In an effort to be fully transparent to you, the reader, I owned a first-generation Acura MDX, and I absolutely loved it. That said, there’s no way I’m going easy or favoring my judgment of the 2025 Acura MDX A-Spec Advance package. In fact, I’m going to be pretty harsh because I expect an excellent vehicle. Let’s see if Acura delivers.
Acura
What’s new for 2025?
Externally, Acura sharpened and refreshed the nose, wheels, and grill. It’s just enough to make all MDXs look newer while still retaining their recognizable appearance. My tester was coated in a lovely Apex Blue Pearl, which kind of made it look smaller. The 20-inch wheels looked sporty too.
The interior gets the lion’s share of new goodies for 2025. The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment display is all new, and thankfully, Acura did away with its dreadful touchpad. This new setup allows for a new and more useful center console with the usual push-button transmission.
A 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen is now part of the package, though the top-of-the-line S-Type gets a 31-speaker (!) setup. Optional 16-way adjustable front seats with an updated massage feature are also available, while updates to driver assistance systems, noise reduction systems, and safety systems are baked in.
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Driving the A-Spec Advanced package
First of all, this is not the top dog in the MDX lineup for performance. With its 290 horsepower 3.5-liter V6, the power is well beneath the 355 hp that the turbocharged V6 in the Type S makes. Despite the relatively low hp numbers, the 267 lb-ft of torque pushes the 4,500ish pound SUV with a hint of bravado. It’s quick, and is easily able to push through traffic.
To its credit, the suspension tuning is outstanding. A double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension with air springs employ an adaptive damper system that works with the SH-AWD (“super handling” all-wheel drive) setup full-time. This means a serious grip everywhere, all the time.
It feels more BMW-like when pushed through a canyon but settles nicely on the highway. It’s still firm, but sharp vibrations normally generated by potholes and road imperfections are well muted in sound and feel. When you select the Sport Mode and go for it, it’s easy to forget you’re driving a family hauler.
Acura
The five driving modes, Sport, Snow, Comfort, Normal, and Individual, give the MDX flexibility in terms of the terrain it excels in. The most noticeable mode is Sport for sure. It holds gears and spices up the overall feel of the MDX, so I left it on the majority of the time. It has a 10-speed automatic transmission which is a mixture of smooth transitions with fast gear changes. The paddle shifters are fun to play with too.
There was one caveat amongst the fine driving temperament of the MDX: gas mileage. The EPA rates it at 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. A front-wheel-drive MDX is rated at about 1 mpg higher. My loan vehicle averaged 19 mpg in mixed L.A. slow traffic, highway, and backroad drives.
Acura
The interior design feels sporty
The A-Spec Advance trim gives you three interior color options, including ebony, red, and orchid. While my tester was red and felt sporty, I would have personally preferred the orchid (white) as it looks a bit more buttoned down. Still, my teenager got a kick out of the interior color and commented on the excellent quality. It makes a dad proud.
The front seats have a fantastic message option, and like the front seats, the rear outboard and second-row seats are heated. All of the seats provide excellent support and padding. The front seats grip the driver well, making them feel almost like a sports seat. The third row… not so much.
Acura added Iconic Drive, a lighting package with 27 color themes, which my teen also approved of. The tri-zone automatic climate control system works well. Stainless steel is also used on components like the gas and brake pedal, which helps to further gussy up the interior feel.
Acura
There are some issues though
If you are serious about transporting more than five people around on a daily basis, there are roomier vehicles for the price. The second row is fine, but the third row is tight, and only shorter/smaller people will be comfortable. Additionally, cargo space behind the third row shrinks to 18.1 cubic feet but extends to a maximum usable space of 95 cu-ft.
Like its little brother, the RDX, it still uses a push-button transmission. I know fans of this setup can get rather defensive, but I still dislike it. My main reason (and this is after driving many push-button transmission vehicles) is the daily interface. Simply put, using it when I park or need to do a three-point turn is infuriating. I constantly have to double-check where my finger position is before clicking the right (sometimes wrong) gear.
As I mentioned before, the fuel mileage is a bit disappointing for this class, mainly because it is not a hybrid of any kind. Considering that both the Genesis GV80 and Volvo XC90 are a bit more efficient, I wonder if Honda/Acura is considering something more efficient in the future. Time will tell.
Acura
Final thoughts
There’s a reason the Acura MDX is one of the best-selling vehicles in its class: it’s damn good. Sure, there’s room for improvement, but it keeps Acura in the mix and even competes well against much more expensive competitors.
Base prices for a front-drive MDX start at $51,200. For that price, you already get a great daily driver, and an extra $2,200 gets you Acura’s vaunted SH-AWD.
The MSRP on my loaded 2025 Acura MDX A-Spec Advance came in at $69,950 after destination and handling. There are a few packages that support each trim level, but the absolute top is the Type-S with its beefy turbo V6. That one comes in at over $75,000.
Acura
It may seem pricey, but that’s only until you compare it to the competition. Sure, great family haulers like the Mazda CX90 and Hyundai Palisade are far less expensive, but they don’t compete with the likes of Lexus, Volvo, BMW and so on.
If it were my money, I would save about $10,000, get the MDX with the Tech Package, and still get 90 percent of the A-Spec’s goodness. Either way, you get a lot of car for the dough. Just like the RDX, the MDX manages to undercut many competitors while still showing everyone that it knows how to dance.
About the author
Nathan Adlen
Contributing Writer, Autoblog