ACURA comes from Honda and is a high-end brand of Honda Motor Company. It was established in the United States in 1986. Acura’s entire series of vehicles are interpreted with the concept of individuality, sports, and luxury. The Acura MDX we are talking about today is a very representative model.
MDX is a medium-to-large hybrid SUV. It seems that when it comes to sports performance, it refers to some performance sedans or compact models, and has nothing to do with this larger-sized SUV. But MDX accurately explained the concept of sports, as my title said, this is a sportsman born for sports.
Now that sports are emphasized, the basis for embodying sports performance must be a strong driving force. The power structure of the MDX is a hybrid system consisting of a 3.0-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine + three electric motors. The 3.0L V6 engine has a maximum power of 261 horsepower and a maximum torque of 296 Nm.
The three motors are the front motor, the left rear motor and the right rear motor, with a combined maximum power of 326 horsepower and a maximum torque of 391 Nm. It is conceivable what kind of power this hybrid system will explode when it works together! The gearbox system is a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and it adopts an integrated design with the front motor.
With the foundation of strong power, let’s talk about the driving experience next. The MDX has four driving modes, Comfort, Standard, Sport and Sport+. Of course, there are correspondingly different settings for steering and suspension adjustments in different driving modes.
Although the weight of the MDX has exceeded two tons, it does not feel very big and heavy when driving. The adjustment of the throttle is relatively light and sensitive, without any false position. Because of the existence of the motor when starting, the low-torque output is very strong. In fact, you don’t need to step on the accelerator, just put your foot up, and the speed will be easily raised.
This relaxed state will give the driver an illusion: this is a small car, and the nearly 5-meter-long body seems to have nothing to do with it. And when you step on the accelerator deeply, under the full follow-up of the engine, this power will be continuously displayed.
The advantage of the large-displacement V6 engine is that the power output is linear, and the power reserve in the middle and rear stages is sufficient. At this time, the power feedback of the accelerator is also very linear. 120km/h can be completed in an instant.
Another very interesting place is that in the sports and sports + modes, stepping on the accelerator deeply will increase the sound wave setting of the engine at a higher speed. This kind of auditory stimulation further enhances the sports performance.
The steering system is light in comfort driving mode, but the precision is very good, there is no gap. As the mode changes to standard, sports or sports+, the feedback force of the steering wheel will also be enlarged step by step, including the road feeling will be clearer. In the sports mode, you will find that the steering wheel is extremely sensitive to control. So nimble, it’s an accurate representation of Acura’s sporty DNA.
The four-wheel drive structure of the MDX is also very interesting. It is not a four-wheel drive in the traditional sense. There is no drive shaft and rear differential device. The rear wheels are independently controlled by a separate motor. The English name is very long, Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), and I can’t read it. It is abbreviated as SH-AWD, or it can be referred to as super four-wheel drive. This four-wheel drive structure does not exist for getting out of trouble. Its actual significance is to improve the driving controllability, especially in the case of sharp turns, each tire can get individual performance.
For example, the outer rear wheel can be controlled independently in this case to quickly corner and improve accuracy.
There are also different changes including the setting of the suspension. The suspension is an electromagnetic active shock absorber of the ADS full-time adaptive damping system. Of course, the support strength of the suspension is also adjusted according to different driving modes.
In comfort mode and standard mode, the suspension will naturally become softer, the vibration filtering of the road surface is in place, and the comfort performance is good. In the sports mode, the suspension support should be more flexible, and the road feeling will become clearer. As the saying goes, big cars are hard to drive, mainly because the handling performance is not as flexible as small cars, but MDX has achieved precise sports performance that is easy to drive.
After talking about the driving control of MDX, let’s go back and talk about the appearance and interior. MDX is also Acura’s latest family-style front face. The most iconic is the “diamond” air intake grille. In fact, if you look closely, many details also reflect its sporty personality.
For example, the radioactive diamond-shaped central grille, the very impactful LED headlights, the LED fog lights have air guide grooves next to them, and the exhaust layout at the rear should be more outwardly expanded, but it is very well integrated with the lower surround , This is all to reflect the sporty side of personality.
The design of the body is relatively simple, smooth and without unnecessary burden. The rims are 20-inch rims and the tires are Continental tires, the specification is 245/50R20. The interior part will be controversial, the main reason is that the amount of leather is relatively small.
MDX uses a lot of soft materials, and the workmanship is very fine without any pickiness. The solid wood decoration of the center console feels very good, and the wood grain is also very beautiful. Be bigger.
If it is updated in the future, or if it is an annual facelift, I think there are two points that need to be improved. One is the liquid crystalization of the instrument panel, and the other is the localization of the central control head part. There is no problem with the display function and usability of the central control area, but in terms of UI design and operation methods, this needs to be more localized.
The push-button shifting may feel a little uncomfortable when you first get used to it, but after you get used to it, you will find that this kind of shifting is very convenient, and it is more convenient than ordinary electronic gears.
In terms of seats and seating space, the leather seats of the whole car are comfortable. The front driving position has ventilation and heating functions, and the softness and support of the seat cushions are very good.
The riding space has advantages, and sitting in the driving position with my body is very relaxed, which is beyond my expectation.
In the normal position of the second row, my leg room will have room for a punch and three fingers, and the head room will have room for more than two fingers. The MDX has a 7-seater layout, with the third row sitting. According to this model, I have won if I can sit in it.
As for the practicality of the storage space and the flatness of the trunk, there is no problem for family cars, which is very convenient and practical.
In terms of the price of MDX, this top model is priced at 848,000. I think it should also be viewed from two aspects. In terms of driving style and sports performance, 848,000 is worth the money. But if you look at the luxury of the interior, there may be some gaps.
Photography: Bo Yang
