Highly Acclaimed and Award-winning Acura MDX Remains the Luxury SUV Standout for 2015

Acura's hot-selling flagship SUV continues to offer an exceptional blend of luxury, technology, performance and versatility

Acura's award-winning MDX luxury SUV goes on sale June 3, returning for the 2015 model year. The MDX is once again available in two-wheel and Super Handling All-wheel Drive (SH-AWD) drivetrain configurations and four luxuriously-appointed grades. The 2015 MDX starts with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $42,5651.

With 2014 accolades including Autoguide.com 'Utility Vehicle of the Year' and a Top Rating from Edmunds.com, to U.S. News & World Report naming the MDX 'Best Luxury 3-row SUV for Families' and '#1 Luxury Crossover SUV,' plus Kiplinger's Personal Finance awarding it the 'Best Value Award,' the completely reengineered 2014 MDX debuted to critical acclaim. Discerning luxury SUV customers echoed the critics' sentiments, purchasing Acura's seven-passenger luxury SUV in record numbers.

For 2015, the MDX returns with the same superior level of luxury comfort, quietness and technology features, combined with exhilarating dynamic performance, top-class fuel efficiency and advanced safety performance ratings. The luxurious and versatile cabin has roomy seating and a second-row seat with reclining seatbacks and an Extended Slide feature that offers 6-inches of fore-and-aft travel. For ease of access to the third row, the MDX has wide and low step-in access and the One-Touch Walk-In feature that moves the second row seat out of the way at the push of a button. Superior cabin quietness and overall refinement is accomplished with the use of three-layer acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows, thick rear door glass, triple side-sill door seals and Active Noise Control technology.

Boasting an abundance of standard luxury features, the 2015 MDX includes Smart Entry with Push Button Start, Jewel Eye™ LED headlights, exterior and interior LED lighting, an 8-inch On-Demand Multi-Information Display touchscreen, Expanded View Driver's Mirror and a powerful 432-watt Acura sound system. Upping the luxury and technological quotient even further, the range-topping MDX with Advance Package includes a wide range of features including Lane Keeping Assist System, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, remote engine start, an Ultra-Wide DVD Rear Entertainment System with HDMI connectivity, and front and rear parking sensors.

The 2015 Acura MDX is powered by a 3.5-liter, 24-valve i-VTEC direct-injected V-6 engine that produces 290 horsepower2 and 267 lb-ft of torque3, while also featuring Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) for enhanced fuel efficiency. The powerful and efficient engine is paired with a standard 6-speed automatic transmission with Sequential Sport Shift. The MDX is available with front-wheel drive or Acura's signature Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. The two-wheel-drive MDX is anticipated to achieve an EPA rating of 20/28/23 mpg4 (city/highway/combined) and the MDX with SH-AWD with an expected rating of 18/27/21 mpg4 (city/highway/combined).

Equipped with Acura's next-generation Advance Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, and available with advanced safety and driver-assist features such as Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist and Collision Mitigation Braking System™, the 2015 MDX is expected to again earn top safety ratings from the U.S. federal government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, including an expected TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the IIHS.

by Acura

Acura MDX Cements Position as America's All-Time Best-Selling 3-Row Luxury SUV

Jul 11, 2014 - TORRANCE, Calif. Record sales in the first six months of 2014 have strengthened the third-generation MDX's position as America's best-selling three-row luxury SUV – not only in 2014, but of all time. Through June, sales of MDX are up 68.4 percent (compared to the same period last year) to 30,664 units, bringing cumulative sales of the MDX over its nearly 15-year history to 692,710 units, making it the most popular three-row luxury SUV of all time*. In fact, the MDX has topped all other three-row luxury SUVs in the annual sales rankings in every year since 2002. Cumulative U.S. sales of MDX are anticipated to surpass 700,000 units before the end of the year.

'Luxury car buyers have spoken, and we really want to thank our Acura customers for making the MDX the clear winner among three-row luxury SUVs,' said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager of Acura Division. 'MDX is the clear benchmark in its class, consistently delivering the best combination of features, function and performance that luxury buyers are after.'

Acura pioneered the three-row crossover luxury SUV segment when it launched the first-generation MDX in 2000 as a 2001 model, when the MDX captured both the Motor Trend SUV of the Year and North American Truck of the Year titles. For three generations, the U.S. engineering team responsible for MDX has steadily advanced and refined the original concept of the MDX – a three-row, 7-passenger luxury SUV with superior packaging, fuel efficiency, and ride and handling performance.

The third-generation, 2014 Acura MDX, introduced in June 2013, has undergone a complete makeover, starting with the development of an all-new, more rigid and lightweight body and chassis, dropping more than 275 pounds versus the previous model and boasting major gains in body rigidity, aerodynamic efficiency and low running resistance.

