Long-Term Test Update 1: 2014 Acura MDX

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Long-Term Test Update 1: 2014 Acura MDX

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Odometer at pick-up: 13,498 km
Odometer current: 16,246 km (2,748 km by Autos.ca)
Observed Fuel Consumption: 13.3 L/100 km
Costs: $383.93 (Gas)

If your family belongs to a ski club, you know the fashion show of luxury SUVs that members participate in each weekend. If you’ve been doing the weekend commute back and forth between the city and the chalet – or, more challenging still, the slopes and back – then you know what the ride requires: space, comfort/luxury, safety and performance. Depending on who in the family is reading this, the order of that list will vary (and you’ll notice that price doesn’t even get on that list). Regardless of who’s reading, the 2014 Acura MDX won’t let you down at the fashion show. It’s very pretty as far as SUVs go.

More important, it’s a damn good car. In fact, it was voted by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) as the 2014 Best New SUV over $60,000. Nearly all the writers here at Autos.ca are AJAC members. And in case you’re wondering: no, this wasn’t an easy year for that category. Competitors were fielded by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Range Rover and Buick, all names you’ll recognize from the ski club.

But think hard about space and fuel efficiency. Depending on how many passengers you have and how much stuff they regularly transport back and forth, you may not be overly impressed with the space.

Not that it isn’t spacious. It was plenty, actually, too much for me because my wife and second-born bailed on me and the firstborn at the last minute. Note the photo featuring an immense gap left after packing our meagre overnight bags and skis. The issue is how Acura’s designers used the space.

To fit skis or snowboards (which your kids will request precisely when adolescence strikes) you need to flatten the passenger-side seats in the second and third rows, leaving seating for a total of three passengers and a driver, down from a potential seven. Consequently, with the flattened seats you lose a good deal of storage for luggage. And that’s fine if you have a chalet with plenty of supplies stocked wherever you rest your head on ski weekends. (I know because, for five years, I watched a good friend with a 2005 Acura MDX transport his family of four plus their dog up to their chalet, December through March. Mind, they were careful planners and were ruthless about what was allowed in the car.)

A simple channel that flattens through the middle, rather than taking out three seats and cartage space, could improve things significantly.

Then again, you probably know how many skiing families choose a roof box. It’s a clean solution. Drying snow doesn’t leak from skis inside the car and there’s loads of room for possessions. However, a roof box hampers fuel efficiency. (NB: roof rails are $870 extra, installed, with the MDX).

So let’s talk power and the cost of it. The MDX has a gutsy 3.5L six-cylinder engine with plenty of pony and torque: 290 hp and 267 lb-ft. Moreover, once any spirited driver experiences the Sport mode, they’ll probably live in it. It takes the MDX from a sensible family solution to a fun pastime.

But all of this affects the price at the pump. I was regularly over 12 L/100 km and often pushing 13, well above the EPA ratings of 13.1 city / 8.7 highway and 11.2 combined (not adjusted for winter tires) considering there was a significant amount of highway driving. Furthermore, the manufacturer strongly recommends premium gasoline for that performance engine. So there’s a big cost.

Then again, there’s also a big payoff. Back to that Sport mode: the gears hold and you can rev, and let ‘er rip, like an angry tiger.

The steering is well calibrated, becoming firmer with greater speed, as you’d want. Shifting gears with the paddles on slippery winter roads is a genuine help.

You have great vision all around. Good for winter. The windshield and gate window are massive. So you’ll be using a lot of window wiper fluid in winters, too. Which eases us from the subject of power and drive experience into the realm of safety.

Most Ontario winters are marked by some challenging, if not ongoing, bad weather. This year, winter has been pockmarked by much devastating and constant… not weather, but full-on climate!

The MDX inspires confidence. The Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive is aptly named. Getting moving was simply not a problem despite a snowy week. There’s four-wheel ABS. So stopping didn’t ever become an issue either, despite an especially icy couple of days. City drivers who are less experienced in winter country driving will be glad for the vehicle stability assist with traction control.

Speaking of safety and intervention systems, the blind-spot alerts and lane-drift warnings may inspire a petit mal, rather than confidence, thought they’re easy enough to turn off. The Surround View Camera system is another good feature for safety, and saving your luxury ride from scratches. In a sloppy winter, as with any camera system, you’ll need to wipe the camera at times when you least want to. (Business idea: Heated and self-cleaning camera lenses!)

