| Pros | Cons | ||
| ✓ The touchpad is GONE! | ☓ The changes may be too subtle for some | ||
| ✓ Still looks sharp | ☓ No more fuel efficient (hybrid) option in sight | ||
| ✓ Comfortable and practical | |||
| ✓ Type S is still a fun drive |
2025 Acura MDX Overview: A smash hit, or not different enough?
It’s been around for a quarter of a century now, and Acura proudly states that the MDX is its best-selling model to-date, selling more than 1.2 million units in that time frame. The latest-generation model went on sale in the 2022 model year, so we’re looking at a mid-cycle refresh with the 2025 version, rather than a complete overhaul. Even so, Acura contends the changes it’s made to this updated model are worth bringing a flock of journalists, TFL Studios included, to Malibu to see what’s what.
Specifically, we’re looking at two sides of the MDX lineup here: the A-Spec Advance which is packing a 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine with 267 lb-ft of torque, and the turbocharged, 3.0-liter Type S putting out 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft. Beyond just offering more power, Brembo brakes and air suspension, the updated 2025 Acura MDX Type S also packs a 31-speaker (!) Bang & Olufsen sound system pushing out 1,760 watts, all while still being able to carry up to seven passengers in comfort (more on that below).
All 2025 Acura MDX models get a similar range of changes. Keen-eyed observers will note a front fascia that’s ever-so-slightly different, with a hood line that’s been pulled forward over the grille, which itself has a new mesh for both the A-Spec and the Type S. There are darker headlamps and taillamps, while Advance Package models get body-color lower exterior trim and several trims, with the exception of the base MDX, get new 20-inch wheel designs (or 21-inch, in the Type S’ case). Acura has tweaked the front and rear fender liners, door insulators and rear door glass to improve cabin noise, and the Type S model introduces a more advanced version of its driver assistance system called “AcuraWatch 360”.
Tech defines the 2025 Acura MDX changes, in a good way
Now, it is worth noting that every MDX across the board gets some improvements to its ADAS features. Adaptive cruise control, for example, now automatically slows down for curves, while the road departure mitigation (or lane keep assist, as we more commonly see it) does do a better job of keeping you centered without just ping-ponging between the lines.
AcuraWatch 360, though, takes things up a level, if you can swing a Type S over a base MDX or the A-Spec. New radar sensors front and rear and a wider-view front camera are part of the package, as is a new steering wheel with capacitive touch sensors. That all offers better baseline capability for the existing driver assistance tech like better blind-spot monitoring and collision mitigation braking, but it also enables front cross-traffic warning and “Active Lane Change Assist” as the headline feature. It’s still a hands-on system unlike GM’s Super Cruise or Tesla’s Autopilot, but while driving on divided multi-lane highways, you can hold the stalk at the halfway point in either direction to begin an automated lane change, when the system permits it (obviously, it won’t do it if there’s a vehicle in the other lane).
To make the AcuraWatch 360’s lane change and adaptive cruise control work well, Acura moved away from torque sensors that actually have to detect movement every once in awhile to know your hands are still on the wheel. Instead, the new capacitive sensors, like those on touchscreens, can detect from touch whether your hand is actually on the wheel. It all works well, and generally achieves the goal of making the 2025 Acura MDX a less taxing experience to drive when you’re not in a corner-carving mood.
You know what else makes the MDX a more pleasant experience? The new 12.3-inch touchscreen setup for the infotainment screen. Not only does it get Google built-in apps, but it also ditches Acura’s “True Touchpad Interface” — a 1-to-1 trackpad that translates your finger’s position to buttons on the screen that worked better on paper than in practice, to put it mildly — for a more straightforward approach. That does mean you have to use the screen with a relatively shallow “shelf” in front of it to rest your hand, but it’s still better than the alternative. In practice, my attempts to get used to the trackpad (especially on the move) were just as distracting as simply touching the menu or setting I wanted. Here, it’s at least logically laid out, and you can press and hold the bottom left corner to add a shortcut for whichever menu you need most.
