed unless price is low and transmission has been reflashed.