Redesigned in 2013, the Acura MDX received a comprehensive facelift in 2016 that changed its appearance quite dramatically. Come 2018, and the premium brand is trying to keep the SUV fresh with a new, sportier variant called A-Spec. Part of a series of new trim levels that also includes the ILX and TLX, the MDX A-Spec just made its official debut at the 2018 New York Auto Show.
Created to "further increase excitement and expand the appeal" of the MDX family, the A-Spec boasts a more athletic exterior with blacked-out trim. While the already familiar Acura "beak" remained unchanged, the A-Spec did get a new bumper with larger vents and honeycomb mesh. The chrome around the grille was replaced with a darker finish, while the bumper vent surrounds are finished in gloss black.
The treatment continues onto the sides with gloss-black window trim, body-colored side sills, and bespoke 20-inch wheels wrapped in low-profile tires. An "A-Spec" badge was added to the front fender. The rear is sportier too, thanks to dark chrome trim on the tailgate, smoked taillights, and larger exhaust pipes. More importantly, the bumper now includes a diffuser-like element with five vertical fins.
The cabin gained plenty of attention too, now featuring sports seats in rich red or black leather with Alcantara inserts and contrast stitching. The package also adds unique gauges, a carbon-look trim, a thicker steering wheel, and sports pedals. While the revised interior doesn't look particularly sporty with these new features, the red and black seat upholstery is definitely interesting.
Disappointingly enough, the A-Spec package doesn't alter the drivetrain, so this trim is also using the 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission and the torque vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system come standard.
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