What I Love Most About the 2016 Acura MDX is Surprisingly Simple

2016 Acura Mdx

An SUV packed full of technology, zero inconveniences and overflowing with perks.

I recently got to spend 10 days with this stunning dark blue SUV as my two sons, husband, and I traipsed all around the east coast on our very first family road trip. The final destination was my family’s annual reunion in Cumberland, MD. At the conclusion of it all, I have to admit it was a little hard to give up the 2016 Acura MDX and go back to our 11-year-old family workhorse, the Lexus RX330.

2016 Acura Mdx
Plenty of space between the seats for blankets and snacks. Photo: Brittnie McAskill

I Can See (And Load) Clearly Now

It starts from the moment you take your seat behind the wheel: you notice all the luxuries and technology at hand. The MDX, which for the all wheel drive version starts at $45,000, can be had tricked out with all the goodies including a wireless entertainment system; the model we drove came in about $57,000.

You also notice that the windshield is enormous, and the side windows are relatively tall, making visibility exceptional and practically erasing the need for the blind spot detection system…though it’s still nice as added security. I always felt like I could see everything and everyone around us as we ate up miles on the highway.

2016 Acura Mdx
Plenty of space for all the luggage, even with one of the third row seats up, and I still had room to see out the rear windows. Photo: Brittnie McAskill

However, the rear section of the cabin housed possibly my favorite creature comfort – push button seats! These one-touch seats were a truly amazing feature. As I’m sure you can imagine, when you have a lot in your hands and at least one clumsy 4-year-old hanging around, these are a huge help. With the quick press of a single button, the center seat folds in on itself and slides forward so you can reach the third row or if those seats are folded flat, the cargo area. As if that weren’t enough, there are also super convenient running boards on the lower rocker panels for children to easily climb aboard by themselves.

2016 Acura Mdx
Plenty of leg room in the back seat even for the grown ups. Photo: Brittnie McAskill

It’s What’s On The Inside That Counts

Now, from the outside the 2016 Acura MDX isn’t exactly the largest vehicle on the road. But the interior is cavernous! We discovered that there was enough leg room in the backseat that even my 6’3 husband could squeeze himself in.

2016 Acura Mdx
Leg room in the third row was a bit limited for a full sized adult, but fine for my son who loved having the space to himself. Photo: Brittnie McAskill

And in the all-important snack-and-junk capacity category, the MDX passed with a perfect A+. Any other mom that’s left the house for more than 5 minutes with multiple children knows how important it is to be prepared. Now imagine ratcheting that up by 1,000 and embarking on a 10-day road trip away from your home base.

Fortunately, I was able to fit one large bag full of snacks at the feet of one child, another bag full of DVDs, reading, and math workbooks at the feet of the other, and fill the space between them with blankets and pillows. On top of all that, I also had room to keep a cooler full of water, my purse, a garbage bag for discarded wrappers, and my own personal pillow in the front with me.

2016 Acura Mdx
Spacious and stylish interior with room in the front passenget seat for my stuff, too. Photo: Brittnie McAskill

Handles Like It’s On (T)rails

Even while being spacious and very comfortable on the inside, the MDX isn’t bulky or difficult to maneuver. On the highway, in parking lots, or even driving up and down mountain roads, I always felt like I knew where the front and rear bumpers were, and what the tires were doing. The engine’s confidence comes at a price, though. The AWD MDX gets 18 MPG in the city and 21 on the highway; if you opt for the model with stop/start technology, which stops the engine when idling (such as at a traffic light), it does a little better, getting 19 MPG city, 22MPG on the highway.

We were able to squeeze it through a couple of small wooded paths and parallel park it on the streets of Washington D.C. (thanks to a major assist from the camera and parking sensors, I might add)! In the rain I never felt less than totally confident, and it picked up speed to merge or pass on the highway without any hiccups. Even parallel parking on an incline wasn’t an issue. The MDX really was an absolute joy to drive.

2016 Acura Mdx
On a road trip slumber party the Acura MDX’s third row came in handy; both boys had their own space (and we had peace). Photo: Brittnie McAskill

Making Memories in Comfort

The MDX isn’t only put together very well, but has all the safety features that should help reassure any mother that all is well. We spent around 45 total hours sitting within the confines of the MDX, and I don’t have a single regret.

Being originally from Maryland, and moving to Florida more than a decade ago, I’ve made long treks similar to this one in the past. I can remember practically falling out (doing that slow roll move) of my other cars after six hours or so, in desperate need of a serious stretching session. Not so this time around. In fact, we went 10 hours straight on day one. Of course, the dancing and rapping along to SiriusXM’s 90s on 9 may have had something to do with that: Salt-N-Pepa get me EVERYTIME.

That’s right, I said dancing. Thanks to that extra legroom, there’s never a dull moment in the MDX!

2016 Acura Mdx
All good road trips need a hiking break! Photo: Brittnie McAskill

When can we do it again?

Acura provided the 2016 Acura MDX for Brittnie McAskill’s family road trip. Opinions and memories are all her own.

Brittnie Rowan McaskillBrittnie Rowan McAskill always knew she wanted to be a mother. But she didn’t always know just how crazy it would be! From her roots in Cumberland, MD. to her adopted hometown of Pompano Beach, FL., Brittnie has only had two goals – to fully dedicate herself to her family, and seek out and devour the best chicken wings on the planet. 

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