Review: 2025 Acura MDX Type S Carves Its Own Niche

Each time I get the opportunity to review an Acura MDX, I never quite know where to position it. Is it a glorified Honda Pilot? An Audi Q7 rival, or a competitor to a fully-loaded Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy? Yet, no matter which suit the MDX chooses to wear, it always manages to come out on top as one of the better three-row SUVs to choose from. Why?

First, it’s powered by a Honda engine, which suggests it’ll run forever. Past MDXs have definitely proven their worth on the reliability side of things. The MDX is also properly sized, and spacious enough, but not to the point of being too bloated. It looks sort of cool and understated. Its super-handling all-wheel-drive system is rather neat. There’s ample power on tap, and the brand recognition of the Acura badge is posh enough to not make you look like a fool when parking your MDX next to more glorified European nameplates.

In Type S guise, the MDX is even harder to grasp. It’s not really a BMW X5 M fighter because of its technical specifications. But it’s also considerably more potent than, say, a Lexus TX 500h F Sport. The MDX Type S really carves its own niche. And it’s actually rather great.

2025 Acura MDX Type S First Impressions

Properly Understated With A Touch Of Performance-Minded Design Cues

I have no real issue with the way the current MDX looks, except for the fact that, from some angles, it still resembles a Honda Pilot. But it’s the right size, has a neat, dynamic look to it, and it also happens to be supremely well put together, with tight panel gaps and great paint quality.

The Type S treatment definitely does enough to let people know this is no ordinary MDX. As if the 20-inch wheels weren’t enough of a clue, the gigantic red brake calipers confirm this SUV has stopping power. The oversized dual exhaust is also a dead giveaway that something meaner is hiding underneath its hood. But I still think Acura could have gone a little further with the MDX Type S, something more aggressive, something like the wide-bodied Integra Type S.

2025 Acura MDX Type S Exterior Dimensions

2025 Acura MDX Type S: Differences Between The U.S. And Canadian Market

Since the MDX Type S is the top trim level within the MDX lineup, Acura essentially sells it the same way on each side of the border. The only real distinction is that the U.S. market sells the Type S with the Advanced package in its default form, while in Canada, it’s called Ultra. The U.S.-bound MDXs also get two additional paint colors: Double Apex Blue and Urban Grey Pearl. There are no optional packages, just extra accessories and wheels.

U.S. Versus Canada Lineup Breakdown And Starting MSRP (model tested in bold below)

Driving Impressions And Performance

Quite the handler, sharp and precise, but not as fast as expected

While the Type S gets its own, bespoke turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, the rest of its hardware is very similar to a regular MDX’s. There’s the same 10-speed automatic transmission, but tuned differently for Type S duty. It also runs with the same excellent SH-AWD system (for super-handling all-wheel-drive). It’s a permanent system, meaning it doesn’t just react to wheel slippage, but constantly sends torque to all four wheels. There’s also mechanical torque vectoring happening on the rear axle for improved rotation and handling in the corners.

And that’s actually felt the moment you throw the MDX Type S into a corner. Unlike other midsize three-row SUVs that constantly feel top-heavy and not particularly athletic, the MDX always feels light on its feet, nimble, agile, and always well-glued to the tarmac. It also helps that the Type S gets a unique adaptive air suspension with ride height adjustments, which is unique to the MDX Type S. In its most aggressive setting, this Acura hunkers down, and feels all stiff and bouncy, almost like a large .

But tone things down to the plusher, Comfort setting, and the MDX Type S is almost old Cadillac soft. It wallows about, bounces, and feels every bit like a cloud when driven over the roughest roads. There are no less than six suspension settings to choose from: High, Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport and Sport+, with Normal being the sweet spot for daily driveability.

2025 Acura MDX Type S Technical Specifications

The powerplant, however, is more of a mixed bag. On paper, 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque are healthy enough to take on what the Germans sell in this space, and the MDX Type S accelerates hard alright. There’s just always torque available, and turbo lag is always relatively quelled. There’s also fantastic throttle response here, making this engine almost feel naturally aspirated. I also never got tired of hearing a Honda engine revving up to redline. But only from behind the wheel. From the outside, the soundtrack is all rather lame.

