2022 Acura MDX reveal date confirmed - What to expect
Acura is on a roll right now, with the unexpectedly-capable 2021 TLX under its belt, and now we know when the next big launch, the 2022 Acura MDX, is taking place. The automaker's three-row SUV is already one of its most important vehicles, but with this fourth-generation update it's set to double-down on the concept of pairing rewarding dynamics with plenty of space.
We've already seen some heavy hints of what Acura has in mind. The MDX Prototype shown off in October gave a thinly-veiled preview of the upcoming production SUV, with bolder creases, a more muscular body, and high-end detailing.
At the front, the MDX Prototype featured the Diamond Pentagon grille and JewelEye LED headlamps that Acura launched with its head-turning concepts over the past few years. It's also a bigger car, with a longer dash-to-axle distance to emphasize the hood, and a stretched wheelbase for more cabin space.
The engineering tidbits Acura dropped for the MDX Prototype should be carried over to the 2022 MDX, too. That means a new light-truck platform, with double wishbone front suspension on the MDX line for the first time. Fourth-generation Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) will, unsurprisingly, be available too, with torque vectoring for the rear wheels.
Under the hood there'll be a 3.5-liter VTEC V6 engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. No word on power figures there, yet. Inside, there'll be more space and an uptick in both quality and technology, Acura promises. The prototype had more room in all three rows, along with new sports seats with integrated massage, Milano leather with French stitched detailing, and an ultra-wide panoramic moonroof covering all three rows overhead.
The analog gauges are gone, with a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument binnacle in their place. Another 12.3-inch screen sits in the center console for infotainment duties; it's the interface for a new "Signature Edition" ELS STUDIO 3D premium audio system as well, boasting 22 channels, 25 speakers, and 1,000+ watts of power. Figure on plenty of active safety tech as well, including the multi-segment front passenger airbag that made its debut on the 2021 TLX.
Perhaps most exciting is the promise of an even more potent version. The MDX Type S will follow on in summer 2021, Acura says, and be the first such sports SUV that the automaker offers. It'll have a special 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, good for 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque, and come with SH-AWD as standard.
We'll see the 2022 Acura MDX officially on December 8, with a livestream kicking off from 11:30am PST. It's due to arrive in dealerships from early 2021, meanwhile.