automotive car motor daily: 2014 Acura MDX First Look

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The seven-passenger 2014 Acura MDX crossover has shed 275 pounds and will get a whopping 6-7 mpg more on the highway than its predecessor. If that doesn't grab you, consider that the 2014 MDX -- now riding on a longer wheelbase for more interior comfort -- will be 4 mpg more efficient on the highway than its main competitors, the Buick Enclave and Infiniti JX35. The 2014 Acura MDX production vehicle debuts at the New York auto show, and will likely carry a lower base price than the outgoing model when it goes on sale this summer. The MDX dominated Acura sales charts in 2012, with more than 50,000 units sold to the second-place TL's 33,572 units. The 2014 Acura MDX adds a new front-drive model that will make possible a new, lower price point. Currently, the AWD-only 2013 MDX starts at around $ 44,000, perhaps too big of a price gap over the most popular luxury crossover in the U.S., the Lexus RX 350. Though the 2014 MDX is down on power and torque compared to the outgoing MDX's 300-hp 3.7-liter V-6, the new model's 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque are lugging around about 275 pounds less. The direct-injected 3.5-liter V-6 is mated to a six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Thanks in part to that Earth Dreams engine, Acura says the MDX is quicker than before. Possibly more important to the buyers who have made the MDX Acura's most popular vehicle, the 2014 MDX is far more efficient than its closest competition. Acura expects the 2014 MDX to be EPA-rated at 18/27 mpg city/highway with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive and 20/28 mpg with the new front-drive model - the same EPA-rated mileage as the all-wheel-drive RDX.

We were fans of the outgoing MDX, and Acura says the new one -- in SH-AWD form -- beat the old MDX's Nurburgring lap time by eight seconds. In real-world terms, expect the new MDX to provide more responsive braking and more precise steering feel. Acura MDX drivers really in a mood for carving canyons can switch the car's Integrated Dynamic System over Comfort and Normal to Sport, for optimized steering effort, throttle response, and even active sound settings. The 2014 MDX rides on 18-inch wheels and 19-inchers are offered on the Technology and Advance trims. All that is nice, but what may really move new MDXs off dealer lots is the extra interior space. Though no specifics were provided on second- and third-row seating space, the 2014 MDX's 2.75-inch wheelbase stretch should help it compare better to others in the class. Second-row seats can automatically fold and slide to their forward-most position with the push of a button, and when in use, have a four-position recline feature and six inches of room to slide back and forth to make room for third-row passengers. Getting to the third-row seats is easier, thanks to a step-in height that's two inches lower and an entryway that's three inches wider. In front, Acura is proud of the fact that the 2014 MDX's center console has room for a purse, laptop case, or a pair of iPads. As we've seen on the 2014 Acura RLX, the 2014 MDX makes use of an eight-inch display screen and a lower-mounted seven-inch touch screen with haptic feedback to reduce the button count from 41 to nine. Acura isn't the only automaker starting to offer a dual-screen center stack -- the 2014 Infiniti Q50 has a similar layout. There's not much to say about the 2014 Acura MDX's design -- RDX and MDX drivers will instantly recognize the same design language on the 2014 MDX. Compared to the 2013 MDX, the 2014 model has more interesting character lines on the side and RLX-like Jewel Eye LED headlights in front. From behind, the look is clean and premium, but overall, the MDX has designed to appear refined, with subtle details. Exhaust pipes appear to be hidden on the new MDX, which may pose a greater threat than ever before to the Lexus RX. We'll find out soon after the American-made 2014 MDX goes on sale this summer.

2014 Acura MDX
BASE PRICE (est)	$ 42,500 (est)
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, FWD/AWD, 7-pass, 4-door SUV
ENGINE	3.5L/290-hp/267-lb-ft, 24-valve SOHC V-6
TRANSMISSION	6-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT (est)	4275 lb (est)
WHEELBASE	111.0 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	193.6 x 77.2 x 67.6 in
0-60 MPH (est)	7.0 sec
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON	18-20/27-28 mpg
ON SALE IN U.S.	Summer 2013