A safety leader, the third-generation MDX applies Acura's next-generation ACE™ body structure and the first-ever use of Acura's new hot-stamped steel, one-piece door stiffener ring. As a result of these and other design enhancements, the MDX obtained class-leading EPA fuel-economy ratings of 20/28/23 mpg city/highway/combined while earning both a five-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the IIHS, a feat only one other luxury SUV has matched. The MDX also offers greater interior comfort, advanced connectivity via its next-generation AcuraLink™ system, and greatly improved third-row entry and exit via its kid-friendly One-Touch Walk-In feature.

The MDX has been designed, developed and manufactured in North America for three generations. The third-generation MDX is manufactured exclusively at the company's Lincoln, Alabama automobile and engine production facility, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

by Acura

First introduced in 2001, Acura released the MDX into a market full of luxury SUV's. Sharing the same platform as the Honda Odyssey, the MDX shares much in common with the Honda Pilot. The MDX was built to compete with the BMW X5 and the Mercedes M-class. A luxurious vehicle, the Acura MDX featured leather seats and wood trim within a plush interior that had a dashboard full of cutting-edge electronics. Other features included heated power front bucket seats, a power sunroof, 17-inch alloy wheels, front side airbags, antilocking all-disc brakes, rear AC, heated mirrors and a CD player.

The upscale division of Honda designed and built this all-wheel-drive midsize sport-utility vehicle to compete against the very popular Lexus RX 300 and other car-based SUVs. MDX stood for ‘Multi-Dimensional Luxury' and was about 5 inches longer in length than a BMW X5 and 8.5 inches longer than a Lexus RX 300. The Acura MDX also holds up to seven passengers, while competitors only had seating for five.

The MDX featured a more powerful version of the Odyssey's 3.5-liter V6 that produced 240 horsepower and was attached to a five-speed automatic transmission rather than a four-speed. Normally the Standard Variable Torque Management (VTM-4) four-wheel drive powers the front wheels, and it's designed to sense impending wheel slippage and directs up to 52 % of power to the back wheel when necessary. Though no low-range gearing was included, a rear-wheel locking device kicks in for maximum traction below 6 mph. The Acura MDX is capable of towing a 3500-pound trailer or a 4500-pound boat.

The Touring package was optional and featured a driver's seat/mirror memory, roof rack, and a six disc in-dash CD changer. Also optional was a navigation system with a dashboard screen. Both second and third-row bench seats were standard, and much like the Odyssey, the third-row seat folds into the rear cargo floor. An SUV ‘first', the second-row seat also folds into the rear cargo floor. Since both seats were split, the sections can stow individually to suit passenger/cargo loads.

For the 2002 model year, noise-reduction measures were taken in the '02 edition of Acura's SUV. The windshield glass was produced thicker and sound dampening material was added to the roof and other areas. The door mirrors and roof rack were also repositioned. In this year the rear wiper/washer was made standard and child-seat anchors were installed.

The following year the MDX engine received an additional 20 horsepower along with an antiskid system that became standard. The MDX featured a shorter body than the Pilot, with very unique styling and a somewhat smaller cabin. Rain-sensing wipers and a new electronic ‘drive –by-wire' throttle were installed. Both the steering and suspension systems were revised for 2003 along with some structural stiffening occurring and wheels being restyled. The navigation system was now operated with voice control and 3-D graphics, and the screen served the newly optional rearview camera. Models that didn't have Acura's navigation system could install a new DVD-based rear-seat entertainment system.

For 2004 Acura featured new head-protecting curtain airbags along with a tire-pressure monitoring system on the MDX. The front and rear styling was also slightly altered.

The following year more entertainment options were added for the 2005 Acura MDX that included standard satellite radio on all models along with a larger fuel tank. Newly standard with the navigation system is OnStar assistance. For 2006 the Acura MDX received updated interior trim for the top-line model.

Celebrating its 20th year as a brand, Acura debuted a concept version of the all-new MDX luxury sport-utility vehicle on April 12th 2006 at the New York International Auto Show and released an artist's rendering of the new vehicle. Later during the 2007, the second generation of Acura's luxury SUV would be designed, developed and manufactured exclusively in North America. Nearly two-thirds of all Acura vehicles sold in America are designed, developed and manufactured in North America today.

At the same time as the release of the new Acura, the groundbreaking for a new Acura-exclusive facility – the Acura Design Center – was also scheduled to open in same summer, 2007. Located in the company's Torrance, California headquarters, the new facility will play an important role in the research and design of future Acura products.

by Jessican Donaldson