2022 Acura MDX

With the 2022 MDX, Acura has reinvented its largest vehicle along the lines of the smaller RDX SUV and TLX sedan. The MDX’s sweeping new style mimics some European SUVs at a glance, but evokes more from Acura’s latest offerings with its shield-shaped grille, slim LED headlights, and snip-and-cut lines that accentuate its softly rounded body. The larger proportions give the MDX a longer nose and enable a three-inch wheelbase stretch to give it a newly muscular shape that tapers at the rear and resolves in slim, faceted LED taillights. Type S models have a larger front grille and quad exhaust tips, along with standard 21-inch wheels.

Inside, the lovely MDX interior takes a slimmer horizontal set, with a wide center display perched over toggles and pushbuttons that activate its climate controls and transmission, banded by ribbons of open-pore wood trim and contrast-stitched leather on some versions. A customizable 12.3-inch digital display takes the place of analog gauges.

Many versions now come with all-wheel drive. Available on MDX and Technology models, standard on the A-Spec, Advance, and Type S, the MDX has a sophisticated system that can transfer 70% of power to the rear wheels and split that rear-axle power between the right and left side for better cornering.

How fast is the 2022 Acura MDX?

Riding on a new chassis, the 2022 MDX taps a standard 3.5-liter V-6 with 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. Good for 0-60 mph times estimated in the seven-second range in the chunky MDX—at 4,032 to 4,565 lb, it’s up about 250 pounds in its new form—the V-6 has a rippling low-end engine note that winds out above 3,500 rpm into a mediocre moan; the drivetrain sounds better in the Odyssey minivan, of all things. 

If you were looking for more power, the Type S offers a 355-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 shared with the TLX Type S that makes the SUV feel much quicker and more responsive at low rpm. 

The 10-speed automatic changes gears nearly flawlessly, and doesn't mind at all being paddle-shifted at around fourth and fifth gear in its dedicated Sport mode to hustle through back roads. It has a lower launch gear, a wider gear range, and the ability to change as many as four gear spans at once. The drivetrain’s tied to a drive-mode dial that offers Normal, Sport, Comfort and Snow programs and fiddles with the digital displays, the shift timing, even the amount of engine noise pumped into the cabin. In the Type S the upgraded 10-speed has 40% quicker downshifts with rev matching when using the paddle shifters to make it even more responsive.

Ride and handling set the MDX apart from sloppier rivals. With its double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, complete with hydraulic front bushings, the MDX has a guitar-string-taut ride, with springs and dampers that resist small bumps and relax to absorb the bigger ones. It’ll heel over deep into steep corners on its standard 19-inch all-season tires (20s on the A-Spec), and its steering cuts a precise line without much feedback, but the MDX controls its body with just the right amount of give. The brake pedals need to be tuned better, though—the stroke’s long and all the progressive feel sits at the bottom of the travel.

The Type S fixes both of those problems. Its adaptive air suspension stiffens up to  control body roll while the AWD system shifts torque to the outside rear wheel to sling the MDX out of corners. It’s even better in its comfort settings, providing impeccable ride quality that matches most other luxury SUV. And its upgraded brakes are more responsive as well, a needed fix.

With an available hitch, the MDX can tow up to 5,000 lb with AWD, or 3,500 lb with front-wheel drive. Its 7.3 inches of ground clearance give it some off-road ability, but it wouldn’t be the tool we’d pick for a rock-climbing weekend. 

In front, heated power seats have from 12 to 16 ways of adjustment. They’re formed for good support and excellent space; 6-foot drivers can measure about four inches of head room below the standard sunroof. Base seats wear synthetic leather, but all other versions have true hides. Top trims have seat cooling. 

Splitting the front passengers, the center console has lots of useful storage tucked in its extravagantly extruded shape. Still, the design eats up usable space, particularly around the saddle-style transmission controls. One example: Wireless smartphone charging happens under a hand support that’s necessary because Acura omits touch inputs on its infotainment screen. 

Second-row seats go for flexibility and function. There’s plenty of head room for 6-footers to sit behind 6-footers, but toe space is skimpier. The MDX has 38.5 inches of second-row leg room, and the three-person bench slides on a 5.9-inch track. It also has a removable center seat that allows easier access to the third row, and pushbutton assist to open up access to the wayback.

Those functions help but access to the third row remains tight. The two seats in back have 36.2 inches of head room and just 29.0 inches of leg room; it’s for medium-sized people and those smaller.

On the cargo front, the MDX has a two-level cargo floor with 1.8 cubic feet of storage beneath a reversible panel. That complements 16.3 cubic feet of space behind row three, 39.1 cubic feet behind row two (48.4 with the seats moved forward), and 71.4 cubic feet behind the front seats (95.0 if those seats are moved forward).

In the most expensive versions, the MDX gets a stitched dash cap, leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim, and aluminum trim. It’s showy and subdued all at once versus the overt glam of a Hyundai Palisade or Kia Telluride, easily their equal in refinement.

The MDX also has adjustable headrests, which resolves seat comfort issues from past Acura vehicles. Outward vision to the rear isn’t great, though—the rear seats and thick roof pillar block the view.

The infotainment system is comprised of a non-touch-sensitive display and a touchpad on the console which takes finger swipes to toggle between icons; the difficulty is that there’s not enough space on the pad to equal the width of the display, so it can take three or four swipes to swap between functions. Backup inputs on the steering wheel and by voice commands work better, but there’s work to be done here.

Which 2022 Acura MDX should I buy?

We’d choose the $52,625 MDX Technology, which gains 20-inch wheels, Milano leather, 12-speaker 550-watt ELS audio, and navigation. All-wheel drive costs $2,000 here, if you really need it.

How much is a fully loaded 2022 Acura MDX?

Among the non-performance models, the $61,675 MDX Advance caps the lineup with 20-inch silver-look wheels, a surround-view camera system, 16-way power seats, a head-up display, heated outboard second-row seats, and 710 watts of 16-speaker ELS audio. But the new king is the Type S, which tops out at $73,095 with the Advance Package. That vehicle offers all of the features of the MDX Advance, but adds a more powerful engine, 21-inch wheels, front seat massagers, an optional blue leather interior, and a mind-blowing 25-speaker ELS audio system.

The former Sport Hybrid model has been dropped.