The 2024 Acura MDX review: Pricing, tech and more for this poised, midsize luxury SUV

Style-wise, it’s perhaps not as assertive as a Cadillac or BMW
BMW,
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but that can suit plenty of people just fine. And the current generation of MDX at least has more of a presence than its predecessor. It also comes with decent tech and useful space. Don’t overlook or underestimate the MDX.

2024 Acura MDX pricing

The 2024 Acura MDX starts at $49,850. That’s for the base model with front-wheel drive. Adding all-wheel drive costs $2,200, which becomes standard at the A-Spec level. At the top of the 2024 MDX range is the Type S with the Advance Package, at $73.5K.

These are the manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and do not include the $1,195 factory-to-dealer delivery fee (destination charge).

For some context, Cadillac XT6 pricing is similar to the MDX. Lincoln Aviator pricing begins closer to the mid-50s, with the Genesis GV80 and Volvo XC90 in the high 50s. The Mercedes-Benz GLE heads into the $60K region, with the Audi Q7 in the low 60s and the BMW X5 a little higher.

See: The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE raises the bar for luxury SUVs, and now there’s a plug-in hybrid version, too

Before buying a new MDX luxury midsize SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Buyers will also be pleased to know that the MDX has some of the strongest resale values in its class. Recouping more money when you sell or trade a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next one.

Also see: The 2023 Genesis GV80: This midsize luxury SUV impresses with a sumptuous interior and the best warranty in its class

What’s new for 2024

Having been completely redesigned for the 2022 model year, the MDX carries into 2024 largely untouched.

Driving the 2024 Acura MDX

The 2024 Acura MDX has a strong 290-horsepower V6 matched with a smooth-shifting 10-speed automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. We rate it among the segment’s most refined powertrains, delivering seamless acceleration in town and an abundance of confidence-inspiring merging and passing power. We’ve also found highway ride quality to be suitably luxurious, but with a firmer poise than delivered by some of its less-engaging competitors. It’s easy in parking lots, too, thanks in part to standard variable-ratio steering. Most of our reviewers would choose the optional and excellent Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system, which delivers performance benefits in dry conditions and enhanced traction in rain and snow. All told, few 3-row SUVs are as satisfying from behind the wheel.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and researching the current collection of midsize 3-row luxury SUVs, including the MDX.

Likable interior

The MDX offers seating for up to seven. Individual seats in the second row can slide forward and back. The center seat can fold down to become a wide armrest or be removed completely — creating easier access to the third row.

Rear legroom in the second row is an ample 38.5 inches, and there’s 29.1 inches in the rearmost quarters — which means it’s better suited to the smaller and more agile members of the family. Most rivals offer a little more.

Up front, we like the wonderfully comfortable and supportive seats. They come standard with heating as well. The dashboard doesn’t really go for the sparse approach that so many other vehicles are adopting, but it does provide a 12.3-inch infotainment display. A digital driver information display of the same size is also standard, so the cabin feels nicely tech-y.

Only the base version has simulated leather seating surfaces. The rest of the range comes with the real stuff, and it’s perforated. Other standard features include 3-zone automatic climate control and driver’s-side memory settings. The range-topping Type S with the Advance Package also brings massaging front seats.

Although some aspects of the infotainment system are easy to navigate, the touchpad (like a laptop’s trackpad) that operates it is an ergonomic misstep by Acura. It takes some getting used to, and sometimes requires repeating sequences because it occasionally tends to be glitchy. We’ve found a forceful touch provides the best results.

The MDX falls about mid-pack when it comes to cargo volume but offers more space than most behind the third row of seats, with 16.3 cubic feet of room.

Check out: The 2024 Acura ZDX: Acura’s new electric SUV has striking looks, GM platform

Exemplary exterior

LED headlights/daytime running lights/taillights, and a panoramic moonroof are part of the package with every 2024 MDX midsize luxury SUV. Even the smallest wheels are 19-inch alloys, while the Type S comes with 21-inch rims. Roof rails are optional or standard, depending on which version is chosen.

The A-Spec and Type S variants each have their own appearance packages. The A-Spec goes big with black exterior elements, plus 20-inch alloys finished in Stark Gray. Apex Blue Pearl is an exclusive color for the A-Spec. The Type S has larger front air intakes, plus red-painted brake calipers, and an active quad exhaust system.

Whatever one may think of the MDX’s styling, the important parts include high-strength steel in the frame and floor, plus weight-saving aluminum parts such as the hood and front fenders.

Our favorite features and tech

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Cable-free smartphone integration is standard in every new MDX luxury SUV. It’s part of an infotainment system that also includes wireless charging, Wi-Fi, and Amazon Alexa compatibility.

AcuraLink
Free for three years, AcuraLink brings features such as maintenance scheduling, automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, and remote lock/unlock — to name just a few.

Powered tailgate with walk-away close
Every 2024 MDX has a powered tailgate, as a luxury SUV should. But the Advance Package for the regular and Type S models adds hands-free access and a self-closing function when the driver (or whoever has the key) steps away.

ELS audio
These excellent systems were developed with input from Elliot Scheiner, a Grammy award-winning studio engineer who has manned the controls for some of the biggest names in the business — like Beyonce, Sting, and Foo Fighters. A 12-speaker setup becomes available with the Technology Package (the first upgrade from the base model). Other versions have 16 or 25 speakers.

CabinTalk
This allows folks sitting up front to send their voices through the sound system, muting the regular audio automatically so that rear passengers can hear them. This becomes available in the 2024 MDX SUV with the A-Spec Package.

Head-up display
Part of the Advance Package for both the regular and Type S versions, this is a relatively large 10.5-inch display projecting useful information onto the windshield directly in front of the driver.

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Engine and transmission

Most versions of the 2024 MDX 3-row luxury SUV are propelled by a 3.5-liter V6 making 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. This connects to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Front-wheel drive is the standard setup in the first two trim levels, with all-wheel drive available as an option. Once we get to the A-Spec version, all-wheel drive becomes standard.

The MDX Type S has a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 developing 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, along with the 10-speed automatic transmission.

Premium gasoline is recommended for both engines. With the proper equipment, the MDX’s maximum tow rating is 5,000 pounds.

Safety ratings

This current generation of MDX has earned the highest accolade of Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as well as a maximum 5-star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Also on MarketWatch: Self-driving cars: Are we there yet? Here’s an explainer on the types of technology and what the future holds.

4-year/50,000-mile warranty

Most luxury vehicle makers have new-vehicle warranties lasting four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. Acura follows this formula, but also extends powertrain coverage to six years or 70,000 miles. And the company includes free scheduled maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles.

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.