2022 Acura MDX Shows that Emotions Can Be Designed with Infallible Precision

The Acura MDX model series started its career in 2000 as a representative product for a new era in the history of the young Japanese luxury brand (Acura was established in 1986). When you’re not a traditional luxury carmaker, having to follow certain directions and references, the horizon is widely open.

Although, when choosing the path of innovation from a different perspective, there comes the risk that your products will not be perceived or understood as intended – in a premium-creative manner, talking about Acura. Being progressive without any restraint becomes a “must” in this case.

Approach

The 2001 Acura MDX was the industry's first three-row crossover SUV, defining a new kind of vehicles that now dominates the segment. During the last couple of decades, across three generations of development, the MDX became a hit, with more than one million units sold, earning its place as America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV.

An advanced product, leaving all the others behind, also gains a specific status of exclusivity. And that’s exactly what the MDX is about. At Acura, they’ve been working on the MDX theme for three generations, doing it better each time.

Now, with its fourth generation, a special feeling of substantial and shiny supremacy emerges. For a hard to explain reason, this MDX might convince a lot of onlookers to turn their eyes from Lexus, Infiniti or other European premium mid-size SUVs toward Acura’s proposal. We believe Acura managed to touch the zone of the intuitive sympathy with the 2022 MDX and that’s something pretty cool to achieve.

Ambiance

How many cars with a length of about 200 inches (508 cm) have left you cold until now? Plenty of, we are sure. On the other hand, it’s hard to believe anyone may have this kind of experience regarding the 2022 Acura MDX. Its appearance won’t let you go away, just like that, even if you’re not exactly a fan of the premium crossover-SUV genre. Interacting with this car in the first stage might go two ways. Either you will let yourself be immersed in the well-being ambiance it offers, or you will feel interested to attentively examine everything on board, trying to find out how deep its premium character truly is. No real chance to feel disappointed, whatever you choose to do.

After all, size matters. A proper image of superiority is complemented also by the exterior dimensions of the object, themselves. The 2022 Acura MDX is noticeably larger than the former generation. Its length grew by 2.2 inches, reaching 198.4 inches (504 cm), while the wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer, measuring 113.8 inches (289 cm). The width also grew by about one inch. These figures say enough about the care taken for the passengers’ space. Implicitly, the roomy interior offers a generous space for developing a glamorous design. Needless to tell it, the people from Acura didn’t miss this expression opportunity.

Elaborated details and fine materials are there to please the eye. The interior is so wide, that the two big screens on the dashboard (both the instruments cluster and the multimedia screen have diagonals of 12.3 inches) no longer look too large. Another premiere: equipped with Advance Package, the MDX features a large 10.5-inch color Head-Up Display (HUD), which projects a broad range of customizable information on the lower portion of the windshield in the driver's line of sight. The vertical location and the brightness of the projection can be adjusted via switches on the instrument panel.

Another impressive high-tech feature: positioned just below the climate controls, the large Dynamic Mode Dial takes direct inspiration from the NSX supercar and makes it easy to quickly select one of four pre-set Integrated Dynamics System driving modes: Normal, Sport, Comfort and Snow.

Heated front seats with three temperature settings and 12 ways of adjustment are standard in all MDX models. And you can always ask for more: the MDX A-Spec and MDX with Advance Package add 3-mode ventilated seats with an auto climate function.

Thrust

Any supreme refinement would be jeopardized with less than 6 cylinders under the hood. The MDX draws its power from a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter i-VTEC 24-valve V6 engine rated at 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to variable distribution and direct injection, this engine produces its maximum power at 6200 rpm, and the peak torque at 4500 rpm. The Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) function helps keeping the fuel consumption under a strict control.

With such a wide range of revolutions and respectable potential, it would have been easy to make the car good enough by adding a typical 8-speed automatic transmission (they are very popular nowadays) or something like that. Yet, Acura insisted for excellence. That’s why the in-house developed 10-speed automatic transmission upholds the endeavors of the V6 engine with responsive and smooth shifts for achieving the best in terms of performance and efficiency.

The transmission can be operated via an electronic shift-by-wire push-button gear selector, and drivers can manually select gears using Acura's Sequential SportShift paddles located on the steering wheel. The 2022 MDX is available with front-wheel-drive or with the fourth-generation of Acura's torque-vectoring SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive). Because we are talking about a maximum power so close to the 300 hp threshold, the choice of the SH-AWD ($2000) appears to be preferable.

What to pay for

So, you want a luxury car, but you don’t feel like spending energy and time to configure it? The standard Acura MDX ($ 46,900) won’t disappoint you at all. Among others, it includes a 350-watt Acura premium audio system with 9 speakers strategically located throughout the MDX cabin. Even the ultra-wide panoramic moonroof is a standard feature! Our advice: add here the $ 2000 supposed for the SH-AWD.

However, would you prefer a subtle dynamic accent for your car? The exterior of the Acura MDX A-Spec is distinguished from the standard MDX by some specific cues, like the black grille surround, black headlight and taillight trim, 20-inch Shark Gray wheels with a machined finish, plus A-Spec badges on the front quarter panels, black side window moldings, black door mirror housings, and gloss-black lower garnishes. Also, the Apex Blue Pearl paint is exclusive to the A-Spec package ($3500).

Well, they call this the Technology Package ($4700), but it is rather about refinement. It includes Perforated Milano Premium Leather Sport Seats, ambient LED cabin lighting, ELS Studio hi-fi audio system and 20-inch Shark Gray wheels with a machined finish. There is also a so-called Advance Package ($7050). For double the score of the A-Spec, you can get the ELS Studio hi-fi audio system, a surround-view camera system, full-color head-up display, front 16-way power seats with power lumbar support, thigh extension and side bolsters.

The basic price of an Acura MDX with Advance Package (SH-AWD is included) is $60,650. We would rather go for the luxurious enough standard MDX with SH-AWD. Otherwise, the overwhelming flatteries can bring the price up quite a bit.