Last updated: 2026-10-10

2025 Acura MDX
RELIABILITY SCORE: 76/100 (GOOD)

2025 Acura MDX Reliability Report

The 2025 Acura MDX has good reliability, but owners report the engine stalling at stops under auto idle stop and not restarting.

Recalls

2

Complaints

32

Complaint Rate

8.1per 10,000 sold

Est. Repair Cost

$571

Annual Fuel Cost

$3,150–$3,650

Detailed Score Breakdown

Complaint Severity67/100

Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume

Repair Costs80/100

Independent repair cost ratings

Recall Impact80/100

Recall count weighted by severity

Issue Diversity84/100

Breadth of reported problem categories

The Verdict

Consider

Auto idle stop restart failures set this year apart, with engines stalling in traffic, and both the 2024 and 2026 years rate better.

Top Issues to Watch

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (11)
  • ENGINE (5)
  • POWER TRAIN (1)

Should You Buy the 2025 Acura MDX?

Reliability is good, but this is not the MDX year to favor. It sits close to average among 2025 SUVs and in the middle of the eight scored MDX years. Both 2024 and 2026 rate better. Independent repair-cost data puts yearly repair costs well under the class figure, at $571 against $807, and the federal crash-test rating is 5 of 5 stars.

The problem to know about is auto idle stop. Owners say the engine shuts off at a stop and will not restart when they lift off the brake. The car stays dead in traffic or on busy off-ramps until it is turned fully off and on again. Several describe near rear-end collisions, and one reports losing steering and braking assist. One owner had it happen at least 7 times before 10,000 miles. Dealers often cannot reproduce it, and new batteries have not stopped it. Federal recall records show two recalls, covering service brakes and back over prevention.

Ask the seller for proof that both recalls were completed and for any repair orders about stalling or restart faults. On a test drive, stop in traffic several times. Also compare a 2024 or 2026.

Compared to the 2026 Acura MDX, which scored 3 points higher. See also the 2024 Acura MDX for an earlier comparison.

Pros

  • +Acceptable reliability score
  • +$236 cheaper to maintain than avg luxury midsize SUVs
  • +Low major repair risk (8%)
  • +Low recall count

Cons

  • −Above-average complaint rate for SUV
  • −ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: Engine shuts off at a stop under auto idle stop and does not restart when the... (11 complaints)
  • −UNKNOWN OR OTHER: Engine stalls during auto stop-start make up most of these reports (7 complaints)

Compare 2025 Acura MDX With

Common Problem Categories

Safety

LOW RISK
  • 2 manufacturer recalls issued

Other

HIGH RISK
  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (11)
  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER (7)

See detailed breakdown by component ↓

Recall Overview

2

recalls on record

The 2025 Acura MDX carries 2 recalls — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.

NHTSA.gov →

Complaint Breakdown

8.1

per 10,000 sold

Segment avg: 3.5

LowAvgHigh
Low

Safety Incidents

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

0

Deaths

★★★★★

NHTSA 5/5 Stars

Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.

2025 Acura MDX Recall Details

2 recalls have been issued for the 2025 Acura MDX. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.

25V3910002025-06-12

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."

Consequence

A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.

25V0320002025-01-23

BACK OVER PREVENTION, EQUIPMENT

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2025 Acura MDX vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will replace the center information display unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 3, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is RKZ.

VIN History Report

Buying a used 2025 Acura MDX? Check its history first

Electrical system problems lead owner complaints about the 2025 Acura MDX, and 2 recalls were issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.

No VIN? Just hit “Check VIN” to look one up.

  • Accidents
  • Open Recalls
  • Title History
  • Odometer Rollback

2025 Acura MDX NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall Safety Rating

Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)

Gas Powertrain

Driver: 4/5Passenger: 4/5

Rollover risk: 15.1%

Safety Technologies

Dynamic Head Restraints (Not Available)Head Restraint (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Advanced Belt Feature (Not Available)Seat Belt Pretensioners (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Seat Belt Load Limiters (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row)Adjustable Upper Belt Anchorage (Driver, Front Passenger)Seat Belt Reminder System (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Frontal Air Bag (Driver, Front Passenger)Head Protection (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, 3rd row)Torso and/or Pelvis Protection (Driver, Front Passenger)Knee (Driver, Front Passenger)Additional Air Bags (N/A)Meets Side Air Bag Out-of-Position Requirements (Yes)Unattended Child Reminder Direct Sensing System (No)LATCH Locations (2nd row)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) (Standard)Safety Power Windows (Anti-Pinch) locations (Driver, Front Passenger, 2nd row, Roof)
View full safety data on NHTSA.gov →

Acura MDXRepair Costs & Maintenance

Maintenance Rating

4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5

Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.

Est. Annual Maintenance

$571

vs $807 avg for luxury midsize SUVs

vs $652 avg for all vehicles

Repair Frequency

0.4

unscheduled repair visits per year

Severe Repair Probability

8%

chance of a major repair

Annual Cost Comparison

MDX
$571
Category Avg
$807
All Vehicles
$652

Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.

