How Many Miles Can Acura MDX Last? (+Reliability Scores)

How many miles can an Acura MDX last? When you’re in the market for a new or second-hand MDX, that’s, of course, a very reasonable question to ask. After all, you’re probably looking to get the most bang for your buck. In this blog, we’ll look at this question in great detail but first, let’s start with a quick answer:

On average, an Acura MDX lasts between 220.000 – 250.000 miles. An MDX needs to go to the garage for unscheduled repairs about 0.45 times per year, with an 8% chance of severe problems. Furthermore, MDX owners spend an average of $571 per year on repair costs.

Having said that, we’re certainly not done. Below we’ll first explain in more detail how many miles an MDX can last. After that, we’ll also show you how much an MDX costs per year and which production years are the most and least expensive. Furthermore, we also discuss the common problems that the car can have. Read on!

Want to save money on gasoline? earn up to $0.25/gallon every time you fill up? GetUpside is a free-to-use cashback app for US gas stations. Use coupon code “THEDRIVERADVISER25” and earn an additional $0.25/gallon the first time! Click here to download the app for Android or iOS.

How Many Miles Can Acura MDX Last?

To know how many miles an Acura MDX lasts, we have conducted some serious research, gone through the database of Autotrader.com to retrieve factual data, and compiled all of the research.

We analyzed 5.067 used Acura MDXs listed for sale in the US market. During this process, we found that 7.26% of MDXs that were listed for sale had a recorded mileage of 150.000 or higher. Typically, we expect to see a percentage of between 5-7% for SUVs. To us, this indicates that the MDX does seem to be able to reach higher mileage overall.

Amount Of Miles	Percentage Of Cars
Cars With 150.000+	7.26%
Cars With 100.000 – 149.000	13.89%
Cars With 45.000 – 99.999	26.69%
Cars With 0 – 44.999	52.16%

However, looking at the table above we also see that a large percentage of vehicles have a mileage of 100.000 or less. This is most likely because the majority of MDXs that are for sale have been sold in the past 8 years. Therefore, these models have had less time to reach higher mileage and this is reflected in the table. However, this does not indicate any inherent defect.

How Reliable Is An Acura MDX Compared To Its Competitors?

The most important factor in deciding whether or not a vehicle is reliable is to see how well the Acura MDX performs against its competitors in terms of reliability. This comparison will give us a better understanding of the benchmarks that we should consider when looking at the reliability ratings of vehicles like the Acura MDX.

After going through the data, we have compiled a list of competitors and their expected mileage and highest recorded mileage. Keep in mind that we´ve written individual articles for each model in this table. Therefore, we´re confident about the results that are displayed here.

Model	Sample Size	Expected Mileage	Highest Mileage
Acura MDX	5.067	235.000	290.000
Buick Enclave	5.978	210.000	270.000
Chevy Traverse	10.876	240.000	360.000
Toyota Highlander	12.777	270.000	329.000
Ford Explorer	22.876	230.000	397.000
Honda Pilot	10.095	240.000	376.000
GMC Acadia	10.499	230.000	266.000
Chevy Blazer	1.891	210.000	260.000
Mitsubishi Outlander	1.550	210.000	250.000
Chevy Tahoe	11.515	240.000	340.000
Ford Expedition	4.642	250.000	290.000
GMC Yukon	6.311	215.000	280.000
Toyota Sequoia	1.243	275.000	380.000

All of this data says that the Acura MDX is an middle-of-the-pack SUV, there are some which have shown lower percentages, and some have shown much better percentages. However, overall it does seem like the Acura MDX fits right into the SUV category and is able to hold its own. Especially considering the fact that the MDX would be classified as a premium SUV.

Also read: The Exact Towing Capacity Of An Acura MDX (And More..

How Reliable Is An Acura MDX Compared To Other Acuras?

Knowing how the Acura MDX performs compared to other Acuras is valuable because it gives us an idea of what can be expected of the brand as a whole in terms of reliability. When we compare the MDX to the other Acuras we see that the MDX beats most of the other Acuras. However, this is also because the MDX is an SUV that has been around since the early 2000s. The RDX and TLX are much newer whereas the TL beats the MDX because production stopped in 2014 and, therefore, we only have data for older models.

Model	Sample Size	Cars With 150.000+ Miles	% Percentage Of Cars With 150.000+	Highest Mileage
Acura TL	877	263	29.99%	310.000
Acura RDX	4.089	107	2.62%	235.000
Acura TLX	3.782	40	1.06%	140.000
Acura MDX	5.067	368	7.26%	280.000

This data suggests that all Acuras are quite reliable, and the MDX is reliable by all accounts. One thing we do have to say is that the TLX and the RDX are a bit disappointing. For the TLX this is to be expected given that the car has only been in production since 2015 and it´s a sedan. However, the RDX does not really seem to live up to what should be expected of it.

How Much Does Maintenance Cost Per Year?

Another important aspect we need to look at when it comes to whether or not the MDX can drive many miles is how much you´ll pay annually to get those miles. Acuras are most often known for the fact that they´re luxury cars that don´t break the bank. The data in the table below was retrieved from Repairpal and Caredge.com.

What we found is that the MDX offers very reasonable maintenance costs for a luxury SUV. For example, the BMW X5 often has maintenance costs of $800 – $1,100 annually. Compare that to the numbers in the table below and you see that every model year of the MDX is worth getting. There´re some model years that end up in the lower 600s region, but that´s the upper limit.

Model Year	Annual Maintenance Cost
2010	$543
2011	$576
2012	$572
2013	$604
2014	$629
2015	$550
2016	$491
2017	$597
2018	$499
2019	$410
2020	$354

On average, you can expect to pay $571 in annual maintenance costs for an Acura MDX. That´s a very good number and it certainly should be seen as another positive for the MDX.

Also read: The Complete Cost Of Maintaining An Acura

Owners’ Reviews Of The MDXs Reliability

Besides knowing all the data, it’s, of course, also essential to see how owners experience the MDX. For this, we went to Truecar, Edmunds, and Cars.com. All three platforms have gathered hundreds of reviews from actual car owners. We summarized our findings in the image below.

In the image above we´ve compiled the owner’s ratings of the third generation of the MDX (from 2014 – 2020). The MDX wasn´t produced in 2021 and the owner’s ratings of the 2022 model are quite different (more on that later).

However, if you´re in the market for second-hand MDX then we have to say that owners seem to be specifically pleased with the third-generation facelifted versions (2017 – 2020). These model years have had the least amount of problems and owners have consistently given this generation the highest rating.

Complete mesh of performance, comfort and utility in a reliable package. Provides excellent gas mileage for highway driving with plenty of cargo space for all your stuff!

Source, 2020 owners

On the other hand, the 2022 model year seems to get an average rating of 3.5 – 4.0 stars which is quite a world of difference. Owners have complained about problems with the electrical system as well as braking problems, forward collision avoidance acting up when not necessary, and noises coming from the power train.

Three days after getting it home, the car started calling onstar emergency. We couldn’t stop it. It just kept calling. (…) A week later the infotainment system malfunctioned with warnings and continues to do so and they say they don’t have a fix. Now the AC isn’t working well. And we got a crack in the windshield and they say all sold out of front windows! (…)

Source, 2022 owner

Acura MDX Common Problems

This is another important section. If a vehicle has high maintenance costs and poor reliability then this is often caused by these common issues in our precious vehicles. Most often, the main culprit is manufacturing negligence or negligence in maintenance.

If you want to read more about the common problems of the Acura MDX, read the article we just linked. There, we describe many more problems in greater detail.

NOTE: Before buying a used car, I always like to make sure the vehicle isn´t having any problems that you should be aware of. The easiest way to do this is by buying an OBD2 scanner. These scanners can easily be plugged into any car you’re interested in, and they’ll give you a rundown of potential problems.

Fourth Generation Problems (2022 – Present)

Currently, this is a problematic generation of the MDX. This is not surprising given that only two model years have been released. As a rule of thumb, the first two model years of a generation are quite problematic and will cause some headaches.

For this generation, Acura uses a new 10-speed transmission. However, some owners have reported transmission failure of these units as low as 7.000 miles. Furthermore, the shifting quality seems to be lacking as well.

Problems with the electrical system have been a common theme with the MDX and the fourth generation also already has reports of the forward collision avoidance system acting up, random warning lights on the dashboard, and the keyfob not working.

