Crash Test Rating
Source   NHTSA
MPG (up to)
16 City / 21 HWY
Horsepower
300
Seats
7
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Gina M
Best luxury SUV on the market!
Best car I have ever owned and I have had many luxury brands! Has 130k miles at 8 yrs old and still looks and drives as great as it did the day we bought. Have had no surprise problems with the SUV. Only routine maintenance. My husband always comments that it is a large SUV. I am a petite female and in no way does it seem large to me or hard to park, etc. I have the tech package and this car has every bell and whistle you could want. I would buy this model SUV again in a heartbeat.
accountCircle Dallas M
Elegant and affordable luxury!
Both of our acura's so far have been reliable, low maintenance cars! Other than the basic. I have no complaints! Oil changes and brakes. I love the way it rides and drives. All the technology package it offers. Plus it is elegant and luxury. The perfect amount of everything! Very happy with vehicles!!
accountCircle Traci Q
It has good gas mileage for an SUV and there is some maintenance involved
I love the size since we only have 4 people in the car most of the time but I can add extra kids with the 3rd row. I love the color. I love the leather seats and how smooth it drives
accountCircle Gloria P
Black leather seats/interior with a capacity of 7-8 passengers. All wheel-drive.
As to vehicle problems there are not any. The performance on the other hand is 10/10 for being 8 years old. It does not give me any complications and it is very easy to drive! It is a very comfortable family car. You can fit 7-8 passengers. You can also put the 3 row down for more trunk space!
accountCircle Tamara H
Stylish, fun to drive, comfortable, reliable, and great on gas
This is there first Acura I've ever owned, and I am very happy with it. The car has 2 drive modes, regular and comfort. I am a former BMW X5 owner, and this SUV handles just like a BMW. It is stylish and fun to drive. The vehicle is great on gas and very reliable. The sound quality of the stereo is excellent, and we've never had any issue with the DVD player or wireless headphones. We are able to have the video playing in the DVD player for the kids, while still enjoying our music through the speakers. ...A win/win for everyone. The interior of the car is on par with any luxury vehicle, with wood grain and comfortable leather. The front and 2nd row seats are equipped with cooling and heating features. There's is also temperature control in the 2nd row. The third row feature is convenient. However, it's not comfortable enough for an adult to sit in the 3rd row for an extended period of time (ie a road trip). We've taken several road trips. The car joe has over 150,000 miles on it, and it's still going strong. We're in the market for another vehicle and we're considering getting another MDX.
accountCircle Kari C
Unique, but comfortable vehicle
My vehicle is very reliable. I have had issues with my brakes and having to have them be replaced multiple times throughout ownership. The vehicle has a lot of room for traveling with other people and storage room. The seats also cool and heat for comfort. The leather seats have seen a lot of wear and tear, but are holding up very well. The DVD player is also a nice bonus with headphones that are very comfortable.
accountCircle Pinky P
5 or 7 passenger vehicle - Acura mdx.
Performs well and totally reliable. Haven't had any major problems. We fill with premium gas and do regular maintenance like oil changes. Great features: it is great that you can fit 5 or 7 passengers, easy to switch amongst both seating options. It is over 150k miles and has a long way to go.
accountCircle Ashlee N
Third row option great if need seating but too compact for adults are tall kids.
I have over 100 thousand miles on this car and have only had to change tiles, oil and battery. My kids and I are all tall so it is a bit tight when there is someone sitting in the back seat. The third row was great when they were younger. Don't use the third row now.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Tony
Acura Engine Oil Consumption Problem
There is an oil consumption problem with Acura Engines. Acura said they sent me a letter for my 2012 MDX explaining this issue but I never received it in the mail. I found out the hard way one day when it broke down while shopping. There were no warnings or indications on the computer or gauges inside. Just started making noises when I returned after shopping. Had it towed to my mechanic and he confirmed there was very little oil inside the engine which contributed to the failure. Acura had all of my contact information and yet they didn't bother to communicate via phone or email. This is very disappointing and will think again before buying another Acura.
accountCircle Kate Lavelle
White Pearl Paint Peeling
White Pearl paint is peeling on the rear hatch door of 2012 Acura MDX. Vehicle has always been garage kept. We keep our cars for about ten years and have NEVER had a vehicle with this issue. Acura says it's out of warranty as it has 99,000 miles. However, this same color paint has been an issue on the 2015 MDX and there are many reports from customers of Acura paying to repaint. Very disappointed!
accountCircle natasha p
Breaks down a lot. Was really reliable the first 5 years I owned it and now it's horrible
The car breaks down a lot, and it has many mechanical issues.
accountCircle Stephanie M
Acura Mdx car review. Good running car
Overall pretty good running car Nothing major has broken down yet. It's get me to work and back without issue. Would make a great family car. Looking to upgrade in the foreseeable future. Affordable and trustworthy overall though. Would recommend to someone seeking a new car or upgrade
accountCircle Hannah R
It's awesome! This vehicle is very easy to clean.
It's really reliable. I enjoy driving this car because it is comfortable and has all the features I could ever want or need. The performance is phenomenal and I'm very impressed. This vehicle takes me wherever I need to go on any given day. I would most likely purchase this vehicle again.
accountCircle Alana H
Great lancer, recommend to anyone who is looking for a reliable fast car.
Runs great, small gas tank, good mph, small and compact, moves fast, cheap to fix if there are issues. Uses regular gas well, not diesel, my 2012 has latest almost 10 years and I have not had to replace anything major. Fin in the back does not make it hard to see or impair vision in any way.
accountCircle Donra A
Fully technology safe driving.
Fully loaded navigation backup camera entertainment 3 row seats gives more room if needed has a good gas mileage on the city and highway compare to the same size. Has the AWD which make it safe for the winter time. The safe rating to drive it is very good according to the expert's.
accountCircle James S
How it drives good on bump full roads.
Vehicle is not good on gas miles to and for long driving vehicles. Does a good job riding on bump full roads.

