2022 Acura MDX Named IIHS Top Safety Pick Plus
The redesigned 2022 Acura MDX has seen significant improvements to its powertrain, cabin materials, comfort and safety tech. Now, the three-row family hauler is rewarded for its safety upgrades by earning the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick Plus award — the organization’s highest designation.
Related: 2022 Acura MDX Review: Tech Pains Curb Family, Luxury Gains
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Shop the 2022 Acura MDX near you
To be a Top Safety Pick Plus requires that vehicles pass stringent crash tests and offer top-rated crash prevention systems. Good scores must be earned in all six IIHS crashworthiness evaluations: driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, and head restraint and seat tests.
Top Safety Pick Plus vehicles must also have an advanced or superior-rated front crash prevention system in vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations, and good or acceptable headlights must be standard on all trims.
2022 Acura MDX Makes the Grade
The redesigned 2022 MDX aced IIHS crash tests with good ratings across all crashworthiness categories. It earns a superior rating for front crash prevention in both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations thanks to its automatic emergency braking system, which comes standard as part of the AcuraWatch suite of safety features. The SUV’s LED headlights, available on all trims, earned a good rating to close the deal.
The 2022 MDX is the latest Acura model to earn the top safety designation, joining the RDX compact SUV and TLX sedan.
Safety Improvements
For the MDX’s redesign, Acura said it utilized an Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure that protects occupants in a frontal collision by distributing the energy throughout the front of the vehicle. The structure also helps reduce the force transferred to the cabin, minimizing the impact for occupants.
In addition to the AcuraWatch safety suite, the automaker arms the 2022 MDX with new standard safety features, including lane-centering steering down to a stop, traffic sign recognition, pedestrian detection and a new driver attention monitor.
To further reduce the probability of a collision, Acura offers an optional safety feature called Low Speed Braking Control as part of its Technology Package. This system senses obstacles at low speeds, warns the driver and automatically applies the brakes — useful when pulling in or out of a driveway or parking spot.
More From Cars.com:
- 2022 Acura MDX: 5 Things We Like and 3 Things We Don’t
- Here’s Every Car That Earned an IIHS Top Safety Award for 2021
- 2022 Acura MDX: Cost Up, Fuel Economy Down
- Next-Gen Acura MDX to Focus on Luxury and Performance, Adds Type S Model
- How Do Car Seats Fit in a 2020 Acura MDX?
Related Video: 2021 Acura TLX: First Drive
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