The all-new Acura MDX luxury sport-utility vehicle was named North American Truck of the Year at a press conference held this morning at the 2001 North American International Auto Show.
The award is given to the vehicle receiving the most points from a group of fifty top U.S. and Canadian automotive journalists in a comprehensive evaluation of all new and significantly redesigned vehicles for the 2001 model year.
"It's a tremendous honor to have the MDX chosen for this prestigious award, especially taking into account the tough competition," said Tom Elliott, executive vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We couldn't be more pleased with the public and media reaction to the MDX. It's truly setting a new standard for the segment."
The MDX was also recently named Motor Trend Sport-Utility of the Year and was also chosen as the best vehicle in its class in a recent comparison test by the editors of Car and Driver magazine.
Boasting an exceptionally high level of standard performance and luxury features, the Acura MDX delivers best-in-class performance and fuel economy in combination with five-star level safety performance, ultra-low emissions 50-state (ULEV) and a uniquely transformable seven-passenger interior.
All MDX models sold nationwide meet California's stringent Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) standards while achieving class leading fuel economy ratings of 17/23 mpg city/highway -- making the MDX one of the cleanest, most efficient SUVs on the road today.
The MDX is powered by an advanced all-aluminum 3.5-liter, DOHC, 24-valve V-6 with VTEC™ (Variable Timing and Lift Electronic Control) technology producing 240 horsepower and 245 pounds-feet of torque. A five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is also standard on all models.
Acura's exclusive new VTM-4™ (Variable Torque Management 4WD) fully automatic four-wheel drive system uses advanced electronic sensing and control mechanisms to monitor driving conditions and proactively apportion engine torque between the front the rear wheels prior to the occurrence of wheel slip for maximum performance and control in all types of weather conditions. An exclusive VTM-4 lock feature, activated by a button on the dash, allows the driver to maximize torque delivery to the rear wheels in extremely low-speed, low traction or "stuck" situations.
The MDX also features a highly versatile seven-passenger interior with second- and third-row seats that split and fold flat into the floor to accommodate a wide variety of passenger and cargo configurations. All seven seats are equipped with headrests and three-point seatbelts.
The MDX provides the highest levels of safety for all passengers and is equipped with a comprehensive list of advanced safety features including dual- threshold front airbags, seatbelt pretensioners and an advanced front passenger side airbag with occupant sensing capabilities. Internal crash test data confirms an expected NHTSA five-star rating in safety performance for all passengers in frontal and side collisions.
Like all Acura products, the MDX comes equipped with a comprehensive list of standard luxury features including leather seating surfaces* and door inserts; power tilt and sliding moonroof; power windows, door locks and mirrors; cruise control; seven-speaker AM/FM/Cassette stereo with in-dash CD player; power adjustable heated front seats; alloy wheels and a multi-function digital trip computer.
An optional Touring package adds a two-position driver's seat and mirror memory system; 8-way power adjustable passenger seat; roof rack; reverse-mode tilting passenger mirror, exclusive alloy wheel design and an upgraded 200-watt, eight speaker Acura/Bose music system with in-dash, 6-disc CD Player.
Available as a stand alone factory option, the Acura Navigation System with DVD (digital versatile disc) contains mapping of the entire continental U.S. and features a nationwide directory of 3.7-million points of interest, restaurants, hotels, ATMs and a number of other categories.
All Acura models feature a 4-year/50,000-mile comprehensive vehicle warranty, 10-year/100,00-mile powertrain warranty and Acura Total Luxury Care (TLC) customer service package.
*First and second row seats only