Finest Acura MDX Mannequin Years For Reliability

Simply after the daybreak of the brand new millennium, Acura launched its all-new SUV – the MDX. Designed with households in thoughts, the Acura MDX is a succesful three-row SUV, packed stuffed with luxurious facilities. Since arriving for the 2001 mannequin yr, the Acura MDX has been in virtually fixed manufacturing ever since, with a complete of 4 generations, all of which underwent mid-generation facelifts in an effort to hold them recent. There isn’t a doubting the luxurious enchantment and family-friendly capabilities of the MDX, however how does the fashionable three-row SUV stack up by way of its reliability? All through this text, we’ll discover the perfect years for Acura MDX manufacturing, together with years to keep away from.

Acura MDX: Overview Of Generations

Acura MDX manufacturing will be cut up into 4 fundamental generations: YD1, YD2, YD3 and YD9. Every era was additionally topic to a mid-generation facelift, possible because of the explosion of recognition within the SUV section. Because of the immense success of SUVs over the past 20 years, the section has been ever-changing and evolving, so facelifts have been a sensible method for Acura to maintain their MDX wanting recent alongside the best way.

The MDX has at all times been marketed as a premium product, however nonetheless managed to undercut key competitors with cheaper costs, corresponding to BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Because the mannequin advanced, new trims arrived, corresponding to Hybrid and Sport Hybrid trims, which too proved widespread. The most recent era, YD9, was launched for the 2022 mannequin yr, and is the one mannequin to be supplied in a distinctly sporty Sort S trim, powered by a 355-horsepower V6 engine. The YD9 continues to be in manufacturing, and the 2025 mannequin has a base MSRP of $51,200.

There isn’t a arguing that the Acura MDX has lots to supply, a lot as all Acura SUV fashions do, however let’s discover out which years are probably the most dependable, and that are greatest averted.

Figuring out The Finest Acura MDX Mannequin Years

Keenly priced with a base MSRP marginally north of $50,000, the most recent Acura MDX is among the extra reasonably priced luxurious three-row SUVs accessible in 2024. Nonetheless, used examples provide higher worth for cash at extra accessible costs. To learn these buying second-hand, we determined to determine which years of the MDX are probably the most dependable, utilizing exterior sources corresponding to Automobile Complaints, the NHTSA, and J.D. Energy reliability scores. These sources won’t solely present us with invaluable third-party reliability and high quality critiques, but additionally entry to different metrics, corresponding to what number of official complaints any given yr has obtained, along with the variety of remembers logged. Likewise, now we have additionally narrowed down the least dependable Acura MDX fashions, utilizing the identical methodology.

To be able to guarantee there may be sufficient information to work with, we have dominated out the 2023 and 2024 mannequin years, so this reliability evaluation will give attention to mannequin years 2001 by 2022. This does imply that solely the primary yr of manufacturing for the YD9 era is to be thought of. The article will spotlight the perfect yr for the Acura MDX, and likewise the MDX years to keep away from.

2007 Acura MDX

This yr, 2007, marks the primary yr of the YD2 era, which was notably up to date from the sooner first-generation mannequin. Impressively, Acura seems to have finished a terrific job in engineering the YD2 era, as just one recall has been logged by the NHTSA. Normally, the primary yr of a brand new era will be liable to extra remembers than later automobiles, however this isn’t the case with the YD2 MDX.

The recall pertains to an non-compulsory bike rack, which may probably trigger hurt by pinching fingers when being moved from one place to the opposite. Whereas nonetheless necessary to maintain a watch out for, the recall is fortunately not regarding by way of reliability, which is why 2007 will be thought of top-of-the-line years for Acura MDX manufacturing.

Dialogue

Ought to I purchase a used Acura MDX?

Like Honda, Acura has a very good reliability status. As an example, the 2018 Acura MDX has an 81 out of 100 high quality and reliability ranking from J.D. Energy. In Sport Hybrid guise, it additionally has 321 hp to play with. Nonetheless, these Acuras have some questionable ergonomics and the older dual-touchscreen infotainment system that many discover irritating to make use of. If you happen to can reside with the dated tech, this can be a respectable used SUV.

