The 2026 Acura MDX mostly carries over after last year’s refresh, which righted one of the biggest wrongs about this premium 3-row SUV. However, the new infotainment system and user-friendly interface are not the only things gracing Acura’s best-selling model. A potent V6, versatile seating, and a sharp style that cuts a more distinctive edge than boxier SUVs add up to give the MDX another edge over rivals.
Here are a few of our favorite things about the 2026 Acura MDX.
1. Sharp Style
Acura resists the SUV design trend of more upright, boxy styles that harken back to the SUV’s truck-based past. Even the related Honda Pilot followed the lead on the return to the classic SUV. Conversely, the MDX leans into the sporty side of utility vehicles, with a shield-shaped grille and mesh insets that seem to be diving through the air. Running lights bend like race track chicanes, and the broad lower grille and vertical air intakes on the Type S model stand out in a crowd of boxy sameness.
The MDX is style on wheels. It befits what’s under its long hood, which is either a base 290-horsepower V6 or a punchy 355-hp V6 on Type S models. With all-wheel drive (AWD) and torque vectoring, the MDX handles more nimbly than its 7-seat proportions would suggest.
2. Improved Tech
If you’re a past MDX owner, prepare to be pleased. Newcomers should also note that the old touchpad tracker on the console has been removed in place of a 12.3-inch touchscreen oriented within arm’s reach of the driver. The infotainment system runs on Google built-in, which provides clean graphics and quick response times, and has the simplicity and functionality of a smartphone. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a wireless charging pad.
Heated front seats with 12-way power adjustments are also standard, which add up to a premium value. If you want to splurge, Acura encourages it with options such as massaging seats and a kicking 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system.
3. Versatile 3 Rows of Seats
One thing that no other 3-row SUV in this class has is a clever second-row seating arrangement. The narrow middle seat folds down into an armrest with cupholders or it can be removed entirely to convert the 7-seater into a 6-seater. It weighs about 25 pounds, so it’s not a heavy lift, and it creates an aisle to the two seats in the third row. If you wanted to remove it while on the go, that seat could fit in the cargo hold behind the third-row seats. However, you can’t put the cargo cover on top to hide it, unlike the Pilot and Odyssey minivans.
Another noteworthy feature is the push-button seats that even grade-school hands could operate to tilt and slide the second-row seat to get in the way back. Ease is the calling card of luxury, and the MDX has it where it matters most.
More Acura MDX
Read our full review of the Acura MDX, find this week’s Fair Purchase Price, or see MDX models for sale near you.
