2023 Acura MDX

January 21, 2023

2023 Acura MDX offers family-friendly transportation in a premium wrapper. To bolster its appeal, Acura has also imbued its flagship SUV with sharp handling especially on the performance-oriented Type S. Acceleration is brisk for an SUV this size, even with the base 290-hp V-6 under the hood. Upgrade to the Type S, though, and Acura swaps in a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 355 horsepower and standard all-wheel drive. The MDX’s cabin is undeniably premium but stops short of the lavish interiors found on rivals such as the Genesis GV80, the Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, and the Volvo XC90. But if you can accept that, you’ll find the MDX is both cheaper than any of those and more rewarding to drive.

Engine Performance

The regular MDX is powered by a 290-hp 3.5-liter V-6 that is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive available as an option. The sporty Type S model is powered by a 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 and comes standard with all-wheel drive. Our test drive of an all-wheel-drive Advance model with the standard powertrain revealed surprisingly nimble handling and perky acceleration. When we sampled the Type S, we praised it for the same agile feeling on the road and appreciated the extra power, but wondered if that model is worthy of its Type S badging. The Type S is measurably quicker than the standard model, however, and at our test track, it needed only 5.5 seconds to reach 60 mph while the less powerful variant required 6.4 seconds.

Fuel

The base MDX boasts EPA fuel-economy ratings of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces the highway rating by 1 mpg. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, our all-wheel-drive A-Spec test vehicle delivered a disappointing 22 mpg. The Type S model did slightly better and returned a 23-mpg result.