The second-generation MDX pairs the V6 with Acura's own automatic rather than the troubled BAXA unit used in the TL of the same era — a meaningfully safer combination overall.
The MDX's three-row SUV body is heavier than the TL's, but the V6 here is paired with a different, more robust automatic transmission than the sedan's BAXA unit — a meaningful point in this combination's favour.
SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive), standard on most trims, adds genuine mechanical complexity worth factoring into inspection, though it has a solid reliability track record of its own.
This is about the car itself — for engine-specific failure points, see the dedicated engine page below.
This generation of MDX shares its 3.5L V6 with the contemporary TL, though paired with a different, more robust transmission. Full engine detail lives on the dedicated engine page.
FULL ENGINE BREAKDOWNAcura 3.5L J35 V6 — Reliable or Not →Confirm timing belt and water pump service history — the same interference-engine caveat applies here as on every J35 application.
Test the SH-AWD system's behaviour during a varied test drive, including some low-speed turning, listening for any unusual noise from the rear differential.
Check third-row seat folding mechanisms and rear climate controls, common light wear items on family-used examples.