2011 Acura MDX Elite Review

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The MDX is Acura’s flagship crossover SUV. It distills fine handling, outstanding performance and upscale luxury into a seven-passenger ride capable of defeating snow, mud and crud without breaking a sweat.

Greeting 2011 unchanged
As is often the case these days, vehicles slide into a new year with zero to little change, and this is the case with Acura’s 2011 MDX. The current version received significant upgrades in 2010 after being introduced in 2007 as the second generation MDX.

The MDX is Acura’s flagship crossover SUV. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

Despite its preservation for 2011, the MDX is as contemporary and up-to-date as anything else in its highly popular segment; it’s also one of the most visually distinctive thanks to a nose fitted with Acura’s much maligned family proboscis.

I have to confess to harboring greater admiration of the bi-slat grille of 2009 but that’s ancient history in car years. The most recent design is visually more aggressive than that of ’09, and now consistent with the remainder of the Acura family.

A cabin full of tech and comfort
I was spoiled by the Elite trim-level of my tester, which added heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Information and Acura’s Collision Mitigation Braking system to the otherwise fully equipped cabin.

Along with the features noted, my tester was equipped with Acura’s premium 410-watt ELS surround-sound 15GB hard-drive audio system, which included a 9-inch DVD entertainment screen and personal sound. Additional accoutrements included navigation with voice recognition, a multi-view rear camera setup and tri-zone air conditioning with sun detection and humidity control.

That’s a lot of equipment to stuff into a cabin that’s already generously stocked. And if one’s attracted by lots of switches that light up at night to resemble an aircraft cockpit—as most Y-chromosome’ers are—the MDX will fulfill.

The large, versatile MDX cabin will also fulfill many needs of the mundane variety thanks to the cavernous cargo hold that appears when the second and third row seats are folded flat.


Fulfillment is also found behind the wheel
The ability to accommodate seven passengers and plenty of gear is an attribute of most mid and large size SUVs, and that’s certainly the case with Acura’s contribution to this popular automotive segment. Setting the MDX apart from others in this category is its Nurburgring-tuned underpinnings and its Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) traction.

The “motorvation”—comes from Acura’s 3.7-litre SOHC V-TEC V6. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

But before a vehicle can showcase its pavement prowess, it needs motivation. In the case of the MDX, motivation—or is that “motorvation”—comes from Acura’s 3.7-litre SOHC V-TEC V6. This modern mill sends 300 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque through a 6-speed autobox to the rubber at all four corners.

And how much of that output each corner receives is regulated by Acura’s sophisticated SH-AWD, which has the ability to side-split torque between the right and left wheels. This functionality enables the system to send extra torque to the outside wheels when cornering.

The physics majors among us can explain the science in operation here more eloquently than I am able. Suffice for me to say that the torque-splitting process enables the outside wheels to drive their way through a corner rather than being forced through like a kid entering a dental office.

Whether an expert driver or not, all motorists would undoubtedly appreciate the MDX’s reassuring, nimble handling characteristics. For a large sled, this vehicle is remarkably athletic. It’s also relatively fast in the passing lane.

Despite being two cylinders shy of a V8, the Acura powerplant really comes alive when asked to exert itself. Along with the production of vigorous acceleration, the engine emits a commanding growl as the V-TEC variable valve technology kicks in.

Unlike the Honda Ridgeline I recently tested, the MDX is equipped with shift paddles. I found their presence to be a welcomed asset, especially to apply engine-braking when decelerating or descending a hill. In addition to their utility in such driving scenarios, the shift paddles add a dose of sportiness to administering the MDX.


Acura further leverages that sense of “sportiness” with their Active Damper suspension system, which enables the selection of Sport or Comfort modes at the push of a button. Regrettably, Active Damping is only available as part of the Elite trim package.

Decisive but comfortable ride dynamics
Of course, the antipathy of the Sport mode is the Comfort mode, which is the suspension setting I most appreciated. Though even in Comfort mode, the MDX is no marshmallow; the ride remains fairly taut while handling seems every bit as sharp as in Sport mode. Frankly, I never found the need to activate the Sport mode.

The base MDX is stickered at $52,690 while my Elite line-topper rang in considerably higher at $62,690. (Photo: Rob Rothwell/Auto123.com)

MDX Wrap
Acura’s MDX is a sophisticated assimilation of SUV attributes that include sweet accommodations and a sense of purpose and sportiness. While it’s by no means inexpensive, it has always offered decent value in the upscale market.

The base MDX is stickered at $52,690 while my Elite line-topper rang in considerably higher at $62,690.