2018 Acura MDX Hybrid

When on the lookout for the Acura MDX greatest yr of manufacturing, 2018 would not instantly leap out as a terrific instance, as the usual mannequin has been topic to seven remembers. Nonetheless, the Sport Hybrid trim solely has two remembers logged in opposition to it, and the usual Hybrid only one.

Moreover, for the 2018 mannequin, Automobile Complaints exhibits simply three complaints – far decrease than the common. Evidently, 2018 is among the MDX greatest years to safe when buying round for a used instance. As a 2018 mannequin, it is also trendy sufficient to fulfill most prospects.

2022 Acura MDX Sort S

In response to the information, one of many Acura MDX’s greatest years was for the 2022 mannequin yr, which can also be when the present era MDX Sort S mannequin first grew to become accessible. Sporting a strong turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine with 355 horsepower at its disposal, the Sort S is by far the quickest MDX produced so far.

The usual 2022 MDX has one recall to be cautious of, however the Sort S has zero on document, along with simply two complaints famous on Automobile Complaints. One pertains to an engine drawback, whereas the opposite denotes a brake drawback – it is value us mentioning that Automobile Complaints doesn’t differentiate between the usual and Sort S fashions. One other level of observe is that extra complaints and remembers might come up, given how lately this era of MDX debuted. Nonetheless, for now, it is virtually actually top-of-the-line Acura MDX years.

Acura MDX Mannequin Years To Keep away from

There’s a nice vary of MDX mannequin years which have confirmed themselves as dependable SUVs. Nonetheless, the next MDX mannequin years undergo from extreme and regarding remembers, along with quite a few complaints logged on each Automobile Complaints and with the NHTSA. If you happen to’re taking a look at securing a second-hand Acura MDX, the information suggests you would be higher off steering away from these particular mannequin years.

2003 Acura MDX

Sporting an alarming 13 remembers with the NHTSA and 211 complaints on the identical web site, the 2003 Acura MDX certain does throw up a couple of pink flags for potential patrons to make an observation of. Binding accelerator pedals, exploding airbag inflators, and the danger of the automobile rolling away resulting from an ignition fault are points which have resulted in remembers for the 2003 MDX. These are all critical and pose actual danger to drivers and passengers of this mannequin yr.

Lots of the complaints are linked with the highlighted remembers, and rightfully so, too. After wanting on the information, it is clear to see that this is among the Acura MDX years to keep away from.

2014 Acura MDX

Though the 2014 Acura MDX is up for seven remembers in accordance with the NHTSA, that is not the primary cause why it options on the checklist of years to keep away from. This yr has been topic to probably the most complaints for any MDX, with a complete of 63 displaying on Automobile Complaints. Out of these 63 complaints, 26 of them relate to engine points, and extra particularly lurching points and regarding noises.

Automobile Complaints does truly counsel that 2010 is the worst yr, because the associated points for 2010 are usually thought of to be dearer. Nonetheless, the 2010 MDX has fewer remembers, only one, and so the 2014 Acura MDX as a substitute is the yr that makes our checklist of examples to keep away from.

2019 Acura MDX

Equally to the 2018 Acura MDX, which we suggest as a Hybrid mannequin, the 2019 MDX additionally sports activities fewer remembers for the Hybrid trims. Nonetheless, as a gas-only MDX, the Acura attracted six remembers, and 10 complaints for patrons to be cautious of.

The remembers may very well be very expensive if ignored, too. Most are engine associated, corresponding to gas pump failure, rod bearing points, and even failing timing belts – any a kind of points might simply trigger four-figure harm to your Acura and pockets. The complaints point out unusual engine noises and unexplained stalling and/or acceleration, which can or will not be associated to the remembers.

Normally, sure generations of a mannequin will show kind of dependable than others, which suggests the recommendation could be to keep away from the generations with extra points available. Nonetheless, with the MDX, it is just a little extra complicated. Throughout the varied iterations, some mannequin years look like well-engineered, whereas others may very well be thought of ticking time-bombs. It is the identical with trims too, corresponding to with the Hybrid fashions proving dependable for mannequin years with fault-ridden gas-only trims.

In abstract, pay further care and a focus to the remembers listed when contemplating a used MDX, and test to see if any of the extra noteworthy complaints will be observed on the instance you are contemplating.