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2007 Acura MDX Tech Package Road Test

Honda has been getting pretty edgy with the design of its vehicleslately, including its premium division's new lineup of SUVs. The new Acura MDX, for instance, looks as though it's taken design traits from a sci-fi movie. Looking a bit like a spaceship with a medieval armor shield for a grille, which may or may not be able to deflect incoming photon torpedoes, it's as strikingly unique as the original MDX was when it came on the scene in model year 2001.

The new MDX is definitely edgier looking, with a riskier design that appears very similar to the concept vehicle, which is nice. Sure Acura may be scaring off more conservative customers, but to deliver this much more controversial and artistic look for the street should bring just as many new customers into the Japanese brand's dealerships.

The interior is on par with its other Japanese

A couple of years ago, these edges and lines wouldn't have fit in with the Acura brand image. Now they're right at home. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

luxury SUVbrethren, but just doesn’t quite stand up to the Germans when it comes to convenience features and refinement. The dash wraps around both the driver and passenger, giving the feeling of a snug fit. The trimming on my tester was a dark grey stone-like strip that stretched across the dash. I’m not much of a wood trim fan and the stone look-a-like was a nice change from brushed aluminum or shiny black plastic, although I thought the dash’s shape and style

Quality is good, it can just get a little complicated in here. Very futuristic though. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

to be a bit generic and overly used in this kind of vehicle. Four cylinders housing the futuristic looking gauge clusters are about the most you’ll find to connect the more relaxed interior with the extravagantly designed exterior.

A large screen sits atop the dash where the usual navigation andcar operation readouts can be viewed. However, this is also where the rear view camera image is projected when reverse is engaged. This is a must with the MDX, as outward vision is terrible. Figuring out the vehicle's dimensions at the front and sides was something I never quite got a handle on, making parking and city maneuvers

Reverse camera is necessary; visibility is poor without it. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

difficult and sometimes impossible. The vision out the rear was even worse, as the only thing I could see was the roof skin of the cars traveling behind me. Without the help of the backup camera, parking and reversing would be extremely difficult; odd for an SUV that’s not known for being too big and unwieldy. Unfortunately, the camera setting on the screen can only be used when in reverse. I would like to be able to use the camera setting more often and would likely use it more than the navigation.

The huge center consol between the seats is also lined with thestone-like trim and has a deep cubby hole for extra storage. The seats in my test vehicle were tastefully wrapped in black leather and provided exceptional comfort while holding me in

These flip-up jump seats are for short trips only. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

place. In the rear I found that the seats were just as good as those in front, and rear passengers have their own dual zone climate control switchgear. At the very back is the 3rd row, which is a very skinny seat that can fold flat into the rear hatch area. Despite what seems like very little room, the seats are wrapped in leather and are quite comfortable. However, legroom is near to non-existent, and like most 3rd rows, is meant more for children or very short trips with adults crammed in.

So how does Acura’s new low altitude orbiter doperformance wise? This was something Acura was taking seriously in the redesign. They chose to go the typical Honda route of using a high output V6 rather than the big V8s of its Japanese rivals, plus the Americans and Germans. The 3.7L V6 puts out 300 horsepower and makes a real statement when considering the power to

Great brakes and good power from the V6, though, it's just as thirsty as a V8. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

cost ratio of its competitors. The V6 puts out competitive, if not better numbers than many of the V8s in other SUVs, while being a little less thirsty. Acceleration is also smooth with a linear power band. The 5-speed automatic transmission is geared a little long, but will rev out to get the most from the typically top-end happy engine. The stopping power on the MDX is even better than the go power. If there is one thing you want with a big heavy vehicle, its good braking, and the MDX had my seatbelt tensioner working overtime. Emergency braking from high speed was straight and narrow, with no real sign of brake fade.

The “SH-AWD” or “Super Handling AWD”, as Acura likes to call it, comes standard on the MDX. I don’t know about handling benefits, but the AWD system does give the MDX excellent traction when the ground gets wet or frozen. I’m not so sure if I would call its handling characteristics super, however they're

Console is very swoopy and space-ship like. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

very impressive for such a large SUV that sits so high in the air. The firm suspension tuning, low profile 255/55 R18 tires and heavy sway bars are what makes the MDX carve up corners.

While the MDX out corners most SUVs, it just doesn’t have the poise of the new BMW X5. It spendstoo much time compromising for something that will never happen, that being the owner of such an SUV leaving the tarmac. And when it does come to playing in the dirt, the liabilities are just too high. Stiffly tuned suspension, low profile tires and lots of expensive yet weak plastic trim covering the lower front and rear valances. The possibility of smashing a very pricey and poorly placed lower bumper light robs any kind of confidence I initially had of testing the MDX’s off-road abilities. When it eventually hit the gravel, my suspicions were confirmed as the suspension and tires gave a bone jarring ride over the smallest of obstacles. No high-end SUV is truly dedicated to 4x4ing other than Land and Range Rovers, so I would not expect the MDX to do anything more than what it’s

This could very well be the successor to the family minivan. (Photo: Budd Stanley, American Auto Press)

designed for; that being a high performance street runner.

However if the need to explore more adventurous areas is too great, the MDX does offer a good ride height and excellent traction. I just would keep everything slow, as there were a couple of times I had thought that I had broken a wheel or suspension piece when hitting obstacles.

Of course, everyone knows the drill with these huge SUVs try to inspire sporty high performance. You’re going to lay down big to get it, and you're going to have to pay big to keep it running. While running the MDX in the city I was averaging 10 mpg. As horrific as that sounds, the vehicle only had 300 miles on the odometer and the mileage will get better as the engine breaks in, so my test model should improve over time. I enjoyed the MDX’s strange new styling, though, and well appointed interior that gives good comfort. Vision and size were traits that got me cursing, however I think the MDX does have potential to be a giant killer in the performance SUV market if they left the off-road traits to Honda’s SUV lineup and engineered Acura’s flagship sport ute into a more pavement-oriented performer

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