SEVEN-PASSENGER SEATING ACCOMMODATION
Three-row seating - two bucket seats in front, a three-passenger, 60-40-split middle-row bench seat, and a two-passenger 50-50-split bench seat in back - is standard. Leather-trim on seating surfaces for the front two rows is also standard. Third-row seats are upholstered in a leather-like, matching vinyl material for resistance to spills, dirt and scuffing.
The MDX features a an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat while the Touring Package adds a new feature for 2004 - a special power-adjustable lumbar support that flexes to match the natural curve of the spine under the weight of a passenger. Both the upper torso and the pelvis are held in an orthopedically correct position. The lower cushion design provides excellent comfort, even for larger occupants.
Side bolsters are configured to comfortably hold the driver during spirited driving without impeding ingress and egress. The relatively flat, open design of both front seats give the driver and front passenger the freedom to adjust seating positions easily for added comfort on long trips. Integrated headrests and electric heating elements are standard in both front seats. In MDX models with the Touring Package, memory seating positions - as well as the rearview mirror pre-sets - are matched to either one of the two keyless remote entry fobs, and automatically adjust to each driver's pre-selected positions.
The MDX's seats have been made even more comfortable for 2004. Softer, more flexible leather covers the first and second row seats to compliment the new interior changes throughout the cabin.
All seating positions have three-point seat belts. Front seat belts are equipped with pretensioners and automatic load limiters that are activated during severe frontal collisions. The MDX comes with standard front dual-stage, dual-threshold airbags. These airbags can deploy at the most appropriate of two rates - depending on the severity of the crash and seat belt use. Weight sensors on the front passenger side, a seat position sensor on the driver's side and deployment logic for the front airbags further enhance safety.
The driver's and front passenger's seats also feature side airbags mounted in the seat bolster closest to the door. The passenger's seat is equipped with a system designed to disable side air-bag deployment and help prevent injury to a child (or small-statured adult) if they lean into the side airbag deployment path. Once the occupant returns to an upright seating position, the side airbag will reactivate so it can deploy and help protect the passenger in a side impact.
Passengers in all three seating rows are protected in the 2004 MDX by an all-new Side Curtain Airbag system. The side curtain airbags deploy from a module in the roof in the event of a sufficient side impact, providing an important and significant level of head protection in the window area. In the unlikely event the MDX begin to tip, the sensors monitor the rate of roll and deploy the side curtain airbags accordingly.
MDX's middle-row seat is a 60-40-split design with comfortable room for three passengers, height-adjustable headrests, and a fold-down combination armrest and dual cupholder. To comfortably accommodate taller passengers, MDX engineers located seat height a reasonable distance above the flat floor and made the door openings larger for unrestricted entry.
Second-row seatbacks can be adjusted through seven positions of recline. The Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system is included on outboard second row seats. The LATCH system features built-in anchors and ready-to-use tethers that allow compatible child safety seats to be installed without using the vehicle's seat belt system.
To fold the second row seat, a special four-bar linkage automatically cantilevers the bottom seat cushion both down and forward as the seat back is folded down to create a flat load floor. In contrast to some competitor's SUVs, releasing, lowering, raising, and re-latching the folding second-row seat are simple one-handed operations. Placing a child in the second row seating area or loading a grocery bag into the cargo through the back door are, thanks to design ingenuity, simple tasks.
The convenient walk-in feature provided at the right (curb) side of MDX's second-row seat has been improved for 2004 by 40 percent, making entry and egress of the third row of seats even simpler. Lifting one lever permits the whole seat to slide forward on its tracks and the backrest to tilt forward, providing an entry path to the third row seats. Simply pushing the seat rearward again re-latches the seat in its rearmost position. The seat-tilt mechanism, step-in height, and the increased opening provided between the open second-row seat and the door frame are all sized for easy and convenient use by children. A hand-hold is also provided on MDX's rear side wall trim to simplify passenger access to the third row seats.
MDX's third row is an occasional seat configured specifically for children or small adults. A slightly elevated hip point height provides good forward visibility for third-row passengers while headrests are both height adjustable and removable. Like the second row, backrests can be reclined through six positions. Two tether anchors are provided for securing one or two tether-style child safety seats in the third row seats.
