As Acura’s flagship, the 2024 MDX Type S is race-engineered for high performance with standard Super Handling all-wheel drive

Table of Contents

Type S Finesse
20 Years of Acura MDX
2024 Acura MDX Pricing
MDX Type S Assets
MDX Type S Powertrain
Interior Function
9 Cool Things
What’s It Like To Drive?
Back Seats and Cargo
Why Buy the 2024 Acura MDX Type S?
Specifications 

BY MARK MAYNARD

The new Acura MDX Type S is a brand shaper. For those who ponder the point of Honda’s luxury division, Acura is making a statement for technology and performance with its first Type S performance treatment for the midsize MDX SUV.

Sportiness and performance have always been the Acura mantra, but differentiation is more difficult now as many mainstream vehicles have easy supplier access to higher-performance technologies. TV ads of a car or an SUV barnstorming along city streets or sliding along an off-road trail are just so ho-hum.

It was time for a brand makeover in 2022 when Acura brought out “its most radical transformation” of the MDX since the launch of the first-generation model 20 years ago. Acura says it is a quantum leap forward with a bold exterior design and sophisticated new interior. With its role as flagship, Acura specially engineered the MDX Type S for high performance with standard Super Handling all-wheel drive.

Type S Finesse

Acura leverages engineering influence from its halo supercar, the NSX. Though the hybrid electric NSX was taken out of production last year, Acura gave it a sendoff with a limited run of 350 Type S models, each starting at about $172,000. However, according to Automotive News, the NSX might return in 2026 as an electric variant. Acura says, however, that a third-generation is not in development.

Today, the Type S performance treatment also has been applied to the Integra Type S compact hatchback ($51,000), and the TLX Type S midsize sport sedan ($57,745). The only other model in the brand’s four-vehicle lineup without the Type S option is the RDX compact SUV.

Acura will add a fifth vehicle to its lineup early next year with the battery-electric 2024 ZDX and 500-hp ZDX Type S. The ZDX is the brand’s first step as it shifts to become an all-electric brand by 2040, Acura says. ZDX Details are here.

And learn about Acura’s other future vehicles here.

20 Years of MDX

The fourth-generation 2024 Acura MDX follows the evolutionary footsteps of the first-gen model of 2001-2006, followed by the second-gen of 2007-2013, and the third from 2014-2022. The current model had a complete redesign and re-engineering for 2022.

The Acura MDX and the Honda Pilot share a platform, but their missions separate at birth. The Pilot is the mainstream family SUV with more off-roading credentials; the MDX is the luxury choice emphasizing tech and performance.

Acura refers to the MDX as “the best-selling, 3-row luxury SUV of all time,” though Lexus and BMW might object with their currently higher-selling SUVs, the Lexus RX and BMW X5. Other midsize luxury SUVs include the Audi Q7 and Q8, BMW X5, Genesis GV80, Infiniti QX60, and Lincoln Aviator.

But the MDX is Acura’s top-selling model, narrowly outselling the smaller RDX SUV.

2024 Acura MDX Pricing

Sold in two trim levels, the 2023 Acura MDX Type S starts at $69,345 and the 2023 Acura MDX Type S Advance, today’s tester, starts at $74,695. Retail pricing includes the $1,195 freight charge from East Liberty, Ohio, and 2 years or 24,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance.

My tester came to $75,295, including options for Liquid Carbon metallic paint ($600); Acura logo pattern LED lighting (from the side mirror) $188; and illuminated door sill trim for $459.

Standard MDX Type S features are substantial, including keyless entry with push-button ignition, panoramic moonroof with tilt and slide, acoustic laminate windshield and front side glass, 12.3-inch Acura Precision Cockpit gauge information, and a 12.3-inch HD dual-content center touchpad digital display. The long list of features is below in the specifications.

The Advance package adds Acura’s first massaging front seats; Milano leather in a curvilinear quilting pattern; an option for the new Azurite Blue interior color; and a 25-speaker ELS Studio 3D Signature Edition audio system.

New paint colors include a deep Fathom Blue Pearl and Phantom Violet Pearl, a deep purple. Both colors are just a $600 option. There also is the Type S exclusive hue of Tiger Eye Pearl (gold).

Choosing Liquid Carbon paint also adds the choice of a red interior with black and silver accents and gray stylized wood trim. The red is a gorgeous blue-red and is liberally applied throughout the cabin.

Pricing for the standard MDX with 3.5-liter V-6 ranges from about $50,000 for front-wheel drive to $65,000 with Super Handling AWD.

Check here for current Acura MDX pricing. And find special Acura pricing offers here.

MDX Type S Assets

Acura’s “Precision Crafted Performance” tagline becomes more apparent with the MDX Type S treatment and the Advance package.

