2010 Acura MDX Review

Test vehicle: 2010 Acura MDX 3.7L V6 with 6-speed automatic transmission

One of the trends from the past decade has no doubt been luxury SUVs. Even Porsche dived head first into the market with the Cayenne, with Acura has releasing its competitor into the marketplace - the three-row Acura MDX SUV.

Since its introduction it has been critically acclaimed, being Car and Driver's Best Luxury SUV in 2005 and winning Motor Trend's Sport/Utility of the Year Award in 2005, in addition to coming out on top in many other comparison tests. The MDX was fully redesigned in 2007 and received a Mid-Cycle Enhancement (MCE) for the 2010 model year.

Is it everything it is cracked up to be? To find out the answer, CarThrottle tested the MDX for a week, giving it a chance to prove its mettle.

The TL debuted a different look for Acura back in 2004, dubbed "Keen Edge Dynamic", and it got more aggressive with the 2007 MDX and the next generation TL that debuted in 2009.

It hasn't been universally praised by critics and on vehicles like the RL, we're inclined to agree. However, it is a different story with the MDX. As the design language has evolved, the centerpiece of the look has become a large silver insert in the grille that Acura calls "Power Plenum". The entire lineup has been updated to house the new grille, with the MDX receiving those updated styling elements for the 2010 model year.

New chrome elements, redesigned exhaust pipes and changes to the composition of the headlights make the MDX look more flashy and upmarket.

The overall look of the MDX is clean and handsome, as it has been since its introduction, but the changes on the 2010 model help take things up a notch. The MDX is a vehicle for people who like their SUVs to look like an SUV. If you want it to look like a cross between a car and a sedan, then the ZDX is for you (stay tuned for a test of that vehicle). The primary consideration in this segment isn't exterior styling.

The interior, however, defies traditional expectations about an SUV. Stepping inside, you are greeted by a sweeping dash, high-quality leather and large amounts of wood trim. It is probably the thickest expanse of wood trim that we have ever seen, but we like it - extremely glossy, it looks lush and sets the MDX's interior apart from every other vehicle in the segment. The particular trim of the wood divided those who saw it, but count us in the "for" camp.

The center stack has extremely tight tolerances that make it appear as if it is all one piece. The way it is constructed is unique, as the entire center stack area is comprised of one head unit sandwiched in-between the pieces of wood.

Acura says some of the controls have been reorganized for 2010 to make them easier to use, but getting into the MDX for the first time and seeing all those buttons is a bit daunting. In usage they worked well, but there is a question of aesthetics - it has a very busy look and a large amount of buttons - we counted 46 in all (double check) not including knobs. Some of the little chrome buttons looked a bit dated for such a technologically advanced car like this but these are just quibbles.

If Acura can find a way to reduce the amount of buttons just to reduce visual clutter there really isn't anything we would change about this interior.

The back seat is comfortable and offers a good amount of legroom, as well as easy entrance into the third-row. With captains chairs not available in the MDX, Acura places emphasis on the outboard-seats offering the best experience as possible. Instead of just a straight bench across, they have a thought-out design with bolsters similar to the front seats. Nice!

At night, cool blue LED lights illuminate the center stack area and powerful bright lights light up the interior when being unlocked or when turned on. When the buttons for interior accessory lights are pressed they either fade on or fade off, a touch that shows attention to detail.

The seating position is excellent, the seats hold you firmly in place very comfortably - they are contoured, and on our particular tester, heated and cooled.  The feeling is akin to being in a comfortable luxury chair. For this writer, the arm rest was placed perfectly in combination with the shift level. Ergonomics are simply top notch - competitors need to take a lesson from Acura in this area.

Acura calls the MDX the "Driver's SUV" , and that is a tall order to live up to - especially given the apparent contradiction there, as most three-row conveyances are anything but.

One of the ways the MDX achieves that is with an available Active Dampening System, a really great feature that highlights different capabilities of the MDX. The system has two settings activated by a button on the center console. Pressing it engages Comfort mode, pressing it again and the vehicle is in Sport, the standard setting for the car's suspension.

The suspension clearly responds, with noticeable differences between Comfort and Sport. In Sport, the ride quality is stiffer, roll is lessened and you can feel the road communicating more through the seats.  It feels precise and agile in this mode. Laws of physics do still apply, but if we were winding down a mountain road at speed, this would definitely be the mode we'd be in. However, most of the time we aren't doing that, and therefore most of the time we found ourselves in Comfort Mode.

None of the stiffness found in Sport mode is present in Comfort, yet it never wallows. The ride is smooth, serene and - well, cushy. The MDX works best in this mode, and it enhances the feeling of isolation in the MDX. Being in the interior is quiet and vault-like at speed.

Acura's innovative Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive System (SH-AWD) is standard on every MDX and gets its name from the ability to shift variable levels of power to each wheel. The system really does a lot to aid handling and grip, working silently to direct power where it is needed. There is a meter in the middle of the gauge cluster that shows where power is going - as expected, it was about 60/40 biased toward the front wheels during normal driving.