Acura MDX Resale Value

The Acura MDX is estimated to retain about 56.9% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.

This benchmark covers the Acura MDX model overall and is not specific to the 2025 model year.

Value Retained
56.9%

after 5 years

Depreciation
43.1%

over the same period

Listings Analyzed
154

U.S. used-car listings

Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.

Explore Acura MDX depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.com

MPG & Annual Running Costs

Gas

19–22 MPG

Running cost: $3,700–$4,200/yr

Fuel + repair

17–19 city / 21–26 hwy MPG

Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2025 EPA label cycle.

Gas trims
TrimDriveTrans.CityHwyCombFuel Cost
MDX FWD 3.5L 6-cylFront-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S10)192622$3,150
MDX AWD 3.5L 6-cylAll-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S10)192521$3,300
MDX AWD Type-S 3.0L 6-cylAll-Wheel DriveAutomatic (S10)172119$3,650

Used Buying Checklist

Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2025 Acura MDX.

  • Leave auto idle stop on and make several full stops in traffic. Confirm the engine restarts as soon as you release the brake.

  • Start the car cold and warm several times. Listen for clicking, buzzing, or sluggish cranking from the push-button start.

  • Ask for service records showing visits for stalling, idle-stop faults, or battery replacement under warranty.

  • Run the moonroof and sunshade fully open and closed. Check the sunroof glass for chips or cracks.

  • Brake gently in a parking lot and in traffic. Feel for rough, uneven stops or the engine surging forward.

  • Drive at highway speed and feel for steering wheel shake or wheel noise from the front.

  • Confirm the brake pin assembly recall repair has been completed.

  • Pair a phone and play audio for a full drive. Watch for audio shutting off or not responding.

2025 Acura MDX Common Problems by Component

32 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.

11
7
5
4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (11)UNKNOWN OR OTHER (7)ENGINE (5)POWER TRAIN (1)BACK OVER PREVENTION (1)FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1)FUEL SYSTEM (1)EQUIPMENT (1)Other (4)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

11 complaints

The engine shuts off at a stop under auto idle stop and does not restart when the brake is released. Some cars shift into park, light up the dash with error messages, and need a full power-down and several restart attempts. Many failures happen in traffic or on highways, with near rear-end collisions, and one report describes lost steering and braking assist. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, and battery tests or replacements have not stopped it from coming back. Some owners describe hard starts and clicking without idle stop. Others report moonroof motor failures and audio dropouts.

11 complaints total

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

7 complaints

Engine stalls during auto stop-start make up most of these reports. The car turns off at stoplights or in drive-thrus and takes repeated presses of the start button to come back. A replacement battery helped one owner for about a week before the stalls returned, and dealers often find nothing wrong. One sunroof shattered at interstate speed, and the driver was injured braking hard. Other reports describe rough, uneven braking with the engine surging forward. Owners also say phone-based SiriusXM cuts out.

7 complaints total1 injury

ENGINE

5 complaints

After auto idle stop shuts the engine off, it fails to restart when the driver lifts off the brake. The car stays stalled in traffic or on busy off-ramps until it is turned fully off and back on, sometimes after a delay of about five seconds. Owners report repeat failures, one of them at least 7 times before reaching 10,000 miles, and describe close calls with following cars. Some dealers say they do not know how to fix it, so owners switch off idle stop as a workaround.

5 complaints total
POWER TRAIN (1 complaints)

POWER TRAIN

1 complaint
2025-07-30

The auto start/stop system failed to restart at a stop light. This was an issue on the older MDX and TLX vehicles with the 3.5L V6 which resulted in a large recall. The recall has not been extended to cover the 2025 MDX and the dealership is refusing to fix the issue or acknowledge it despite having a video to prove it occurred. Acura is knowingly selling these vehicles with a dangerous safety defect that will occur at random. Please consider investigating this matter further as I am concerned for my safety and the safety of my passengers.

BACK OVER PREVENTION (1 complaints)

BACK OVER PREVENTION

1 complaint
2025-12-02

I am a three-time Acura owner currently leasing a 2025 Acura MDX through Honda/Acura. On or about 12/02/2025, at approximately 16,297 miles, a front parking sensor fell out of the front bumper while I was driving. I am concerned that this reduces the reliability of the front parking/safety system and could put safety at risk if a driver relies on the sensors to detect obstacles at low speeds (parking, maneuvering, etc.) while the hardware is no longer properly secured. There was no crash or injury in this incident, but the failure affected a safety-related system on a low-mileage vehicle. Before I noticed the sensor was missing, the front alert on the dashboard began going off repeatedly while I was driving, even though there was nothing in front of the vehicle. That was the first indication that something was wrong with the system. Only after I parked and inspected the front of the vehicle did I see that the front parking sensor had come out of the bumper, which confirmed the source of the problem. The problem was inspected and confirmed by an authorized Acura dealer, who diagnosed broken internal mounting clips on the front sensor. The dealer and manufacturer attributed the failure to “outside influence” (implying that I must have hit something), but no impact damage or other physical evidence was found on the front of the vehicle. The front remains normal and pristine with no dents, cracks, gouges, chips, or distortion of the bumper, paint, grille, or sensor area. I am concerned that a likely part or installation failure on a low-mileage vehicle is being dismissed as “outside influence” based purely on assumption rather than documented physical evidence. In effect, an unproven assumption is being treated as fact, which could allow similar front sensor or mounting failures on other vehicles to be written off as external damage instead of being investigated as a potential durability or design issue with the front sensor mounting.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM (1 complaints)

