A rear wiper/washer was now standard, and child-seat anchors were installed. Windshield glass grew thicker, sound dampening material was added to the roof and other areas, door mirrors and the roof rack were repositioned–all part of a quest to cut down on unwanted sounds. Noise-reduction measures marked the 2002 edition of Acura’s SUV.
So does the second-row seat, which was an SUV “first.” Both seats were split, so sections can stow individually to suit passenger/cargo loads. As in the Odyssey, the third-row seat folds into the rear cargo floor. Second- and third-row bench seats were standard. A navigation system with dashboard screen was optional. The optional Touring package added a driver’s seat/mirror memory, roof rack, and a six-disc in-dash CD changer. Front side airbags, antilocking all-disc brakes, rear air conditioning, heated mirrors, and a CD player also were standard.
Standard fare included leather upholstery, heated power front bucket seats, a power sunroof, and 17-inch alloy wheels. An MDX can tow a 3500-pound trailer or a 4500-pound boat. A rear-wheel locking device kicks in for maximum traction below 6 mph, but no low-range gearing was included. Standard Variable Torque Management (VTM-4) four-wheel drive normally powers the front wheels, but is designed to sense impending wheel slippage and direct up to 52 percent of power to the back wheels when needed. Under the MDX hood sat a more powerful version of the Odyssey’s 3.5-liter V6, producing 240 horsepower and linked to a five-speed automatic transmission rather than a four-speed. Additional rivals include the Ford Explorer, GMC Envoy, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, and Toyota Highlander. Both of those competitors seat five, however, while the MDX holds seven occupants. Based on the Honda Odyssey minivan platform, the MDX (“Multi Dimensional Luxury”) is about 5 inches longer than a BMW X5 and 8.5 inches longer than a Lexus RX 300. Honda’s upscale division designed and built this all-wheel-drive midsize sport-utility vehicle to compete against the popular Lexus RX 300 and other car-based SUVs.
0 kommentar(er)
