DRIVER’S JOURNAL

Day 1

Walking around the vehicle it is noticeably bigger than my 2009 MDX and the front seems larger than the outgoing model. Acura has clearly stepped up the 2022 MDX to a higher level of luxury.

Day 2

Driving in to work early this morning, it was quite nice to have a heated steering wheel on a cool morning. The heated seats that quickly kicked in were also a great addition. I also liked the different driving modes, especially in Comfort mode. The suspension feels smooth, even going over the rough bumps along the way. Passing other vehicles on Deerfoot Trail was easy, because it easily accelerated with no hesitation. Downside — it's a big SUV and I feel like I'm driving a truck. The reason we originally chose our 2009 MDX is that it felt like a car in an SUV body. This new model feels like I would have difficulty parallel parking with its huge front.

Day 3

I took my sons for a drive and they were quite impressed with the amount of USB chargers throughout the second and third rows. They — and their friends — would have more than enough to charge all their electronics for a road trip. They also commented that there were enough cup holders for them.

Day 4

Being a mom of two rapidly growing and somehow always hungry boys, I had to do the Costco run. This MDX did not disappoint in trunk space to fit all the usual groceries plus the extras that my husband and I always seem to find that we “need” from Costco.

Day 5

Had hoped to take the vehicle for a road trip but with the wet conditions couldn't get the family motivated to go too far, so just did some around-town driving doing errands. Loving the surround-sound speakers. And my oldest son discovered the MDX came with a remote car starter — that would be a bonus on a cold, snowy day.

Day 6

The wireless automatic connection to Apple Carplay was quite convenient; loved the easy handsfree way to text and phone friends and family during my commute.

Day 7

I guess I never realized what I was missing in my 2009 MDX. The updated version has so many perks, from a heated steering wheel to wireless Carplay. The only thing holding me back from buying one is it's not a hybrid. I wouldn't even mind the size, if I didn't have to fill it up so much, but it is a quality vehicle.