Many of us fondly remember our favorite baseball glove. It fit perfectly, had the right break-in suppleness and we guarded it with our life. The same goes for those special jeans going on like butter-infused denim you don’t dare discard. Or maybe your favorite wedge or putter that literally must disintegrate or be lost before you replace it.
The same could be said for the 2026 Acura MDX SH-AWD Type S Advance. The moment you climb in, you immediately feel at one with the SUV. Passengers all gushed how darn comfortable it feels sitting inside. Adding in the excellent power, handling, cargo area and tech will make it easy for you to place it alongside the beloved glove, jeans or golf club. It’s that good – comfortable and reliable.
SKIN
The new MDX looks like a ride that’ll take you for a confident long haul. Its appearance and stance are more formidable than the previous model, with sharp visual accents while still maintaining the solid, clean exterior Acura customers prefer.
The 2026 model is an extension of the 2025 refresh. The bright Jewel Eye LED headlights look clean while illuminating the road. 21” alloy wheels, red brake calipers and the quad chrome exhaust add to the allure.
It worked well for me – and more importantly, for my SUV-aficionado friends.
PERFORMANCE
The MDX Type S is a highly pleasurable drive as well. The 3.0 liter V6 direct injection provides 335hp/354 lb-ft torque to accelerate nicely moving 4,446 lbs. 0-60 in 5.5 seconds and can tow up to 5,000 lbs. The low-end torque gives immediate oomph. The exhaust will growl a bit when punching the pedal in Sport+, yet I wish it had more aggressive emotion to match the sportier exterior.
A 10-speed transmission shifts precisely. Agile Handling Assist gives the MDX a nimble feel for an SUV. Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) is standard. I’m a big fan of powering all four wheels even in the Sunbelt states. Those large front red Brembo Brake Calipers have excellent stopping power.
Drive-mode options include Normal, Comfort, and Sport. The differences lie in steering feel, acceleration and S+ for extra oomph. Sport+ is included for tauter settings for those desiring racier feel and handling. The Type S Advance trim adds a Sport+ mode for maximum performance and a Lift mode to increase ground clearance. Dynamic Adaptive Air Suspension smooths out even the roughest patches of road.
Fuel economy is decent for a 3-row, 7-passenger capacity vehicle. I averaged 19 overall and 22 mpg on the highway with premium fuel.
CABIN
The interior is downright dreamy in our tester’s Advance package. It’s like plopping down in your comfy Barcalounger, preventing zero driving fatigue. It looks mid-size on the outside but feels like a full-size ride in the cocoon. Its spacious, comfortable, luxurious and neatly laid out. The fit and finish compare favorably to any car in its class. Racing red contrast stitching is a welcome touch. Open pore wood trim meshes nicely with the metal and piano-black accents.
Sight visibility is generous with excellent blind spot warnings and wider driver side view mirrors. An extremely deep storage console will comfortably hold whatever you wish and there’s 95 cubic feet of cargo capacity, 48.4 with the 2nd row folded down and 18.1 behind the 3rd row.
The racing red 16-way power leather seats heat almost instantly as does the flat bottom steering wheel. The Advance package offers ventilated cooling — a good bonus for the extreme Texas climate. Backseat legroom is generous for its class. I’d like a simple tuning knob to navigate radio stations rather than constantly hitting the scan button. The Voice Activation is flawless to maneuver handsfree through the various display functions including station selections, phone scrolling and Bluetooth.
Three massage settings (Wave, Shiatzu and Zen) help a sore back after a round of golf.
Thankfully, Acura removed the touchy Touchpad Interface in the console.
TECH TALK
Acura loves piling on the techie toys at a very reasonable cost. They ramped it up with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that could be more driver bias. It might take customers some time to familiarize themselves with all the functions but once understood, the layout makes good sense. Curiously, you can only access Sirius satellite radio via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Included are wireless charging and Wi-Fi hotspot.
Head-Up Display is crystal clear. The high-res NAV screen displays a handy Rearview Camera, Real-Time Traffic and weather updates. Safety capabilities bring a plethora of benefits including Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Automatic Collision Notification that connects you to a live operator, sending an immediate signal if an accident occurs or airbags deploy.
An upgraded 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system is outstanding. The clear separation and dynamic range coupled with the cabin’s acoustics is a lovely marriage. I dare you to find a better audio package for the money.
Utilizing the available Blind Spot Information, Collision Mitigation Braking System, Lane Departure Warnings and Surround 360-degree camera help alleviate the worry of a collision but just in case, Acura’s impeccable safety stats deliver excellent 5-Star crash test ratings.
The 2026 MDX SH-AWD Type S Advance provides a superb value for customers looking for class, handling and reliability. Add in the customary Acura high resale value and reliability history for good measure.
Either way, it’ll fit you like…well, that treasured baseball glove.
SCORECARD
Golf Bags: Four
Curbside Appeal: Understated class
0-60: 5.5 seconds
Ponies: 3.5-liter, six-cylinder, 335 hp, 354 lb. ft. torque
Gas Mileage: 20/28. Observed 22 city.
Must-Haves: Tech package
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles, scheduled maintenance for two yr/24,000 miles
Base Price: $75,850
Price as Tested: $77,800
Who Buys It? Those craving driving dynamics and handling when hauling people & storage
Finish Line: Excellent combination of comfort, handling, reliability and resale value
Test-drive the 2026 Acura MDX SW-AWD Type S Advance at Park Place Acura in Dallas.