What’s New?
Acura’s largest sport utility vehicle (SUV) has been completely redesigned for the 2007 model year. The first complete overhaul of Acura’s 7-passenger (3-row) sport utility includes the installation of Acura’s largest and most powerful V-6, as well as what Acura terms Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. For those who might want to enhance the MDX’s athletic abilities, Acura also offers a Sport Package with an Active Damper System—technology that reacts in as little as .005 seconds to enhance the athletic abilities of this 7-passenger SUV.

Overview
Acura introduced its MDX full-size SUV as a 2001 model, and in the ensuing years, this 7-passenger model has accounted for nearly one-third of all Acura sales in the United States. For 2007, however, the MDX is virtually an all-new model. The redesign includes a new exterior that Acura hopes prospective buyers will think was inspired by an expensive yacht. The new MDX is longer, lower, and wider than its predecessor.

Inside, the MDX features supportive, soft leather buckets seats for the first two rows, with a 3-seat bench in the rear for a 2+2+3 setup. Various seats can be folded flat to provide 83.5 cubic inches of cargo area. Standard interior features include three-zone climate controls with humidity control, a hands-free wireless telephone interface, and a 253-watt premium sound system with an auxiliary jack for personal audio devices. Options include a 410-watt audio system engineered by Grammy-winning recording engineer and producer Elliott Scheiner, voice-activated navigation, and a rear entertainment system with a 9-inch, ceiling-mounted screen.

The MDX is powered by a new 3.7-liter V-6 engine, which Acura says is the most powerful normally aspirated V-6 available in the U.S. The engine is rated at 300 hp—a figure some V-8s don’t reach. The mechanical package also includes Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive that distributes the engine’s power to the wheels with the best grip and thus provides all-weather control for the driver. Stability control and even trailer stability assist are built in. The Sport Package includes automatically adjustable shock absorbers that improve transitional handling (as in fast, sharp curves), road isolation, and body control. To prove out the driving capabilities of the new MDX, Acura put its SUV through extensive workouts on Germany’s famed Nurburgring test circuit, where European sports-car makers do their development work.

The Competition
The Acura MDX competes in the Midsize Premium Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) segment, which consists of 14 models. Buyers in this segment look for quality, reliability, and performance, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Avoider Study^SM and the Escaped Shopper Study.^SM

The top sellers in the segment during calendar year 2006, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Sales Report,^SM were the Lexus RX-Series (108,348 units sold), Acura MDX (54,121), and Volvo XC90 (33,200). The Acura MDX’s 54,121 sales in 2006 represent a decrease of 6.6 percent compared to the previous year. Other models offered in the Midsize Premium CUV segment include the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, BMW X5, Infiniti FX-Series, Cadillac SRX, and Mercedes-Benz R-Class. Joining the segment in 2007 is the Lincoln MKX .