Acura MDX Overview

Acura's MDX midsize luxury crossover SUV bridges the gap nicely between bread-and-butter vehicles and more-expensive (and less-versatile) offerings from European luxury competitors. The sole drivetrain option is a 3.7-liter VTEC V6 making 300 hp and 270 lb-ft. of torque, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission with manual shift control and Acura's much-lauded Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system.

The 7-seat MDX comes in a single well-equipped trim level, featuring standard features that often cost extra on competing models, like heated leather upholstery, power moonroof and rear liftgate, tri-zone climate control and Bluetooth HandsFreeLink. Options are divided into the Technology, Advance and Entertainment packages, adding such available features as a voice-activated navigation system, sport suspension with active damping, a rear DVD entertainment system and 19-inch alloy wheels. Fuel efficiency suffers a little with standard all-wheel drive, though is still decent for the luxury SUV segment at 16 city/21 highway mpg. Pricing starts at around $43,000.