SYNCHRONIZED CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM
After
analyzing competitive SUVs, it was clear to MDX engineers
thatsignificant strides could be achieved by offering climate
controlcomparable to a luxury sedan instead of merely matching
existingtruck comfort standards. The resulting climate control
system becamea primary attribute of the MDX.The patented dual
Synchronized ClimateControl systems are normally linked in
operation to improve heatingand cooling performance by a full
five minutes (17-percent) over useof the front system alone. The
result is that comfortable conditionsare achieved in every seating
position in the shortest possible timeafter start up in hot or cold
weather.
The ventilation control panel is positioned centrally on theinstrument panel above the trip computer and navigation systemdisplay screen. It consists of eight buttons that operate the frontand rear heating and cooling units. One button controls fullautomatic operation in conjunction with up and downtemperature-select buttons and a set-temperature display window.Alternatively, the "Rear A/C Manual" button can be pressed to givethe second-row passengers control of the ventilation system in theirarea. Rear controls include a temperature-set knob, upper or lowerair flow select buttons, and another knob to adjust fan speed.
Cooling and heating equipment for the rear seat is neatly packagedin the lower part of the center console. There's a blower capable ofmoving up to 392-cubic yards of temperature-controlled air per hour,a 2500-watt air-conditioning evaporator, and a 2800-watt water heatercore. Concealed ductwork provides heated air to both second and thirdrow passengers, and cool air to second-row occupants.
Total capacity of the linked front and rear systems is 19,000 BTUswhich slightly exceeds the heating and cooling capacity found in theaverage American home. Unlike some rear-, or roof-mounted climatecontrol systems, MDX's equipment doesn't intrude on cargo or headroom or interfere with the sunroof.
FLEXIBLE CENTER CONSOLE DESIGN
As a
focal point of the interior design, MDX's center console is
anextraordinarily versatile design. It is neatly integrated with
theinstrument panel design, it houses heating and air
conditioningequipment for the benefit of rear-passenger comfort,
and it providesa long list of storage and convenience
features.
Additional details include a storage area for small objects aheadof the shift lever area occupied by the DVD player in models equippedwith the Rear Entertainment System, two covered cup holders for frontpassenger use, and a climate-control vent and switch panel on therear-most surface. For a luxury appearance, lower side surfaces arecarpeted and wood-patterned panels trim the forward horizontalsurfaces. A mat in the bottom of the forward bin is removable forcleaning.The main storage compartment lid is padded to provide acomfortable armrest surface. This lid opens either to a 95-degreeposition for access to the interior compartment or to a 180-degreeposition to act as a second-row serving tray. Two cupholders and awide depression to hold snacks are molded into the lid's innersurface.
Inside the storage compartment, a hinged top tray offers aconvenient storage location for tissues, writing materials, or acellular telephone. An access hole located in the rear corner of thistray provides a path for the phone's power cord to plug into a12-volt power outlet below. Clearance is also provided to permitclosing the top tray while the phone is in use. Below the top tray isa second large-volume storage compartment. A mid-level shelf, linedwith soft materials to prevent damage to small objects, is an ideallocation for credit card or magnetic access (key) card stowage. Theremaining volume is large enough to accommodate either a home-sizetissue box or up to 13 compact discs inside their jewel cases.
INSTRUMENT PANEL LAYOUT
As in other
Acura vehicles, the driver's cockpit is organizedergonomically to
avoid distractions from the task of driving.Exterior lighting and
turn signals, cruise control, and moonroofcontrols are
positioned to the left of the steering wheel to preventoperation by
passengers, while wiper controls are mounted on aright-side
column stalk. Radio and cruise control switches arepositioned
just below the horizontal steering wheel spokes for easyuse.
Secondary switches are spotted near the instrument
cluster.
A three-dial instrument cluster conveys vehicle system informationto the driver: engine rpm, vehicle speed, fuel level, coolanttemperature, and shift-lever position. The three-dial clusterprevents glare and provides an attractive appearance. An array ofindicator lights is positioned at the bottom of the tachometer and atthe top and bottom of the combination temperature gauge and fuellevel display. The speedometer is marked in both mph and kph to afull scale reading of 140 mph/225 kph.
CENTER DISPLAY SCREEN
The
centerpiece of the instrument panel is a large
multi-functiondisplay screen. MDX models not equipped with the
Acura NavigationSystem feature trip computer, compass and
climate control informationin this highly visible location. The
seven-inch (diagonal) LCD screenis flat with a curved bezel. It
displays current and average fueleconomy, range remaining,
compass heading, outside temperature, timeof day, climate
control mode, air-conditioning on/off, and fan speed.A trip button
to the left of the display cycles between trip andmileage
information. A separate button resets fuel economy, tripmileage,
and elapsed time registers. There's also a slide switch toadjust
the brightness of the display screen.