Perhaps the best description would be car-like: the MDX is effortless to handle, refined and agile. It feels like a TL with more capabilities - exactly what it should be.

The MDX is motivated by a 3.7L 300-horsepower V-6, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission, up from 5 on the 2009 model. These form the centerpiece of Acura's upgrades for 2010. Acura says the 3.7L is new, with reworked internal components, but it makes the same (respectable) 300-horsepower output as last year.

Given the MDX's relatively lightweight and nimble nature, the engine provides for ample passing power. There are no official 0-60 specifications for the 2010 MDX, but the 2007 model has a quoted figure of 7 seconds. With the 6-speed automatic transmission for 2010, it most likely is a bit quicker.

As we mentioned earlier, Acura's SH-AWD system is standard on every MDX, with the base model starting at $42,230. Our particular tester was loaded, and came in at at $53,755 when equipped with Advance, Technology and Entertainment packages.

We really like the straightforward and simple way Acura has structured their model lineup. There is the standard car and the ability to add extra packages - Advance, Technology and Entertainment, to suit your needs. Pricing on the MDX ranges from $42,320 to $53,755.

One thing Acura has been known for is being at the cutting-edge of technology, and the MDX is no different.  It has the very latest - too much to go through each. There is a collision mitigation braking system that aims to avoid or reduce accidents, radar cruise control, blind spot information system, GPS-linked climate control, and a multi-view rear backup camera, just to name a few.

The placement of the navigation screen is excellent, and the unit was upgraded to an 8-inch VGA unit for 2010. It is placed perfectly within the drivers view, offering the ability to view it with minimal distraction to the driver.

We have been spoiled however, by the ease of use and benefits offered by a touch-screen unit - we felt like touching this one for quicker navigation, but it doesn't offer the ability. Acura has a control knob on the center stack to operate the unit. It does take a bit of getting used to. Once you've got the hang of it, it proved to be intuitive, but there is a learning curve that is definitely steeper than on those with touchscreen units. We would take a bet the next-generation MDX will have a touchscreen system in the dash.

To help the ease of using the system on the road, Acura equipped the car to be able to receive an array of voice commands for the navigation system as well as other controls. Each can be delivered by pressing a button on the steering wheel, followed by a beep. The system worked well, except it had trouble accepting a particular address we wanted to enter in via voice. Curiously enough, the location didn't even appear to be in the navigation system's database.

Not sure what is up with that exactly. For 2010, the system was upgraded to a hard-drive based unit (that also brings along 15 GB for music storage). Strong points included excellent and non-intrusive route guidance. The Traffic Rerouting feature worked exactly as advertised and is one that could prove very valuable in a variety of circumstances.  Quality and readability of the screen was also excellent in a variety of lighting conditions.

Ride height and excellent visibility increase the feeling of a can-do mantra with the MDX. Want to carry 7 passengers (kids in the back)? Can do. Want a sports sedan like-ride? Can do. Luxury cruiser in Comfort mode? Can do. Carrying cargo behind the rear seats? Can do. Want to do some light off-roading? Can do. The MDX is just an excellent all-rounder.

For someone looking for a new vehicle that can be a lot of different things, that versatility is attractive. It isn't any wonder then that the MDX has been very close to, and even surpassing at times, the sales of Acura's traditional best-seller, the TL mid-size sedan.

Over the time of our week with the MDX it acquitted itself well - aside from a few niggles, the MDX offers what people want in the segment. We would say in the segment, the 2010 Lincoln MKT would have to be its strongest competition, but in reality the two are highly different vehicles and the decision depends on preference. The MKT has more polarizing styling and doesn't offer any off-road ability. No doubt, the MDX is the all-rounder of the segment, doing everything well.

At the beginning of the article, we asked if the MDX is all it is cracked up to be? The answer to that would be yes, with a few exceptions. Critical acclaim is warranted, but votes with customers' pocketbook are what counts, and that is where the MDX has shined.

Disclaimer: This test vehicle was provided to CarThrottle by the manufacturer for purposes of evaluation

2010 Acura MDX Image Gallery

2010 Acura MDX Specifications

Base Price: $42,230

Body: 4-door SUV with 7 SeatsMechanical Orientation: All Wheel Drive

Engine: 3.7L V6Power: 300 bhp at 6300 rpmTorque: 270 NM at 4500 rpmTransmission: 6 Speed Automatic Transmission

Weight: 4550 lbsWheelbase: 108.3 inLength: 191.6 inWidth: 78.5 in0-60 mph: 7.6 secondsTop Speed: N/A

For: Fantastic exterior design, luxury, dynamic suspensionAgainst: Interior clutter, doesn't have full off-roading capabilitiesConclusion: Ticks all the boxes at a reasonable price