Millennial Mom’s Review: 2022 Acura MDX

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I don’t know if perfect is attainable, especially considering we’ve got the world of options when it comes to modern vehicles. We’re spoiled, and as such, we have very specific needs and wants. Driving-wise, the 2022 Acura MDX is one of my favourite three-row luxury SUVs. It’s smooth and relatively quiet; it’s comfortable; and it’s got decent fuel consumption averages — for a luxury SUV. 

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Then there’s the trackpad, which is the most obvious #firstworldproblem you could complain about — and don’t you worry, I will. A touchpad isn’t a requirement in any car, luxury or not; neither are many other optional features. For example, if you want a head-up display, then you’ll need to step up from the base trim, which starts at $57,900. No matter the trim, you’re getting that silly touchpad. It really is the worst thing in this otherwise-awesome SUV.

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Acura also missed the mark with its mode selector. I don’t have to use the touchpad, but the selector is a required component and this one is awkwardly annoying. Why do all the buttons look different (especially reverse) and need to be accessed in different ways? You shouldn’t have to think so hard after a week of driving it. What is so wrong with a normal mode selector?  

Is the Acura MDX a good family vehicle?

If a vehicle comfortably fits my three car seats, it’s on its way to being an optimal family car. This three-row seven-seater has more than enough space for my family of five. We don’t often switch seats, because frequently securing a car seat is no fun, but if needed, there are many possibilities for seating arrangements. 

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By far, the best feature in the MDX is the middle seat in the second row. For smaller families, it can be folded down and used as a tray and cupholder (an option in many sedans). The middle seat can also be taken out to provide some extra walk-through space in between the seats, which is especially awesome if you’ve got bulky car seats in place that make it difficult to use the one-touch option that moves the seat forward and allows access to the third row from the outer ends.

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The middle seat is also equipped with a LATCH system, which many vehicles don’t provide. Usually my eldest child sits in her booster seat in the middle and we tether the two car seats to the outbound seats; we had way more options in the MDX. 

The third row consists of two spacious seats, but is fairly typical in this segment with minimal legroom. The seats in the back aren’t automatic, but they easily fold down to go from 513L of cargo space; to 1,367L, which is needed if you’re doing groceries for the week or trying to fit a stroller. 

We took the MDX to the drive-in theatre last summer and with the third row folded down, there was plenty of space to comfortably sit in the trunk and enjoy the movie — unless you’re over the age of 30 (me) and your back hurts after being in one position for too long (also me) but that’s not the SUV’s fault. 

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How bad is the trackpad in the MDX?

It’s the worst. And no, I’m not done complaining about it.

But let’s talk about the general infotainment system first. The screen isn’t a touchscreen, despite my numerous attempts to make it one. As much as I’m not a fan of touchscreens, I would take a touchscreen over this annoying trackpad any day. At the very least, if Acura insists on keeping the trackpad, then we should have the option of a touchscreen, as well.

The trackpad is supposed to align with the screen in the sense that you can push the pad in the area of where you want pressed on the screen and ta-da! — it’s not that simple. First of all, the trackpad seemed to have different rectangular dimensions and proportions than the screen. I didn’t measure it, but I think you get the idea.

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The drive

For a vehicle with such a big nose, it’s surprisingly easy to drive and simple to park. It’s quiet, it’s smooth, and it’s pretty close to the perfect family car, if you’re looking to spend upwards of $60,000. This tested Platinum Elite trim starts at $68,900; and the top trim, Type S Ultra, starts at $83,000. Sure, this is the luxury-car segment, higher than average prices are to be expected, but it’s just really hard to justify my kids making a mess in something that costs more than I make in a year. 

On top of that, there’s the required premium-grade fuel and high fuel consumption averages. If you’re in the market for an MDX, then you’re likely not in the market for fuel savings; it has a combined average of 11.2 L/100 km, 12.6 city and 9.4 highway.

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I’m always interested in three-row SUVs because apparently, minivans aren’t cool anymore. Over at Honda, the top trim of the Pilot is the Black Edition that costs $58,420. If given the choice of spending $60k on the Black Edition or the base trim of the MDX, I’d probably pick the Black Edition, because you’re getting a lot of the same features and size options as the MDX. Plus, you don’t need the premium-grade fuel.

Final thoughts

I really love the Acura MDX. I’d go as far as saying that despite the silly trackpad, it’s one of my favourite three row-SUVs. I wish it had better fuel consumption averages, but that’s all in due time, since most companies have plans set to go all-electric, eventually. The 2022 Acura MDX is great for families, comfortably fits adults and children in any row, and is super easy to manoeuvre. If you need a three-row family vehicle that’s a step above the non-luxury segment, this is it.