2010 Acura MDX
By Grant Yoxon
You can never count on the weather to cooperate. We can schedule a convertible for the middle of July and never get the top down because it rained all week. Or we can schedule two of Canada’s most popular luxury utility vehicles for the last week of February and the first three weeks of March and not encounter any snow.
 2010 Acura MDX. Click image to enlarge |
Such has been the winter of 2010 in Ontario, Canada. And the day I took possession of the Acura MDX, one could be forgiven for thinking this was Florida and not Ottawa as it was bright and sunny and 10 degrees Celsius.
Despite the lack of challenging weather, it was quickly apparent to me that the MDX is a very good handling machine. At 2069 kg (4,561 lbs), the MDX is a heavy vehicle and I would have expected it to feel heavy and to handle more like a truck than a sport sedan. But I was surprised how light and agile the MDX actually feels. And I was more impressed with how well it took the first freeway on-ramp that I encountered, accomplishing the routine task at a much higher speed than I would have thought possible, while remaining flat and poised.
With SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) sensors monitor the tightness of a turn as well as your speed and automatically vary torque to the outside cornering rear wheel enhancing stability and control. SH-AWD will also allow you to accelerate through the curve – within the limits of physics, of course, but perfect for freeway on-ramp acceleration – by delivering up to 100 per cent of rear wheel torque to the outside wheel and rotating it faster than the inside cornering wheel.
With 300 horsepower available, the MDX will accelerate rapidly as well, quickly bringing the vehicle up to merge speed in any traffic situation. Put your foot into the accelerator, and the engine will emit a noticeable roar and without caution take you well above the target merge speed, but once on the highway, the MDX is a quiet and comfortable place to be.
 2010 Acura MDX. Click image to enlarge |
During our first week with the MDX, we drove twice from Ottawa to Quebec City, to bring one of our children to a sporting event and to bring her back. Our adult rear seat passengers were quite happy, particularly with the standard rear seat heaters. Being a long, seven-seat SUV, the MDX also had plenty of room for all our luggage and gear with the third row seat folded flat.
From the driver’s seat, the MDX presents a logical layout of readable gauges and easy-to-reach controls. It is not fancy or innovative, but it is extremely functional. The leather-covered seats are very comfortable and supportive. I had no problem driving nearly 1000 kilometres in one day and driving Quebec City to Ottawa in one shot, no stops. With this kind of seating one need stop only for bio-breaks, not discomfort.
Fuel consumption on the highway was better than I expected, with a best of 10.9 L/100 km. The MDX had an Energuide rating of 13.2 L/100 km in the city and 9.6 L/100 on the highway. Although I didn’t match the Energuide, my city consumption of 13.5 L/100 km was closer than highway, but we encountered strong winds on both days. Note that the MDX requires Premium fuel.
 2010 Acura MDX. Click image to enlarge |
While this MDX was a base model and lacked features like a navigation system, rear entertainment system, adaptive cruise control or blind spot warning system, we didn’t really miss them. They are available in higher cost Technology (navigation, rear entertainment, premium leather, premium audio) and Elite (Technology plus 19-inch wheels, collision mitigating system, active damper system, blind spot information system, roof rails, climate controlled front seats, adaptive cruise control) trim levels.
Standard equipment is more than adequate though for a vehicle that at $51,900 plus freight and pre-delivery inspection charge of $1,895 is priced at the lower end of the luxury SUV/Crossover class. In addition to the aforementioned heated rear seats, the base MDX comes with such features as HID low beam (Halogen high beam) headlights with headlight washers, power rear hatch, tri-zone climate control, power adjustable steering wheel with audio, cruise and (easy to set up) mobile telephone controls, a good eight-speaker audio system with six-disc CD changer and MP3/auxiliary input jack, heated power mirrors with integrated turn signals, power moonroof, rear-view camera displayed in the rear-view mirror, 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat with power lumbar support and two position memory, and, of course, leather upholstery.
 2010 Acura MDX. Click image to enlarge |
Standard safety features include dual stage, dual threshold front airbags, front seat mounted side airbags, three row side curtain airbags, tire pressure monitoring system, traction control, vehicle stability control and trailer stability assist. The MDX is built to tow with a standard high capacity radiator, transmission fluid cooler, heavy-duty power steering cooler and pre-wiring for an electric brake controller. Towing capacity is 2,268 kg (5,000 lbs). The hitch, receiver and wiring harness are a dealer-installed accessory.
For families that do a lot of driving, whether on the highway or around town, have the occasional need to tow a trailer or large boat, or carry six or seven passengers, the Acura MDX has a lot to offer. It is not just an all-wheel drive wagon, but a utility vehicle that has the capability to meet many needs. Thanks to SH-AWD it is entertaining and fun to drive, but also supremely safe and secure for all.
