2024 Acura MDX

The volume 2024 MDX trims (Base, Technology, A-Spec, Advance) use the 3.5L 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC V6 rated 290 hp @ 6,200 rpm; the Type S halo trim uses a 3.0L twin-scroll turbo V6 at 355 hp @ 5,500 rpm. Adequate but unremarkable output for a 4,500 lb luxury three-row.

The naturally aspirated V6 makes 267 lb-ft but only at 4,700 rpm, so low-end pull trails turbocharged German rivals; the Type S turbo V6 makes 354 lb-ft flat from 1,400–5,000 rpm.

Two independent instrumented tests of the 4th-gen base V6 SH-AWD agree at 6.4 s; heavier Advance trims have tested slower. The 2024 powertrain is unchanged from 2022, so this reflects the generation's measured figure rather than a year-specific change.

The naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 is smooth and perfectly linear with zero turbo lag, and Variable Cylinder Management transitions are unobtrusive — reviewers rate it among the segment's more refined powertrains. It loses points for thin low-end torque versus turbo rivals (X5, Q7, GLE) and a coarse note when worked hard near redline.

The 10-speed automatic (standard on every 2024 trim, with paddle shifters) shifts smoothly enough to go unnoticed in normal driving and holds gears sensibly in Sport. Reviewers consistently flag sluggish or hesitant response when a quick downshift is asked for, which is why it sits mid-band rather than higher.

SH-AWD trims tow 5,000 lbs properly equipped, front-drive Base and Technology 3,500 lbs. Respectable for a unibody luxury three-row, but short of the PHEV and body-on-frame competition (X5 6,600 lbs, GLE 7,700 lbs).

SH-AWD is standard on four of the six 2024 trims (A-Spec, Advance, Type S, Type S Advance — none of which offer FWD) and optional on Base and Technology. Super Handling AWD is genuinely sophisticated, sending up to 70% of torque rearward and all of that to a single rear wheel for true torque vectoring. Held below the top band only because there is no low range.

A pavement-oriented luxury three-row: 7.3 in of unladen ground clearance, no low range, no locking differentials, no skid plates and no dedicated off-road trim in the lineup. SH-AWD plus a Snow drive mode makes it competent on snow and graded dirt, which is the extent of its credibility.

Two gas V6s and nothing else — the 3.5L NA V6 across most trims and the 3.0L twin-turbo in Type S. The 4th-generation MDX dropped the previous generation's Sport Hybrid and offers no electrified option for 2024, a real gap in a segment where the RX sells hybrid and PHEV and the X5, XC90, Aviator and Grand Cherokee all offer plug-ins.

EPA combined rating for the volume SH-AWD 3.5L V6 configuration. A naturally aspirated 4,500 lb V6 three-row with no electrification lands in the bottom third of gas SUVs even with Variable Cylinder Management.

EPA city rating for the volume SH-AWD trim; identical to the front-drive figure, so the AWD penalty falls entirely on the highway cycle.

EPA highway rating for the volume SH-AWD trim. Note this is genuinely 2024-specific: the SH-AWD highway figure is 25 MPG for 2024 and was re-rated to 26 MPG from 2025, so it is not a carry-forward number.

EPA-published total range for the volume SH-AWD trim, consistent with the manufacturer's 18.5-gallon tank at 21 MPG combined. Every 2024 MDX carries the same 18.5-gal tank, so range differences across trims come purely from economy.

EPA's published annual fuel cost at its standard assumptions. The combination of 21 MPG and a premium-grade fuel price puts this at the very bottom of the SUV band — the premium requirement alone adds several hundred dollars a year over a regular-fuel rival of identical economy.

Acura's own 2024 spec sheet lists 91 octane as the *recommended* fuel, not a requirement: the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 has knock sensors and adaptive timing and will run on regular with reduced output, while the Type S turbo genuinely needs premium. That mixed picture places it in the 50–79 'premium recommended, or mixed requirements across trims' band, though at its lower end since EPA rates and Acura prices the fuel as premium and there is no hybrid or plug-in option to soften running costs.

NHTSA rates the 2024 MDX 5 stars overall, built from 4-star frontal, 5-star side (5 in every side sub-test including pole) and 4-star rollover.

