If you’re a connoisseur of quality sound systems, one feature that I found interesting was the European Bang & Olufsen unit in the car.
Over the years I have never been a big fan of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) as I have owned a few and generally found them not that much fun to drive. Well the MDX Elite that I just spent some time with has changed a lot of the feelings I have for SUVs.
First and foremost, the MDX is nicely proportioned, making it look more like a station wagon instead of a truck made to look like an SUV. Taking into account that the vehicle is actually a 7-seater, Acura designers have done a great job of not making it look that long. I found the straight yet slightly curved styling of the MDX attractive and balanced, which I can’t say about a lot of the SUVs on the market.
One of the unique styling touches of the MDX is that its ten small, round headlights mounted within the two headlight pods. When driving at night, three small headlights on each side light up and when the high beams are needed, all ten light up, giving the driver a great view ahead. Since the MDX is a large capacity vehicle, which will carry lots of people and luggage, the headlights will adjust automatically to stay level, a real handy feature.
What makes the MDX move is a single overhead cam 3.6L V6 with variable valve timing with gives the vehicle plenty of power and pull. In fact the MDX has 290 hp and 267 pounds feet of torque allowing it to tow up to 5000 lbs (2268 kg) when properly equipped. All the power is transferred to the wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. Stopping power is by way 4-wheel disc brakes attached to 18in. alloy wheels.
For those who have to traverse hilly roads and streets might be interested to know that the MDX has a hill start assist. With this feature, the brakes hold momentarily when on an incline, stopping any movement until the vehicle gets moving ahead.
On the road, the MDX was easy to drive in tight traffic or at highway speeds. If you want a bit of a sporty attitude from the MDX, you can use the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel to go up and down through the gears. I just generally left it in Drive and let the transmissions computer do all the optimum shifting for me.
As you might suspect, the Elite is the top model and is equipped with just about every option known to man. All controls were easy to reach and some of the vital controls were mounted on the steering wheel. There was a bit of a learning curve when it came to locating all the electronic features provided in the console and dash area, but nothing that could not be learned with experimentation over time.
In the comfortable back seats, your passengers have the option of using the rear heaters as well as entertaining themselves with the built-in ceiling mounted entertainment system. Acura even supplies headphones for two in the back.
The two rearmost seats, I have to say, are geared for children as they barely have any leg room. Also when they are in upright position, storage space is very limited as well. But when these seat are down, cargo space is good for four adults.
Putting money aside, the MDX has to be one of the best people/cargo haulers around. It offers a great ride, class, styling and it really handles well. In fact, my fellow AJAC journalists have picked it as the best SUV over $60,000. My test vehicle tipped the scales at about $66,000 fully equipped.
