
A coworker of mine was very excited when she learned I was reviewing the 2009 Acura MDX. “It’s my favorite,” she said. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call it my favorite, the MDX – equipped with sport and entertainment packages – makes for a smooth ride.
I didn’t grow up with sport utility vehicles. The biggest car my parents ever owned was my mom’s mint-green, 1982 Chevrolet Caprice Classic. We nicknamed her “Gert.” The closest I ever came to riding in a larger vehicle was the summer my parents rented a Dodge Caravan for a car trip to San Diego.
I remember sitting across the Caravan’s third-row seats, secure in the fact that I was far enough away from the front seat to listen to my Walkman at full volume without getting yelled at. It seemed like a mile.
The MDX might be considered midsize to those used to the girth of modern-day vehicles, but for people new to the SUV game, it can feel like you’re maneuvering a small powerboat, complete with top-deck seating for seven. At times, I was afraid the MDX’s wide berth wouldn’t fit on the roads or in the parking stalls of my neighborhood in West Seattle.
That said, the MDX is pure luxury. Its wide, spacious cabin is bedtime option the next time you don't want to crash on the lumpy mattress in your in-laws spare bedroom, though I recommend that only small children try to fit themselves into the third row of seats. Third-row leg room makes an airplane's coach cabin look like a dream come true.

A five-speed automatic transmission controls a powerful 300-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine.
Features include driver and passenger front and side airbags, side curtain airbags with rollover sensor, vehicle stability assistance and anti-lock brakes. A tire-pressure monitoring system and remote entry feature also listed as sport amenities.
Interior features include heated leather seats, a navigation system with rearview camera, a DVD rear entertainment system with wireless headsets, real-time traffic reports, XM Satellite Radio, and power windows and seats. A moonroof, fog lights and heated power door mirrors complete the package.
The MDX earns 15 miles per gallon in the city and 20 on the highway – not great, but certainly not the worst gas mileage for a vehicle its size. My $50 fill-up lasted through five round-trip commutes between Tacoma and Seattle.
With five-star front- and side-crash ratings and a four-star rollover rating, the MDX is a safe as driving it feels.

The 2009 Acura MDX with Sport and Entertainment packages will cost you a cool $48,690 MSRP. Midsize SUV- or Acura-lovers will appreciate the MDX’s luxurious stability. Those used to a smaller ride might find this SUV a little harder to handle.
Article by Hilary Reeves, Business Examiner associate editor