Honda MDX: Which Version Should You Buy?
The Honda MDX catalogue data presents a straightforward choice: there is one generation and one version, the 3.5 AT. Produced from February 2003 to March 2006 as an SUV 5-doors, it combines a 3,471 cm³ Gasoline engine producing 260 hp and 345 Nm with a 5-speed Automatic gearbox and AWD.
The Honda MDX catalogue data presents a straightforward choice: there is one generation and one version, the 3.5 AT. Produced from February 2003 to March 2006 as an SUV 5-doors, it combines a 3,471 cm³ Gasoline engine producing 260 hp and 345 Nm with a 5-speed Automatic gearbox and AWD. Because there are no alternative engines, transmissions, body styles, or generations in the supplied data, choosing an MDX is mainly about deciding whether this specific specification suits your needs.
Honda MDX generations compared
Only 1 generation is listed for the Honda MDX. It ran from February 2003 through March 2006 and was offered as an SUV 5-doors. The generation contains one catalogue version, 3.5 AT, so there is no restyling, earlier engine, later engine, or second-generation specification to compare within the available data.
This also means that no generation-to-generation changes can be calculated. The production period, body type, and mechanical specification all refer to the same generation and version. Buyers comparing examples from different years within this period should therefore avoid assuming that the catalogue data establishes any year-specific differences: none are provided.
Honda MDX engine and specs
The sole version, 3.5 AT, uses a 3,471 cm³ Gasoline engine with 6 cylinders in a V-shaped layout. It has 4 valves per cylinder, Distributed injection (multi-point), a compression ratio of 10, and an 89 × 93 cylinder diameter and stroke. Boost is listed as No.
| Version | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 AT | 260 hp (191 kW) at 5,800 rpm | 345 Nm at 3,500 rpm | 3,471 cm³ | Gasoline, 92 | 6 | V-shaped | No | 5-speed Automatic | AWD |
The 3.5 AT produces approximately 74.9 hp per litre, calculated from 260 hp and 3.471 litres. Its specific torque is approximately 99.4 Nm per litre, based on 345 Nm and the same displacement. These figures describe the output achieved without boost and provide a useful way to assess the engine when no alternative MDX powertrain is available for direct comparison.
With only one version listed, choosing a lower-output engine for economy or a higher-output engine for performance is not possible. Every buyer represented by this catalogue data gets the same 260 hp, 345 Nm, 5-speed Automatic, and AWD combination.
Performance, fuel economy, and mpg
The Honda MDX 3.5 AT accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds and has a top speed of 190 km/h. These are the only performance results supplied, so there is no slower or faster version against which to calculate a performance advantage.
City fuel consumption: not measured. Highway fuel consumption: not measured. Combined fuel consumption: not measured. CO₂ emissions: not measured. Environmental class: not measured.
Because fuel-consumption data is not measured, no mpg figure can be calculated without introducing an unsupported number. The 72-litre tank capacity is known, but driving range is also not measured because no city, highway, or combined consumption value is available.
Honda MDX dimensions and weight
The 3.5 AT has a kerb weight of 2,065 kg and a gross weight of 2,600 kg. The difference between those figures is 535 kg. This is an arithmetic comparison of the supplied weights, not a separately stated payload rating.
At kerb weight, the 3.5 AT carries approximately 7.94 kg per horsepower. Expressed another way, its power-to-weight ratio is approximately 125.9 hp per tonne, calculated from 260 hp and 2,065 kg. At gross weight, the corresponding figure is 10 kg per horsepower, or 100 hp per tonne.
Ground clearance is 203 mm, while fuel-tank capacity is 72 litres. Wheel sizes are not measured. Overall length, width, height, and wheelbase are also not measured in the supplied data.
Both suspension entries are Independent, spring. The front brakes are Ventilated disc, and the rear brakes are Disc.
Honda MDX problems and reliability
Problems and reliability results are not measured in the supplied data. There are no figures for failure rates, repair frequency, maintenance costs, or component life, so the 3.5 AT cannot be ranked for reliability from this catalogue record alone.
The specification confirms that the engine uses Distributed injection (multi-point), has no boost, and is paired with a 5-speed Automatic gearbox and AWD. These details identify the version, but they do not by themselves prove that it is more or less reliable than another vehicle or powertrain.
Which Honda MDX version should you buy?
For the model represented here, the answer is the 3.5 AT, because it is the only available version. There is no alternative version that offers more power, less weight, another gearbox, a different drive system, or better measured fuel consumption. Likewise, there is no other generation in the data that changed the engine, performance, body, or chassis specification.
The case for choosing the 3.5 AT rests on its known numbers: 260 hp, 345 Nm, 0–100 km/h in 7.3 seconds, a 190 km/h top speed, AWD, 203 mm of ground clearance, and a 72-litre tank. Its calculated outputs of approximately 74.9 hp per litre and 125.9 hp per tonne at kerb weight make the relationship between engine output and vehicle mass clear.
The principal unknown is economy. City, highway, and combined fuel consumption are all not measured, so this record cannot support a fuel-cost comparison. Wheel sizes, exterior dimensions, reliability, and problems are also not measured. If those factors decide your purchase, they require information beyond this dataset.
There is consequently no “extra money buys” comparison to make: prices are not provided, and no second version exists. Within the supplied catalogue, buyers are choosing one complete specification rather than selecting among trims or engines. Choose the Honda MDX 3.5 AT if its measured performance, SUV 5-doors body, Automatic gearbox, and AWD configuration fit the intended use; there is no numerically supported reason here to prefer another MDX version or generation.