My issue with this powerplant is that it never truly feels fast, nor as visceral as what the Germans will sell you these days. Most of that comes from the ten-speed transmission’s reaction times. Gun the throttle in even the gnarliest Sport+ mode, and it takes it several seconds to find the proper gear. Thankfully, I could manually shift gears myself via the steering-mounted paddle shifters, but even then, the MDX Type S never managed to fire through its gears as quickly as, say, a xDrive40i.

2025 Acura MDX Type S Fuel Consumption

According to the EPA, the Type S treatment only takes two MPGs off of the MDX’s average combined fuel economy. But although 19 MPG is decent for a vehicle of this size and with this kind of performance, the MDX Type S is still outgunned by the more powerful X5 xDrive40i (25 MPG). I averaged 18.3 MPG after a wheel week with the car, which isn’t great.

EPA And As-Tested Fuel Consumption

Interior Design And Comfort

Impeccable Build Quality And Beautifully Styled, Tighter Rear Seats Than Some Rivals

One area where the MDX Type S doesn’t mess about is in its build quality and general use of its cabin materials. My tester had the stunning red leather interior, which not only drove the point home that this is a Type S, but also simply spiced up the cabin to a whole new level of premium. All materials look and feel of the utmost quality. There’s just a sense with this interior that the MDX Type S will last for a long time.

The MDX’s center console remains a hot mess of buttons and knobs, but, generally speaking, it’s all rather easy to comprehend and grasp. I get that Acura wants to put an emphasis on the MDX’s dynamic abilities, which is why the drive mode selector is so large and visible. But why is it where the volume knob is normally supposed to be, and why is the volume knob down on the center console next to the driver? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?

Finally, although the second row of seats in an MDX remains competitive in terms of leg and headroom, and that Acura fits a neat center section that can double down as a third seat or a console, creating a captain’s chair setup, the third-row access isn’t exactly easy in an MDX. The opening is narrow, and once you’re back there, you’ll wonder why Acura even ranks the MDX as a . Those seats will mostly only work for kids.

2025 Acura MDX Type S Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

The Trackpad Is Gone! And The System Is Generally Cleaner And Quicker To React

Acura finally understood that nobody wants trackpads in their cars, so it defaulted the MDX’s infotainment system back to a good old touch-operated setup. While some players in this space offer more sophisticated systems involving AI assistance and over-the-air update (OTA) technology, the MDX’s infotainment system remains quick to react, relatively easy to comprehend, and straightforward to operate.

Some of its features do require digging through some menus, like adjusting ambient lighting at night. But, generally speaking, there’s nothing really wrong with the way the technology is presented in an MDX Type S. The digital gauge pod is also simple, easy to read, and can either include or not vital information while driving.

Cargo And Storage Space

Enough Of It To Beat Several Rivals

Where the MDX truly leads the pack is in its ability to haul cargo. No matter what you pit it against, it ranks up there as one of the most practical midsize SUVs currently on sale, bordering on minivan levels of cargo space. Then again, the MDX does share its bones with the Honda Odyssey minivan. For reference, the MDX offers more total cargo space than a BMW X5 (72.3 cu-ft), but is just a notch behind the massive Lexus TX (97.0 cu-ft).

Looking For Something Different? The MDX Type S Sure Is Unique

It would be easy to dismiss the 2025 Acura MDX Type S due to its lack of true performance versus the German opposition. But it comes with its own set of qualities that allow it to gracefully carve its way through the establishment and come out the other side with its own unique flair. Add to that the expected reliability, low maintenance costs, and high resale value of the MDX nameplate as a whole, and it’s fair to say that the Type S dances to the beat of a different drum in the luxury high-performance SUV space. It’s different, and kind of weird in its own neat way. If that’s your thing then, yes, an MDX Type S is absolutely worth a shot.