2022 Acura MDX and Type S (skipping 21 year)

[AVANTI R5]

The MDX Type S gets a turbocharged V6 and 355 horsepower.

Acura pretty much nailed it with the latest iterations of the RDX crossover and TLX sedan. Both cars have been thoroughly redesigned and re-engineered to meet the growing needs of the luxury consumer. Now the three-row MDX is getting the same treatment, and our first glimpse at the forthcoming production version comes in the form of the MDX Prototype pictured here.

What you see should be pretty close to the final product, its official name notwithstanding. Design cues like a larger diamond-shaped grille and an even longer hood – both borrowed from the RDX and TLX – carry over to the MDX, as do the brand's now-signature four-element JewelEye LED headlights. And it all looks very sharp.

Acura MDX Protoype Exterior
Acura MDX Protoype Exterior
The body of the MDX Prototype is lower, longer, and wider, with the wheelbase growing by 3.0 inches over the previous model. It's all perched atop a set of sizeable 21-inch wheels. Details like bulging shoulders and a larger greenhouse set further back onto the axle give the SUV a more aggressive profile, and to top it off, the two MDX prototypes pictured here wear unique Liquid Carbon and Performance Red matte exterior finishes. We're hopeful those two hues carry over to production.

As with the exterior, the inside of the MDX also takes cues from its two siblings. The totally redesigned cabin features brand-new tech like the Acura digital cockpit, which consists of two 12.3-inch screens (a digital cluster and a central touchscreen) managed via the brand's True Touchpad Interface. Plus there are swathes of modern, high-quality materials throughout, including metallic flake accents, polished aluminum trim pieces, and Milano leather seating surfaces.

Acura MDX Prototype Interior
Acura also notes improvements to cabin space, citing more headroom for first and third-row occupants and an ultra-wide panoramic moonroof that extends to all three rows, giving the space an open and airy feel. The front seats also boast 16-way power adjustability and nine-way massage functionality.

The base Acura MDX will get a new 3.5-liter V6 engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission, though we don't know exactly how much power it will produce yet. The current MDX pumps out 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet from its V6. The MDX Type S, meanwhile, will get the brand's turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine capable of 355 horsepower (265 kilowatts) and 354 pound-feet (480 newton-meters), with power sent to all four wheels via the brand's fourth-generation SH-AWD system and Brembo stoppers at each corner.


The 2021 Acura MDX should appear in its final production form later this year before going on sale early in 2021.

Source: Acura

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[AVANTI R5]

The 2022 Acura MDX has finally bowed (in prototype form)



The automaker suggests the production version will see a 355-hp Type S trim

Acura is revitalizing its MDX SUV as its flagship, with more performance, better looks, and more luxury, as exhibited by a prototype of the model revealed mid-October.

With Acura only selling a handful of RLX sedans, the brand was forced to discontinue the vehicle and appoint the MDX as the flagship.

This means the new MDX will get a lot more luxurious accoutrements to move it slightly more up-market.

The MDX looks much more purposeful and clean, thanks to styling borrowed from the Type S Concept. It's also three inches longer in the wheelbase, and has been lowered - both changes make for a more muscular appearance.

Powering the MDX will be a 3.5-litre V6 that produces 290 horsepower, and there will be an option for the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 in the Type S version, which produces 355 horsepower.

Front-wheel-drive will be standard, while the Type S will feature torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive; both drivetrain options will feature a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Inside the SUV is a brand-new interior that features open-pore wood trim, polished aluminum, and plush Milano leather. The seats have 16-way adjustment and a massage function, while your ears will also be massaged with a premium 25-speaker sound system from ELS.

The MDX will be available early next year, with Type S trims to follow in summer of 2021.

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[oichan]

"Acura pretty much nailed it with the TLX"... really? Nailed a coffin? Editor needs to get new prescription for brain.

[Scooby-Doode]

Man that's a really sharp looking Mazda CX-9.

[AVANTI R5]

Acura today unveiled the all-new 2022 MDX, the most premium, performance-focused and technologically sophisticated SUV in Acura history.

Occupying its new position as the brand flagship, the next-generation Acura MDX marks a quantum leap forward with a bold exterior design coupled with a sophisticated and elegant new interior featuring the most high-tech and advanced cockpit in the brand’s 35-year history.

Fully developed around Acura’s Precision Crafted Performance brand DNA, and built on an all-new platform designed for new levels of performance, the 2022 MDX will arrive at dealers Feb. 2 with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) starting at $46,900.

“This new fourth-generation MDX really builds on all of the values that have made MDX a perennial favorite with customers over the past 20 years,” said Tom Nguyen, MDX global development leader. “By injecting higher levels of craftsmanship, performance and technology, the 2022 MDX is truly a vehicle befitting of its flagship position.”

Looks better in darker colors, from internet photos anyway..Doesn't look good in red

[godfather2112]

That interior sure does look nice. Going to put this on the list of vehicles for the lady to check out.

[VarmintCong]

Looks very nice inside and out. Mazda needs to step it up with the next CX-9.

[Calamity Jesus]

Mazda: What if we took the sporty handling out of our (non-miata) cars and just made the interior out of nicer plastics?

Acura: Lets bring back the dual wishbone front suspension to our platforms.

[Calamity Jesus]

Originally Posted by oichan

"Acura pretty much nailed it with the TLX"... really? Nailed a coffin? Editor needs to get new prescription for brain.

Have you paid any attention to the new TLX? The non-Type-S is impressing moto journalists.

YouTube

YouTube

YouTube

YouTube

[AVANTI R5]

Originally Posted by VarmintCong

Looks very nice inside and out. Mazda needs to step it up with the next CX-9.

New Mazda CX-5 To Go Premium, Gain Six-Cylinder Engines: Report
Mazda’s move into the premium space isn’t coming without casualties.

The company’s Mazdaspeed performance brand is dead, and a move upmarket likely means we’ll see higher prices, too. However, repositioning the Japanese brand may pay dividends as the company prepares the next-generation Mazda CX-5. A new report says the crossover will ride on the company’s new rear-wheel-drive platform and receive six-cylinder engines.

[AVANTI R5]

Say Goodbye To The Acura MDX Sport Hybrid

Will another hybrid take its place?

The all-new 2022 Acura MDX has officially debuted with bold and more athletic styling than its immediate predecessor. As Acura's flagship SUV, the MDX has a major role to fill but we couldn't help but notice there wasn't any mention of a hybrid version. Will there be a successor to the MDX Sport Hybrid? Apparently not.

Autoblog has confirmed with the luxury Japanese automaker that the MDX hybrid is not returning, which might seem somewhat surprising given the growing demand for electrified SUVs, especially luxury ones. Acura's reasoning is that the new Type S model will fill the old Sport Hybrid's role as the sportier and more powerful MDX.

The MDX Type S is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 355 horsepower and 355 lb-ft of torque. This is a fairly significant increase over the Sport Hybrid's 321 hp and 289 lb-ft. But more power alone won't enable the Type S to fully fill the Sport Hybrid's shoes for one key reason: fuel economy.

Official fuel economy numbers for the Type S have yet to be released, but the Sport Hybrid's 26/27/27 mpg city/highway/combined rating likely won't be matched. The base 3.5-liter direct-injected V6, rated at 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of twist, has an EPA-rating of 19/26/22 mpg for FWD models and 19/25/21 for the AWD version.

The outgoing Sport Hybrid's powertrain consisted of a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6 paired to three electric motors; one linked to the engine to provide power to the front wheels and one motor for each rear wheel for torque vectoring.

For now, Acura has not indicated plans for a new hybrid MDX but this could change at some point in the model's lifetime. Not only is there an increasing number of luxury and non-luxury SUV crossovers being offered with hybrid and/or plug-in hybrid powertrains, but the combined effects of stricter fuel economy regulations and consumer demand could force Acura to act sooner rather than later.

[Sid03SVT]

Originally Posted by Calamity Jesus

Have you paid any attention to the new TLX? The non-Type-S is impressing moto journalists.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwGffoe8I-4&t=934s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTd06SRjDXM

It's no longer a luxury performance car, it's just a luxury car now; to me it's basically an up-trimmed AWD Accord. Acura stayed with the FWD based & biased architecture, likely for cost reasons, in my mind they should do more to separate the brands.

Acura either needs to go full-on luxury like Ford/Lincoln is attempting, or go performance/sporty like GM/Cadillac did during their resurgence in the early 00's (before they dropped the ball).

That's my opinion though, my values are likely different than the average Acura buyers values (or the average Luxury car buyers values).

[VarmintCong]

Originally Posted by AVANTI R5

New Mazda CX-5 To Go Premium, Gain Six-Cylinder Engines: Report
Mazda's move into the premium space isn't coming without casualties.

The company's Mazdaspeed performance brand is dead, and a move upmarket likely means we'll see higher prices, too. However, repositioning the Japanese brand may pay dividends as the company prepares the next-generation Mazda CX-5. A new report says the crossover will ride on the company's new rear-wheel-drive platform and receive six-cylinder engines.

Damn, Mazda not messing around.

[Calamity Jesus]

Originally Posted by Sid03SVT

It's no longer a luxury performance car, it's just a luxury car now; to me it's basically an up-trimmed AWD Accord. Acura stayed with the FWD based & biased architecture, likely for cost reasons, in my mind they should do more to separate the brands.

The Type-S isn't out yet. This is the normal TLX.. which has SH-AWD with a strong rear-bias and dual-wishbones up front. It's not supposed to be fast or a great handler or anything other than an up-trimmed AWD Accord.. except that it's turning out to be a great handler with better underpinnings than the Accord. The reviewers are even praising the steering feel (belt driven EPS rack) on the non-performance car.They moved the front axle forward on the new platform, which spills more weight onto the rear.. It's more RWD-like than any of Subaru's AWD cars.

I think they're sticking with the FWD architecture because it works and they've invested considerably into SH-AWD (technology & branding), and their own 10-speed transmission is superior to the ZF 9-speed that otherwise dominates the market. They'll likely only use RWD for EVs (and performance hybrids) from here on out. Differentiating Acura more is a waste of resources for Honda.. hopefully this new Acura platform ends up underneath the next Accords and is the basis for the next Pilot & Ridgeline.

[neg_matnik]

Originally Posted by Calamity Jesus

[...]and their own 10-speed transmission is superior to the ZF 9-speed that otherwise dominates the market.[...]

I hope the 10-speed has been beefed up for the V6TT of the Type S.
The *preliminary* torque figure from Acura is 354 ft.lbs; that is *exactly* the max torque rating of the ZF 9HP48 (480 N.m = 354 ft.lbs ).
Interesting tidbit, IMO.
But, overall, I agree, the Honda 10-speed seems pretty snappy behind the I4T; I just hope it's beefy enough to cope with the WALL of torque from the V6TT.

[heavyD]

Honda just can't get automatic transmissions right. The programming for the regular TLX is embarrassingly slow on upshifts. I'm sure it will be better for the Type S (can't get worse) but it likely won't be remotely close to the experience of a ZF8 equipped vehicle.

[YungBoba]

Looks way better than the RDX, IMO. I'm just glad they're still sticking to traditional SUV/crossover silhouettes for the most part and not making coupe SUVs. Looking at you, Germans.

[AVANTI R5]

New Acura MDX Is Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

The new SUV is Acura's best model yet. Here's why.

The new MDX is Acura's flagship SUV and the vehicle that the Japanese automaker wants you to think of as one of its best. Despite the fact that it clearly isn't one, Acura says that the SUV drives like a sports car, and with styling accents inspired by the ARX-05 racer, it's a sharp-looking thing. The SUV borrows more than just styling elements from that car though, with Acura saying that the MDX's engine shares around 400 components with the championship-winning ARX-05 while a first-ever double-wishbone suspension setup on the SUV is another hint that the MDX is meant to be enjoyable to drive.

The video you see above is part of Acura's campaign to market the MDX as a sporty SUV and features musings from some of the company's executives as well as its import drag racing circuit champion Adam Saruwatari, who saw success in drag racing the first-generation NSX. The video intends to highlight once again that the MDX has true racing DNA and is a properly sporty SUV, but also revisits some of the automaker's past successes. The suggestion is that the history of Acura has led to this point, where all the marque's technical expertise and racing glory has helped create the best Acura vehicle to date.

Unfortunately, the video also highlights how much the brand has changed over the years. You see clips of the Integra Type R and the NSX, both of which were exceptional sports cars, but this reminds us that the brand doesn't have a great selection of driver's cars on offer anymore. Of course, the promise of a Type S version of the MDX is a positive takeaway, but Acura is a very different brand these days. Perhaps the MDX will deliver on its sporty claims though, as increased sales successes could pave the way for Acura to make more fun-to-drive cars in the future.

[AVANTI R5]

On the road, the overwhelming impression is one of adequacy. The 2022 MDX gets the job done, and that's about it. There's nothing about the way it drives on real-world roads, straight or curvy, that's sporty or even memorable.


2022 Acura MDX SH-AWD A-Spec First Test: Gets The Job Done

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/acur...t-test-review/

[heavyD]

Originally Posted by AVANTI R5

On the road, the overwhelming impression is one of adequacy. The 2022 MDX gets the job done, and that's about it. There's nothing about the way it drives on real-world roads, straight or curvy, that's sporty or even memorable.


2022 Acura MDX SH-AWD A-Spec First Test: Gets The Job Done

https://www.motortrend.com/cars/acur...t-test-review/

Not exactly a glowing review but that's what you get when you compromise. Acura needs to undercut the Germans in price and they do and it results in a lesser overall experience. For the masses a vehicle like this is enough and a lot of buyers still think Honda's offer top reliability even if that's not been the case for some time. I wish they would change their LED headlights as I find Acuras are the worst offenders for blinding oncoming traffic.

[AVANTI R5]

^^
I have it feeling the TLX S is going to be mediocre. I've been waiting. Sucks chip shortage isn't making good deals. I was going to grab S4 but I wanted to see how Acura is. The automatic in the S4 it's good but Boring.

[oichan]

Sad they have to emphasize the car can get the job done. I'd never want that thing nor consider another Honda until they release an updated S2K for no more than $60K.

[heavyD]

Originally Posted by AVANTI R5

^^
I have it feeling the TLX S is going to be mediocre. I've been waiting. Sucks chip shortage isn't making good deals. I was going to grab S4 but I wanted to see how Acura is. The automatic in the S4 it's good but Boring.

Yeah but nobody does boring luxury better than Audi. I don't think the TLX S will be a world beater but as we have seen with the CTR Honda is capable of pretty good things when the bean counters let them do their thing. Maybe they can work some magic on the transmission, engine, and chassis and make it compelling.

[AVANTI R5]

^^^
Lol about boring comment It's true. It's the same with the new Vette. I mean come in it's great esp, for the price. It just doesn't have feel like your in a Vette , I'm not good with words at the moment, but I think u get my point. I guess what I'm saying is Great can be a boring...I didn't get to really flog the new Vette in all fairness, but what I feeling was stated in reviews. Maybe I had pre notion lol.

[4S-TURBO]

If the S-tronic is boring, the ZF8 is casket.