Finally, if you spend a lot of weekends commuting upwards of 400 km per round trip, you probably want some goodies inside to keep everyone happy. There’s quite a list of decent bling beyond all those safety features. This trim, the also appropriately named Elite, includes a DVD entertainment system with headphones for those watching in the back. Up front you have satellite radio and a significant amount of information available at your blessedly warm fingertips. Yes, the steering wheel is heated. No car in Canada without it should be allowed to use the word luxury as a descriptor.

Pricing: 2014 Acura MDX Elite
Base Price: $49,990
Base Price (Premium AWD): $65,990
Options: None
A/C Tax: $100
Destination: $1,995
Price as tested: $68,085

Competitors:
Audi Q7
BMW X5
Cadillac SRX/Escalade
Infiniti FX60/FX70
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Lexus RX/GX
Lincoln MKT
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class/GL-Class

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http://www.autos.ca/car-test-drives/long-term-test-update-2-2014-acura-mdx-elite/?all=1

Long-Term Test Update 2: 2014 Acura MDX Elite

Odometer at pick-up: 13,498 km
Odometer current: 16,745 km (3,247 km by Autos.ca)
Observed Fuel Consumption: 13.2 L/100 km
Costs: $476.67 (Gas)

Okay, it’s time to get some things off my chest about this 2014 Acura MDX long-termer that’s been with us at the Autos.ca for over a month and a half.

Steven has given us an idea of what it’s like taking the MDX out for a weekend ski trip, but in over a month of daily use there are some impressions that sink in that even a long trip won’t reveal.

Because much of this review might seem like a bit of a bitchfest, let me get one thing straight up front: I like this vehicle, a lot, and highly recommend it for those looking for a comfortable yet dynamic seven-seat SUV/crossover/minivan replacement. The ride is fitting (though the occasional crashy bump reaction is a bit déclassé) and the tech gear is outstanding if you go for that sort of thing.

About the only competition I would recommend in this seven-seat luxury crossover in the $50–70K price range is the Infiniti QX60 (nee JX35). Lexus RX sells as well at similar pricing, but falls short on seat count. The European seven-seaters generally start at a price where the MDX leaves off, fully optioned. The GM seven-seaters are either too large and too SUVish, or lacking in the quality department (sorry GMC Acadia Denali). Lincoln MKT? No, just no. I’d go with a Ford Flex over the MKT anyday.


Yes, the MDX is a Goldilocks in the luxury SUV market and had incredibly high expectations going in because the previous generation launched out in front of competitors costing $20,000 more with its sophisticated Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and excellent balance of sport and comfort. SH-AWD continues to impress with good manners (though the Goodyear Ultragrip Winter tires lack effective traction in snow and ice) – which actually makes for some pretty fun backroads ‘testing’. Jacob concurred: “The SH-AWD actually is pretty super. It has enough rear-bias when you need it to throttle steer – not that I’m into that sort of thing. I did like the DVD screen too.”


Speaking of the entertainment system, let’s discuss some admittedly trivial but nuisance issues we’ve experienced. For example, why isn’t the song and artist available on the secondary touchscreen (which I shall henceforth refer to as Junior) with radio and phone presets? If I want to find out who’s singing, I need to leave my security-blanket map (with useful but hard to decipher traffic-flow lines alongside major routes – why do the lines have to be so skinny?) in order to call it up on the main upper screen (why, Senior, of course).

On a similarly trivial tangent, I find it incredibly annoying that the DVD being projected on the rear screen cannot be seen on Senior. Not because I’m dying to watch another episode of My Little Pony, but because it is a royal pain when the front controls cannot execute a simple Play command or navigate DVD menus effectively, and I have to pull over, get out, pull out the rear remote and scroll to the onscreen play button. Oddly, I don’t have to do it every time, but sometimes the Junior or Senior Play button works, sometimes it just restarts the sneak previews. What I need less than hearing another episode of My Little Pony (again) is not listening to the ads for the activity book. Oh, and why does switching the front screen to the nav system switch the in-car audio from the DVD to the radio? But only sometimes…. Not good for kids that haven’t necessarily mastered the headphones available and parents with poor navigational skills. And why does the steering wheel control for volume also switch it back to front audio instead of simply turning down the volume?

Touchscreenophobes will moan about the seat heaters and custom climate controls being controlled through Junior (Auto temperature and defroster settings have hard switches, and the steering wheel heater is a button on the steering wheel), but this screen is quick to respond, with large, clear buttons that are easy to find. It’s also a simple matter to save presets in each radio band, or save shortcuts for stations from any band or phone numbers in a Shortcut menu. A knob for tuning would no doubt be more efficient for scrolling through stations, especially as the steering wheel control for station only jumps through the presets. There is a knob for volume.