In short: Even if you don’t particularly like all the tech in today’s family hauling SUVs, the 2025 Acura MDX is far less frustrating to use on a daily basis. The trackpad’s absence also means the center console gets a cleaner and more practical redesign, adding a bit more storage space and (crucially) keeping simple buttons and knobs for track and volume control close to hand. You also get a couple USB-C ports that pop up when you need them, as well as wireless smartphone charging across the whole range.
A comfortable cabin and a banging stereo system should please most buyers
If you’re an audiophile, you’ll likely welcome the new stereo setups in the 2025 Acura MDX as well. On the MDX Tech Package and A-Spec, you get a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen setup rather than the old ELS system. There wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with the old setup, but this new one puts out more raw power (1,450 watts, until you get into the Type S) and has a special “Beosonic” equalizer wheel that makes it a lot easier to produce the sort of sound you want without fiddling around with EQ bars all day long. Do you want “Bright”, “Energetic”, “Warm”, “Relaxed” or somewhere in between? It works surprisingly well, and adds to the list of small changes adding up to make a pretty notable difference.
The 2025 Acura MDX comes with seven passenger seats by default, in a 2-3-2 configuration. Rather than specifying a captain’s chair second-row option, though, the automaker has a fairly straightforward solution: Just take the middle seat out of you don’t need it. The middle seat can also fold forward instead, offering the outboard passengers a couple of cupholders and a storage cubbie.
Looking at the broader strokes, the rest of the interior is more or less the same as before. Apart from pulling the second-row middle seat out, you can slide row forward to accommodate some extra legroom on the third row. That said, headroom is still tight, especially if you’re on the taller side. The Type S does brighten things up a bit by offering four headliner speakers above the rearmost passengers so they can enjoy the action, but it’s still a bit of an issue on longer trips. Mind you, at least the leather seats and quieter cabin do enhance the experience for everyone onboard.
What about performance?
It may be odd that it’s taking awhile to really get around to performance, especially when mentioning the 2025 Acura MDX Type S. That mainly comes down to two things: The driving experience hasn’t fundamentally changed from our last go-around, and it arguably is the part that didn’t really need to change.
Summing up the updated MDX’s road chops mainly comes down to “if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it”. Both powertrain options carry over from 2024, and both are pretty remarkable in their own right. Even the A-Spec, with its larger, naturally aspirated 290-horsepower V6 shows a surprising amount of get-up-and-go off the line. The Type S obviously has forced induction in its favor, so you get a hugely satisfying surge of acceleration once the turbo spools up. In either case, the 10-speed automatic transmission shifts snappily so you’re always in the nice part of the power band.
As with technology, the Type S takes performance up another level by way of the air springs that can adjust the ride height and damping for a more spirited experience or a cushy long-distance cruise. You also get Brembo brakes (with red-painted calipers, of course) and well-weighted steering that makes the car feel much smaller and lighter than it actually is. It may not be a powerhouse like some of its rivals, but the whole setup, and particularly Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system, makes the best possible use of the available power to make it feel agile without completely overwhelming the senses.
The 2025 MDX makes a great case for itself: But should you go for the Type S?
We may not be looking at a whole new model this year, but the relatively small changes make the 2025 MDX a strong recommendation. The quality of life updates make an already good SUV even better, to the point where it’s arguably the best new Acura for the money right now. And on the money front, even the Type S falls in line with mid-range offerings of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, among others.
The base 2025 Acura MDX starts off at $52,250 for the front-wheel drive model, with AWD setting you back another $2,200. The Type S, which only comes in the “Advance” package this time, tops out the range at $76,300. But is it worth the extra cash?
For most of you guys reading this, I’d argue no — because the best changes for 2025 aren’t reserved for the Type S. In fact, you can get the still-pretty-damn-good 19-speaker B&O setup, the new touchcreen infotainment system, the cabin noise improvements and 20-inch wheels with the MDX Tech Package for $57,650 (or $59,850, if you want all-wheel drive). That’s a deal worth shopping for, in my book.
If anything, the MDX lineup is only missing one thing: a more fuel efficient option. The 3.5-liter V6 model is better than the turbocharged Type S, but those models still manage between 19 and 22 mpg combined, respectively. That’s at least 6 mpg less than the hybrid Lexus TX…so can we get the MDX Hybrid back at some point, Acura?
Tommy and I both had a chance to experience the new MDX, and you can check out more in the video below:
