In the world of luxury vehicles, Acura (the luxury wing of Honda) has a solid reputation. But with so many luxury automakers pushing the envelope, they must continue to keep up with the demands of their customers, who want the best of the best to be offered if they're going to stay loyal.
I recently drove Acura's midsize SUV offering, the 2014 Acura MDX, and I'm back with a full report on how it measures up in the world of luxury vehicles -- which features some tough competition from players like Lexus, Infiniti, Audi and BMW.

LOOKS
In a word, the MDX has a classy look to it. Inside and out, it screams luxury without being too over-the-top at the same time.
The design is sleek and sporty with a unique profile. The vehicle comes standard with 18-inch wheels, but you can upgrade to 19 inches. A nice touch are the Jewel Eye LED headlights, which seemed to shine extra bright and well into the distance compared to other cars I've driven.
The wheelbase on the MDX is 111 inches, and it's overall length is 193.6 inches.
It's overall width is 77.2 inches and overall height is 66.7 inches.
You also get a standard moonroof with a tilt feature, and a power tailgate. Heated front seats, push-to-start ignition and keyless entry are also standard. Many of the features that are standard on the MDX are only offered as options on its competition, which is a plus for this vehicle.
Overall weight, depending on your packages is between 4,000 and 4,300 pounds.
Inside the MDX, you get a roomy SUV setup that definitely lives up to the Acura name. There is a roomy design, with seating for up to 7 people.
The third row is pretty cramped if you're a grown-up, so put the kids back there unless your want to squeeze in.

ENGINE, HP
The 2014 Acura MDX features a direct-injection, 3.5-liter V-6 engine. The engine uses something the Acura folks call "Earth Dreams Technology" to enhance performance and fuel efficiency.
The engine gets you an impressive 290 horsepower, and 267 pound-feet of torque. It's a fast and somewhat powerful vehicle, but since it is a larger vehicle, it's not super speedy from a stop.
You can opt for an all-wheel drive version of the MDX, or stick with front-wheel drive (AWD adds a couple thousand to your price tag). The vehicle has a six-speed automatic transmission.
Smooth and responsive are the two words I would use to describe the feel of driving the MDX, thanks in part to its MacPhearson strut front suspension and rear multi-link suspension. For a larger vehicle, it responded as well or better to my maneuvers than many vehicles of smaller stature.

MPG
I got about 22 mpg during my time in the all-wheel-drive MDX; not bad for a vehicle of this size. Official numbers are 18 city/27 highway and 21 combined. The fuel tank holds 19.5 gallons, so your total tank distance is anywhere between under 400 and over 500, depending how and where you drive.
The front-wheel drive version is a little better at 20 city/28 highway/23 combined.

FEATURES
The MDX features a standard rearview camera, which is very helpful when it comes time to get out of a tight spot when backing up.
The tech setup in my test vehicle featured a dual-screen setup, with some of your entertainment options showing up on a smaller screen below the other.
At first, this setup was not as easy to use as some other automakers, nice at times but confusing at others. Over time, though, you'll figure it out.
Standard safety features include multiple airbags, vehicle stability assist, anti-lock braking, a tire pressure monitoring system, and multiple child seat latches.
Pandora integration was a very nice feature, allowing you to control the stations, songs, etc. from your vehicle's screen and not touch the phone while driving. This integration of the popular music streaming service is not an option on most new vehicles, and helps boost safety by giving you one less reason to touch your phone. Bluetooth connectivity is standard in the MDX, so you'll be able to connect your phone.
XM satellite radio is offered for a 3-month trial period, then you would have to start paying for it.

PACKAGES
My test came fully loaded, but there are several packages you can choose to get or skip over.
The Tech Package includes the Acura Navigation system with voice commands, which worked very well for me during my time in the car; The tech package also includes the AcuraLink communication system with real-time traffic; an upgraded 12-speaker sound system; HD radio; auto-climate controls; Blind spot warnings (another helpful safety feature); and rain sensing wipers
The Advance Package includes: Collision mitigation braking system; sport seats with perforated premium leather trim; lane-keeping assist system; adaptive cruise control; remote start, and a few other touches including roof rails. Some of the safety features included here were very helpful, especially the adaptive cruise control -- which reacts if a car cuts in front of you while you are in cruise mode.
The Entertainment Package features the ultrawide 16.2 inch DVD rear-entertainment system, which is very nice if you have kids and are going on a long trip, or even a short one sometimes depending on their mood that particular day. The package also features heated second-row seats, rear-door sunshades and a 115-volt power outlet.

PRICE
The base version of the 2014 Acura MDX starts at just over $42,000. The test vehicle I had was the top-level decked-out version with all the packages and it clocked in at roughly $57K. This is quite a range, but you’ll know the difference if you spring for the packages. It's really about what's important to each individual buyer.
In terms of warranties, Acura offers a 6-year/70K warranty on powertrain; and a 4-year/50K warranty on the vehicle.

BOTTOM LINE
If you’re in the market for a larger luxury vehicle, I would recommend giving the 2014 Acura MDX a test drive -- it's got a classy look inside and out, the ride is smooth and enjoyable and there are so many useful and enjoyable features, you might not want to get out of it.
There is heavy competition from its heavyweight luxury competition, but the amount of standard features on this vehicle should make the MDX a likely choice for many customers in the market for a luxury vehicle that can fit the whole family.