Acura recasts flagship MDX for better handling, driving

The inclusion of a double-wishbone front suspension on the 2022 Acura MDX arriving in early February marks the return of technology that helped launch Honda's upscale brand in 1986.

Double-wishbone suspension systems are heavier, more complex and more expensive than the more common McPherson struts used on many crossovers and sedans.

But, born from Formula 1 race cars, double-wishbone suspension systems help keep tires square on the road during aggressive driving. That improves handling and safety.

The redesigned 2022 MDX — the flagship of the Acura brand now that the RLX sedan has been interred — gets an all-new, ultra-rigid platform, new styling, a redesigned interior, an infotainment system that features Amazon's Alexa and two screens that total 24.6 inches, or 62.5 cm.

Acura is calling it the most premium, performance-focused and technologically advanced crossover in the brand's history.

It will be powered by an enhanced 3.5-litre V-6 powertrain engine with 290 hp and 267 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The driver's screen, with readouts for speed and engine data, is configurable. Third-row passengers get a significant bump in available space — 2.4 inches (6.1 cm) more legroom and a higher seating position.

There will be four models for 2022, with ranging from $59,400 for the base two-wheel-drive MDX to $70,400 for the MDX with Platinum Elite Package. Prices include $2,995 for shipping.

The MDX, consistently among the industry's top-selling midsize luxury crossovers, is Acura's No. 2 seller after the RDX in Canada and the United States. U.S. sales of the MDX have dropped 9.9 per cent to 41,776 this year through November. Canadian sales are down 30 per cent to 3,076.

Acura plans to add a performance-oriented MDX Type S with a 3.0-litre turbocharged V-6 engine and the next generation of its all-wheel-drive system late next summer. Acura is skipping the 2021 model year for the MDX.

The MDX will be Acura's first crossover to be equipped with a double-wishbone suspension. The layout is used on the redesigned 2021 TLX sports sedan, which arrived at dealers in late September, and the NSX supercar.