The 2022 Acura MDX is Acura’s newest, fully redesigned mannequin in what’s shaping as much as be a rekindling of the Japanese luxurious model. Acura smacked us throughout the face (in a great way) with the luxurious and sporty TLX final yr, and now it’s attempting to do the identical with its three-row household crossover.
2020 noticed the MDX turn into Acura’s best-selling mannequin of all time, surpassing 1 million complete gross sales. Granted, it’s been round because the flip of the century, however there’s no underselling how necessary the MDX is to Acura. Fans like ourselves are much more intrigued by the efficiency vehicles, however the MDX is the place Acura is printing its cash. Nevertheless, its money cow standing hasn’t restrained Acura from remodeling the brand new MDX right into a crossover that’s likeable to each fanatics and the general public at massive. That’s the Acura we keep in mind and love.
The 2022 MDX rewrites its story with a brand new “gentle truck” platform that is unique to Acura … in the meanwhile. After we requested what this platform’s future could be, an Acura spokesperson informed us that “this platform will underpin different fashions in our firm portfolio, however we’re not talking to that at the moment.” Almost definitely, Acura is referring to the next-generation Pilot (together with the Passport and Ridgeline), contemplating that each earlier MDX has been associated to Honda’s three-row crossover.
For now, nevertheless, this new platform facilitates the MDX’s longer dash-to-axle ratio (4 inches higher than earlier than), which supplies it proportions just like rear-drive-based competitors from Europe and elsewhere. It additionally ends in higher cabin area, higher dealing with and new applied sciences, however we have to handle the design first.
The transformation is substantial, because the 2022 MDX is each wider and longer than its predecessor. The place there was slop and slouch earlier than, there’s none immediately. Its upright face, mesmerizing grille, massive wheels and sharp lighting components make the MDX stand out within the crossover crowd. This redesign takes the MDX from being one of many least fetching choices within the phase to standing tall as probably the most trendy. Huge styling wins haven’t at all times been straightforward for Acura to return by over the past 10-plus years, however chalk this one up as one other feather within the cap following the dashing new TLX.
The brand new MDX platform contributed to those beauty, however it additionally brings a splash of utility. The third row sees the most important positive factors, as adults or teenagers are much more prone to match comfortably in the best way again. Acura added 2.4 inches of legroom and located a contact extra headroom regardless of elevating the seat backside by 2 inches. Cargo area in all seating configurations additionally goes up by minor quantities. Acura says that this further area was opened up by switching from a coilover to a separate strut and spring rear suspension design.
The MDX might not be mechanically associated to Honda’s Odyssey, however its novel second-row seats do borrow a web page from Honda’s minivan playbook. You may sit three-across (seven-person most capability), fold the middle seat down for a large heart console, or fully take away the center seat to depart your self with a pair of quasi captain’s chairs. Each different competitor makes you select whether or not you need a three-person bench or two-person captain’s chairs on the dealership.
So sure, the MDX is a greater crossover for the household, however much more spectacular is what it brings to the desk for the motive force. Acura isn’t deviating from what’s labored up to now with the bottom engine. It’s nonetheless the three.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 that makes 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque — no 2.0-liter turbo to be discovered right here. The transmission is new, although, and it makes a considerable distinction in how this MDX drives. Acura went from a nine-speed computerized to a brand new 10-speed computerized, and it carried out a decrease first gear for higher efficiency. That provides this 4,500-pound crossover (with SH-AWD) much better pull off the road and at low speeds than we have been anticipating. It requires numerous shifting to get the job achieved (you’re on the prime of third gear by 60 mph), however Acura efficiently used gearing to make the MDX really feel stronger than the numbers recommend it could be. Plus, it’s above common if you toss it into handbook shifting mode, responding eagerly to inputs from the properly formed paddles.
An MDX Sort S with the three.0-liter turbocharged V6 (355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque) is coming in the summertime, so should you want extra energy, we advise ready. Acura additionally left the door open for a return to hybrid energy on this technology of MDX, however we don’t know any particulars about it or when it could be coming.
Our greatest disappointment in regards to the powertrain is the overall lack of gas economic system enchancment. It’s truly down 1 mpg within the mixed score for each front- and all-wheel drive layouts. Acura blames the automotive’s new styling for this loss in effectivity. Engineers tried their finest to claw MPGs again by higher use of aluminum for physique elements and newly built-in lively grille shutters (reduces aerodynamic drag), however it nonetheless wasn’t sufficient to remain impartial from one technology to the subsequent.
