Why Driving a 2003 Acura MDX on a Race Track Was Surprisingly Fun

I often get to do silly things in this job. Sometimes it’s doing a Costco run in a supercar to see if a pack of toilet paper fits in the frunk, and other times it’s driving a classic SUV on an IndyCar street course. That’s what I did last weekend during the Grand Prix of Long Beach as part of Acura’s celebration of its 40th anniversary in America.

As it turns out, a 2003 Acura MDX is as much a gem to drive today as it was back in the day. For starters, it’s hard to swallow that a 2003 model is practically a classic now, but round up a bit, and that’s nearly 25 years. I’m old!

But just look at it. It’s such a drastic departure from what Acura (or any other brand) does today in terms of design—though for what it’s worth, I’m a big fan of the current MDX, especially the Type S. This first-gen example is considerably smaller than modern SUVs in its segment. It’s also cleaner, less complex, and it rides on 17-inch wheels. Remember when SUVs didn’t try to be sports cars? Jerry Perez, Acura

Take a look at that interior; it’s so simple, and the layout is so clean. It’s function over form, yet the form is still pleasing to the eye. Buttons galore, cupholders, cubbies, and no oddly placed screens or wireless phone chargers. The HVAC controls are like, six buttons? Nowadays there’d be a dozen or more, and they’d all live on a screen.

That said, I found the placement of these a bit weird, sitting atop the infotainment display and between two air vents. And how about that simple-ass analog clock? It just cracks me up that we once lived in a time when a $0.89 clock found its way onto the dash of a $42,000 luxury SUV.

How I Ended Up Behind the Wheel of the MDX

Before I share anything about my driving experience—which, frankly, was just hilarious—I’ll share how I even got behind the wheel of the MDX to begin with. It all started when Acura organized a pre-race parade lap around the Long Beach GP street circuit to celebrate its milestone. The shindig featured over 40 Acuras of all ages, shapes, and sizes, including some race cars, vintage Integra Type Rs, NSXs of all generations, and my favorite: the No. 48 Comptech Integra we wrote about recently.

With all those sweet rides up for grabs for the track lap, most people would’ve chosen something low and sporty. Not me, though. I went for the Certified Dad Ride and snatched the keys to the MDX. I’m a middle-aged dad, and I value comfort above all else. What can I say?

Track Time Reality Check

Reality hit me in the face when I hopped in the MDX, and with the keys in my pocket, I reached over to the side of the wheel, looking for a start button. Doh! Old-school key and ignition here. After the little snafu, I heard the tried-and-true 3.5-liter V6 come to life.