Bottom Line: The Acura MDX SH-AWD A-SPEC is one of the good ones in the segment.
The A-SPEC interior nails it.
The A-SPEC exterior touches (and this particular shade of Modern Steel Metallic gray on Shark gray 20in wheels) doesn’t shout… but it’s striking & performance-oriented enough to warrant a 2nd or 3rd glance once it catches your eye.
The A-SPEC is powerful at 290hp, but not overpowered. And it’s 3.5 N/A i-VTEC V6 (versus much of the competition turning to turbocharged 4s) bets that endurance-wise, it’ll prove it’s worth, reliability, and relatively low maintenance costs over the long-haul. The all-wheel-drive option makes for a solid & well sorted chassis when you push it… but it’s pretty passive overall when you’re not engaged with it.
The Acura MDX is a sweet-spot size for many – roomy enough to be comfortable with all the seating & cargo-space occupied… but not bulky enough to slow you down, fill you with blind spots, and make you feel like a tugboat captain.
The only knock against this car, is that it seems to fly a little under the radar. But Honda/Acura plays the long game – notice that. They tend NOT to razzle-dazzle new-car shoppers, dangling shiny lures & superficial impulse grabs that excite you in the moment. But I’d be willing to bet that more Acura drivers are happier 5-years after purchase, comparative to most other luxury brands. Plus – Acura runs team cars in IMSA. So you know… buy cars from people who race cars.
Price = ~$55,000 for this outfit.
Power = 290hp, 267tq, AWD, 9-speed auto, vtec affirmative!
