I have driven hundreds of vehicles in my lengthy career in the automotive business, but getting behind the wheel of the seven-passenger, 2016 Acura MDX Elite during a recent week-long journey brought new discoveries in a sport utility that embraces the use of the latest technology.
But as for the empirical observations of the vehicle, let’s start with the understated exterior design which appears to be a carryover from last year’s model. Nothing to make you go “ah,” exactly, but not much to criticize either. I am however a fan of the front end with the large grill surround augmented by the LED lamps, which does give it an aggressive look.
Conversely that understated feeling changes when entering the vehicle and sliding into the comfortable interior covered in leather augmented by a two position memory system, which retains your previous driver’s seat, steering column and outside mirror settings. Once inside you’re immediately drawn to the dual stack of LCD screens in the centre of the dashboard, which display all functions of the vehicle. I found the system easy to operate, but couldn’t understand why there had to be two screens rather than one larger one that could have a split display. All the controls are easily accessible, particularly the steering mounted switches, however they take more than a modicum of time to decipher their respective functions.
The transmission selector at the forward edge of the console took some study as it is a push/pull affair that seemed an unusual design not conducive with the technology in the rest of the vehicle. The dash gauges themselves are large, functional, well-lit and easy to read, a plus fellow baby boomers will appreciate. The cabin offers all the amenities offered in other high-end sport utilities such as a rear view camera, Bluetooth, power tailgate, power tilt and telescopic steering wheel, remote engine starter and tri zone front and rear automatic climate control system.
All the above are certainly anticipated in a high end luxurious SUV, but the reason Acura draws the segment of the population that they do is the advanced technology built into the product and the 2016 MDX Elite continues this tradition. The power train is quiet, seamless and has all the get-up-and-go you would want with a 3.5 litre 290 H.P. V6 engine combined with a 9 speed automatic transmission. However it does require premium gasoline, a small price to pay for the resultant performance.
Features
The mainstay of the MDX technology is its Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system, which encompasses an array of technology including:
· Antilock brake system with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution – automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's wheels when braking preventing your wheels from locking.
· Collision Mitigation Braking System – alerts the driver when a potential front-end collision is detected and can even apply the brakes to help slow the vehicle and avoid a collision.
· Forward Collision Warning System – alerts the driver when a potential front-end collision is detected.
· Lane Departure Warning System – alerts the driver if the vehicle begins to drift out of a detected lane without the use of a turn signal.
· Lane Keeping Assist System – a driver assist system that works in conjunction with LDW to alert the driver if the vehicle begins to drift out of a detected lane. LKAS goes a step further by actively applying steering torque to help keep the vehicle within the lane.
· Road Departure Mitigation System – designed to alert and assist the driver if the vehicle is about to unexpectedly leave the road. The system will apply strong steering correction and braking force to help stop the vehicle before a serious accident occurs.
· Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control – uses both a radar system and a high-resolution forward camera to recognize hazards such as vehicles or pedestrians. The system can use up to 80 per cent of full braking power to avoid or reduce impact with the detected object.
· Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow – As with a conventional system, the available ACC with LSF allows you to set a desired speed, but this system also keeps a set interval behind any vehicle detected ahead of you so you can enjoy cruise control even in high traffic conditions.
All these particular systems work seamlessly in the background until called upon by driver or road input, at which point they take over a number of functions in the vehicle. However I found the Adaptive Cruise Control the most impressive on my route through the Coquihalla summit on a very foggy, almost zero visibility day. I’m positive the manufacturer would not recommend setting the cruise control to 60-kilometres per hour in such an environment, however I did out of concern of what was ahead and fear of slowing too much because of what was approaching from behind. To my relief, the system worked perfectly and braked for a transport truck in front me before I even saw the vehicle.
Overall my week-long experience in the 2016 Acura MDX Elite was very enjoyable and, with its abundance of power and safety features, I'd recommend it to anyone, but in particular families, seeking a premium midsize sport utility.
Laurence Malley is an automotive consultant and semi-retired automotive engineer, who's spent almost 40 years in the business.