The 2024 MDX is an IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ in the midsize luxury SUV class, with Good in small overlap front (driver and passenger, every sub-measure), Good in the original moderate overlap test and Good in the updated side test; only the tougher updated moderate overlap test — which grades rear-occupant protection — comes back Acceptable, keeping it just short of a clean sweep.

AcuraWatch is standard on all six 2024 trims — collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, full-speed adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, traffic sign recognition and Traffic Jam Assist — and Blind Spot Information plus Rear Cross Traffic Monitor are standard on the base trim too, so nothing core is paywalled behind a package.

IIHS rates the 2024 MDX only Acceptable in pedestrian front crash prevention, and the test detail shows why: it avoided the crossing-child collision at 12 mph and cut 19 mph in the 25 mph run, but in the parallel-adult night test on low beams it failed to slow at all at 25 mph and again at 37 mph with no meaningful warning — night pedestrian performance depends on the high beams being on.

Blind Spot Information and Rear Cross Traffic Monitor are standard on every 2024 trim, which is better than most luxury rivals that gate them, but coverage is warning-only — no blind-spot steering intervention, and rear automatic braking is an option rather than standard equipment.

LKAS with lane departure warning and road departure mitigation is standard and works confidently on well-marked highways, with Traffic Jam Assist adding low-speed steering support, but owners and reviewers describe it as competent rather than polished — it needs clear markings and lacks the settled centering of Lexus Safety System+ or Volvo Pilot Assist.

Adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow covers the full speed range down to a standstill and resumes on a pedal or switch press, and Traffic Jam Assist layers coordinated steering on top of it between 0 and 45 mph — one of the stronger stop-and-go implementations at this price, though it stops short of a true highway-assist mode above traffic speeds.

No hands-free highway driving is offered on the 2024 MDX at any trim — there is no BlueCruise/Super Cruise equivalent, and Traffic Jam Assist requires hands on the wheel throughout.

IIHS rates the MDX's LED projector headlights Good with no trim-dependent downgrade, and high-beam assist is included; the only gap against the very best is that they are not curve-adaptive, showing up as merely 'fair' visibility on one gradual left curve.

Forward sightlines are fine but the MDX carries the segment's thick rear pillars and a high beltline, and the camera compensation is unevenly distributed for 2024 — the surround-view system is bundled with the Advance package, so the volume Technology and A-Spec trims rely on a rear camera plus the standard blind-spot monitor.

IIHS gives the MDX its best LATCH result — Good with extra positions — for three complete second-row anchor sets that sit shallow in the seat and are easy to reach, plus two tether-only third-row positions; the only fiddly part is the center second-row tether at the base of the seatback.

Every 2024 trim seats seven via a multi-function second-row bench whose middle seat lifts out, converting the cabin to a six-seat captain's-chair layout without a dealer visit.

38.5 in of first-row headroom is average-to-tight for a mid-size three-row; the panoramic moonroof is standard across the range, so this is the as-delivered figure for every 2024 MDX.

41.6 in of front legroom is mid-pack for the mid-size luxury three-row set, trailing the Q7 and QX60 by roughly an inch.

Second-row headroom of 38.1 in clears six-footers comfortably even with the standard panoramic moonroof overhead.

38.5 in of second-row legroom on a sliding, reclining bench is genuinely adult-friendly and competitive within the segment.

29.1 in of third-row legroom and 36.2 in of headroom make row three a kids-and-short-trips proposition; access is better than the numbers suggest thanks to standard One-Touch Smart Slide walk-in and the removable second-row middle seat, but third-row USB ports are restricted to Advance and Type S Advance.

SAE cargo volume behind the second row with the third row folded is 39.1 cu ft — mid-pack for a mid-size three-row, though the deep underfloor well adds another 9 cu ft of hidden space.

71.4 cu ft with both rear rows folded trails the roomiest three-rows (Aviator 77.7, QX60 75.4), though Acura's alternate measurement including the underfloor well reaches 95.0 cu ft.

Deep two-tier center console, standard Qi wireless charging pad, and the standard 'Hidden Cargo Storage with Reversible Smart Lid' underfloor bin behind the third row make everyday storage genuinely thoughtful, but nothing here is segment-redefining and there is no frunk or gear tunnel.

The MDX's front seats are among the most praised in the class — 12-way power with lumbar standard, 16-way with thigh extension and bolster adjustment on Advance — while the second-row bench reclines and slides but is a clear step down in cushioning.

Reviewers split on the pre-facelift MDX's ride: some find it takes the edge off bumps well, others call it floaty and unsettled over broken pavement. Only the Type S gets the adaptive air suspension that resolves the argument.

Acoustic laminate windshield and front side glass plus standard Active Sound Control keep the cabin subjectively hushed, but instrumented sound levels at highway cruise measure higher than most rivals in the class.

Tri-zone automatic climate with humidity control, heated front seats, three-position driver memory and a panoramic moonroof are standard on every trim; ventilated front seats start at A-Spec, second-row sunshades at Technology, and heated rear seats plus a standard heated steering wheel wait for Advance — a heated wheel is only a dealer accessory on the volume trims.

The 2024 MDX opens at $50,150 plus a $1,350 destination charge for the front-drive base trim. That undercuts the German mid-size luxury three-rows by roughly $10,000 but still sits in the upper half of the SUV price band the score normalizes against.

The Technology Package with SH-AWD is the volume configuration for 2024 — Acura's own October 2024 sales commentary puts the upper trims (Type S plus A-Spec) at just 21% of the mix combined, which leaves the Technology package as the core seller. It adds leather, navigation, a 12-speaker ELS system, parking sensors and 20-inch wheels over the leatherette-trimmed base car.

CarEdge projects $3,386 in scheduled maintenance and wear items over five years; adding a modest repair allowance — most of the window is inside the 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, and the 3.5L V6 and 10-speed automatic are long-serving Honda hardware — puts the combined figure near $5,000. That is well under luxury-SUV norms and a genuine MDX strength.

Two independent residual sources land within half a point of each other at roughly 50% retention. That is a shade better than the luxury mid-size SUV average but below the broader SUV market, so the MDX holds value respectably for a luxury badge without being a retention standout.

Acura's new-vehicle limited warranty is 4 years or 50,000 miles, matching the luxury-brand convention set by BMW, Mercedes and Audi but falling short of Genesis at 5/60,000.

Six years or 70,000 miles on engine, transmission and drive components — longer than most German luxury coverage but well short of the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain terms Genesis and the Hyundai/Kia group use, which is what the top of this band is calibrated to.

Acura bundles a real package here: two years or 24,000 miles of factory scheduled maintenance, three years of AcuraLink connected services (added across the lineup for the 2023 model year and carried into 2024), and roadside assistance running with the 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty. Solid and better than the German norm, but the included-maintenance window is short next to BMW's or Jaguar's historical multi-year plans, so it lands well above mid-pack rather than at the top.

$58,400 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (50% retained, or about $29,200) leaves about $29,200 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $34,200 in total.

The three major predictors disagree, which is exactly the mixed-signal case this band is written for. Consumer Reports rates the 2024 MDX below average for its model year, J.D. Power puts it at 79/100 for quality & reliability — the bottom of their "Average" tier — while RepairPal ranks it 2nd of 14 luxury mid-size SUVs at 4.0/5.0. The mechanical hardware is proven; the drag comes from in-car electronics and body-integrity complaints rather than the powertrain.

Acura's standing depends on which study you read. Consumer Reports places the brand in its top handful for reliability — mid-single-digit rank, just behind parent Honda — while J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study has repeatedly put Acura below the industry average, with 249 PP100 in the 2025 VDS against an industry norm near 200. Better than mid-pack on the strength of the CR record, but the JDP long-term data prevents a top-tier score.

Three NHTSA recalls touch the 2024 MDX, one of them genuinely serious — an improperly secured brake pedal pivot pin that can let the pedal shift out of position. The FI-ECU engine-stall recall is confined to the Type S and does not reach the volume 3.5L V6 trim. Nothing here is a systemic powertrain or fire defect, but a brake-pedal assembly campaign plus an airbag occupant-sensor campaign is more recall activity than a clean record, and the TSB/complaint pattern around body squeaks, rattles and water intrusion adds to it.

The volume MDX runs the naturally aspirated 3.5L J35 V6 (290 hp / 267 lb-ft), one of the longest-serving and best-documented engine families in the industry, shared with the Pilot, Odyssey and Ridgeline. Low internal pressures and no turbocharging translate into routine 200,000-mile-plus service lives in owner data. The fourth-generation car also moved to Honda's own 10-speed automatic, which retired the earlier 9-speed ZF unit that generated most of the MDX's historical transmission complaints.

Milano leather and open-pore wood on the Technology-package volume trim read as genuinely upmarket, and reviewers consistently call the cabin a step above what the MDX's price suggests. It stops short of class-leading because the German and Volvo rivals a tier up still feel more opulent in switchgear and secondary surfaces, and the pre-facelift 2024 car's touchpad-driven interface undercuts the perceived quality of the console area.

This is the clear weak point of the 2024 MDX. Consumer Reports names squeaks and rattles, wind noise, seals/weather stripping and air and water leaks as reported trouble spots for this model year, and owner reports corroborate with specifics — misaligned trim and panels needing dealer attention immediately after delivery, a loose factory heat shield, a loose seat bolt, rattling door speakers, dash and hatch rattles, and a cracked plastic panel glued rather than replaced. Assembly is not uniformly bad — some owners report a solid, quiet, rattle-free car — but the frequency of complaints puts it below the segment norm rather than merely scattered.

Roughly 260–270 US Acura dealers is a fraction of Honda's footprint and can mean a longer drive in rural markets, but it is normal density for a luxury nameplate and broader than most European rivals. Service satisfaction is where Acura genuinely outperforms: it finished first of 34 brands in Pied Piper's 2024 service-appointment study, ahead of Mazda, Lexus, Infiniti and Volkswagen. Owners also benefit from Honda's parts and technician infrastructure standing behind the network.

The MDX is cheap to fix by luxury standards precisely because so much of it is Honda. The J35 V6, the 10-speed automatic and much of the chassis hardware are shared across high-volume Honda models, so parts are abundant and independent shops are comfortable working on it. RepairPal puts average annual repair cost $236 below the luxury mid-size SUV average and $81 below the all-vehicle average, with low repair severity.

Every 2024 trim carries the same 12.3-inch HD dual-content center display, but the pre-facelift MDX has no touch layer at all — input is via the console-mounted True Touchpad Interface, and the 12.3-inch touchscreen only arrives with the 2025 refresh.

The absolute-position True Touchpad Interface is the single most criticized element of the pre-facelift MDX — the underlying software and screen are fine, but the input method is finicky enough that Acura abandoned it entirely one model year later.

Both wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard equipment on every 2024 trim including the base car — best-practice coverage, and the practical escape hatch from the touchpad interface.

Natural Language Voice Recognition and Alexa Built-In are standard across the range, but the Acura Navigation System with 3D View and Traffic Rerouting require the Technology package or higher — and this is the generation before Google Built-In, so native maps are ordinary rather than a reason to skip phone projection.

ELS Studio is a genuine Acura signature strength: a 12-speaker ELS Studio system arrives as early as the Technology trim, 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D covers A-Spec through Type S, and the 25-speaker Signature Edition on Type S Advance is regularly ranked among the best factory systems at any price.

A 12.3-inch fully digital Precision Cockpit instrument cluster is standard on every trim including the base car — crisp and reconfigurable, and better standard coverage than several German rivals of this vintage.

The pre-Google-Built-In MDX has only limited over-the-air capability — connected-services and map data refresh through AcuraLink, while infotainment firmware updates in practice go through USB or the dealer. There is no whole-vehicle OTA of the kind Tesla, Rivian or Ford EVs deliver.

AcuraLink covers remote start and climate, lock/unlock, vehicle locator, geofencing and automatic collision notification, with Security & Remote Services included for three years before it becomes a paid subscription. Solid but unexceptional — there is no phone-as-key.

Port count is adequate and the Qi wireless charging pad is standard on every trim, but the layout is dated for 2024: only one USB-C in the whole car (first row), everything else is 2.5A USB-A, and third-row USB plus the second-row AC outlet are locked to the Advance trims.

Keyless Access with Acura Personalized Settings, pushbutton ignition and a power lift tailgate are standard on every trim, but key-fob remote start is only a dealer accessory below Advance, hands-free tailgate access is Advance-exclusive, and there is no phone-as-key.

