2024 Acura MDX: One way to get your $80K SUV on
Hop in the MDX at an auto show, and it feels a little old-school next to the competition. But check out Sport+ mode in the country and realize the value of learning the classics.
2024 Acura MDX SH-AWD Type S Adv vs. 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury: Two ways to spend $80k on three rows. This week: the Acura. (More on the Lexus next week.)
This week: 2024 Acura MDX
Price: $75,295 as tested. Just fancy blue paint for the only option.
Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend likes its “attractive sheetmetal,” and that it’s “generously equipped and well constructed,” but not the “forgettable driving experience,” or that it “could use more luxury” and that the “infotainment could be more intuitive.”
Marketer’s pitch: “Pure performance.”
Reality: Better than what Motor Trend says.
What’s new: I’ve always had a fondness for the MDX; it scored high after its 2022 redesign in the Driver’s Seat test. It’s only received some minor adjustments since then, but I thought it was worth revisiting.
Competition: Besides the TX 550h, Audi Q7, Cadillac XT6, Infiniti QX60, and Land Rover Discovery.
Up to speed: The MDX certainly gets you where you’re going in short order. The 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbocharged engine creates 355 horsepower. It gets to 60 mph in a fairly swift 6 seconds, according to Motor Trend, but somehow a non-turbo version is 0.3 seconds faster.
Shifty: The MDX continues with the push-button transmission, never my favorite. It functions fine, but I’ve finally honed in on my real problem — it just looks cheap. Think about the Volvo crystal shifter or even Audi’s simple large toggle.
The 10-speed automatic transmission is shiftable via paddles, and it works well. Its shifts are noticeable in Sport+ mode but not so much otherwise.
On the road: The Acura MDX is a nice enough three-row SUV to drive. It defaults to Normal setting for the handling control, and a quick turn of the dial gets you to Sport mode, plus other choices like Eco and Snow.
But twist and hold that dial to Sport+ mode and be prepared for a whole new experience. It’s like the MDX shrinks two sizes, flexes the axles, pulls up the wheels, and gets ready to go. There, the handling becomes one of the sportiest three-row SUVs you can find. Slaloms, small hills, highways, it all feels fine. It can feel a little firm, but it’s not harsh at all.
Driver’s Seat: This is a blessing for making the ride all it can be. We took the MDX to State College, and after a couple hours, I even remarked to Mrs. Passenger Seat how comfortable the seats were. And that’s even before the massage was engaged (standard on the Type S). The wings are snug and hold you in place but not too tight.
The full Milano leather feels supple and is not too warm. Leather and suede combine in a less pricey version of the Type S, but I can see this being worth an extra six grand.
The digital dashboard changes with the different vehicle settings as well. Comfort mode goes so far as to take away the tachometer, which is getting a little too comfortable, I’d say.
Friends and stuff: Unfortunately for passengers, the seating feels rather like that “shrunk two sizes” Sport+ handling episode. The middle row is not bad for legroom or headroom, but foot room under the front seat is at a premium. The seats move forward and back, so that helps. The three seats also make for a snuggish feeling side-to-side.
The rear row, though, has moved beyond snuggish to full-on cramped, with Mr. Driver’s head against the ceiling, knees against the seat, and big feet with nowhere to hide.
Play some tunes: Sound from the 25-speaker ELS Studio 3D® Signature Edition audio system is pretty good, about an A-.
Controls of the system also reveal Acura’s penchant for the past. A touch pad operates the system. It can feel cumbersome at first, but just remember that the pad is simply a reproduction of the screen, so touching the pad in the corner corresponding to the selection you want to make will get the job done.
Keeping warm and cool: The heater controls really take things to the aughts. So many buttons and toggles, plus a super-small readout to check your work. I complain about screens, screens, screens, but then when I get this opportunity, I see why screens happen.
Fuel economy: I averaged about 19 mpg in a rollicking week of acceleration tests.
Where it’s built: East Liberty, Ohio
How it’s built: Consumer Reports gives the MDX middling reliability, about a 3 of 5.
A change is coming: If you agree with Motor Trend’s not-so-cheery assessment of the MDX, the 2025 may offer hope in the form of a redesign.
Next week: 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury