The Acura MDX is America’s best-selling three-row luxury crossover and it’s about to get a radical redesign. Previewed by this thinly veiled MDX Prototype, the production model will be launched early next year and followed by an MDX Type S in the summer of 2021. As for the prototype itself, it follows in the footsteps of the 2021 TLX and features a diamond pentagon grille that is flanked by slender JewelEye LED headlights. The crossover also has a sculpted hood, sporty air intakes and a wide lower opening.
Continuing down the sides, there’s
athletic bodywork and a sharply sculpted beltline which helps to emphasize the
longer wheelbase. Acura also said the crossover adopts a lower and wider body
as well as a greenhouse that has been set further back. Other highlights
include more dramatic third quarter glass and a sportier rear end with Chicane
LED taillights. The model also has a dual exhaust system and 21-inch alloy
wheels.
The upscale styling continues in the cabin
as drivers will find Milano leather, polished aluminum accents and open-pore
wood trim infused with metallic flakes. The prototype has also been equipped
with stylish seats that features curvilinear quilting, gradient perforation and
high-contrast piping. Speaking of the seats, Acura says there is more legroom
in all three rows. The model also features more first- and third-row headroom
as well as added cargo capacity. Last but not least, the front-row sport seats
have 16-way power adjustment and a massage function with nine different modes.
Elsewhere, there’s a 12.3-inch digital
instrument cluster and a matching 12.3-inch infotainment system. The model also
has a panoramic moonroof, a leather-wrapped dashboard and an LED ambient
lighting system with 27 different schemes. On the audio side of things, the MDX
Prototype has a 25 speaker ELS Studio 3D sound system with 22 discrete channels
and 1000 watts of power. Acura says it’s the most powerful system they’ve ever
offered and sets a “new standard for concert-quality in-vehicle audio.”
While speculation suggested the
four-cylinder engine would carryover from the TLX, that’s not the case as Acura
confirmed the entry-level unit is a 3.5-liter V6 which is paired to a ten-speed
automatic transmission. The company didn’t release specifications for the base
engine, but said the MDX Type S will have a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that
produces an estimated 355 hp and 480 Nm of
torque. The Type S will also have a fourth-generation super-handling all-wheel
drive system.
The crossover rides on an all-new light
truck platform that has been designed to deliver “athletic handling, refined
ride comfort and exceptional cabin quietness.” The company didn’t go into many
specifics, but confirmed the model will have a double wishbone front
suspension, four-piston Brembo brakes and the most rigid body ever used on an
Acura SUV. The MDX will also have an Intelligent Dynamics System which allows
the driver to customize the ride, handling, steering, suspension and powertrain
characteristics with the twist of a dial.
The MDX will also come with the AcuraWatch
suite of driver assistance systems. Many features will carryover from the TLX
including Traffic Jam Assist and Road Departure Mitigation.
