Acura claims MDX is best-selling luxury 3-row ever

Fri, 11 Jul 2014

Business for Acura has been in a weird place, recently, and the company's latest car launches have been especially rocky. For example, the ILX Hybrid was recently discontinued after just two model years with only about 2,660 sold in that time. The company also delayed the launch of its new TLX by a few months until later this summer. However, despite its issues with sedans, the automaker's utility-vehicle business in absolutely booming. In fact, it now claims that the MDX is the best-selling three-row, luxury SUV, ever.

The MDX is already leading its class this year with 30,664 units sold through June 2014, up 68.4 percent compared 2013. Also, in five of the last six months of reported sales, Acura has posted gains. It appears that the company's utility lineup is really pushing it along.

To take the bestseller ever crown, Acura claims that through its three generations, the MDX has sold a cumulative 692,710 units. The premium model has also been at the top of the annual sales rankings for three-row luxury crossovers every year since 2002. The company believes that its nearest competitor is the Lincoln Navigator with an estimated 420,000 lifetime sales, and even arguably more comparable vehicles like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz M-Class only have 350,000 or fewer sales under their belts. Of course, it probably doesn't hurt that the MDX has one of the lower starting prices in its class.

The first-gen MDX was introduced in 2000 and grabbed accolades almost immediately, including the prestigious North American Truck of the Year. Acura added the third-gen model last summer, and we found it to be a good value in our review but not very engaging to drive. Buyers don't appear to care, though, because the MDX is a certified success. Scroll down to read the company's press release about its sales crown.

Acura MDX Cements Position as America's All-Time Best-Selling 3-Row Luxury SUV

TORRANCE, Calif., July 11, 2014 – Record sales in the first six months of 2014 has strengthened the third-generation MDX's position as America's best-selling three-row luxury SUV – not only in 2014, but of all time. Through June, sales of MDX are up 68.4 percent (compared to the same period last year) to 30,664 units, bringing cumulative sales of the MDX over its nearly 15-year history to 692,710 units, making it the most popular three-row luxury SUV of all time*. In fact, the MDX has topped all other three-row luxury SUVs in the annual sales rankings in every year since 2002. Cumulative U.S. sales of MDX are anticipated to surpass 700,000 units before the end of the year.

"Luxury car buyers have spoken, and we really want to thank our Acura customers for making the MDX the clear winner among three-row luxury SUVs," said Mike Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager of Acura Division. "MDX is the clear benchmark in its class, consistently delivering the best combination of features, function and performance that luxury buyers are after."

Acura pioneered the three-row crossover luxury SUV segment when it launched the first-generation MDX in 2000 as a 2001 model, when the MDX captured both the Motor Trend SUV of the Year and North American Truck of the Year titles. For three generations, the U.S. engineering team responsible for MDX has steadily advanced and refined the original concept of the MDX – a three-row, 7-passenger luxury SUV with superior packaging, fuel efficiency, and ride and handling performance.

The third-generation, 2014 Acura MDX, introduced in June 2013, has undergone a complete makeover, starting with the development of an all-new, more rigid and lightweight body and chassis, dropping more than 275 pounds versus the previous model and boasting major gains in body rigidity, aerodynamic efficiency and low running resistance.

A safety leader, the third-generation MDX applies Acura's next-generation ACE™ body structure and the first-ever use of Acura's new hot-stamped steel, one-piece door stiffener ring. As a result of these and other design enhancements, the MDX obtained class-leading EPA fuel-economy ratings of 20/28/23 mpg city/highway/combined while earning both a five-star Overall Vehicle Score from the NHTSA and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the IIHS, a feat only one other luxury SUV has matched. The MDX also offers greater interior comfort, advanced connectivity via its next-generation AcuraLink™ system, and greatly improved third-row entry and exit via its kid-friendly One-Touch Walk-In feature.

The MDX has been designed, developed and manufactured in North America for three generations. The third-generation MDX is manufactured exclusively at the company's Lincoln, Alabama automobile and engine production facility, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

About Acura
Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance-luxury vehicles through a network of 275 U.S. Acura dealers. The Acura lineup features five distinctive models: the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan (arriving this summer), the ILX compact luxury sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, and the 7-passenger MDX luxury sport utility vehicle. Acura was recently recognized by Edmunds.com for the third consecutive year as the top luxury brand for retained value, with products that are projected to hold more of their original value after five years of ownership than any other luxury brand.

For More Information
Consumer information is available at http://www.acura.com/ . To join the Acura community on Facebook, visit www.facebook.com/Acura. Additional media information including detailed pricing features and high-resolution photography of the Acura line can be found at http://www.acuranews.com/

*Sales numbers based on Automotive News Sales Database 1999-2014; manufacturer data for prior to 1994.
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By Chris Bruce