NEW YORK -- Would you look at that? Acura's full-size MDX just got a lot sportier and handsomer.
Acura pulled the veils of its updated MDX SUV Wednesday morning at the New York Auto Show. Along with a sporty new nose and a few more horsepowers, it now boasts a hybrid all-wheel drive system from the NSX supercar. Well done, Acura.
That new nose is the first implementation of Acura's new design language, which was first debuted on the brand's Precision Concept in January in Detroit. Though, I wish the MDX went a bit further to embrace the angular wildness of the concept. Either way, I am happy about it.
However, it's underneath where the MDX makes the biggest strides. Acura engineers have bolted up Acura's Sport Hybrid system. This new, top-of-the-range model utilizes a 3.0-liter V6 engine in the front, mated to both an electric motor and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to drive the front wheels. Each of the two wheels in the rear is driven by its own electric motor. As a result, the MDX produces 35 more horsepower while achieving seven more miles per gallon.
The 2017 MDX also receives Acura's suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technology called AcuraWatch. At this moment, I could barrage you with a laundry list of acronyms that comprise the system. Instead, let me put it this way: Thanks to a ton of semi-autonomous tech, the MDX should be both much easier and safer to drive on the freeway.
