Unlike anything Acura has built before, the 2022 Acura MDX Type S is the first SUV to ascend to the high-performance ranks of Type S. The Acura MDX is a three-row mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Honda under its Acura luxury nameplate since 2000. The alphanumeric moniker stands for “Multi-Dimensional luxury”. It has ranked as the second-best selling mid-size luxury SUV after the Lexus RX. Skipping the 2021 model year, the fourth-generation MDX was revealed as a prototype on October 14, 2020, virtually revealed on December 8, went into bulk production on January 12, 2021 for the 2022 model year, and went on sale on February 2, with the Type-S trim coming in the second quarter of 2021. Featuring a 3.0-liter turbo V-6 producing an estimated 355-HP116 and 354 lb-ft116 of torque, the MDX Type S puts power to the ground with rear-biased Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®). A double-wishbone front suspension, 21-in wheels, and front Brembo® brakes deliver handling with exhilarating precision.
The 2022 MDX deletes the Sport Hybrid trim level and adds the Type S to the mix. Unlike anything Acura has built before, the MDX is the first SUV to ascend to the high-performance ranks of Type S. Featuring a 3.0-liter turbo V-6 producing an estimated 355-HP116 and 354 lb-ft116 of torque, the MDX Type S puts power to the ground with rear-biased Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®). The 2022 Acura MDX Type S swaps the standard model’s naturally aspirated V-6 engine for a smaller but more powerful 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, the same unit that powers the 2021 Acura TLX Type S. The MDX Type S keeps the base model’s transmission and is only available in AWD, and to complement the added grunt, Acura fits the SUV with Brembo front brakes and a trim-specific Sport+ drive mode. The power output is still not more than the Aviator’s, though. A double-wishbone front suspension, 21-in wheels, and front Brembo® brakes deliver handling with exhilarating precision.
Equipped with Acura’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system (dubbed Super Handling All-Wheel Drive or SH-AWD by the Japanese brand) and a 10-speed automatic transmission, the sportiest iteration of the MDX promises to improve upon the standard model’s dynamics, an AWD version of which we clocked accelerating from 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds. To complement the more powerful engine of the MDX Type S, Acura fits the most potent variant of its mid-size SUV with Brembo-sourced front brakes and a trim-specific Sport+ drive mode. A ten-speed automatic transmission and SH-AWD are standard on all Type S models. The front brakes are upgraded and feature Brembo calipers, and the Type S also features an extra driving mode called Sport+ that’s said to sharpen the steering and throttle response.
The Type S is the high-performance version of this three-row vehicle, and it offers everything from sporty handling to premium features. Specifically, a turbo V6 engine is under the MDX Type S’s hood, and it gives you 335 horsepower. Compared to the standard MDX trim levels, the Type S has larger Brembo brake calipers in the front and comes with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive as standard equipment. Inside the cabin, you can appreciate massaging front seats with quilted leather seats across all three rows. This model also has an ELS Studio 3D Signature Edition sound system with 25 speakers. Experience a premium design crafted to engage the driver’s senses. The interior is highly refined with authentic materials, modern quilted-leather seating surfaces, and massaging front seats. The cabin is further amplified by the 25-speaker Signature Edition ELS STUDIO 3D® premium audio system for a performance SUV like no other.
