SUV with swagger
Brian Harper admires the quiet confidence of the 2016 Acura MDX
Sometimes it takes a weather event to make you truly appreciate a vehicle. I’m not talking anything apocalyptic — in this specific case, it was just unceasing rain along with significant wind gusts, the sort of conditions that cause you to tighten your grip on the steering wheel as another blast sends a shiver through the car and you cast a concerned eye at the transport truck in the next lane. Yes, in these conditions, with many kilometres of highway driving ahead, it’s good to be ensconced in a solid set of wheels.
Fortunately, the upgraded 2016 Acura MDX had my back — and my front and sides — thanks not only to its Super Handling AllWheel Drive (SH-AWD) system, but also a full suite of “driver assistive” technologies called AcuraWatch.
Not the sexy part of any road test — and usually at the bottom of the list when it comes to tallying the changes, additions and upgrades when a new model year rolls around — AcuraWatch generally only makes itself known when things look like they could go pear shaped. The suite of nannies comprise road departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane departure warning, forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, collision mitigation braking system with pedestrian detection, and a multi-angle rear-view camera.
It’s standard across the MDX line for 2016. And though I don’t believe the driving conditions were ever that dire, it was no small comfort knowing this upscale sport-ute had a “watchful” eye on the road.
Describing the seven-seat MDX as safe and solid might leave Honda Canada’s marketers cringing, but it’s as good a foundation as any. Styling for the third-generation version, introduced for the 2014 model year — and winner of the Best New SUV/CUV (over $60,000) category by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada for that year — is not a particularly strong suit. It’s not unattractive by any means, with a strong face, but the Acura is a little thick around the middle and tends to blend in with others of its kind rather than stand out.
Things are more interesting in the powertrain department for 2016 as the old six-speed autobox usually bolted to the MDX’s evergreen, 270-horsepower, 3.5-litre direct-injected V6 is ditched for a brand-new ninespeed automatic, complete with Sequential SportShift.
Despite the extra cogs, the new transmission is 30 kilograms lighter than the old unit, with more closely spaced gear ratios and, says Honda, 25 per cent faster gear shifts for improved acceleration. Punch the throttle and, after a moment’s hesitation, the 1,954-kilogram, top-ofthe-line Elite model gets out of its own way fairly smartly.
Acura doesn’t stop there. Slide into the driver’s seat and look for the traditional console-mounted shifter. It isn’t there, having been replaced with a fully electronic, shift-by-wire gear selector. Park, Neutral and Drive are selected with the push of a button. Reverse is achieved by pulling back on a switch.
It’s not hard to figure out, though it seems to me the setup is different for the sake of being different, rather than a necessary improvement.
However, Honda claims this selector creates more “working space” in the centre console area, making it more convenient to use. I’ll concede the interior designers that point. And, for the sporty types, there’s steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters for manual gear selection should the mood arise.
As the vast majority of my driving was on four-lane and secondary highways, with little in-town commuting, fuel economy was much better — 10.9 L/100 km — than what I normally average in similar-sized and powered sport-utes, though Honda does recommend 91 octane to get the best results out of the V6. Idle stop and start is part of the Elite package.
As for the stalwart SH-AWD system, it’s been upgraded with a 25 per cent lighter twin-clutch rear differential. Already one of the better AWD systems out there, SH-AWD progressively distributes torque between the front and rear axles as well as between the left and right rear wheels. Without trying to appear overly tech geeky, SH-AWD uses torque vectoring to create a yaw moment that helps turn the sport-ute. Honda will claim all sorts of benefits, including responsive, neutral and predictable handling characteristics. I’ll just cut to the chase and say the rig goes where it’s pointed.
Typical of Acura’s models, the MDX’s cabin is more high-tech functional than overtly luxurious, Honda ramping up the list of modern conveniences with each successive package upgrade. There are three upticks from the base $52,990 unit — Navi ($55,990), Technology ($59,990) and Elite ($64,990). All 2016 models include a standard bi-directional remote starter, Siri Eyes Free voice recognition and a tire fill assist that sounds a subtle audible alert when the driver inflates the tire to the correct pressure. Key additions to the Elite include an “ultra-wide” DVD rear entertainment system with 16.2-inch display, surround-view camera system, Olive Ash wood trim, front and rear parking sensors and ventilated front seats.
Speaking of seats, those up front get the most stretch-out room. However, putting those seats back in their tracks compromises knee room for those of a taller persuasion sitting in the second row. And the third row is strictly for kidlets.
On the cargo side, dropping the back row almost triples room to a commodious 1,277 litres (45.1 cubic feet); folding the second row really opens things up — 2,577 litres (91 cu. ft.).
Honda says the MDX is the bestselling three-row luxury SUV of all time. I’m guessing there are enough qualifiers in that claim to make it true.
What I do know is the understated sport-ute goes about its business with a quiet confidence, and the powertrain and safety enhancements for 2016 are significant enough that it should be top of mind for families shopping the premium mid-size-SUV segment.