Overview & Reviews

The Acura MDX is a midsize luxury SUV with a carlike unibody platform and three rows of seats. The original MDX bowed in 2001, at a time when most competitors still featured body-on-frame construction and the term "crossover" was but a glimmer in some marketer's eye. Since then, Acura has maintained the MDX's family-friendly packaging, including standard seven-passenger seating, while spicing up the recipe with various styling, performance and handling enhancements. In typical Acura fashion, every MDX comes well equipped, with options generally limited to a few choice features bundled into packages.

New or used, the Acura MDX stands out for its comfort, versatility and refinement. It's one of our top recommendations for a family-oriented luxury crossover SUV. In reviews, we've found the MDX to be a polished performer, as it remains one of the more engaging luxury crossovers to drive and also provides a commendably supple ride. Weak points include cramped third-row accommodations for adults and less sumptuous interior appointments than in some rivals, though the MDX's strong resale value offers ample compensation.

User Reviews:

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  MDX - 2004 Acura MDX
  By JSB - April 6 - 2:00 am

  great SUV. Acura, again, rules!

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  Why I Love My Acura MDX - 2002 Acura MDX
  By Bradley Johnson - April 4 - 10:00 am

  I truly love my Acura MDX. It is the most invigorating vehicle to drive, with extreme power and comfort. I have driven many SUVs, but this one truly takes the cake. It is the most luxurious SUV out there, and is very oppulent on the interior. I cantt say enough about it!!!

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  Efficient but boring! - 2002 Acura MDX
  By grotto - March 30 - 10:00 am

  Very efficient SUV, falls short of being a "Luxury" SUV.

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  Excellent Vehicle! - 2001 Acura MDX
  By blaws - March 28 - 2:00 am

  This is truly an excellent vehicle. Fit and finish are flawless. The engine is very responsive, has plenty of power, and transfers that power to the wheels very well. I am averaging 16-17 mpg in town, and over 23 on the highway. The ride is somewhat firm, but without letting you feel excessively jarred or beat up. Handling is also tight and responsive. The Navigation package could use a little improvement. Overall, in my opinion, Acura has a winner here.

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  The MD-X Rules - 2001 Acura MDX
  By DonnyDjr - March 25 - 2:00 am

  The MD-X is by far the greatest SUV made when comparing performance, value, reliability, resale price, looks and quality. The wait is well worth it.

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  Love this car..er..truck - 2003 Acura MDX
  By MSH - March 23 - 2:00 am

  Looked at several other SUVs before going to the Acura dealership. Was leaning heavily towards the RX300 and Highlander. Once we sat in the MDX and drove it though, we knew that it was the vehicle for us. Great room. Third seat is a nice benefit, even if its never used. The engine is amazing. Plenty of power when you need it. And the ride is more car than truck like.

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  Very Happy after a full year! - 2001 Acura MDX
  By Matt R. - March 18 - 2:12 pm

  My wife and I had narrowed it down to a MDX, a Pathfinder LE, and a 2002 Explorer Eddie Bauer/Limited. The MDX worked out to about $10k more than the others, and were both very happy we spent the money. The SUV has LOTS of room, the third row seats work very well. Weve had flawless operation since new. All in all, this isnt the best in any one area (others are faster, bigger, smaller etc), but the best combination of featers for those looking for an SUV that wont be visiting the Rubicon Trail too often!

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  01 MDX Touring & Nav - 2001 Acura MDX
  By Carl Lam - March 14 - 7:15 pm

  Solid build and performance. I drive it pretty much like driving a sports sedan. Fuel economy is good for a vehicle this size. HUGE interior space. A little bit noisier than expected at this price level. Navigation system is a delight.

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  pdxmdx - 2001 Acura MDX
  By bigir - March 13 - 9:27 am

  Great all around performance for an SUV. Great road handling and Road Manners. Appointed nicely.

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  Overall, this SUV is a good compromise - 2016 Acura MDX
  By Steve Chang - March 12 - 9:48 pm

  After driving this vehicle for 12k mile, I think this vehicle is a good compromise. Its not as sporty as a BMW X5, not as big/bold as a Chevy Tahoe, not as pretty/sexy as an Audi Q5, but its (fully loaded) price is most likely the lowest in this group, its fuel efficiency is good (I averaged almost 21 mpg with mostly city driving, and about 28 mpg on highway), has very large cargo area (if you fold down the 3rd row), a quiet/comfortable ride, handles impresively on snow, and it comes with almost all the safety features that you can imagine. A few major gripes: 1) Watch out for the middle seats seatbelt (a real safety hazard, and a major design flaw) - since the seatbelt automatically retracts to the roof where it is anchored, my mom was hit hard on her face (by the seat belt buckle) as the middle passenger released his seatbelt. 2) On a two-lane windy road, the auto collision sensor can mistaken an oncoming vehicle (in the other lane) as an obsticle and suddenly hit the brake for you (which can be very scarely to anyone in the vehicle) 3) Unimpressive accleration for a 3.5L VTECH engine. 4) So-so brake performance 5) Lacks a "360 degree camera" which I believe is an option for other countries (since the owners manual talks about it) 6) No way to program the vehicle to "remember" the heated seat settings, which can be very annoying in cold climates 7) Interia material is OK, but not in the same league with the Germans 8) Why an SUV requires premium fuel??