2019 Acura MDX A-Spec Road Test Review Review

A-Spec trim adds sporty new look to popular three-row luxury SUV

The MDX has been a luxury crossover SUV mainstay for nearly two decades, which is considerably longer than most of its competitors. This has given Acura a unique insight into this model's mid-size three-row premium market segment, which no doubt has helped it maintain a competitive edge.

If you're wondering just how competitive, the MDX has been mixing it up at the front of the entire mid-size luxury SUV segment since its inception, even leading all of its dedicated three-row challengers in popularity last year, the year before that, and so on, but despite its continued popularity Acura wasn't about to leave this 2019 model untouched.

New A-Spec trim is the most significant change since the 2017 model year refresh, finally providing the MDX with a truly sporty look to match its always formidable performance. Starting with an already handsome design, the A-Spec adds sporty gloss-black and darkened chrome detailing to the grille, headlamps, window surrounds, and rear rooftop spoiler, plus a sharper looking, more aggressive lower front fascia, painted front and rear skid plates, body-colour door handles, body-coloured lower side panels, larger exhaust pipe finishers, and a beautiful new set of 20-inch 10-spoke Shark Grey alloy wheels on lower profile 265/45 all-season tires.

Easing into any one of the new MDX A-Spec's seven seats means that you'll pass overtop one of four A-Spec-inscribed aluminum treadplates, while other upgrades include a special red highlighted primary gauge package, a thicker A-Spec-badged sport steering wheel that is mostly wrapped in grippy dimpled leather, plus a great looking set of metal sport pedals just below. The A-Spec interior's performance-focused upgrades continue with a lower centre console surfaced in a unique carbon-look design, while exclusive sport seats are placed to either side, upholstered in vibrant "Rich Red" or, as per my tester, high-contrast stitched black leather with supple, backside-pampering perforated black suede-like Alcantara inserts. It all combines for one great looking luxury SUV, but there's more behind the MDX than styling.

Comfortable, accommodating cabin makes MDX a luxury SUV favourite

Staying ahead of its three-row peers on the sales charts has much to do with how comfortable and accommodating the MDX is, no matter the trim. Unlike some luxury competitors the MDX' front seats include four-way powered lumbar support for just the right amount of pressure exactly where it's needed, while the comfortable driver's seat also provides all of the usual adjustments this category requires. Additionally, Acura gives A-Spec buyers three-way heated and cooled front cushions, while the perforated suede-like Alcantara inserts look rich, feel plush and go even further to maintain an even temperature during winter or summer months, plus they grip the backside nicely during aggressive cornering.

The MDX also provides excellent visibility all around, making it easy for driving through all types of traffic situations, but before commenting on its performance dynamics I should relate just how roomy this SUV is. Having preset the driver's seat for my long-legged, short-torso five-foot-eight frame, I still had ample space when seated just behind in the second row. That seat is easy to slide back and forth in order to increase legroom when required, but even when I tugged it all the way forward it still provided inches of space in front of my knees, plus plenty of room for my winter boot-shod feet. Then again, when I shoved the seat all the way rearward I was able to almost fully stretch out.

Even the third row is roomy enough for teens and adults

When the second-row is pushed as far rearward as possible the MDX' third row remains surprisingly roomy. Certainly the second-row backrest came close to my knees while seated in the very back, but there was ample space for my boots, hips, elbows, shoulders plus head, and, alas, I'm not sized like a sprightly tween anymore. A smarter choice is sliding the middle row forward a bit, which allows room aplenty for those ahead, yet still gave me more than enough space to relax in the very back, which is rare for this class.

Third-row occupants won't suffer from claustrophobia either, due to a good view out the front and generous side windows, while cupholders to each side and handy reading lamps overhead will make for less complaints during road trips. Climbing in and out is easy enough too, only requiring the press of a button on the backside of the second-row seat to quickly slide it forward.

Sitting back in that second row, Acura provides a helpful climate control panel to let rear passengers find their own temperature comfort zone, plus two USB device chargers are available for keeping the entertainment flowing.

The rear liftgate powers open to a nicely finished cargo area that boasts a sharp looking aluminum doorsill protector, chromed tie-down hooks, and durable feeling yet still high-end carpeting that covers the sidewalls and seatbacks. It's seriously spacious too, with 447 litres (as large as an average mid-size car's trunk) of load hauling space behind the third row, along with a handy underfloor compartment for stowing valuables. Laying the 50/50-split rear seatbacks down is easy, and increases cargo capacity to 1,230 litres, while lowering the second row adds up to a massive 2,575 litres of maximum load space, which moves the MDX up into the cargo carrying category of very few competitors indeed.

Highly refined and value-packed with features

Speaking of nicely finished, the entire MDX, from front to back, easily meets the quality and refinement targets Acura helped to standardize in this upscale luxury category, the A-Spec model especially alluring thanks to the previously noted sport steering wheel, which is great to grip due to its thick, textured leather-wrapped rim and sculpted cutouts for resting each thumb, while the cabin also includes a variety of satin-silver aluminum trim accents and other premium surface treatments. Some of these include soft composites across the dash, door uppers, and most everywhere else including the glove box lid, while the door inserts are covered in the same plush Alcantara as other areas noted earlier.

Ahead of the driver, a sizeable colour TFT multi-information display (MID) bridges two sporty analogue dials, while making up most of the centre instrument panel is a double-stack of infotainment displays, the larger 8.0-inch monitor above defaulting to the navigation map or backup camera, depending on your chosen gear, and controlled via a rotating dial and surrounding buttons further down the console, which adjusts Acura's very accurate route guidance system, the viewpoint of the multi-angle backup camera with active guidelines, etcetera.