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

1 complaint
2025-11-23

When the car comes to a stop, the engine will shut down after idling. This is by design. The problem is that the engine shuts off and does not start up again. This is very dangers when turning across traffic. I took the car in for maintenance and they said this is a known issue but there is no fix. The internet has many complaints and some people are having their starters replaced. This problem has occurred in other model years of this car. Please issue a recall and make Acura accountable for this known issue.

FUEL SYSTEM (1 complaints)

FUEL SYSTEM

1 complaint
2025-09-21

The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended, causing the vehicle to decelerate unintendedly. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, and determined that the throttle body was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and suggested that the vehicle be taken to the dealer for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.

EQUIPMENT (1 complaints)

EQUIPMENT

1 complaint
2024-08-21

The contact owns a 2025 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera display failed to function as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while shifted into reverse (R). The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure or determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V032000 (Back Over Prevention, Equipment); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

TIRES (1 complaints)

TIRES

1 complaint
2025-07-10

Tires have 3k miles . For the past 2 weeks, we have had a slow leak. Must refill air every 3 days. Spent one day at Tire Kingdom, but they could not detect anything. Then the Acura Dealer says there is a leak, but can't find it. We have no choice but to purchase a new tire. This is wrong - th I am retired on a fixed income and must buy a tire for a 3-month-old vehicle!

AIR BAGS (1 complaints)

AIR BAGS

1 complaintSafety-related
2025-05-09Crash reported

(1) My airbag's did not deploy when an another car drove into the front of my car causing extensive damage. It has been deemed a total loss by Liberty Mutual (claim #[XXX]) and will be towed in a day or two to their salvage yard from the auto body shop. (2) Based on what I was told by the claim adjuster, body shop and police they didn't understand why they didn't deploy, especially since one of the air bag sensors was directly in front of the impact. (3) No - Acura has not been easy to communicate with and assigned me a case #[XXX] but after I answered their questions by email a few days ago they have stopped communicating with me. (4) The car has been inspected by the body shop and Liberty Mutual. (5) No INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Best & Worst Acura MDX Years

Best Acura MDX Years to Buy

Acura MDX Years to Avoid

Acura MDX Reliability Score Trend

Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.

Acura MDX reliability scores by year
YearScoreRating
201864/100Good
201964/100Good
202062/100Good
202273/100Good
202379/100Good
202479/100Good
202576/100Good
202679/100Good

Acura MDX Reliability Compared to Other Years

Reliability scores compared across model years
YearScorevs Prior YearRatingRecallsComplaints
202679/100+3Good04
2025(selected)76/100-3Good232
202479/1000Good130
202379/100+6Good129
202273/100+11Good190
202062/100-2Good7188
201964/1000Good9175
201864/100—Good10144

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the 2025 Acura MDX reliable?
Yes, its standing is good, though not the best of the MDX line. It lands close to average against other 2025 SUVs and in the middle of eight scored MDX years. The 2024 and 2026 models both rate better. Owners' main complaint is the engine failing to restart after auto idle stop.
What are the most common problems with the 2025 Acura MDX?
Electrical complaints lead, with 11 filings, followed by engine complaints, with 5. Both describe the engine shutting off at a stop under auto idle stop and not restarting. Other electrical reports include hard starts, clicking, moonroof motor failures, and audio dropouts.
Does the 2025 Acura MDX have auto idle stop problems?
Yes, it is the dominant complaint. Owners say the engine does not restart when they release the brake, sometimes for about five seconds, and sometimes until the car is fully shut off. Some drivers switch idle stop off as a workaround because dealers could not fix it.
Is the 2025 Acura MDX safe?
Its federal crash-test rating is 5 of 5 stars. Owner filings include 1 crash-related complaint and 1 involving injuries. Stalling in traffic is the main safety worry, and one owner reported losing steering and braking assist. Two recalls are on record.
Is the 2025 Acura MDX cheaper to repair than other SUVs?
Yes. Independent repair-cost data estimates $571 a year across the model, compared with $807 for its class. That is a model-wide figure, not specific to 2025. Repeat stalling visits could still cost owners time, since dealers often cannot reproduce the fault.

Don’t buy a 2025 Acura MDX without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.

Look Up a VIN →

How we score the 2025 Acura MDX

Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2025 Acura MDX does best on how many systems draw complaints (84/100) and worst on complaint severity (67/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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