For the added $10,000 above the standard MDX, here are some of the Type S performance enhancements:

• A new front fascia with a more aggressive-looking front spoiler, functional side air inlets, and an open-surface Diamond Pentagon grille, which also increases airflow to the engine bay;
• A more aggressively styled rear fascia with four large round exhaust outlets;
• Gloss black wheel arches and lower body trim;
• Brembo four-piston front calipers with 14.3-inch ventilated discs. Non-Brembo rear braking is weighty with solid 13-inch discs;
• First use of a double-wishbone front suspension.

9 Cool Things About MDX

Acura’s attention to detail reinforces pride of ownership for spending $75,000. Here are some features I liked:

• Door-lock sensors in front and rear doors. I appreciated this simple addition every time I opened the side doors and could lock the door without using the key fob or stepping forward to the front door sensor.
• Milano leather-trimmed upholstery. It is impressively stitched and precisely installed throughout the cabin.
• Dual LED lights in the upper tailgate, plus an overhead cargo light;
  

  Convenient tailgate closer switch, a 12-volt power outlet, and a bag hook.

• Numerous USB charging ports. Acura gives us the new USB-C fast-charge ports with a few of the older USB-A style for those of us still with an iPhone lightning cable.
• Large capacity side door storage, fits big and tall bottles;
• Camera activation switch, in the end of the turn signal stalk;
• Grab handles above each door, with jacket hooks in the second-row handles;
• Convenient tailgate closer switch on the side of cargo area, packaged with a 12-volt power outlet, and a bag hook.
• U.S. built, designed, and engineered.

MDX Safety Technologies

Among the MDX safety credentials are eight air bags, and Agile Handling Assist with traction and stability controls.

Also standard are the driving-assist technologies of Acura Watch. Among those technologies are:

• Adaptive cruise control;
• Collision mitigation braking;
• Forward collision warning;
• Lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist;
• Road-departure mitigation;
• Traffic-jam assist;
• Auto high-beam assist;
• Traffic sign recognition.

Calibration of the Level 2 hands-on-the-wheel driver assistance gives good lane centering. The guidance is reasonably consistent without having alert meltdowns in low-light levels or other traffic variables that can cancel the system.

I especially rely on traffic sign recognition, which shows in the gauge array or the head-up windshield display.

MDX Type S Powertrain

Unique to the MDX S-Type is its turbocharged, 3.0-liter V-6. The Type S twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter helps spool up 355 horsepower and 354 foot-pounds of torque from 1,400-5,000 rpm. (The standard issue MDX V-6 has 290 horsepower and a fuel-sparing 267 lb.ft. of torque at a high 4,700 rpm.)

Other credentials for the Type S engine include:

• Reinforced engine block with six-bolt main caps for durability and rigidity;
• Forged crankshaft and connecting rods;
• A fully square 86mm bore and stroke.
• Increased cooling. Small subradiators behind both front inner fenders flank the turbo intercooler below the main radiator.

Transmission, Suspension, and SH-AWD

Also beefed up is the 10-speed automatic transmission. It is tuned for quicker downshifts and faster upshifts in Sport-plus mode.

Acura’s fourth-generation Super Handling All Wheel Drive is improved with expanded torque vectoring for cornering control. In normal driving, 70 percent of engine power is sent to the rear axle, with up to a 100 percent split left to right.

Its air suspension with automatic load leveling and active dampers is unique to the MDX Type S. The electronic system will lower for passenger entry and exit. And, in Sport mode, the suspension lowers 15mm (a little more than a half inch), and for snow or off-road travel, the body rises by 50mm (almost 2 inches).

Acura gave its big SUV a significant presence with 21-inch Continental CrossContact RX high-performance all-season tires. The self-sealing ContiSeal tires are a first for Acura, which gives a better ride quality than run flats. There is enough sidewall height to the 275/40 tires that curb scrapes to the Berlina Black alloy wheels can be avoided, plus the camera system gives a curb view.

Type S Fuel Economy

Official fuel-economy ratings are 17 mpg city, 21 highway, and 19 mpg combined, using the recommended premium fuel. Most of my week’s driving returned an average mpg of 18.6, dipping into the 17s when exercising Sport mode. The 18.5-gallon tank gives a wide cruising radius, but fill-ups can be painful with my city’s current $6-plus-a-gallon 91 octane.

What’s It Like To Drive 

The MDX Type S is not a howling wolf, nor is it a namby-pamby. Its slightly elevated exhaust voice will be acceptable to most enthusiasts.

