Acura’s 2025 MDX midsize crossover will offer buyers substantial design, technology and convenience upgrades when it goes on sale next month.
“We see MDX as the most important Acura model in terms of volume, and the model that is most identified with us. That’s why we’ve continued to keep it at the top of its game,” Gary Robinson, American Honda’s vice president of auto planning and strategy, told Automotive News.
The sporty MDX family hauler debuted in 2001 and has been a consistently strong seller. In 2023, MDX sales of 57,599 closed 24 percent higher than the previous year.
The newly restructured MDX lineup has one fully loaded Type S trim at the top and an A-Spec Advance trim just below it. A second A-Spec package maintains its position midpack. The Type S and the A-Spec variants now share the same aggressive styling.
“It’s a very noticeable change,” Robinson said. “We’re trying to capture that precision, crafted, performance branding — emphasis on performance — while keeping the sophistication you need in a $70,000-plus SUV.”
Acura also dropped its polarizing touchpad in favor of a center touchscreen. That meant repositioning the 12.3-inch display within reach of the driver and redesigning the center console, which now has more storage space, USB-C ports and a wireless smartphone charger.
Robinson said the Acura MDX has a loyal customer base, so a lot of consideration is given to every change.
“We have to be sure the changes we introduce feel like a permanent advancement of the MDX brand rather than dilute it or move it in a strange direction,” Robinson said.
Adding a Type S variant to the lineup for the 2022 model year was instrumental in expanding the appeal of the nameplate. MDX Type S enabled the brand to successfully conquest “some of the high-end European SUV customers Acura struggled a little to get in the past,” Robinson said, noting that most buyers favored the top-shelf Type S.
“We’re proud of this 2025 MDX. We put a lot of resources into it and we’re hopeful that it will take MDX to the next level,” he said.
Here are five changes to notice in the 2025 MDX.
The new Type S variant at the top has a more aggressively styled front fascia with an open-frame diamond pentagon grille and redesigned mesh. It also has updated Berlina Black split-spoke 21-inch wheels and a robust 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with high-tech tweeters, an 8.8-inch subwoofer, two amplifiers and 24 channels of power. The front seats now feature Ultrasuede bolsters. A new Urban Grey Pearl color is available.
The new A-Spec with Advance Package sits just below the top-end Type S. In addition to sharing the sportier styling of the Type S, it gets 16-way power seats, heated outboard second-row seats, a head-up display and a 360-degree camera. No longer exclusive to Type S, nine-way massaging front seats are now on the A-Spec with Advance Package.
The MDX Type S gets the top-shelf 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, but there are sound enhancements across the board. The Advance Package, both A-Spec trims and the Technology Package are all equipped with 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio (that’s three more speakers on the Advance and A-Specs, and seven more on the Technology). The entry MDX does not get the fancy B&O audio, but it adds two more speakers for a total of 11.
The MDX Type S is equipped with five radar points that monitor the car from all angles, and enable additional features, such as active lane change assist and lane change collision mitigation, as well as front cross-traffic warning. All MDX trims have enhanced collision avoidance thanks to higher detection accuracy on a new front camera and grille-mounted radar. Lane change alert also is now standard.
Acura replaced its center console-mounted touchpad for a touchscreen with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Though Acura was big on its touchpad technology, it found the marketplace favors touchscreens. The screen appears more prominent because of its new placement closer to the driver, but the outgoing model’s screen also measured 12.3 inches. The system also features standard Google Built In, which can operate certain infotainment functions via voice command.