When not in use, either half of the third-row seat can be folded flat on a 4-bar linkage (similar to the second row seat) that brings it flush with the floor. Handles positioned at the top-outboard corners are accessible both from the rear doors and from the tailgate. This lift handle also releases each half of the seat so it can be raised or lowered independently. The third-row seat headrests can be stored in the cargo compartment located under the rear floor.
STORAGE CAPACITY
Engineers configured MDX to handle a wide range of contemporary family storage needs. In addition to the center console bin and beverage container holders, MDX has a long list of built-in features that can be easily adjusted as necessary to serve drivers of premium SUVs.
The hinged glove box is illuminated, lined with flocking material, and lockable. A motion damper allows a controlled, fluid opening motion - preventing the lid from banging open against a front passenger's knees.
The front door pockets are purposely configured to hold maps, guide books, and road atlases while the rear door pockets are just right for sunglasses, small toys, treats, and bottled beverage containers. Armrests for the third-row seating area have small storage boxes covered by latchable lids. A rear under-floor compartment is ideally located for easy access through the open liftgate. Pockets stretched across the rear of the front bucket seats are ideal for storing a variety of things for easy access by front-row and second-row passengers.
MDX's impressive cargo volume - the single attribute that attracts most buyers to SUVs in the first place - is, as you would expect, versatile and practical. Four-foot wide sheets of building materials slide in between wheel wells with ease - an attribute not matched by MDX's direct competitors. With second- and third-row seats folded down, MDX offers 82 cubic feet of cargo space to swallow virtually whatever you may need to carry.
A low load floor and seats that fold flat are the keys to versatility. To simplify conversion of the seats to a cargo area, the third-row and second-row center seat belts easily detach from their floor anchors with a patented and simple-to-use mechanism. Six cargo tie downs are located strategically around the perimeter of the load floor to help secure objects susceptible to sliding or rolling. And since both the second- and third-row seats are split designs, six cargo/seating configurations are possible to suit carrying needs. Various accessory hardware is available from Acura dealers to safely and conveniently carry bicycles and other gear inside the vehicle and the roof rack (optional on MDX ,standard with Touring Package) is useful for hauling skis, surfboards, or bulky camping equipment.
Thanks to the wide-opening liftgate and flat floor, large items, such as the box for a 32-inch TV will slide right into place for convenient transport. And it is possible to tote home 15, 3-cubic-foot bags of garden mulch without blocking outward vision. When the middle seating row is in use, there's still 22-cubic feet of space available, more than a full size car's trunk. And if it is necessary to use all three rows of seats, MDX still provides 7.6-cubic feet of space behind the third-row seat - enough for eight paper grocery bags, four duffels and a cooler, or a full set of golf clubs.
A separation net is offered as a dealer-installed accessory that attaches to four built-in attachment points, two in the floor and two in the ceiling, and provides a separate area for cargo behind the second row of seats, along with a cargo liner and liftgate apron that can be folded out over the rear bumper when the liftgate is opened.
SYNCHRONIZED CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM
After analyzing competitive SUVs, it was clear to MDX engineers that significant strides could be achieved by offering climate control comparable to a luxury sedan instead of merely matching existing truck comfort standards. The resulting climate control system became a primary attribute of the MDX.
The patented dual Synchronized Climate Control systems are normally linked in operation to improve heating and cooling performance by a full five minutes (17 percent) over use of the front system alone. The result is that comfortable conditions are achieved in every seating position in the shortest possible time after start up in hot or cold weather.
The ventilation control panel is positioned centrally on the instrument panel above the trip computer and navigation system display screen. It consists of eight buttons that operate the front and rear heating and cooling units. One button controls full automatic operation in conjunction with up and down temperature-select buttons and a set-temperature display window. Alternatively, the "Rear A/C Manual" button can be pressed to give the second-row passengers control of the ventilation system in their area. Rear controls include a temperature-set knob, upper or lower air flow select buttons, and another knob to adjust fan speed.
