Acura MDX

2014-2018 Acura MDX

From 2014-2016 the MDX was only available as a 7-seater (3 seats in the 2nd row, 2 seats in the 3rd row). For 2017 the Acura MDX is now available as a 6-seater as well (2 seats in the 2nd row, 2 seats in the 3rd row), or the usual 7-seater.

The MDX can accommodate 3-across, or 2 side-by-side (driver/center) with a variety of narrow car seats so long as you do not need 3rd row access!

If you need 3rd row access, 3-across will completely prevent this.

If you need 3rd row access, 2 side-by-side (2D/2C) will in almost all cases also prevent 3rd row access! Why you ask, when 2P is the seat that moves for 3rd row access?

When a car seat is installed in 2C with the seat belt (and another car seat is put next to it in 2D with seat belt or LATCH), the car seat in 2C shifts just a smidge over into 2P (because it needs to make room for the car seat in 2D) and the seat belt buckle for 2C overhangs just a bit into 2P which prevents 2P from sliding for 3rd row access. If you install most car seats in 2C with LATCH, you won’t be able to fit another seat in 2D as the lower anchors for 2C push the car seat too far into 2D to fit another car seat.

When a car seat is installed in 2C with the lower anchors, 2P will move just fine… but you won’t have enough room to fit most other car seats in 2D. This is because the lower anchors for 2C are shifted a few inches closer to 2D than the seat belt for 2C is – so a LATCH installation in 2C takes up a few inches of precious space into 2D.

So… what are you to do if you need 2 side-by-side AND need 3rd row access. 

Use an IMMI Go installed in 2C with LATCH and put a narrow infant seat (like a Cybex Aton2 or Chicco Fit2) in 2D installed with the seat belt, or a narrow convertible seat (like the Clek Foonf) in 2D installed with the seat belt. This assumes you have 1 forward-facing kid, and one rear-facing kid. Note: We’ve tried with 2 rear-facing Cleks (2D/2C), and 2P does not move for 3rd row access.

Reconsider your vehicle choice… We strongly advise a vehicle that has a car seat safe tilt for 3rd row access – and the SUV closest to the MDX in size & price that offers this is the Volkswagen Atlas.

While the 7-seater model of the MDX has 3 sets of lower anchors for the 2nd row bench, we did not count the lower anchors for 2C as they overlap the seat belt for 2C. The other issue is that the innermost lower anchor for 2C is too close to the innermost lower anchor for 2D. What this means is that you can not secure 2 car seats side by side in 2D & 2C with both using the lower anchors because there isn’t enough physical space to do so; the solution is to install one of the car seats with the lower anchors, and the other with the seat belt to get seats side by side in 2D & 2C.

The tether anchors for 3D & 3P are now on the back of the vehicle seat, rather than at the back of the trunk as they were in previous years – this is a good change as now the tethers don’t interfere with using what little bit of trunk space you have behind the 3rd row. The tether anchors for 2D, 2C, and 2P now move all the way down to the bottom of the vehicle seat back… making it very hard to get them attached (especially when the 3rd row is folded down) – we suggest keeping the 3rd row up and sliding the 2nd row forward in order to get the 2nd row tether anchors attached more easily (then you can slide the 2nd row back after it is connected and before you install the rest of the car seat).

The seat belt for 2C continues to come from the roof – yes, this is safe – see here for how to use, connect, and disconnect.

The seat belt buckles for 2D, 2C, and 2P all remain flexible – but 3D & 3P are now flexible buckles too (which will make it better for installing car seats in the 3rd row, but worse for kids trying to buckle themselves in boosters).

2014 Acura MDX showing LATCH anchors for driver & center seats


2007-2013 Acura MDX

The MDX was redesigned for 2007, and while it gains an additional lower anchor position (in 2C), we’re overall less than thrilled with the redesign as the back seat got functionally narrower, making 3-across much more challenging than it had been previously in the very-wide, very-flat back seat in the original model.

While this MDX has 3 sets of lower anchors for the 2nd row bench, we did not count the lower anchors for 2C as they overlap the seat belt for 2C. The other issue is that the innermost lower anchor for 2C is too close to the innermost lower anchor for 2D. What this means is that you can not secure 2 car seats side by side in 2D & 2C with both using the lower anchors because there isn’t enough physical space to do so; the solution is to install one of the car seats with the lower anchors, and the other with the seat belt to get seats side by side in 2D & 2C.

The seat belt for 2C continues to come from the roof – yes, this is safe – see here for how to use, connect, and disconnect.

The tether anchors for the 3rd row are located at the edge of the trunk which will interfere with use of the already tiny trunk space behind the 3rd row.

The buckles for the 2nd row seats are all flexible, while 3D & 3P are rigid.

 

The tether anchors for the 3rd row are located at the edge of the trunk which will interfere with use of the already tiny trunk space behind the 3rd row.

While the 7-seater model has 3 sets of lower anchors for the 2nd row bench, we did not count the lower anchors for the 2C as they overlap the seat belt for 2C. The other issue is that the innermost lower anchor for 2C is too close to the innermost lower anchor for 2D. What this means is that you can not secure 2 car seats side by side in 2D & 2C with both using the lower anchors because there isn’t enough physical space to do so; the solution is to install one of the car seats with the lower anchors, and the other with the seat belt to get seats side by side in 2D & 2C.

If you have the 7-seater and need 3rd row access AND need a car seat in 2C you’ll need to install the car seat with the lower anchors, not the seat belt. If installed with the seat belt, the car seat in 2C will overhang just enough into 2P that you won’t be able to move 2P for 3rd row access. The lower anchors in 2C will position the car seat a smidge towards 2D and will allow movement of 2P for 3rd row access. If you need car seats in 2D & 2C and 3rd row access, pick very narrow seats for 2D & 2C. The IMMI Go in 2C + rear-facing Clek Foonf or rear-facing Cybex Aton2 in 2D is a good combination we’ve found (the 2nd row of the Honda Pilot is the same as the 2nd row of the Acura MDX as shown below).


2002-2006 Acura MDX

The MDX was first introduced in 2002. The 2002-2006 models accommodated 3-across very well as they had a very wide, relatively flat 2nd row bench. Surprisingly the newer model years are NOT so favorable for 3-across.

The seat belt for 2C comes from the roof – yes, this is safe – see here for how to use, connect, and disconnect.

The tether anchors for the 3rd row are located at the edge of the trunk which will interfere with use of the already tiny trunk space behind the 3rd row.

The seat belt buckles (2D, 2C, and 2P) are on a long piece of seat belt webbing – you may find the need to twist the buckle stalk (up to 3 full revolutions) to shorten it in order to get some car seats installed tightly – as shown here.