Senior also displays and allows you to control the image from the back-up and 360-degree cameras (very effectively when all the camera lenses are clear), audio information and presets, navigation, and vehicle information. Overall it works well enough, but is neither as elegant in its menu architecture, design and resolution (maps seem a generation behind, at least), or ergonomic convenience as BMW iDrive, Audi MMI or Mercedes-Benz COMAND systems with control wheels located at your hand’s natural rest position ahead of the armrest. Acura’s big knob is below Junior, well within reach, but still irritating if you have to hold your arm out navigating menus for extended periods trying to turn off the AcuraLink’s annoying habit of reading every menu item out loud.


Once you have all your presets sorted and familiarize yourself with the controls, it’s usually only a couple taps to reach your preferred station or device, and the sound quality from the 546-watt 12-speaker Acura/ELS Surround sound system with Dolby Pro Logic II is entirely convincing, and not just for the musical stylings of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash and co.

While the audio and electronic controls give me reason to complain, I have found few regarding practicality and accommodations. The front seats are wide and comfortable, even if only power adjustable in eight ways (oh the hardship…) – competitors have thrones adjustable in over a dozen ways. Step-in height is perfect for me, and reasonable enough for my shorter wife, and the second row is sufficient width-wise to accommodate a small adult or adolescent between two full child seats.

Second-row seat height is ideal for strain-free installation of children – as an experiment we had our daughter riding in the third row for a while, and even there her seat was easily accessible to tighten the straps after she’s buckled in. Unfortunately there were no LATCH anchors with which to install the seat, so we had to use the seatbelt. My own attempts to sit in the third row were short-lived, but our daughter and her cousins love riding back there when we go out as a group. The second row seats have a handy button to tilt and slide the chair forward, though it is of limited use with a bulky front-facing child seat in place and no use at all with a reverse-facing seat.

Even with the third row in place, there is a sufficient minimum of space for a slim stroller and a day trip’s worth of gear, with an underfloor compartment to keep items out of sight – there is no cargo cover. The third row splits and folds 50/50, although the MDX is not an exceedingly long car so Tetris skills are required if you are only dropping half that third row – especially if the second row is occupied by a reverse-facing seat that you cannot move forward any farther or risk abutting the front passenger seat. For example, our stroller was too long to fit easily, so we had to angle it precariously on top of my hockey bag to squeeze it in.


With both seats down, the wide load area easily fits all of our gear with room to spare, and for the past few weeks we’ve been using this essentially as a five-seater with a large, generous trunk. Steven found that the lack of a pass-through makes carrying skis a difficult affair if not roof-mounted.

To summarize, know what you’re planning to use the MDX for, as it has some compromises, but overall is a flexible and accommodating interior that will keep the whole family happy, except the person operating the AcuraLink system.

While I won’t go into too much detail on the powertrain and dynamics here, I can say that the MDX is generally a pleasure to drive, with excellent power, balance and sufficient comfort. We have only a short time left in the MDX before its return to Acura, and will report on full driving impressions and its final fuel consumption.


Manufacturer’s Website:
Acura Canada

Photo Gallery:
2014 Acura MDX

Pricing: 2014 Acura MDX Elite
Base Price: $49,990
Base Price (Premium AWD): $65,990
Options: None
A/C Tax: $100
Destination: $1,995
Price as tested: $68,085

Competitors:

Audi Q7
BMW X5
Buick Encore/GMC Acadia Denali
Cadillac SRX/Escalade
Infiniti QX60
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Lexus RX/GX
Lincoln MKT
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class/GL-Class

Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

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Long-Term Test Wrap-up: 2014 Acura MDX Elite

Odometer at pick-up: 13,498 km
Odometer current: 19,770 km (6,272 km by Autos.ca)
Observed Fuel Consumption: 13.3 L/100 km
Costs: $983.086 (Gas)

So ends a happy, safe winter behind the wheel of the Acura MDX. As we wrap up this long-term test, I wanted to look back at our time in it, but also cover the driving experience and some of the high-tech driving aids that we saw in action throughout our months in the sporty crossover.

