Test Drive Acura MDX since 2009 Crossover

ACURA MDX Car Overview

The prototype of this car was put up at the Detroit Auto Show in January 2000. Three months later, the official presentation of the new brand ACURA model was held in New York, under which elite cars of Honda are being implemented. Special Correspondent WebCG Watanabe Syntaro made a test trip to Acura MDX, which, by the way, was developed on the basis of the Honda Lagreat car.
She fits America more!
Cars of class SUV (SUVs) are still popular in North America. Naturally, all manufacturers do not mind play this popularity. But at the same time they are not particularly located to the waste, and are always looking for workarounds - so as not to attract large investments. Here, for example, Honda seems to have already found.
The essence of the developer's plan is reduced to take the chassis of the Honda Lagreat car, install a 6-cylinder engine on this chassis, a 3.5 liter working volume (V-shaped cylinder location), collect it all at the factory located in Canada, and submit to the buyer under the guise of new SUV.
Since the main target of MDX becomes the automotive market of North America, then all the revision of the car occurs in place. America is now a country where the principle of a soap bubble is in economics. In such an economic situation, the buyer behaves somewhat differently. Therefore, it is only worth sending anything under the acura brand (they say, here's a new elite car) - and the thing is in the hat! I don't know whether Honda employees themselves are evaluated in such a cynical manner, but the result is obvious: a new model was the ACURA MDX.
With normal driving drive only on the front wheels
All the above is true. But still developers - Honda engineers, do not forget! They could not do without new items. This time is a new full drive system, which was named VTM-4.
The principle of its action is: under normal conditions, the thrust is transmitted only to the front wheels. But if the conditions of movement change, the electronic control system includes a multi-disc hydraulic clutch, mounted at the same time with the rear differential of the rear axle, after which the traction begins to be transmitted and on the rear wheels. The course of the thoughts of engineers is clear: the car weighs almost 2 tons; suppose that it is a long high-speed highway, straight like an arrow. Why, tell me, here you need a permanent four-wheel drive? It turns out much more economical if the car will be driven only at the expense of the front axle.
MDX is equipped with more powerful than Lagreat, engine. Let me remind you that it has 6 cylinders that are located V-figuratively. The car itself has retained the former dimensions. Therefore, the thrust is that the machine is moving without any voltage. The steering is not acting that very quickly. But because of the suspended suspension, the steering turn leads to a natural change in the direction of movement, and not how sometimes it happens: you make a steering wheel, and you feel that the wheels are thinking for some time: turn - do not rotate?
Will they bring him to Japan?
If we talk about possible competitors of Acura MDX, then you should first indicate the Lexus LX470 (Japanese analogue of Toyota Land Cruiser Cygnus). But the last engine with the 8th cylinders and a 4.7 liter working volume. What is the 6-cylinder motor with 3.5 liters of volume? However, the asset MDX can be added a lower price. As - in no way, and the difference with the price of the LX470 is more than $ 20,000. And at the same time MDX, as well as his Japanese fellow, has three rows of chairs in the cabin, and, accordingly, it is designed for 7 people. This is an important fact even for America. Therefore, I think the demand for it will be.
It seems that Honda is thinking about to get this model and Japan. But is there any need? Of course, this car is pure American, it is made by Americans and for Americans. And in Japan there is no space that needs for him. So why the Japanese is a car for American roads? Although, maybe I am not right.
Technical Specifications Acura MDX
 
Body sizes (length / width / height) 4789 mm / 1938 mm / 1744 mm
Wheel base 2700 mm
Machine weight 1992 kg
4wd drive
Engine 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder with V-shaped cylinder arrangement, gas distribution mechanism One top-location shaft with 24 valves, developing power - 240 hp At 5,300 rpm, the maximum torque is 33.9 kg / m at 5000 rpm.
Transmission 5-speed automatic transmission
Basic price of the car $ 35.000-40.000
Posted by: Watanabe Syntaro (Watanabe Shintaro)
Photo provided by the advertising department of Honda
2000

Source: webcg.