Pressing an on-screen mode button varies the direction of air flowthrough the front climate-control system. Pressing an A/C buttonswitches the A/C compressor on and off. The fan button selects fromfive speeds.
Adjacent to the central display screen are two adjustable ventregisters, a master light switch, a hazard switch, a "passengerairbag off" indicator and a small control panel for managing thesynchronized front and rear climate control systems.
ACURA NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH VOICE
RECOGNITION
The 2003 MDX features the third generation
DVD-based,satellite-linked Acura Navigation System with Voice
Recognition as anoption on the model with Touring Package.
This system has beenenhanced over the previous generation
with a wide variety of newfeatures. These enhancements
include:
- Voice recognition
- Rearview camera
- Faster route calculation and search speed (up to three timesfaster than the previous generation)
- A more comprehensive destination guide with 7 million pointsof interest (previously 3.7 million).
- Enhanced graphics
- New, enhanced split screen mode for displaying additionalroute information
- Day/night visualization modes with user-selectable screenbackground appearance
- Enhanced menus and improved surface street mapping
- Turn by turn voice guidance in either male or femalevoice
Similar in function to systems offered in Acura RL, TL, and CLmodels, this equipment receives Global Positioning System (GPS) data.That information is combined with signals from an onboard inertialguidance system and information from a DVD database to pinpoint thevehicle's location and help guide the driver to selecteddestinations.
The Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition includescontinuous coverage of 48 states, which for 2003 covers virtually allU.S. roads and 7 million points of interest (compared to 3.7 millionin the 2002 model).
This coverage is conveyed to the driver by both audio and visualcues designed to aid navigation without causing distraction. A maleor female voice can be selected for the audio cues and this voice canbe shut off at any time. A moving map in combination with directionarrows, detailed street names, turning instructions and drivingdistances are provided on the LCD touch control screen. A new splitscreen design enhances on-screen information with a "map view" and"3-D" route visualization of freeway on ramps or off rampssimultaneously-a major step forward in making navigation informationeven easier to understand.
This new generation Acura Navigation System can be controlled bythe driver through either the touch screen display or by the newvoice recognition system. The voice recognition system works when the"talk" button, located on the steering wheel is depressed. Whenspoken to (the microphone is located on the roof console), the systemrecognizes commands such as "find nearest gas station," "find nearestATM," or "find nearest Italian restaurant."
The voice recognition system has a vocabulary of 130 commands andcan recognize virtually any English-spoken accent.Search speed inthis improved system is more than three times faster than in thesystem's previous generation.
A picture-in-picture capability permits simultaneous display of alarge-scale map with detailed turning instructions. The driver alwaysknows the vehicle's current position and a balloon function instantlyreveals the address of any selected location on the map. Points ofinterest can be searched by inputting that destination's telephonenumber. The volume of voice guidance instructions can be adjustedthrough eleven settings and the audio system's speakers areautomatically muted when direction commands are issued.
In addition to using the voice recognition feature to operate thesystem, manual operation is also available, quickly and easily viathe touch screen. Only a few entries are needed to enter destinationsand route calculations are made expeditiously.
A matte finish is used on the display screen to enhance legibilitywhile resisting fingerprints. The same screen used for navigationalso displays trip distance, average fuel mileage, remaining range(miles to empty), elapsed time, outside temperature, and climatecontrol setting information.
If desired, a route with up to five destinations can bepre-programmed. The Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognitionhas the ability to track vehicle position by means of dots on thescreen for those areas not covered by DVD map data - especiallyhelpful when driving off-road.
Another notable enhancement is the addition of a rearview camera.This camera, located on the liftgate sends a picture of the areadirectly behind the MDX to the navigation system screen when thetransmission is moved to the "reverse" position. The view shownextends to over 13 feet behind the bumper with a view width that iswider than the MDX itself.
ACURA DVD ENTERTAINMENT
SYSTEM
New for 2003, the MDX can be equipped with an
availablefactory-installed Acura DVD Entertainment System. This
multi-facetedsystem features a 7-inch widescreen LCD display
(for optimumvisibility) that flips down from the ceiling at the push
of a buttonfor easy viewing by rear seat passengers. The
extended capabilitiesof the DVD system allow for either DVD,
CD, radio, cassette tapes andauxiliary accessories (such as
video games, VCRs or cameras) to beplayed in the rear seating
areas while the front passengers listen toa different audio
source. The DVD player can be convenientlycontrolled from three
locations - the front audio system controls,the rear seat controls
near the LCD screen, or a wireless remotecontrol. Additional
audio and video input jacks allow for a widevariety of additional
equipment - ranging from camcorders to VCRs togame
consoles - to be attached to the system. The system
comescomplete with two infrared (IR) wireless headphones and
a wirelessremote control as standard equipment.