First of all, the engine: it’s a sweetheart. A 3.5L V6 with cylinder deactivation, direct injection and i-VTEC producing 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque is up to the task of moving this 1,970 kg SUV briskly, though the transmission was a little behind the curve. Before we get into that, some more praise for the V6: it’s smooth on its way up through the tach, delivers sufficient low-end pull, and as promised by the i-VTEC variable valve timing and lift control, continues to deliver a second wave of power if you keep pushing, and it makes the right kind of zingy noises to encourage the occasional blast upwards of 4,000 rpm.

On the efficiency side, this V6 is equipped with direct injection and cylinder deactivation, able to shut down half of its cylinders when cruising calmly. Despite EPA ratings that suggest significant improvement over the previous generation (13.1/8.7/11.2 L/100 km city/highway/combined vs 14.7/11.2/13.1, we landed at 13.3 L/100 km as calculated from fuel receipts and odometer reading. I managed 14.0 in a test of the 2012 MDX.

We consistently tracked our fuel consumption at over 13 and often 14 in a mix of suburban commuting and weekend highway runs during this cold, harsh winter. Curiously, the trip computer consistently showed optimistic ratings starting with 11 and 12, and this is the first time the calculated consumption has failed to match the trip computer by the end of a long-term test to within a few decimal points – the MDX was at least a full L/100 km off. While contributors Steven Bochenek and Justin Pritchard both took the MDX to northern destinations, one for a skiing weekend and the other because he lives there, God bless him, this did little to help the overall average, although Justin did manage one pure highway run right around 10.

The six-speed automatic transmission earned numerous complaints from other drivers, namely that it was a bit slow on the uptake, shifting early, taking its sweet time and reluctant to downshift. I generally thought it was just fine in normal Drive mode, unless I was in a big rush, at which point Sport mode quickened the pace by holding gears longer and downshifting at the slightest prod. Racing enthusiasts Jacob Black and Stephanie Wallcraft both thought Sport should be the default, and Steven likewise thought Sport mode “takes the MDX from a sensible family solution to a fun pastime.”

Complementing the Sport mode in the transmission is the Integrated Dynamic System (IDS) that adjusts steering effort, throttle response, SH-AWD, and even the sound of the engine to suit one’s mood or temperament: Comfort, Normal and Sport. Honestly, the differences here were subtle, the most noticeable aspect being a slightly more weighty steering. Steven found the steering “well calibrated, becoming firmer with greater speed, as you’d want.” However, Brendan, in a west-coast comparison with an almost identical MDX Elite vs the Lexus RX350, found that “while there’s a very odd slackness to the steering dead on centre, start pushing the MDX a little and it responds.” I’d say it’s okay for an SUV and leave it at that.

Unconnected to the driver-selectable IDS modes, the MDX’s strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension incorporate an amplitude reactive damper that adjusts damping based on road conditions and driving input, but does not firm up in response to IDS Sport mode being selected. I could have tolerated a bit more firmness in the ride for better control of body roll, but I found the ride occasionally crashy and noisy, moreso than expected at this price point and with such a compliant suspension. Other than that, the cabin was fair at suppressing external noise.

Although we’d like to see a bit of improvement from the suspension department, we had nothing but love for the Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive system. Pritchard raved: “Very smooth AWD power transfer – no drama whatsoever.” Black concurred: “The SH-AWD actually is pretty super. It has enough rear-bias when you need it to throttle steer – not that I’m into that sort of thing.” We grabbed a quick pic of the little display gauge that demonstrates the SH-AWD’s ability to shift virtually all of the engine’s torque to the outside rear wheel in order to provide unexpected dynamic prowess powering around corners. A little more chassis stiffness and suspension sorting would turn this into a world-beater, but it’s not quite at the dynamic level of the next price bracket up like the X5 and Range Rover Sport even if the AWD system is.

In more sedate, mundane duty, the SH-AWD is an invisible guiding hand that ensures safety in slippery conditions, and a good set of winter tires will take it to another level. The Goodyear Ultragrip Winters fitted to the MDX were okay in cold, dry and wet, but not confidence-inspiring in slush, deep snow or ice. The brakes were so natural in feel and effective that I never once questioned they would be up to the task.

On the advanced safety front, the MDX Elite is equipped with adaptive cruise control that maintains a set distance to the car ahead, but adds Lane Keeping Assist to provide gentle steering inputs to keep you in your lane. Of the adaptive cruise control systems I’ve experienced, this was actually one of the more abrupt and jerky ones. I suspect the sensors need more range or sensitivity, because it seemed delayed in picking up distant slow-moving traffic and would then have to brake rather jarringly. In tighter traffic, it also seemed to lurch ahead and brake rather sharply, and I often felt uncomfortable enough to have to get on the brakes myself – it just didn’t earn enough trust from me because of its lack of smoothness and anticipation. In Audis I’ve driven with this feature engaged, it amazes me how smoothly it gauges and responds to varying speeds and maintains distance and evens out speed when following in tight traffic.