Finally, braking noises have been mentioned already, as well as the emergency braking system acting up on its own, causing dangerous situations.

Third Generation Problems (2014 – 2020)

Practically all the problems that the fourth generation of the MDX has, were already present in the third generation. Below, we´ll list the specific problems as well as the model years that have had recalls or TSBs for them.

• PCM causing electrical problems: specifically in the 2014 – 2018 model years.
• Braking problems: loud noises caused by warped brake rotors after 30.000 – 70.000 miles and the brake mitigation system emergency braking by itself in the 2014 – 2015 model years. A complete loss of braking power also warranted a recall in the 2017 – 2019 model years (including the hybrid).
• Loss of power steering was caused by a faulty EPS fuse in the 2014 – 2016 model years.
• Terrible transmissions throughout the generation, although the 2016 – 2017 model years were extremely terrible.
• Taillights were filling up with water for the 2014 – 2019 model years.

Second Generation Problems (2007 – 2013)

The second generation also wasn´t without its problems. Below is a list of the most noticeable problems:

• Electrical problems and non-starting caused by parasitic battery drain that was problematic for the whole generation. Owners found out that the BlueTooth module needed to be replaced.
• Excessive oil consumption in the 2010 – 2013 model years.
• Loud suspension because of failing dampers throughout the generation. Acura extended the warranty on these parts for Canadian models but not American ones.
• Jerking transmission in the 2007 – 2009 model years, a software update together with the potential replacement of the torque converter fixed the issue.

Is an Acura MDX A Smart Buy?

After going through all of this research it´s important to see if the MDX is actually an SUV that´s worth buying. Earlier we read that the MDX does quite well in terms of potential mileage. It´s certainly not as good as other SUVs such as the ones from Ford and Toyota, however, it does offer a lot more in terms of luxury which means it does also attract a different crowd.

For a luxury or, at the very least, a premium SUV we have to say that the maintenance costs are very affordable. Any other non-Japanese SUV will most likely cost double. We did see that the MDX does have some recurring problems and that some model years have more problems with this than others. However, we´re assuming they can´t be that widespread given that it hasn´t affected the annual maintenance costs.

However, we do recommend looking at a 2017 – 2020 model year since this generation has the least amount of problems, which becomes clear when looking at the owner’s reviews (they´re thrilled about these model years) as well as the maintenance costs (these are quite low).

Overall, we would say the MDX is definitely an SUV that´s worth getting since it provides good mileage and affordable annual maintenance costs.

Acura MDX Maintenance Schedule

If you want to keep your Acura MDX healthy for a longer period of time, then you must have it regularly maintained. If your MDX is regularly maintained, you wouldn’t have to spend a lot on expensive repairs, and your precious MDX will go a long way before finally going to heaven.

The dealerships recommend changing the engine oil at 10,000 miles, but it should be changed before 7,000 miles to get the best performance and reliability.

Before/On Every 10,000 Miles

• Replace the oil filter.
• Engine oil replacement
• Gaskets inspection and replacement
• Though lubrication of all the components that require it.
• Electronics system check
• Brake check
• Airbag inspection

Before/On Every 20,000 Miles

• Replace the passenger compartment air filter
• Inspect the tires
• See if there’s any prevailing rust
• Check for any fluid leaks
• Tire replacement if necessary

Before/On Every 40,000 Miles

• Replace the air intake filter
• Replace the transfer case fluid
• Inspect the evaporative control system
• Change the automatic transmission fluid

Before/On Every 60,000 Miles

• Inspect the spark plugs
• Inspect the ignition coils
• Have an engine diagnosis with a scanner tool while looking for any abnormal readings.
• Inspect the electronics system
• Inspect the brake pads and rotors
• Drive belt replacement
• The manufacturers recommend changing the first coolant at 60k miles and the later ones after every 30k miles. You should check the color of the coolant to tell which one it is. If it’s the silicated one, you would have to change it after every 30k miles and if it’s the extended drain coolant, then you can change it after 100k miles.

Before/On Every 100,000 Miles

• This is where the suspension components start to wear and you might have to replace the worn-out ones
• Service the radiator core
• Service the AC condenser