With overall proportions in all directions, Acura’s best-selling MDX retains an interesting, low-key kind of cool – plus cargo space galore.
Photo by Honda
It strikes me that the fourth generation Acura MDX, officially the best-selling three-row luxury SUV since its debut in 2000, has now entered the world of ultra-giants. I say this because my aging brain is remembering that the bulk and breadth of earlier MDXs were closer to what you now find on the slightly smaller RDX. The completely re-cooked MDX 2022 seems very, very big.
But in a world of very, very large SUVs, maybe that’s fine as it’s still an extremely sophisticated, beautifully designed, and eye-catching alternative to the even bigger three-row luxury SUVs we see everywhere now. It’s also restrainedly elegant, not bold, and – with a 290-horsepower V6, 10-speed automatic transmission, and the really sticky magic of its super-handling all-wheel drive system – it does the job. And with an MSRP of $ 60,650 for the advanced-level package, the Ohio-built Acura MDX seems like a real bargain compared to Escalade or the Germans.
Some of the size could be traced back to MDX’s heavily evolved seven-person layout for 2022, with its proportions gradually growing. It’s more than 2 inches longer overall, has a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase, a much longer hood, more cabin space, and a wider track and overall vehicle width.
From the tailgate, it was a real struggle to pull up the third row seats. I had to stand in an open door well to sweep the late winter snow off the roof. Inside, the center console looked as big as a complete Honda Civic from the 1980s. Maybe I’ll just get old and have shrunk.
However, the extra widths and breadths pay off when it comes to absolutely effortless cruising. The MDX and its 20-inch wheels ate up terribly decomposed sidewalk, drove solid and smooth on gravel roads, and made an icy driveway easy with no problems whatsoever.
My feeling is that the 290 hp is more than enough for everyone but high country riders. I had to pedal a little too much for it to work on the passes, but as I dug myself in, the power came. It’s literally built on a lightweight truck platform with new double wishbone front suspension and improved brakes. The curb weight is just over 4,500 pounds, and I certainly felt that in the corners.
While Lexus and Infiniti have gone totally insane on the design department, MDX feels comfortably low-key. Every damn SUV in the industry now has Camaro-style headlights and a freight train-sized grille, but they look pretty cool here, with an interesting Superman logo style surrounding the Acura badge. The rear doors look the size of a sedan. Even the rear bumper is massive.
Limo is right, however, because your rear seat passengers will definitely get the VIP treatment. Lower the center section of a 40-20-40 split seat and you have an ultra-comfortable center armrest or remove it entirely if you wish. Overall, leg and shoulder room have increased somewhat and the seats can also be leaned back more than in the past.
There’s one-touch access to get to the smaller rows of seats in the third row, where your youngest passengers get USB sockets and what Acura calls “a more comfortable posture”.
Up front there is a very attractive cabin setup with a new fully digital instrument panel, a soft buffer plate sewn with accents and a continuously adjustable light show on board. USB ports are located in a cool-looking pop-up box on the center console, and the moderately frustrating “True Touchpad” input device gradually reveals its literal point-and-click function.
As mentioned on other Acuras, the drive mode button is way too over the top unless you grab the upcoming 355-horsepower Type S. And yes, what looks like a 1970s manual credit card machine is part of the center console business .
In line with the other growth, the cargo space is also much larger across the board. There’s a standard space of 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row, but with a two-tier, reversible cargo floor that can be expanded to 18.1 cubic feet and an additional 1.8 cubic feet below the floor. Drop the third row and you can get between 39.1 and 48.4 cubic feet of storage space. Drop the second row as well and the absolute maximum is 95 cubic feet.
Andy Steinhaus
Andy Stonehouse’s Mountain Wheels column appears in the Summit Daily News on Saturdays. Stonehouse has worked as an editor and writer in Colorado since 1998 and has focused on automotive coverage since 2004. He lives in golden. Contact him at Summitmountainwheels@gmail.com.