Interior

On the inside of the MDX, things are quiet and calm, with little noise from the outside world intruding into the cabin. The interior has a clean, almost cold look with lots of metallic surfaces. It leans a bit toward the masculine side of things.

My test car was equipped with the Sport trim; it comes with leather sport seats that are on the firm side and slightly too short for my legs. I found myself wishing for another inch of leg support on a longer trip. My kids and I enjoyed the heated seats in the first and second rows. Well, the kid who no longer sits in a booster seat enjoyed it. My little guy was mostly just bitter about that.

The leather-wrapped steering wheel tilts and telescopes with the touch of a button, and has controls for the audio system, Bluetooth and cruise control. The gauges are clear and easy to read.

I especially liked the large navigation screen that also displays audio information. A large knob controller governs the systems, and it’s really easy to use. The navigation system can also be controlled with voice commands, but I gave up on it because it wasn’t intuitive. I needed a script for it, and I just don’t have time to go flipping through the manual every time I want to fiddle with the air conditioning. The Bluetooth link also seemed a bit finicky. I had a hard time getting it to pick up automatically and had to select it manually from my iPhone.

There isn’t a ton of storage up front, but the two covered cupholders and center console bin offered enough storage. I wasn’t a big fan of the console bin and its butterfly-style opening; I guess the idea is the passenger won’t have to move his arm if I want to get something out of the bin, but I found the design annoying. One really nifty touch is the secret compartment hidden on the passenger side of the lower center console. A sliding door reveals a cubby that’s perfect for stashing an umbrella, first-aid kit or anything you won’t need to reach while you’re driving.

In the backseat, everyone had plenty of room and someplace to store their stuff. Two cupholders pop out of the center armrest, and each door has a good-sized bin that can hold a water bottle in a pinch. There are also seatback pockets. Three-zone climate control keeps everyone comfy, with rear controls on the back of the center console.

The seat belt receptors sit up nice and high and don’t flop around when little hands reach for them. The Latch connectors are somewhat less fabulous because they’re well-buried in the seat crease. I could find them by feel, but they weren’t visible. With the second-row armrest up, there’s enough room for three kids, even with a booster seat or two in play. The center seat belt comes down from the ceiling, which I don’t love, but it locks out of sight when not in use.

The third row holds two more passengers and is even comfortable for adults. I stuck my husband back there on an hour-long trip and he had no complaints. (Obviously, he’s nicer than I am.) There are cupholders on each side as well as a covered bin for more storage.

With the third row in place, however, there isn’t much storage space left in the cargo area. The third-row seats fold easily and completely flat, and a remote latch means you won’t have to climb into the cargo area to drop the seats.

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Galore
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

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