HIGHLY
ENGINEERED CUP HOLDERS
MDX engineers conducted
a major cupholder R&D program to make theMDX
extremely occupant-friendly. The first thing they learned was
thedaunting array of beverage containers in daily use -
rectangularjuice boxes, 12-ounce cans, 20-ounce bottles,
various-sized papercups from fast-food outlets, insulated coffee
cups, and bottled watervessels galore. Ten beverage holders
were designed into the MDX'sinterior to accommodate a variety
of passenger needs.
Real innovation was necessary to accommodate as many differentsizes and types of containers as possible and to securely hold themduring stopping and cornering maneuvers. For example, pockets builtinto the bottom portion of the rear door trim are purposely deep tohold either a 20-ounce soda bottle or larger bottled watercontainers. Cup holders molded into the armrest areas adjacent to thethird-row seat feature notches necessary to accommodate juice boxes.Cup holders positioned near the center of the vehicle (two ahead ofthe storage console, two built into the console lid's inside surface,and two more integrated with the fold-down, second-row armrest) havestepped bottom surfaces to grab and hold different-diametercontainers. Front-seat cup holders are a three-tier design with arubber lip to help restrain a teetering container. Third row cupholders are also a three-tier design, but without a rubber lip, whilesecond-seat cup holders are a slightly shallower, two-tier design.
STANDARD MUSIC
SYSTEM
MDX sound systems are engineered for optimum
performance and tunedspecifically for this vehicle's acoustical
characteristics. Thestandard system provides premium sound
quality and clarity,especially in the first and second seating rows.
A head unitintegrated into the center-dash features AM/FM
stereo, cassette, anda single-disc CD player. A micro antenna
positioned at a discreetcenter-rear location on the roof receives
radio broadcasts. Switchesmounted below a left-side steering
wheel spoke allow the driver toadjust play volume, choose
another radio station, or select adifferent CD track without
shifting attention from the road.
Four integrated, 30-watt amplifiers and one 35-watt amplifierdrive a total of seven speakers. A 16 cm midrange speaker is mountedin each door. There's also a 2-inch tweeter in each front door and a10-inch sub-woofer in the right-rear interior trim panel.
ACURA/BOSE® MUSIC SYSTEM
The MDX with
Touring Package is equipped with an Acura/Bose" MusicSystem
that provides superb entertainment in all seating
positionsthanks to a more complete speaker array and extra
amplifier power.The head unit is curved in two directions to
coordinate with thecenter-dash design. This system offers
AM/FM, cassette, and a 6-CDin-dash changer. The steering
wheel mounted controls described abovealso command the
system.
A special six-CD changer function allows the unit to convenientlystore extra discs ready for playing without a separate magazine.Touching a load button once opens the changer's door to allow theinsertion of one CD. Holding that button down facilitates loading upto six CDs. Since the door opens only during loading and ejectoperations, there's less likelihood that foreign objects will jam themechanism. This sound system can select any desired CD track orshuffle through stored material at random to provide hours of audioentertainment.
The Acura/Bose, Music System features eight speakers including arear-mounted 2.5-inch twiddler speaker. Four integrated 25-wattamplifiers drive the mid-range, tweeter, and twiddler units while aseparate 100-watt amplifier is provided for the 10-inch sub-woofer.
INTERIOR ILLUMINATION
Overhead lamps
are provided for all three rows of seating. Anadditional cargo light
mounted to the tailgate provides ampleillumination both inside
the vehicle and on the ground for convenientloading at night.
When the lamps are switched off by closing thedoors or
inserting a key in the ignition switch, they fade out over
asix-second period. All power window switches are illuminated
forconvenient night-time operation.
KEYLESS SECURITY
SYSTEM
To avoid interference from cellular telephone and
pagertransmissions, MDX's keyless security system
communicates via FM(instead of AM) signals. In models with the
Touring Package, whendoors are unlocked remotely, outside
mirrors and the driver's seatautomatically move to pre-selected
memory positions. Two fobs areprovided to distinguish one
driver in the family from another.
The fob itself has three buttons. At the top, there's a largetriangular-shaped button to command the lock function. A smallerround button with a raised nib for tactile identification commandsthe vehicle to unlock all doors. Operation of the locks is confirmedby an audible chirp. The third button at the bottom of the fob isrecessed; pressing this "panic" button activates dual loud trumpethorns to signal distress.