First Test: 2010 Acura MDX
It was hard to follow a trio of silver Lexus RXs on the freeway — as I did this morning — without wondering what on earth could be going through their driver’s minds. Whatever it was though, my suggestion would be they quickly see a doctor. Outbreaks of mass automotive repetition like this on our highways need to be nipped in the bud.
Fortunately, there’s a treatment for the particular strain I witnessed — medically referred to as Silver Lexus Crossover Syndrome, I think — and that’s Acura’s latest MDX. First of all, the MDX is never, ever, seen in groups of three (let alone two, come to think of it). And while the Acura is a bit pricier than the RX (by about eight percent, comparing AWD base versions), for it you’re rewarded with a handles-like-no-other-crossover experience, made better for 2010 by a fairly comprehensive sprucing.
What’s spruced most of all is an all-new 3.7-liter V-6 engine featuring a higher compression ratio and a bigger throttle body girded by a stronger crankshaft and connecting rods, a more rigid block, and better cooling. On paper, all this revamping appears to be kind of puzzling, as its maximum power is not only identical to its predecessor’s (both offering 300 horses from 3.7 liters), but the new engine’s torque actually decreases 5 pound-feet, to 270. The riddle’s answer is that the new engine’s peak power is at 300 more rpm while its maximum torque appears at 500 fewer revs. In other words, it’s tremendously more flexible. It also gets better mileage, by 1 mpg both in the city and on the highway.
Categories: Acura, Auto Review, Car Review Tags: Acura
