[quote_box_right]Up: Packed with Tech, Tons of Space
Down: Comes in a useless front-wheel drive model.
Neutral: Great to drive, even better to ride[/quote_box_right]I’m going to try and get the technical information out of the way as soon as possible because there are 4 things everyone should know about the 2014 Acura MDX. I figured it’s easy to find specs on any vehicle using the Google machine so I wanted to highlight the things that stood out the most to me while driving this incredible SUV. So here is a little technical info followed by the 4 features that set the 2014 Acura MDX ahead of the the competition.
First things first, the all new Acura MDX seats 7, has a 290 hp VTEC V6 engine, and intelligent all wheel drive. It also has an almost 30 mpg highway rating and those fantastic Jewel-Eye LED headlights for those long road trips that run into the night. New to the MDX this year is an optional remote start that also will automatically adjust the climate of the car to a very comfortable 72 degrees. The 2014 MDX is an impressive machine that also looks great but that isn’t what leaves a lasting impression.
The MDX is completely redesigned for 2014. Despite looking a lot like the 2013 model, it only shares one tiny hinge from it’s predecessor. You can tell Acura cares about making better vehicles because they spend the time to still build from the ground up. The 2014 model is 600 lbs lighter, gets almost 10 mpg more, is more aerodynamic, and despite having 10 less hp, it has the same amount of torque. On the interior you get two display monitors and it now has 9 buttons instead of the standard 1000 buttons in older models.
It has all of the luxuries of the RLX in SUV form. Seriously, everything. From the incredibly comfortable seats to the suspension to the Jewel-Eye headlights, you get everything. The center console is pretty much copy-pasted from the 2014 RLX but who cares? It looks great and it works. The MDX even has the same auto-stop cruise control in other Acura models. You can adjust the distance you want to tail another vehicle and it will even come to a complete halt if you’re following said car onto an off-ramp. It will scare you the first time!
It has storage space. And space. And space. I mean a lot of space. The center console between the two front seats opens up 3 different ways and offers enough storage for multiple tablets are smaller laptops and ultrabooks. Ladies, you even fit the largest of purses in there. All rows of seats also fold down completely flat. Instead of wrestling with levers and sliding seats around, Acura incorporated easy to use buttons on the middle row that fold the seat down automatically. It would be fun just to see how much stuff you could fit into this car.
You can plug your Xbox into it. Need I say more? Any kid born in the 1980s-90s will understand how awesome this would have been growing up. It has all the ports for audio and video in the back seat console and that includes HDMI. There is also a 16″ screen that can be split in half so the girls can watch movies while the boys play Halo. I really wish I was 10 again and driving to Florida with my parents…
The moral of the story? I want one. It would be a great trade-up if you have the previous MDX and a fantastic SUV if you have children or are expecting more. The front-wheel drive MDX starts at $42,000 but that only gains you ONE mpg on the highway and why wouldn’t you want AWD? Especially in South Dakota. The AWD starts at $44,000 but the one you want will cost you just over $50,000. The 2014 Acura MDX is a fantastic vehicle and I think everyone should drive one on their SUV hunt.
