Video: 2015 Acura MDX

We're here with the redesigned 2014 Acura MDX, a three row luxury SUV that competes with the Buick Enclave, the Infinity QX60, the BMW X5, the Audi Q7, and if you can do without the third row, the ever popular Lexus RX. Now this MDX does trade some of its predecessor's visceral fun for a lot of family friendly refinement, and we think that should do well for shoppers in this segment, we'll show you why. Acura cleaned up the lower bumper here versus the last MDX, but it added these all LED headlights, they're standard, and they kind of have a reptilian look so see how you like them. Overall length up about two inches, height and width though, down about an inch and a half a piece, which gives this MDX kind of a really long wagon like profiles. So the only thing you really got to ask yourself is, if you want to ford the river or cart this thing and float it across. You got to make up your mind quickly because Abigail just got a snake bite and Jebidiah has dysentery. Last year's painted plastic has been replaced by real metal now in the new MDX. Looks pretty attractive. There's also less fool wood than before. Last year, there were a lot of fake plastic trees that were killed in the MDX, Not a lot of karma police though. Anyway, Utility, still pretty good here. Plenty of room in the center console, a couple levels you can kind of split open, like so, plenty of room here in the door pockets as well. Cabin quality takes a step forward, um, lower areas here along your knees now are padded. That's where the last MDX kind of cheaped out with some harder plastics down there. A couple of screens in the center of the dashboard. There's an eight inch screen up top, that's controlled by a knob down here. There's a seven inch touchscreen down here below that eight inch screen. Between the two of them, they reduce a lot of the button clutter that the old MDX had, but some editors still found the system hard to deal with, hard to do basic things like setting a radio station, part of that's because you don't get things like a tuning knob here along the stereo. Maybe some buttons back would actually be helpful. Second row slides forward and backwards, nearly six inches. It also reclines a few degrees. Check this out. There's new one button, third row walk-in access here. It works on both sides of the seats instead of just on the passenger side, which was a more elaborate process in the last MDX. Let's check out the third row. Anyone taller than, like Frodo, is gonna want to hone their negotiation skills if they have to sit in the third row. You need to get the second row occupants to move their seats forward a little bit. This is leg room, If you want to call it that. With the second row, moved all the way back in its tracks. With the second row, all the way forward in its tracks. A little bit better here, I could actually sit somewhat comfortably. Unfortunately, people in both the second and the third row will find themselves sitting very low to the floor of the MDX. I wish the seats had sat a little bit higher, especially since there's a lot of headroom leftover in both areas. Cargo room behind the third row is about 16 cubic feet. If you fold that down, you're looking at about 45 cubic feet behind the second row. And with the second row folded down, there's more than 90 cubic feet of maximum volume. Those are competitive figures with the segment, but if you actually want the most cargo volume, the Buick Enclave has more than 115 cubic feet. A new direct injection, 3.5 liter V6 replaces last year's 3.7 liter V6 with horsepower and torque down a little bit, but Acura shaved about 300 pounds off this new generation of the MDX. Combine that with a responsive six speed automatic transmission and I don't think anyone's really going to miss the extra power. Gone too, are the last MDX's somewhat busy ride and kind of noisy cabin. New MDX is significantly quieter. It rides a little bit smoother too. Now last year's MDX had hydraulic steering, this replaces it with an electric power steering setup. Uh, It loses a little bit of feedback versus last year's steering, And now it turns with a lighter touch, even in Sport mode from the MDX's Integrated Dynamics System, which can vary steering feel among other things. The brakes a little bit spongier this year, Uh, pedal goes down a little bit more of a tentative feel than last year's brakes, which were pretty linear by comparison. Acura still recommends premium fuel, which the Enclave and the RX do not, but gas mileage up about three miles per gallon over the old MDX, 18 miles per gallon, city, 27 miles per gallon, highway, now in EPA ratings. There's also a new front wheel drive version with class leading EPA ratings of 20 mpg, city. 28 miles per gallon, highway. Add to that, the improvements in seating utility and driving refinement, and it's obvious that the new MDX chart's a very logical path toward the family friendly side of things. We think that should appeal to shoppers.