2022 Acura MDX

We would recommend opting for the 2022 Acura MDX A-Spec Package. It is priced well under $60,000, which is fair for a three-row luxury SUV. In exchange, you get standard features like SH-AWD, Milano leather sport seats, heated and ventilated front seats, and 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D sound system.

Just like the 2021 model year, the all-new 2022 Acura MDX will be available in four different trim levels. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) MDX base trim starts at $46,900 which is $2,400 more than the outgoing 2020 model. Acura has equipped the all-new MDX with much better features than before. Acura's SH-AWD (Super Handling All-wheel drive) costs $2,000 extra on the base and the MDX with Technology package while the A-Spec and Advance models come standard with it. The destination fee for all 2022 Acura MDXs is $1,025. The upcoming Acura MDX Type S will begin at a higher price.

The base and Technology Package trim comes well-equipped with decent standard features such as includes tri-zone automatic climate control, keyless access, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and ambient LED cabin lighting.

The Acura MDX Technology trim begins from $51,600 and offers standard premium Milano leather, a navigation system, and 20-inch alloy wheels. The next in line is the Acura MDX A-Spec which comes at $57,100 with standard AWD and an exclusive sportier appearance.

At the top of the new Acura MDX lineup is the Advance trim which is priced at $60,650. This luxurious MDX trim comes equipped with the most desirable features including premium Milano leather, a surround-view camera, a head-up display, and massaging 16-way power front seats.

"This isn't the quickest SUV in the class by any means, but it will never leave you feeling trapped in the slow lane." - Cars.USNews.com

The 2022 MDX SUV gets a 3.5-liter V6 engine under the hood. It is mated to a 10-speed automatic gearbox sending power to the front wheels. Acura also offers an optional Super Handling all-wheel-drive system with this SUV. The standard 3.5-liter V6 engine churns out about 290 horses and delivers nearly 267 lb-ft of torque, which translates to 6.4 seconds needed to hit the 60 mph mark from a standstill and about 14.9 seconds to cover the quarter-mile distance. The three-row SUV also comes with five different driving modes; Normal, Comfort, Sport, Snow, and Individual. These modes optimize the powertrain according to the driving conditions to deliver better performance.

We would highly recommend getting the SH-AWD system as it just makes the whole driving experience much more fun. The steering also feels pretty precise and offers a good amount of feedback. This is not an off-roading SUV and most owners would be driving it around the city or on highways. Accordingly, the MDX’s driving performance in its natural habitat is quite satisfactory. Overall, if you’re looking for an SUV that you can take on some off-roading adventure or something that could offer you an enthralling driving experience, then the MDX isn’t the one.

However, if you want a vehicle that will do the daily driving duties well, then there perhaps isn't a better option than the MDX in the segment. The Cadillac XT5 and the Buick Enclave both use the same powertrain and make more power and torque than the Acura. However, that does not quite translate on the road all that well, and both of them happen to be slower than the MDX in terms of acceleration. The Jaguar F-Pace, on the other hand, uses a smaller 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and features the lowest power figures. Still, the Jag is slower than the Acura only by a couple of tenths of a second but much quicker than the GM siblings.

The fuel economy numbers of the 2022 Acura MDX aren’t the greatest, but it delivers fuel economy numbers that are definitely above average in comparison to some other cars in the segment. In the city, the MDX can go for about 19 miles on a gallon of gas while on the highway it can haul up to about 26 miles.

It gets an EPA rating of 22 mpg combined, which is decent but not very impressive. The outgoing 2021 MDX with the hybrid powertrain offered 27 mpg combined, which was really very impressive and one of the highest in the segment. But since the 2022 MDX won’t be getting a hybrid unit, you’ll have to deal with spending more on gas.

Among rivals, the Jaguar F-Pace uses a smaller turbocharged unit, and that just helps it churn out better fuel economy than the rest. The F-Pace gets an EPA-estimated rating of 24 mpg combined which is better than any other SUV in the competition. The Cadillac XT5 and the Buick Enclave both deliver 21 mpg combined, which is the same as the MDX.

"The MDX's cabin has a far more premium look and feel than 2020 model's interior." - CarAndDriver.com

The 2022 MDX gets a major update in terms of its interior. The cabin has been freshly done and now feels plusher, premium, and luxurious than the outgoing model. The futuristic design and the way it has been laid out are simply stunning. The quality of materials used is simply amazing. The level of fit and finish has also gone up by a great margin compared to the previous model year and there are no panel gaps or shaky equipment. All the bits of the interior just feel solid and upmarket. The base-spec MDX trim gets leatherette upholstery all over while all the other trims get the interior wrapped in premium perforated Milano leather.

The top-spec Advance package trim level gets 16-way power-adjustable front seats while all the other trims get 12-way power-adjustable seats. Heated front seats are offered as standard across all trim levels while ventilated front seats are only offered with the top-spec Advance and A-Spec package trim levels. The steering wheel comes wrapped in high-quality leather as standard although the heated steering wheel can be only availed in the Advance package trim level. This is not a very big vehicle as such but Acura has somehow managed to create a good amount of room for passengers. 

The front seats are quite nice and snug and offer good support. The front seats have a good amount of bolstering and hold you in place really well. The amount of head, shoulder, and legroom at the front is good and even tall passengers will not have any problems sitting on those seats. The second row can carry three passengers but it is best suited for two adults. Three adults on the second row will not be very comfortable and it would be a bit of a squeeze for them. The third row of seats, like it is in most three-row SUVs, is best suited for kids.

Adults will have to sit knees up and won’t be comfortable at all on the third row especially on long journeys. It’s not that the third row is redundant and can’t be used but no average-sized adult can possibly fit in there. With all the rows of seats up, the Acura MDX offers about 18.1 cubic feet of cargo area behind the third row of seats. Fold the third row down and then you have about 48.4 cubic feet of the cargo area and when the second row is also folded, you open up to about 95.0 cubic feet of storage area which is absolutely massive.