Big brakes, big tires, all-wheel drive, and luxurious appointments raise the MDX Type S curb weight to 4,788 pounds, the heaviest of all MDX trim levels. Yet, the Type S powertrain shrugs off the weight and delivers a fit and controllable experience. Floor the accelerator in Sport mode, and the V-6 takes a big gulp and powers to 0-60 mph acceleration in 5.5 to 6 seconds, according to online reports. But the force is more appreciable from about 45 to 65 mph when the engine is solidly in its torque band.

It is a refined driving experience all around. The brakes have absolute stopping force without grab and pitch. The steering wheel glides smoothly through the hand and never feels heavy-handed. Laminated windshield and side glass help provide a traffic-calmed interior.

At 16.5 feet long, the MDX looks big at the curb but drives smaller. Those big 21-inch Continental tires help boost the turning circle to a wide 40.5 feet. Inexplicably, however, the MDX curls easily into cramped parking spaces.

Performance modes of Normal or Comfort are capable purveyors of power — until you discover Sport mode. It cranks up the attitude, and the quad exhaust clears its throat to a nicely machined bellow.

The drive-mode system of Lift, Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport-plus can modify such elements as throttle response, steering weight, and suspension firmness. I used Comfort or Normal on the Interstate and Sport for everything else.

Sightlines are open across the hood and out the back glass. Broad side mirrors can get in the way while turning but don’t create major blind spots.

MDX Interior Function

Take away the Acura “A” on the steering wheel, and you’d be stumped to guess this is a Honda product. The cabin has quality materials with meticulous fit, but it is not overly dressed for family duty.

The MDX feels larger than a “midsize” SUV and more of a “large-midsize,” particularly with the open cabin and 50/50 third-row seats.

I especially like the dual-cockpit layout, which gives the impression of a command center. The three-spoke, flat-bottom steering wheel has a secure leather-wrapped fit in the hands. Robust metal-trimmed pedals and driver’s footrest send a message of performance.

The front seats have broad elbow room and tall headroom of 38.5 inches — with a panoramic sunroof. Especially enjoyable are the 16-way power sport seats (heated and ventilated seats) with power lumbar. Tall adults can dial in a comfortable position with the power seat-bottom thigh extenders and adjustable side bolsters. There also is a nine-way massage function with choices of “Wave,” “Shiatsu,” and “Awake.”

Both MDX trim levels are well packaged at this price point with the expected conveniences and driver-assist technologies. However, a cargo cover is not included, but there is a luxury-priced roller cover for $321. With all the smash-and-grab stories, a roller cargo cover is almost a safety feature.

Information Overload

The 12.3-inch-wide infotainment screen has a 60/40 split for dual feeds and the surround-view camera system with a rear washer. But there also is some information overload. The dashboard layout is very noisy with numbers, graphics, screens, knobs, and dials. It is the antithesis of the minimalist Tesla Model X instrument panel with its 17-inch tablet touchscreen.

The wide driver gauge display is busy with numbers, as are the many functions on the steering wheel. Many cabin controls are tightly grouped in the center module of the instrument panel. The tight space requires smallish buttons and switches, which can take eyes from the road to adjust. There are, however, a separate audio volume knob and rocker switch to advance channels.

And while that infotainment display looks like a touchscreen, it’s not — no matter how many times I reached to tap an icon. Access instead is via a small “True Touchpad Interface” pad on the center console. It just takes finger movements to scroll among the features, but it takes time to adapt to how it works. A robust wrist brace helps the transition, but I’d rather have a touchscreen.

MDX Back Seats and Cargo Space

There is no shortage of back-seat features, but squeezing a third row into a five-seat SUV is a shuffle compromise of back-seat space. Passengers in the second row have a flat floor for three-across occasional seating and 38.5 inches of max legroom. There are a few inches of fore-aft slide to help with more legroom in the third row. And the seatbacks recline a few inches, but the seat bottoms are short on adult thigh support.

Electronic climate controls include temperature, fan speed, and vent direction. Below are two charging USB ports, a 12-volt plug, and a household outlet.

Access to the third row is by a manual tip-and-slide function. For kids getting out of that space, a button on the second-row seatback springs the seat forward. Third-row legroom is tight at 29.1 inches, but there are charging USBs at both seats and a cup/box holder.

Functionally, the third row folds flat for broad cargo space, and there is deep basement storage with a reversible lid with a hard plastic underside; Acura calls that “Hidden Cargo Storage.”

Cargo entry width is 48 inches by 29 inches in height. Fold the third row for 47 inches in length, or fold both rows for about 6 ½ feet of board and ladder length.

Why Buy the 2024 Acura MDX Type S?

