2009 Acura MDX - Safety Review and Crash Test Ratings

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There's nothing to fault safety-wise in the 2009 Acura MDX. All the sources consulted by TheCarConnection.com's editors raved about its remarkable safety levels.

Across the board in U.S. crash tests, the MDX gets top scores. And the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) names the Acura MDX a Top Safety Pick. As Car and Driver reports, the MDX is rated four stars in rollover resistance, though no crossover vehicles achieve NHTSA’s lofty five-star rollover score.

"Few vehicles equal the MDX's safety story," remarks Car and Driver. "A laundry list of safety features," reports Motor Trend, "includes standard dual front airbags, driver and front passenger side impact airbags, side curtain airbags [for all three rows], active headrests, and seatbelt pretensioners." That laundry list doesn't even mention the standard ABS, traction control, antiskid system, and standard full-time all-wheel drive (SH-AWD). Also standard on all trims are HID headlights "for better night visibility," notes Motor Trend.

The Auto Channel reports that the 2009 Acura employs the company's patented Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) in the vehicle's structure and design, which Honda has been phasing in on all its vehicles. In case of a head-on impact, ACE construction distributes the force in such a way as to keep the MDX's passenger cabin from collapsing. What is marvelous here, however, is that the designers were not thinking only of the vehicle's occupants, but others as well. The hood design is specially designed to minimize injuries to any pedestrians that may be hit, and the bumpers are at a level that will do the least damage to other vehicles.

There are a couple of safety-related items that fall short of perfection. For one, "roof pillars hinder visibility to some angles," as ConsumerGuide states. Second, you can only get a rearview camera with the optional navigation system. Without that system, it will be impossible to see objects directly behind your vehicle while backing.