This leaves the more easily accessible 7.0-inch touchscreen for the superb 10-speaker ELS Studio surround sound audio system, climate control and other functions, resulting in an infotainment system that works very well thanks to advanced features like Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth with audio streaming, Siri Eyes Free, SMS text message and email reading, voice recognition, hard disk drive (HDD) media storage, satellite radio, AcuraLink subscription services, four USB ports, and more.

As Acura owners will attest, good value is an inherent characteristic no matter the model, so I'd better list off a few additional features that come with this $60,490 A-Spec model, such as LED fog lamps, auto-dimming power-folding exterior mirrors, perimeter/approach puddle lamps, keyless access buttons for the rear doors, ventilated front seats, sun position detection for the climate control system, front and rear parking sensors, and Blind Spot Information (BSI) with rear cross-traffic alert.

Standard safety remains a top priority for Acura

Staying on the subject of the latter two advanced driver assistance systems, all MDX trims come standard with the AcuraWatch suite of safety and convenience features including Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation (RDM), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with low-speed follow, which when combined with a host of this segment's usual standard active and passive safety features allows each MDX trim to score a best-possible five-star NHTSA safety rating.

Lastly, some key items pulled up to my A-Spec tester from the $54,390 base MDX include Acura's signature Jewel Eye LED headlights with automatic high beams, stylish LED taillights, sound-minimizing acoustic front glass, remote engine start, proximity-sensing front access, pushbutton ignition, ambient cabin lighting, memory settings for the standard power-adjustable steering column, powered side mirrors, and automatic climate control, plus an electromechanical parking brake, a powered moonroof with a sunshade, a HomeLink universal remote, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, driver recognition, a heated steering wheel, transmission paddle shifters, rain-sensing wipers, three-zone front and rear auto climate control, Active Noise Control (ANC), Active Sound Control (ASC), heated 12-way powered front seats with four-way lumbar, a powered liftgate, a 1,588-kg towing capacity (or 2,268 kilos with the available tow package), and more.

Efficient powertrain provides strong performance

Acura's much-lauded torque-vectoring Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) comes standard too, as does a formidable 3.5-litre V6 engine good for 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque, mated up to a highly efficient nine-speed automatic transmission. The combination provides wonderfully linear and potent power delivery, with quick, smooth shifts that can be actuated via those aforementioned paddle shifters, a process that's especially engaging when the drive mode selector is set to Sport.

Likewise, SH-AWD made quick work of slippery conditions, something I experienced when pushing hard up the wonderfully winding Cypress Bowl road that culminated in a parking lot edged with heavy, deep snow, also no problem at all for the highly adept MDX. Shod in the A-Spec's standard 265/45R20 Michelin Latitude Alpin all-season tires, the MDX tracked brilliantly across dry tarmac as well, whether whisking effortlessly along the Upper Levels in West Van, appreciating the comfortable ride over Lions Gate Bridge expansion joints, or for that matter "4x4ing" through some of Vancouver's back alleys while avoiding the usual confusion of one-way streets, the MDX' well balanced fully independent suspension was more than up for the job.

The drive mode selector just noted includes Comfort and Normal settings as well as Sport, and I must say I appreciate the Acura engineers that designed it to remain in its chosen mode even after turning off the engine, locking up and restarting later. This means that Sport mode drivers, or for that matter those who want to leave their SUV in the Comfort setting, won't have it defaulting to Normal mode all the time, which is not the case for many of Acura's competitors.

Impressive efficiency technologies help MDX beat rising pump prices

I also like that Acura has remained true to the V6, because in a large three-row luxury crossover SUV like the MDX, a bigger engine doesn't need to work as hard, revving the engine as high as a smaller four-cylinder would, and therefore can actually provide better fuel economy in everyday real-world conditions. Thanks to that, and of course the fuel-friendly nine-speed automatic, not to mention some impressive technologies such as direct-injection, i-VTEC, Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) that shuts down one bank of cylinders under lighter loads, plus automatic stop/start that limits fuel consumption and reduces emissions even further by turning off the engine altogether when it would otherwise be idling, the MDX A-Spec receives a Transport Canada rating of 12.2 L/100km in the city, 9.5 on the highway and 11.0 combined, which is only a fraction more than all other MDX trims that get at 12.2 city, 9.0 highway and 10.8 combined rating.

Fuel economy in mind, I just recently retested a new 2019 MDX Sport Hybrid, which due to an innovative two-motor hybrid-electric powertrain is not only quicker off the line, but also rated at an amazing 9.1 L/100km city, 9.0 highway and 9.0 combined. I'll be reviewing this top-line MDX soon, so please check back.

On that note, I've tested many different MDX trims over the years, plus all the various generations starting from the very first, and this popular premium crossover SUV keeps getting better and better. With commendable efficiency, strong standard performance, a well-made, feature-filled, accommodating interior, a very good reliability record, excellent resale values, and now this sporty new A-Spec trim line, the MDX continues to be a leader amongst three-row luxury crossover SUVs.

To try one on for size and take it for a test drive, be sure to contact Burrard Acura via phone at (888) 237-4935, or drop by the showroom at 730 Terminal Avenue, Vancouver.

Story credit: Trevor Hofmann
Photo credits: Karen Tuggay