Related to the adaptive cruise, the forward collision alert functioned as desired, perhaps a bit overcautious when passing vehicles vacating the lane ahead, but better safe than sorry and a couple alerts were well timed, though I was not in any real risk, I believe.

The Lane Keeping Assist was a novelty to try out, and I think I would embrace it. With adaptive cruise engaged, it did a fair job of reading lane markings and nudging the car back into one’s lane when drifting, and even followed curves surprisingly well. However, if you forget it’s on, it sure is weird to have the steering wheel tug your hands along and Brendan noted that it performed poorly in heavy rain. Supplementing these systems are blind-spot monitoring (lights and audible warnings) and lane-deaprture warning (a simple beep when crossing lane markings).

At your destination (or when departing), the low-speed safety and convenience aid of the Surround View Camera were superb (when ensuring the lenses are kept clean). While visibility is decent, the complete view of all sides made lining up with curbs and slotting in and out of tight spaces easy and brought a certain video-game fun to the task.

For night-time driving the most important safety feature becomes your headlights and Acura’s “Jewel-Eye” LED headlights offer clear and crisp illumination. Justin Pritchard, testing them on dark country highways, noted, “Near perfect headlights, especially high beam.” While LED bulbs should last the lifetime of ownership, repair costs are significant should anything damage them.

Our last update on the MDX thoroughly covered my litany of issues with the infotainment system, and I’m not alone. Brendan offered this insight: “Acura still hasn’t got its control interface right yet… The new dual-screen setup with the haptic-feedback touchscreen isn’t quite there yet, and can be really quite distracting to use.” Unfortunately, we can’t publish Jacob’s thoughts on this interface, but suffice to say it was colourful, though he did appreciate the large, easy-to-find heated steering wheel button. Anyhow, there are a lot of features here, but they need to be better managed.
Long Term Test Wrap up: 2014 Acura MDX Elite car test drives luxury cars long term auto tests acura
2014 Acura MDX Elite. Click image to enlarge

Despite the difficulties in usability, the materials and craftsmanship were all reassuring to the touch, with an unexpectedly rich wood trim providing a simple, natural contrast to the busy technology. Of all the features the MDX offers, the console storage cover with the dark, open-pore wood lined with grippy rubber strips was my favourite aspect of the interior and the thing I miss the most when switching through various cars. It was a perfect place to keep one’s phone close at hand but out of distracting sight, with easy access to the USB charging point in the console beneath.

In family duty around town, the MDX’s size was generous and convenient, plenty of space inside for storage without being so large that it is ungainly to drive, and seating was at a reasonable height for both me and my wife to access the cabin and secure our kids in the child seats. However, Steven requests on behalf of all skiing families: “A simple channel that flattens through the middle, rather than taking out three seats and cartage space, could improve things significantly.”

Overall
4

Comfort
3.5/5

Performance
4/5

Fuel Economy
3/5

Interior
3/5

Exterior Styling
3.5/5

While the MDX was saddled with high expectations, it delivered on its core competencies of luxury, practicality, capability and sportiness. In winning its comparison versus the RX, Brendan concluded: “It’s a surprisingly good drive, a well-polished product overall.” It’s not perfect, especially its technology interface, and its fuel consumption still seems like it should be better considering the powertrain innovations, but it also hovers in an almost uncontested segment of seven-seat luxury SUVs offering good value. What it lacks for in dynamics and cachet it makes up for in value compared to European stock. At $65,990 the MDX Elite is loaded with technology and conveniences, looks the part of a premium family transport and will make many practical but demanding shoppers very happy.


Manufacturer’s Website:
Acura Canada

Photo Gallery:
2014 Acura MDX

Pricing: 2014 Acura MDX Elite
Base Price: $49,990
Base Price (Premium AWD): $65,990
Options: None
A/C Tax: $100
Destination: $1,995
Price as tested: $68,085

Competitors:

Audi Q7
BMW X5
Buick Encore/GMC Acadia Denali
Cadillac SRX/Escalade
Infiniti QX60
Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Lexus RX/GX
Lincoln MKT
Mercedes-Benz ML-Class/GL-Class

Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)