Acura MDX Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Advance Pkg
300 HP 18 MPG 7 Seats
car
Base
300 HP 18 MPG 7 Seats
car
Tech Pkg
300 HP 18 MPG 7 Seats
car
Tech/Entertainment Pkg
300 HP 18 MPG 7 Seats
car
Advance/Entertainment Pkg
300 HP 18 MPG 7 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 Acura MDX Owner Reviews

4.49
136 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 57%
4 stars 35%
3 stars 6%
2 stars 1%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Lori F on July 15, 2021
Love the Acura MDX
Have had this car since new - has had a few issues, the latest is the navigation system seems to have lost its mind and it doesn't know where to put the arrow on the display. No worries - use the iPhone. It's a great comfortable vehicle for travel.
accountCircle Rhodora E on June 24, 2021
Acura is very sturdy and safe.
For a six year old vehicle it is still driving excellently. The manufacturer’s warranty is superb. The interior design and loading capacity is very good and very comfortable. The air conditioner does not cool the air fast enough to my liking.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Chris M.

Great handling, a very smooth ride that responds really well. The car is excellent quality inside and out. We have 2 MDX's and they are hard to wear out. This car is so reliable. It rarely has issues and runs great everyday. I love the tech options. Acura seems to be ahead of others in this area. Great easy to use GPS, Bluetooth and backup camera. Great tech options.

likeFilled Aaron P.

Pretty good gas mileage, nice audio system, front heated seats, the vehicle is spacious, decent acceleration for an SUV, the all-wheel drive functionality allows me to travel anywhere, easy and efficient steering, the system has no ongoing issues.

likeFilled Rhodora E.

Acura MDX is very reliable and easy to handle. The interior is roomy and luxurious compared to other midsize SUV. The seats has excellent quality-leather, very comfortable even for long driving. It has 3 seating rows with the first 2 spacious, the third row is a bit tighter and more comfortable for kids or adults that are 100 lbs or below, It is a comfy 7 seater vehicle. Each row have their own ventilations that could be calibrated to temperature of your choice, It has a TV to entertain the last 2 rows, has a GPS, excellent audio, Bluetooth and phone hooked. The seats are heated on first two rows.

likeFilled Peter B.

The car drives very smoothly. Excellent interior and comfortable seats. The sound system is also very good. The car is very reliable. I only had to invest in routine maintenance even though the car has over 130k miles.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Chris M.

There really are not many cons for this car. We have 2 and I will buy another one when I purchase again. We have had problems with the back passenger windows slipping and not rolling back up in our 2005 MDX. We have had to wedge them shut and they are not usable at this time. The cost of repair on this vehicle is high. Using a dealership for repair and maintenance is pretty expensive.

dislikeFilled Aaron P.