A multi-view rear camera with dynamic guidelines and a rear camera washer are standard, and front/rear parking sensors arrive at Technology, but the surround-view camera system is restricted to the two Advance trims and there is no automated parking assist anywhere in the range.

A large 10.5-inch color head-up display is offered, and it is a good one, but it is confined to the Advance and Type S Advance trims — unavailable on the base, Technology and A-Spec cars most buyers take home.

Seven seats, wide rear door apertures, a sliding second-row bench with a removable middle seat, and standard One-Touch Smart Slide walk-in access make daily kid logistics easy; 39.1 cu ft behind the second row swallows strollers without folding anything.

The full AcuraWatch suite — collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow, Traffic Jam Assist, lane keeping, road departure mitigation, blind spot and rear cross-traffic — is standard on the base car, backed by a 5-star NHTSA overall rating. Low-speed braking control and parking sensors are the only meaningful items the base trim misses.

Tri-zone climate, a panoramic moonroof, class-leading front seats, a reclining/sliding second row and CabinTalk make long family trips pleasant, but rear-seat power provision is thin for the money: second-row ports are 2.5A USB-A, and the third-row USB pair and second-row AC outlet are Advance-trim items.

The naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 is smooth off the line and adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow plus Traffic Jam Assist are standard on every trim, which takes real work out of stop-and-go; the 10-speed automatic's gear-hunting at part throttle and the fiddly touchpad are the daily irritants.

19/25/21 MPG from the volume SH-AWD V6 on required premium fuel works out to roughly $3,600 a year at 15,000 miles — ordinary for a gas-only mid-size luxury three-row and far behind hybrid rivals like the Lexus TX 500h or a Grand Highlander Hybrid.

198.4 in long, 78.7 in wide and a 40.5 ft curb-to-curb turning circle make the MDX a handful in tight urban parking; the standard rear camera helps, but front/rear sensors start at Technology and the surround-view camera that would really help is Advance-only.

5,000 lb of towing with SH-AWD (3,500 lb FWD) covers a small camper, a boat or a utility trailer, and the V6 pulls without strain, but there is no bed, no payload headroom worth quoting and no work-oriented drivetrain hardware.

The J35 V6 and Honda 10-speed automatic share hardware with the high-mileage-proven Pilot and Odyssey, but the MDX itself is a luxury vehicle — Milano leather, 19–21 in wheels and no wear-friendly interior option make it a poor candidate for abuse, and it has no fleet track record.

Provisions for real work are minimal: roof rails are a dealer accessory below Advance, a hitch is an accessory, there is no bed or washable cargo surface, and the only household-style power is a single second-row AC outlet reserved for the Advance trims.

Front seats widely called the best in the class, adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow standard on every trim, and roughly 390 miles of range from the 18.5-gallon tank make this a strong mile-eater; measured highway noise levels above the class average are the one blemish.

SH-AWD with rear torque vectoring is genuinely effective on snow, gravel and wet dirt and there are Snow and (on SH-AWD) Lift drive modes, but 7.3 in of unladen ground clearance, road-biased tyres and no low range keep it to maintained trails; the Type S air suspension is the only chassis that raises the car.

71.4 cu ft maximum (95.0 cu ft counting the underfloor well), a 50/50 folding third row, a sliding second row with a removable middle seat and the standard reversible-lid hidden storage bin add up to real flexibility; roof rails being an accessory on most trims is the main gap.

Super Handling All-Wheel Drive with a torque-vectoring rear axle gives the MDX rotation and composure most three-row luxury SUVs cannot match, and body control is tight for a 4,500-lb crossover — short of a Cayenne or X5 but ahead of the class average.

The variable-ratio electric rack is quick and accurate on-center with linear effort buildup, but road-texture feedback is typical Acura — precise rather than communicative.

Progressive, firm pedal feel with stops from 60 mph in the ~120 ft range in instrumented tests of this generation; no fade complaints, and the electric parking brake with automatic hold is standard.

The 290-hp naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 is smooth and free of stop/start harshness, but the 10-speed automatic hunts between ratios at part throttle and the engine's flat torque curve feels lethargic next to the turbocharged rivals it is priced against.

