"Normally, trying to be all things to all people is a six-lane freeway to suckitude. This is the downfall of focus-grouped design-by-committee automaking, which waters creativity down to the point of the lowest common denominator. Death by clinic.
With its all-new Megatron-faced 2007 MDX, Acura wants the MDX to be mentioned in the same breath as the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5. Doing so required the new MDX to be a much hotter tamale than the lame-duck MDX in nearly every way, so Acura endowed the 2007 model with a formidable dynamic repertoire. Effectively negotiating the opposing tables of performance, utility and comfort is a delicate balancing act that the smarter, buffer MDX pulls off convincingly.
A brave new face
Looking like the aftermath of a tryst between an Infiniti FX45 and the Muppets' Sam the Eagle, the bulges and creases of the 2007 MDX are a welcome departure from the smooth, invisible lines of the original MDX. Curiously, over the course of 1,700 miles, our MDX tester ferried us to far-off locales in the Southwestern States without drawing a single murmur or sideways glance. Combined with our tester's subdued "Steel Blue" paint, the MDX's pursed mug makes it less Bo Derek and more Derek Zoolander.
It's what's under the skin that counts. A subtle clue to the 2007 MDX's newly invigorated philosophy is the "Comfort" button on the center console. Unlike nearly any vehicle we can think of with split-personality dampers, "Sport" mode is the MDX's default attitude upon startup.
Selecting Comfort mode instantly switches the magneto-rheological dampers to a softer setting that is, frankly, underdamped on some road surfaces — hit a large bump and the body will continue to seesaw for a cycle or two. Forget Comfort mode. Since the standard setting is so well-resolved, it's better to simply leave the button alone. You'll be rewarded with a ride that is sure-footed and firm — never punishing — with a notable lack of the head toss or belly jiggle normally associated with sport-tuned dampers."
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