Test drive Acura MDX 2004 - 2006 SUV

ACURA MDX car overview

The prototype of this machine was exhibited at the Detroit car dealership in January 2000. Three months later, the official presentation of the new Acura Brand model took place in New York, under which the elite cars of Honda are being implemented. Vatanabe Sintaro's science correspondent made a test trip to Acura MDX, which, incidentally, was developed on the basis of the Honda Lagreat car.
She is more suitable for America!
In North America, SUV cars (SUVs) are still popular. Naturally, all manufacturers are not averse to playing this popularity. But at the same time, they are not particularly located to waste, and are always looking for bypass paths - so as not to attract large investments. Here, for example, Honda seems to have already found it.
The essence of the design of the developers boils down to take the Honda Lagreat car chassis, install a 6-cylinder engine with a working volume of 3.5 liters (V-shaped cylinders) on this chassis, assemble all this at the Canadian factory, and serve the buyer under the guise of a new SUV.
Since the main target of MDX is the automobile market of North America, the entire refinement of the machine takes place on the spot. America is now a country where the principle of soap bubble is in effect in the economy. In such an economic situation, the buyer behaves somewhat in a special way. Therefore, you just have to give something under the brand Acura (they say, here's a new elite car) - and it's about the hat! I don’t know if the Honda employees themselves evaluate this development in such a cynical manner, but the result is obvious: a new model was a new model - Acura MDX.
With normal driving, the drive only to the front wheels
Everything said above is true. But still the developers are Honda engineers, do not forget! They could not do without new items here. This time it is a new all-wheel drive system, which is called VTM-4.
The principle of its action is as follows: under ordinary conditions, the thrust is transmitted only to the front wheels. But if the conditions of movement change, then the electronic control system includes a multi -disc hydraulic coupling mounted at the same time with the rear differential of the rear axle, after which the thrust begins to be transmitted to the rear wheels. The course of the thoughts of the engineers is understandable: the machine weighs almost 2 tons; suppose that in front of her lies a long speed track, straight as an arrow. Why, tell me, do you need a permanent all -wheel drive? It will turn out much more economically if the car is driven only at the expense of the front bridge.
MDX is equipped with a more powerful engine. Let me remind you that it contains 6 cylinders that are located V-shaped. The car itself retained the previous dimensions. Therefore, the thrust is such that the car moves without any tension. The steering is not valid very quickly. But due to the pulled suspension, the rotation of the steering wheel leads to a natural change in the direction of movement, and not as it sometimes happens: you are turning a wheel, and you feel that the wheels seem to be thinking for a while: turn - do not turn?
Will they bring him to Japan?
If we talk about the possible competitors of Acura MDX, then you should first indicate Lexus LX470 (Japanese analogue of Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus). But the latter has an engine with 8 cylinders and a working volume of 4.7 liters. How can a 6-cylinder engine with 3.5 liters of volume object to it? However, in the MDX asset you can bring a lower price. After all, the difference with the price of LX470 is more than $ 20,000. And at the same time, MDX, like his Japanese fellow, has three rows of seats in the cabin, and, accordingly, is designed for 7 people. This is an important fact even for America. Therefore, I think there will be a demand for it.
It seems that Honda is thinking about bringing this model to Japan. But is there any need? Of course, this car is purely American, it is made by Americans for Americans. And in Japan there is no room for him. So why is the Japanese such happiness a car for American roads? Although, maybe I'm wrong.
Technical characteristics of Acura MDX
 
Body dimensions (length / width / height) 4789 mm / 1938 mm / 1744 mm
Wheel base 2700 mm
Car weight 1992 kg
Drive 4WD
The engine 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder with the V-shaped cylinder location, the gas distribution mechanism of one upper shaft with 24 valves, the developed power is 240 hp. at 5300 rpm, maximum torque 33.9 kg/m at 5000 rpm.
Transmission 5-speed automatic transmission
The basic price of the car is $ 35,000-40,000
Author: Vatanabe Sintaro (Watanabe Shintaro)
Photo provided by Honda advertising department
2000

Source: webcg