Thanks guys. Ovr, you're great....I had the same mixed feelings but I know how much my wife likes the Ody and who am I to argue that it's not the vehicle for her? After a trip out with the family, I have some observations.
Firstly, the minvan trumps the MDX in every way when we look at practicality. My son has no problems getting in and out. Everybody has room to spare, and there's a lot of family friendly designs when you look at the interior. Lots of convenience features and to be honest, we're a spoiled family. It's got everything we need and more. There's cubbys everywhere for us to store stuff/junk. There's about a jillion cupholders. There's very nifty and efficient cubby spaces/trays. Honestly, it's great inside. However, when I look at the MDX and compare it to the Honda, the leather in the Honda feel like industrial rubber. The extra features of a 'premium' brand is lacking in the Honda - such things as power passenger seat, power lumbar support, auto tilting right mirror when going into reverse, auto wipers, and premium stereo. However, what I do gain is: power rear doors, power liftgate, larger sunroof, power pedals, a much improved and feature laden navi system, and tri-zone climate control. The HVAC controls are very easy to use and very easy to reach. The voice controls in the Ody can control the HVAC, something my MDX could not. The visibility is very good with the exception of the front a pillars at the base are a bit thick and tough to see around, and the b pillar on the drivers side is all I see when I shoulder check. I have to lean a bit to the left out the driver's window to get a good view. The suspension is much more sorted than the MDX. I found the Acura very comfortable but a bit soft and wallowy. The Ody is still very compliant but feels a bit more secure and less tippy. This is probably due to the lower centre of gravity. The longer wheelbase is also a nice thing to keep things very smooth. It drives very well. Steering is firm but very trackable. It's a minivan....not bad.
Overall, I'm very impressed. I'm happy about the move into the Odyssey and my wife is very happy. It rained so the new vehicle is dirty, but it's going to be cleaned and Klasse'd so stay tuned for pics.