The creature comfort features inside the 2022 Acura MDX include:

• 12-way power-adjustable heated front row sports seats
• A-Spec gets Alcantara in black
• 5ri-zone climate control
• Leather upholstery in five interior colors

The MDX, with its base trim level, is offered with a 9-speaker audio system while a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display is offered as standard across all trim levels. Other standard infotainment features offered with the MDX include SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth smartphone integration, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, and many others. The Technology package trim level comes with an ELS studio premium 12 speaker audio system while the Advance and A-Spec trims get an ELS studio 3D 16-speaker audio system.

Some of the notable infotainment features of 2022 Acura MDX are:

• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• 12.3-inch touchscreen display
• 9-speaker audio system
• Amazon Alexa
• Wireless charging
•  Wi-Fi Hotspot

"According to Acura, the MDX exterior design was inspired by the wind-shaped rocks of Arizona’s Antelope Canyon. " - Kbb.com

The 2022 Acura MDX has been thoroughly refreshed and now looks sharper than ever before. It draws few design cues from the new TLX and refreshed RDX and looks butch. The SUV features a bold diamond pentagon grille at the front and has a very aggressive fascia. Adding more to the drama are those 4-lamp Jewel Eye LED headlights along with signature chicane daytime running lamps that look cool and fascinating.

It has a wider front profile that just gives it an athletic stance and enhances its street presence. On the side, you’ll notice the sculpted hood and a very prominent beltline that flows from the wrap-around headlights to the taillights across the car’s body. The roof of the car slopes down slightly towards the end which looks very sporty. 

At the back, you again have those Acura-signature chicane taillights and a sculpted tailgate that looks cool. The vehicle also gets dual exhaust tips at the back that just adds to its sportiness. Overall, the MDX is one handsome car and it simply looks stunning. Its dimensions are well laid and all-in-all Acura has done a great job in designing this car.

The 2022 Acura MDX gets some very interesting exterior features which are:

• Powered tailgate
• Panoramic moonroof with tilt and slide function
• Jewel Eye LED headlights
• Chicane LED daytime running lights
• LED outer door handle lights
• LED fog lights
• Chicane LED taillights
• Auto-ON/OFF headlight operation
• Auto high-beam
• Heated side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals
• Remote-operated windows and moonroof-open function

The 2022 Acura MDX is yet to be rated by the NHTSA and IIHS. However, the 2020 model year gets the highest overall rating from the NHTSA and a 5-star rating in almost all the tests. The IIHS has awarded it the highest ‘Good’ rating in almost all its crash tests. Since the 2022 MDX is a refresh and not a complete revamp, the safety ratings for the 2022 model will more or less remain the same as the 2020 model.

The 2022 MDX gets plenty of standard safety and driver assistance features like:

• Collision mitigation braking system
• Advanced pedestrian detection
• Lane-keeping assist
• Forward collision warning
• Lane departure warning
• Blindspot information system
• Rear cross-traffic monitor
• Hill-start assist
• Brake assist
• Multi-view rear camera with dynamic guidelines

2022 Acura MDX vs. 2022 Cadillac XT5

The Cadillac XT5 is about $2000 cheaper than the MDX and can only carry five people while the Acura, on the other hand, is built to carry seven passengers. The Cadillac XT5 makes 310 hp which is 20 hp more than the MDX, but then it is quicker than the former on the straight line. In terms of fuel economy both the cars are similar while in terms of passenger space and comfort, the Acura feels more spacious and opulent.

The new MDX also offers better tech equipment than the XT5, and hence we think that the 2022 MDX has a slight edge over the XT5. For a few thousand dollars more, it has so much more to offer and if you have the budget, we would strongly recommend you to go for the MDX over the XT5.

2022 Acura MDX vs. 2022 Buick Enclave

The Buick Enclave is yet another mid-size, 7-seater crossover. It sports the same engine as the Cadillac XT5 and makes more power than the MDX. Despite having more horses under the hood, it doesn't translate well on the road. However, the Buick offers better passenger space than the MDX does. It offers more room to the passenger with a surprisingly practical and usable third row of seats when compared to the MDX.

Moreover, the Enclave is priced very competitively with prices starting at just $40,000. Now, if you do not bother about tech features and gimmicks and all that you want is a practical mid-size, 7 seater crossover then we would suggest you opt for the Buick. But then again, the Acura MDX is just a better proposition than Enclave if you’re ready to compromise a bit of passenger space.

2022 Acura MDX vs. 2022 Jaguar F-Pace

The Jaguar F-Pace is a driver’s SUV. It has a very lively 2.4 liter, turbo engine coupled to a very responsive gearbox that makes driving an SUV to feel like a sports car. Now, the Jaguar is a bit pricier than the MDX and has space for only 5 passengers. The F-Pace’s interior has a very sporty appeal to it and just offers the better snob value while it gets as many features as the Acura does.

Hence, we think the MDX is a more sensible and more value-for-money proposition than the F-Pace is. The Jaguar F-Pace is not a bad car but the latter has just so much more on offer at a lower price. 

The 2022 Acura MDX is hands down one of the best cars in the segment. It has good power and performance onboard, and it scores big in terms of practicality and creature comfort, and also looks very stunning. Plus, it is priced very competitively and offers great value. The 2022 MDX does pretty much everything that you would expect from a mid-size luxury crossover, and Acura hasn’t left us with anything to complain about. The third row might feel impractical and best suited for kids, but the fact is that you can still live with it. Long story short, if you’re in the market looking for a 7-seater, luxury crossover, then you should perhaps head right away to your nearest Acura dealership.