The V6 stays muted at cruise and sounds pleasant rather than coarse when extended, with Active Sound Control standard; it is a notch behind the Lexus RX for outright hush but well clear of the Aviator's gruff twin-turbo.

The 113.8-inch wheelbase and 198.4-inch overall length produce a 40.5 ft curb-to-curb circle — wide even by mid-size three-row standards and a genuine nuisance in parking structures.

Seat and wheel adjustment range is excellent — 12-way power seats with memory and a power tilt/telescoping column standard — and forward sightlines are good, but the True Touchpad Interface forces eyes-off-road hunting for basic infotainment tasks and is the reason this generation's ergonomics rate below its seating position.

SH-AWD gives the volume V6 MDX more character than most three-row crossovers and it is genuinely satisfying on a good road, but it is competent rather than thrilling — the 355-hp Type S is where this car gets interesting.

The $51,500 base MDX arrives with the full AcuraWatch suite standard — collision mitigation braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise with low-speed follow, lane keeping, road departure mitigation, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert — plus a panoramic moonroof, tri-zone climate, twin 12.3-inch displays, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto and a wireless charging pad. German rivals still charge separately for much of that ADAS content. It falls short of the top band because the base car is front-drive with leatherette rather than leather, and SH-AWD is a paid upgrade for 2024 (it did not become standard until the 2025 refresh).

Price-per-content is the MDX's signature argument. A $51,500 entry and a $58,400 volume trim undercut a 2024 BMW X5 xDrive40i (~$67k), Mercedes GLE 350 (~$63k) and Audi Q7 (~$61k) by five figures with comparable equipment, and the $69,800 Type S delivers 355 hp and an air suspension for far less than an X5 M60i or AMG GLE 53. Held out of the top band by the 290-hp base V6's widely noted flat acceleration for the money and by the absence of any hybrid option at a price where Lexus TX and Volvo XC90 offer one.

Eight published configurations span $51,500 to $75,150 across two drivetrains (FWD and SH-AWD) and two engines (290-hp 3.5L V6, 355-hp turbo 3.0L V6 in Type S), with well-spaced Technology, A-Spec, Advance and Type S Advance steps. The 2024 lineup is actually broader than the post-refresh car, which drops FWD entirely. The clear gap is electrification — no hybrid or plug-in anywhere in the range.

50,112 US deliveries in calendar 2024 make the MDX Acura's best-selling model and one of the strongest sellers in luxury three-row, comfortably ahead of the Audi Q7, Lincoln Aviator and Genesis GV80. Marked down from the top band because the trajectory turned: 2024 was off 13% from 2023's 57,599, with Acura itself citing lean inventory ahead of the 2025 refresh.

Acura occupies the second tier of US luxury — well regarded for engineering, reliability and value with a loyal repeat-buyer base, but without the status halo of BMW, Mercedes, Audi or Porsche. Roughly level with Volvo, ahead of Lincoln and Infiniti, a step behind Lexus on prestige.

2024 was a good year to negotiate an MDX. Acura ran subvented finance rates of 3.9% for 36 months and 4.9% for 60 months, layered conquest and loyalty cash of around $1,000, and by mid-year stacked lease cash and sell-down bonuses worth up to $6,500 off as the refreshed 2025 approached. That is real buyer benefit rather than desperation pricing, though lease programs specifically were less competitive than rivals'.

2024 is the third year of the fourth-generation MDX (launched for 2022) and the last before its mid-cycle refresh — Acura revealed the 2025 car on April 9, 2024, while 2024 models were still on lots. A 2024 buyer therefore takes the outgoing spec knowingly: the criticized True Touchpad Interface instead of the 2025's 12.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in, the older ELS Studio audio rather than Bang & Olufsen, and no AcuraWatch 360. The platform and powertrains are current, which keeps it out of the bottom band.

Broadly and consistently recommended — Edmunds calls it "one of the best luxury midsize three-row SUVs you can buy," U.S. News scores it 8.8/10 and a "must-consider," and it carries both IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and a five-star NHTSA overall rating. It is not a comparison-test winner, though: the pre-refresh touchpad infotainment and the base V6's soft acceleration draw criticism in nearly every review, and it ranks mid-pack rather than at the head of the luxury midsize class.