Acura seems to have found a winning formula with its Type S performance models.
In my case, it involves cement gray paint, a very premium interior and horsepower to spare.
After driving the TLX Type S sedan last spring, I got a turn in this MDX Type S midsize, three-row SUV.
Starting with that interior: It’s simply among the nicest I’ve seen, featuring a sea of cream-colored leather and some black suede inserts. The dash had plenty of welcoming buttons for controlling things, so there was no need to fumble around with a touch screen to get basic things done. (Less welcome was the push-button gear selector, though I’m slowly getting used to it.)
The power was there too, albeit with a split second of lag before the turbocharged engine really turned the jets on. The vehicle’s significant weight probably did not help in that department, either.
While driving, at first, I thought the suspension was a bit loose and wobbly, but things tightened up in sport mode to a manner much more befitting for the vehicle.
In the quality department, the data do not exactly line up. The latest J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study puts Acura in the bottom half of brands, while Consumer Reports puts Acura’s predicted reliability as the fifth-best among auto brands. Do you feel lucky?
When it comes to safety, the MDX gets top marks on nearly every Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test, while getting dinged a touch in one frontal test.
This MDX Type S is pricey: $76,900 after shipping, though that includes a $600 surcharge for that signature Urban Gray paint.