Cooling and heating equipment for the rear seat is neatly packaged in the lower part of the center console. There's a blower capable of moving up to 392-cubic yards of temperature-controlled air per hour, a 2500-watt air-conditioning evaporator, and a 2800-watt water heater core. Concealed ductwork provides heated air to both second and third row passengers, and cool air to second-row occupants.
Total capacity of the linked front and rear systems is 19,000 BTUs which slightly exceeds the heating and cooling capacity found in the average American home. Unlike some rear-, or roof-mounted climate control systems, MDX's equipment doesn't intrude on cargo or head room or interfere with the moonroof.
FLEXIBLE CENTER CONSOLE DESIGN
As a focal point of the interior design, MDX's center console is an extraordinarily versatile design. It is neatly integrated with the instrument panel design, it houses heating and air conditioning equipment for the benefit of rear-passenger comfort, and it provides a long list of storage and convenience features.
Additional details include a storage area for small objects ahead of the shift lever area occupied by the DVD player in models equipped with the Rear Entertainment System, two covered cup holders for front passenger use, and a climate-control vent and switch panel on the rear-most surface. For a luxury appearance, lower side surfaces are carpeted and wood-patterned panels trim the forward horizontal surfaces. A mat in the bottom of the forward bin is removable for cleaning.
The main storage compartment lid is padded to provide a comfortable armrest surface. This lid opens either to a 95-degree position for access to the interior compartment or to a 180-degree position to act as a second-row serving tray. Two cupholders and a wide depression to hold snacks are molded into the lid's inner surface.
Inside the storage compartment, a hinged top tray offers a convenient storage location for tissues, writing materials, or a cellular telephone. An access hole located in the rear corner of this tray provides a path for the phone's power cord to plug into a 12-volt power outlet below. Clearance is also provided to permit closing the top tray while the phone is in use. Below the top tray is a second large-volume storage compartment. A mid-level shelf, lined with soft materials to prevent damage to small objects, is an ideal location for credit card or magnetic access (key) card storage. The remaining volume is large enough to accommodate either a home-size tissue box or up to 13 compact discs inside their jewel cases.
INSTRUMENT PANEL LAYOUT
As in other Acura vehicles, the driver's cockpit is organized ergonomically to avoid distractions from the task of driving. Exterior lighting and turn signals and cruise control are positioned to the left of the steering wheel to prevent operation by passengers, while wiper controls are mounted on a right-side column stalk. Radio and cruise control switches are positioned just below the horizontal steering wheel spokes for easy use. Secondary switches are spotted near the instrument cluster. Moonroof controls, previously located alongside controls for exterior lighting and cruise control, have been incorporated into the roof console for 2004.
A three-dial instrument cluster conveys vehicle system information to the driver: engine rpm, vehicle speed, fuel level, coolant temperature, and shift-lever position. For 2004, the instrument cluster features meters backlit with ambient blue lighting, making them easier to read and providing an attractive, modern appearance. An array of indicator lights is positioned at the bottom of the tachometer and at the top and bottom of the combination temperature gauge and fuel level display. The speedometer is marked in both mph and kph to a full scale reading of 140 mph/225 kph.
CENTER DISPLAY SCREEN
The centerpiece of the instrument panel is a large multi-function display screen. MDX models not equipped with the Acura Navigation System feature trip computer, compass and climate control information in this highly visible location. The seven-inch (diagonal measurement) LCD screen is flat with a curved bezel. It displays current and average fuel economy, range remaining, compass heading, outside temperature, time of day, climate control mode, air-conditioning on/off, and fan speed. A trip button to the left of the display cycles between trip and mileage information. A separate button resets fuel economy, trip mileage, and elapsed time registers. There's also a slide switch to adjust the brightness of the display screen.
Pressing an on-screen mode button varies the direction of air flow through the front climate-control system. Pressing an A/C button switches the A/C compressor on and off. The fan button selects from five speeds.
Adjacent to the central display screen are two adjustable vent registers, a master light switch, a hazard switch, a "passenger airbag off" indicator and a small control panel for managing the synchronized front and rear climate control systems.