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Acura’s MDX typifies next-generation SUVs because it has the drivability of a car and the roominess of an SUV, including a fold-down third seat that creates seating for seven.

This genre, often called a“crossover” vehicle, is the modern-day equivalent of the traditional family station wagon, albeit with four-wheel drive, and, in this case, a solid dose of luxury equipment. That’s why crossover vehicles are so popular with families and that’s why nearly every carmaker is scrambling to build one if it doesn’t have one already.

Crossover vehicles may technically qualify as trucks, but they lack the body-on-frame construction and serious off-road potential of a real truck.

The MDX sits atop a unibody platform with a 106.3-inch wheelbase that is just barely longer than that of a Honda Accord. The front is attractively styled but it looks somewhat bulky from the side due to the fact that its chassis is derived from the Honda Odyssey minivan. The MDX is more rugged than a car but not as rough-and-tumble as a truck. Acura is the American luxury division of Honda.

The MDX recently garnered Motor Trend magazine’s SUV of the Year award and it’s not hard to see why. Most of the time it has the tight, quiet manners of a luxury sedan. It is nimble in turns, although it still feels a bit like a minivan at times. Brakes are strong and the engine gutsy.

The interior appointments are what we have come to expect in an SUV whose price is close to $40,000: polished wood trim, perforated leather seats, ear-popping stereo, excellent fit and finish.

A SOHC, aluminum 3.5-liter V6 engine with 240 horsepower provides respectably vigorous acceleration. It has four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and a dual-stage intake manifold that gives maximum performance at both fast and slow speeds. The EPA rates the mileage at 17 miles per gallon city and 23 highway, but I recorded only 14,1 mpg in city/freeway driving.

A five-speed automatic transmission distributes drive to the VTM-4 four-wheel-drive system. VTM, or Variable Torque Management, uses electronic controls to divvy up engine torque between the front and rear wheels as conditions demand. In dry conditions, VTM operates like front-wheel drive, but the system sends drive to the rear wheels whenever it encounters any wheel slip. This makes it ideal for wet or snowy conditions. A dash switch enables the driver to select the lock mode so maximum torque is delivered to the rear wheels. This would be useful if conditions were really bad or the vehicle was stuck.

There is no extra-low gear or transfer case because the MDX is intended for moderate off-road use. It has eight inches of ground clearance.

It will tow a 3,500-pound trailer or a 4,500-pound boat.

Brakes are disc on each wheel and anti-lock is standard.

Our test vehicle was equipped with the Touring package and the navigation system. The Touring package consists of 17-inch alloy wheels, heat ed outside mirrors, roof rack, power passenger seat, keyless remote with two-position seat memory and a Bose music system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer.

The front seats are deep and firm, with excellent lumbar and lateral support. Perforated leather feels sumptuous and helps keep them cool in hot weather.

Rear-seat legroom was quite generous, due in part to the way the backs of the front seats are scuplted for kneeroom. The 60/40 split-folding rear seat reclines as well as folds forward. The third seat is also a 50/50 split that folds into the floor. Third-seat legroom is tight and getting in requires some contortions but it is manageable.

Carrying back-seat passengers as well as long cargo can be accomplished by folding down one side of the second- and third-row seats.

The instrument panel and center console are trimmed in lovely wood, and the gauge package is large and easy to read. The automatic climate control, however, consists of eight small buttons ar the top outlets in the center of the dash. The temperature readout was small, dark and difficult to see. A multifunction, seven-inch LCD screen is the centerpiece of the dash, and it contains additional controls for the heating/cooling as well as the trip computer, clock and and outside temperature. The miles-per-gallon readout is large and unnecessary. At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, I prefer simple dials to touch-screen controls.

When the optional navigation system is specified, the map is displayed on the screen. Acura’s navigation system is among the best, but I think navigation systems in general are more toys than tools in their current configurations.

The main cruise control and sunroof buttons are located on the low, far left side of the instrument panel.

A couple of items for my wish list: automatic headlights and an interval setting for the rear wiper.

This is the first SUV that Acura designed on its own, and it figures to be a roaring success because it has the comfort of a car and the spaciousness of an SUV without the bulky feel of a truck.

Price
The base price of an MDX with the Touring package and navigation system is $38,970. Add freight and the sticker price is $39,450.

Warranty
Four years or 50,000 miles.

To get in touch with Tom Strongman call (816) 234-4349 or e-mail: strongmn@kcstar.com.

Point: The MDX is an appealing combination of luxury, function and size. It holds seven people, is finished like an expensive car and handles more like a family sedan than a truck. The engine is powerful and the brakes are strong.

Counterpoint: I prefer dials for heating and cooling to the multifunction LCD screen in the center of the dash, third-seat legroom is tight for adults and the automatic temperature readout is small.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 3.5-liter V6
Transmission: automatic
Four-wheel drive
Wheelbase: 106.3 inches
Curb weight: 4,387 lbs.
Base price: $38,970
As driven: $39,450
Mpg rating: 17 city, 23 hwy.