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Acura Unveils All-New 2022 MDX Luxury SUV, Calls It the “New Brand Flagship”

If you glance over Acura’s lineup, the NSX hybrid supercar stands out as the flagship of the luxury-oriented brand. Be that as it may, the all-new MDX is described as the “new brand flagship” for some reason or another.
2022 Acura MDX 24 photos
Photo: Acura
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Marketing mumbo-jumbo aside, the fourth generation of the MDX is a huge improvement over the outgoing model. For starters, the all-new platform boasts double-wishbone suspension up front and a multi-link setup out back. Secondly, the front brake rotors are larger and thicker than before, and Acura has also made a case for an electric booster that allows the Collision Mitigation Braking System to react 230 milliseconds faster than before.

From a design standpoint, the mid-size crossover looks pretty elegant thanks to a dash-to-axle ratio extended by nearly 6 inches (152 mm). 1.4 inches (35-mm) wider and 2.8 inches (71-mm) longer in terms of wheelbase, the unibody MDX features a cab-rearward stance complemented by wheels as large as 20 by 9.0 inches.

A 3.5-liter i-VTEC V6 comes standard, and it’s much obliged to channel 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet (361 Nm) of torque to the driven wheels. Indeed, ladies and gents, Acura offers FWD as standard while Super Handling All-Wheel Drive is available as a $2,000 optional extra on two trim levels.

Only the A-Spec and the MDX with the Advance Package feature SH-AWD as standard, and they’re pretty expensive at $57,100 and $60,650, respectively - excluding freight. At the lowest end of the spectrum, prepare to pony up $46,900 plus $1,025 for the destination charge. Scheduled to arrive later next summer, the Type S will sweeten the deal with an available 3.0-liter turbocharged V6.

The go-faster version cranks out 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet (479 Nm) of torque, which is not bad at all for a vehicle this large and heavy. Still, one cannot ignore the existence of the Lincoln Aviator. Priced at $51,100 at the time of writing, the luxed-up SUV belts out 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet (562 Nm) of torque from a twin-turbo V6 with 3.0 liters of displacement.

“This new fourth-generation MDX really builds on all of the values that have made MDX a perennial favorite with customers over the past 20 years,” said the global development leader Tom Nguyen. “By injecting higher levels of craftsmanship, performance, and technology, the 2022 MDX is truly a vehicle befitting of its flagship position.” Once again, did they forget the NSX?

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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