Wish there was a third row of seats, for trips with lots of passengers. Do not love my leather seats, as they get worn down quickly. The glove box can be difficult to open. Very few mechanics are skilled enough to repair my model. Oil changes cost quite a bit.

dislikeFilled Rhodora E.

It took me months to memorize what the buttons are for on the dashboard, they should all be labeled The third row is tight if you are not petite. Gas mileage is not as good as some of the other mid size SUVs. You are asking for cons but I could not think of any other as it is basically a very good car unless paying too much money for service could be included as it is expensive like the Mercedes Benz in terms of the bi-yearly service or maintenance.

dislikeFilled Peter B.

The cons of the Acura mdx are the navigation system didn't really work well. The other con is that the sunroof leaked a few times when it rained heavily. The braking system would also sometimes squeak after a heavy rain for the first couple of times that you deployed them.

Ranks #9 Luxury Midsize SUV by Owners

The 2012 Acura MDX has an average owner rating of 4.51 out of 5 which ranks it #9 of 17 other Luxury Midsize SUVs.

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5
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5
9
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4.49

Ranks #6 Luxury Midsize SUV by Fuel Economy

The 2012 Acura MDX has a combined MPG of 24 which ranks it #6 of 17 other Luxury Midsize SUVs.

1
car
27 MPG
2
Tie
car
26 MPG
6
Tie
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21 MPG

Is The 2012 Acura MDX A Good Car?

Yes. I love everything about my mdx and I would buy another once I needed to get a new one. It is a wonderful car with great sustainability.
Melissa F.
It is a good vehicle --it is fun to drive and it looks sleek. I like the heated seats, and the leather is soft. The seats are very comfortable. I like the screen navigation.
Heather D.
Excellent saves very comfortable gasoline, displaces excellently, spare parts, good rubbers, leather seats, comfortable, is an excellent vehicle
Paula B.
Yes... I like the styling and the features in my vehicle. It rides nice and smooth. The leather seats are comfortable and the radio is crystal clear.
Robert L.

How Reliable Is The 2012 Acura MDX?

The Acura is extremely reliable. I have had little problems with this vehicle. Only a few sensor issues. But the car runs great and only has to go in for regular maintenance.
Melissa F.
It is reliable. I have not had this car very long, but I have done one repair and two regular maintenance on the vehicle. The mechanic has always been impressed with the condition of the car.
Heather D.
It is reliable, excellent saves very comfortable gasoline, displaces excellently, spare parts, good rubbers, leather seats, comfortable, is an excellent vehicle. No problem
Lisa D.
It is reliable. I have only had the car for 4 months but have had no problems and only taken it in for an oil change.
Sydney W.

Is The 2012 Acura MDX A Good Value?

I do not know the cost. But it is a good value for what I have. I have navigation that is usually up to date and takes me the most direct routes.
Melissa F.
I paid around 17,000 for this car at a dealership. That included gap insurance, and I did not make any sort of down payment. So far I would say it was a good value for my money.
Heather D.
It is a good value, its cost is 5000 $. excellent saves very comfortable gasoline, displaces excellently, spare parts, good rubbers, leather seats, comfortable, is an excellent vehicle
Ka Y.
I paid around 14000 for my car used at a dealership. It is a good value for a vehicle that is considered 'luxury' and has a 3rd row.
Cory M.

Related Articles for 2012 Acura MDX

From the Vehicle History blog

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the 2012 acura mdx lug nut size?

Answer: The 2012 Acura MDX uses a 19mm hex m14 X1.50 standard lug nut and is fitted with A5 lug 4.5 inch or 114.3mm high positive offset bolt design. It's good to know this, because if You want to buy new rims, You'll...

What are some of the 2012 acura mdx transmission problems?

Answer: The 2012 Acura MDX transmission problems are shudders or doesn't shift properly. The transmission fluid needs to be replaced every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Along with fluid changes, terrible sounds will come...

2012 Acura MDX: What is the tire size and pressure, and wheel size?

Answer: The recommended tire pressure for the 2012 Acura MDX front and the rear tire iS32 psi. The tire size is P255/55r19. The standard wheel size is 19" silver aluminum wheels.Your tire air pressure should be checked...

2012 Acura MDX: What is the oil type and capacity?

Answer: The 2012 Acura MDX oil type and capacity iS5w-20 and 4.5 quarts. Having high quality oil is important for the engine to run smoothly. You will run into issues with the oil at some point. Bad oil can cause the...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test

Overall

Front

Rollover

Side

*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety