Accurate shot by Acura

Every now and then a vehicle comes to our driveway and impresses us as one that would be really nice to own.

Such is the case with the Acura MDX, a three-row, mid-sized SUV that checks off nearly every requirement: Comfortable, roomy, powerful, quiet, state-of-art safety, fuel efficient, attractively styled, affordable, dependable, high resale value.

What's not to like?

One could pick at nits and point out that the BMW X5, Porsche Cayenne, and Audi Q7 are more luxurious and fun-to-drive, but the Germanic competitors will run $10,000 to $40,000 more. At that point, you might as well spring for the Tesla Model X, starting at $80,000.

On the other hand, if you want to spend somewhere around $50,000 or less for a high-end mid-sized SUV, the MDX and Lexus RX are the picks of a very nice litter, with Volvo XC90 and Cadillac XT5 coming in as high second-round picks. Initial quality and customer satisfaction surveys for all these vehicles is through the roof, so it's not like there are any bad choices.

We liked the MDX because Honda's ubiquitous and legendary, 3.5-liter, direct-injected i-VTEC V-6 engine, rated at 290 peak horsepower and 267 lb.-ft. peak torque, is as powerful and buttery smooth as anything in vehicles costing twice as much.  

Power moves through a 9-speed automatic, which some reviewers have criticized as being clunky. It's not if the drive mode is shifted out of "Sport" when driving around town, something few auto writers are willing to do, apparently. What the new transmission does do, however, is help deliver some of the best fuel economy in the class, 20 city/27 highway. Subtract one from each of those numbers for all-wheel drive.

The MDX is now in its third generation, with the last complete redesign done in 2014. The 2017 stands out because of a number of upgrades, including a restyled exterior that includes new diamond pentagon grille and restyled hood, front fenders, side sills, front and rear fasciae and Jewel Eye LED headlights.

Standard this year is AcuraWatch, a suite of safety and driver assistive technologies,including Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM).

Using millimeter wave radar and a monocular camera to detect other vehicles as well as lane markings, AcuraWatch can help intervene to prevent or mitigate the severity of a collision. With Adaptive Cruise Control, it can also significantly decrease the driver's workload during freeway cruising.

All 2017 MDX models feature new Auto High Beam headlights, a new Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Automatic Brake Hold. The MDX with Advance Package also features a new Surround-View Camera System with six selectable viewing
angles.

The 2017 MDX earned a five-star Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is anticipated to receive a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).