The place the MDX’s drive shines brightest is if you begin to push it on a twisty street. That new platform it’s using on is considerably stiffer than earlier than. Plus, Acura is plunging headfirst into implementing impartial double wishbone suspension design on its vehicles (most lately used within the new TLX). Within the MDX’s case (and different vehicles), it improves trip high quality and supplies a bigger and extra constant tire contact patch in corners. The structural modifications contribute to a higher sense of nimbleness and stability to the chassis you wouldn’t count on in a automobile its dimension. Hauling a three-row crossover by winding, hilly roads might be tiring, or simply plain awkward and uncomfortable. Within the MDX, it’s genuinely enjoyable going backwards and forwards. The arrogance it instills in you to maintain attempting to extract extra in corners and push more durable isn’t the norm for this phase.
The one strategy to get the MDX feeling out of types is in 90-degree corners or particularly tight roundabouts the place weight turns into the dominant issue. Much less abrupt curves spotlight and play to the MDX’s power. Acura’s SH-AWD has been bloody sensible in each MDX since being launched for the second technology, and this newest model as soon as once more brings its torque-vectoring magic. As much as 70% of torque might be despatched to the rear wheels, and as much as 100% of that out there torque might be apportioned to both rear wheel. You may bodily really feel this torque vectoring at work as you feed in an increasing number of throttle by corners. Each Acura with SH-AWD handles much better for it, and the MDX is not any exception — it’s properly definitely worth the $2,000 improve over a front-drive mannequin, even should you reside someplace that doesn’t expertise winter climate.
Adaptive dampers are usually not out there like they’re within the RDX and TLX, however the mounted dampers are dialed in properly. Switching the NSX-inspired mode dial into Sport improves the variable-ratio steering with a little bit extra weight (not an excessive amount of) and directs extra energy to the rear wheels. Total, the dealing with is on par or higher than many of the competitors, which isn’t a simple feat contemplating crossovers just like the Audi Q7, Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Aviator are all potential options. Consider, we haven’t even pushed the Sort S but.
Fortunately, Acura hasn’t uncared for trip high quality and usefulness within the title of efficiency. The MDX soaks up poor metropolis streets and unhealthy roads with one of the best of them. It’s remarkably comfy to simply peaceably cruise round in. That V6 is unobtrusive till you step on it, and solely then it makes the typically-satisfying Honda growl. There’s a modicum of wind noise that intrudes at freeway speeds, however the cabin is usually serene.
We’re left with one massive nit to select about how the MDX drives: the brakes. It’s a brand new brake-by-wire system with an electrical brake booster. Acura nailed the tuning with the TLX’s related system — it has a stiff pedal that’s sports activities car-like in really feel. Within the MDX, they’ve the imprecise, mushy feeling of an previous hybrid’s poorly tuned regenerative brakes. There needs to be some center floor that may be applicable for a crossover however nonetheless in line with the performance-car spirit Acura goes for.
That spirit is a minimum of seen inside the place Acura’s newest, NSX-inspired inside design stands in stark distinction to the outgoing MDX, which was by no means leading edge by way of design or luxurious.
The brand new cabin clearly clearly shares visible DNA with the RDX and TLX designs, however it’s a extra expansive, elevated take that skews extra in the direction of luxurious than sport. Supplies high quality additionally sees a major leap upmarket. Positive, a Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi will nonetheless outclass the MDX, however Acura isn’t very far behind anymore, and all of the German opponents are considerably costlier.
Acura guarantees that should you see a cloth that appears like wooden or steel, it’s real. Fancy LED ambient lighting might be personalized with tons of various themes. The seats are each fairly (good piping and patterns within the leather-based) and comfy. Its 12.3-inch infotainment system is loaded with options, and the out there ELS Studio audio system will bump with one of the best of them. The MDX additionally marks Acura’s first software of a totally digital instrument cluster, and it’s an excellent one. You may select between a pair base layouts for the 12.3-inch display, however these might be modified/personalized even additional by way of the drive mode dial — every mode has its personal format. One of many two Sport mode layouts is harking back to the S2000 with its horizontal tachometer arcing throughout the highest of the display in the identical style as Honda’s iconic sports activities automotive.
When the Sort S ultimately drops this summer season, the brand new MDX lineup shall be a formidable power. Pricing for the usual MDX begins at $47,925 and ranges as much as $61,675 for our top-of-the-line Advance. Those that need an MDX with a sportier look can go for an A-Spec (black trim, out there crimson leather-based) at $58,125 — it comes with a majority of the optionally available luxurious and tech niceties, which is why it’s almost as costly as the highest trim. Not like a lot of the upper priced competitors, Acura comes normal with almost all its driver help options, a formidable array that features each full-speed adaptive cruise and lane-centering. It’s simply one of many many gadgets on the checklist that makes the MDX add as much as a brilliant succesful household hauler that gained’t break the financial institution, or your soul, from behind the wheel.
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