Acura’s Type S engineering creates a durable and sustainable performance level. It is not of the extreme power and performance of such competitors as the Audi SQ7, BMW M60i, or the Mercedes-AMG GLE. All these models start at about $90,000 and are pushing 500- to 600-horsepower.

As enthusiasts, we all like big horsepower, but the $15,000 price difference for the MDX Type S buys a lot of gasoline and a generous family vacation. And the MDX Type S is still an accommodating road-trip cruiser without such a firm ride that it becomes monotonous after a few hours.

And when considering the long-term maintenance and repair costs of an Acura vs. a BMW or Audi, the MDX is the clear winner. Acura does provide a new-vehicle warranty of 4 years or 50,000 miles bumper to bumper, with an Acura maintenance program of 2 years or 24,000 miles.

A hot-rod SUV with seven seats is almost an oxymoron, but Acura must maintain seating for family versatility — with the Type S edge. But could Acura find success with a five-seat version? Or even a four-seat “executive” package, removing the third row to add more second-row legroom?

Acura’s interior finesse and race engineering to modify and reinforce the MDX S Type are a proud statement.

2024 Acura MDX Type S Advance Specifications

Body style: large-midsize, 3-row, 7-seat SUV with Super Handling AWD

Engine: 355-hp twin-scroll turbocharged and direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6; 354 lb.-ft. torque from 1,400-5,000 rpm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters; Integrated Dynamics System drive modes of Normal, Comfort, Economy, Sport, and Sport-plus

Fuel economy: 17/21/19 mpg city/hwy/combined; premium unleaded fuel recommended

Max towing capacity: 5,000 pounds with AWD

0-60 mph acceleration: 5.5 seconds

BY THE NUMBERS

Fuel tank: 18.5 gallons

Cargo space: 16.3 to 39.1 cubic feet

Front head/leg room: 38.5/41.6 inches

2nd-row head/leg room: 38.1/38.5 inches

3rd-row head/leg room: 36.2/29.1 inches

Length/wheelbase: 198.4/113.8 inches

Width/height: 78.7/67.1 inches

Curb weight: 4,788 pounds

Turning circle: 40.5 feet

FEATURES

Standard equipment includes: keyless entry with push-button ignition, panoramic moonroof with tilt and slide, acoustic laminate windshield and front side glass, heated front seats, electric parking brake, 12.3-inch Acura Precision Cockpit driver information, 12.3-inch HD dual-content center touchpad digital display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Cabin Talk (speaker system), Cabin Control smartphone app for climate and audio control, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, 50/50 split 3rd-row bench, hidden cargo storage with reversible lid;

Type S Package: Adaptive air suspension, Acura navigation with real-time traffic routing, rear cross-traffic monitor, front and rear parking sensors, second-row side-window sunshades, leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel, ventilated front seats, heated power side mirrors with reverse tilt-down, LED fog lights, ebony headliner, stainless-steel trimmed sport pedals, wireless phone charging pad, Iconic Drive ambient LED cabin lighting (27 colors) along the doors, first-row footwell, instrument panel, console, and door pocket;

Advance package includes: surround-view camera system with rear camera washer, 25-speaker ELS Studio 3D Signature Edition audio system, 16-way power front sport seats with 9-way massage, 10.5-inch head-up display, perforated Milano premium leather-trimmed sport seats with contrast stitching and piping, stylized wood trim (dark gray in the tester), heated steering wheel, power lift tailgate with hands-free access and walk-away close, roof rails, heated second-row seats;

Safety features include: 8 air bags; Agile Handling Assist with traction and stability controls; hill-start assist;

Acura Watch features: Adaptive cruise control; collision mitigation braking; forward collision warning; lane-departure warning; lane-keeping assist; road-departure mitigation; traffic-jam assist; auto high-beam assist.

SUSPENSION COMPONENTS

Suspension: Adaptive air suspension with auto-leveling; double-wishbone front, rear multilink; 30.5mm solid front stabilizer bar, 21.7mm rear bar

Steering: Belt-driven variable-ratio electric power assist; 40.5-foot turning circle

Braking: Brembo 4-piston front calipers with ventilated 14.3-inch front discs, solid 13-inch rear discs

Tires-Wheels: 275/40 R21 Continental CrossContact RX ContiSeal high-performance all-season self-sealing tires; Berlina Black alloy wheels with machined face

PRICING

Base price: $74,695, including $1,195 freight charge; price as tested $75,295

Options on test vehicle: Liquid Carbon metallic paint $600; Acura Logo pattern LED lighting (from side mirror) $188; illuminated door sill trim $459

Where assembled: East Liberty, Ohio

Warranties: 4-years/50,000-miles bumper to bumper; Acura maintenance program 2-years/24,000-miles; 6-years/50,000-miles powertrain