2026 Acura MDX A-Spec: St. Louis Buyers Guide

Quick Answer: 2026 MDX A-Spec

A-Spec starts at $62,400 MSRP (plus $1,350 destination) and is the first trim in the lineup with Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) standard — no front-wheel-drive version is offered. It adds sport-tuned exterior styling, 19-to-20-inch wheels, a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, sport pedals and aluminum interior trim over Technology, while keeping the same 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic every non-Type-S trim shares. EPA rates it at 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined.

2026 Acura MDX A-Spec in white with SH-AWD badging, driving on a forest road
The 2026 MDX A-Spec, with SH-AWD standard. Photo: Acura.

Where the sport styling actually comes from

A-Spec is where the MDX lineup stops offering a drivetrain choice and starts standardizing on Super Handling All-Wheel Drive — every A-Spec, and every trim above it, is SH-AWD only. In exchange, A-Spec adds a genuinely different look: sport-tuned front and rear styling, unique wheels sized 19 to 20 inches depending on package, aluminum sport pedals, and interior trim that reads noticeably sportier than the Base or Technology cabin. The 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is standard here too, a meaningful audio upgrade that isn’t available at all on the two trims below it. What doesn’t change is the engine — same 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic as Base and Technology, so the extra roughly $5,200 over Technology buys standard all-wheel drive and a sportier look and feel, not more horsepower.

What A-Spec buyers tell Frank Leta Acura

MDX buyers who land on a sportier trim still name the same salespeople owners of the more mainstream trims do. “I love my new Acura MDX. I had an excellent experience purchasing my SUV from Edwin Sekic. Edwin was patient, & made the whole process simple & professional,” one buyer wrote (Catina B.) — a reminder that the sales process itself doesn’t get more complicated on a trim with more styling decisions to walk through.

A-Spec vs. Advance: styling or comfort

The parallel trim, Advance at $66,900, skips the sport-styling cues entirely and instead adds a surround-view camera, head-up display, and ventilated and massaging front seats — a comfort-and-tech jump rather than a styling one, on the same standard SH-AWD and V6. Buyers who want both get A-Spec Advance at $68,900, which layers the sport styling on top of the Advance comfort package. A-Spec on its own is the trim for someone who wants the look and the Bang & Olufsen audio without paying for the surround-view camera and massaging seats they may not use.

Frequently asked questions

Is SH-AWD standard on the A-Spec trim?

Yes. A-Spec is the first trim in the lineup where Super Handling All-Wheel Drive comes standard, with no front-wheel-drive version offered. Every trim above A-Spec is SH-AWD only as well.

What’s the difference between A-Spec and A-Spec Advance?

A-Spec Advance, at $68,900, includes everything in A-Spec — sport styling, wheels, Bang & Olufsen audio — plus everything in the separate Advance trim: surround-view camera, head-up display, and ventilated and massaging front seats. A-Spec alone doesn’t include those Advance comfort features.

Does A-Spec have a different engine than Base?

No. A-Spec uses the same 290-hp 3.5-liter V6 and 10-speed automatic as Base, Technology, Advance and A-Spec Advance. Only Type S Advance gets a different engine, a 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V6.

How much worse is A-Spec’s fuel economy than a front-wheel-drive MDX?

A-Spec is EPA-rated 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined versus 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined on a front-wheel-drive Base or Technology — a one-mpg difference on highway and combined, mostly attributable to standard all-wheel drive rather than the sport styling itself.

See the A-Spec trim in person

Frank Leta Acura keeps A-Spec units moving through its new inventory at 11777 Tesson Ferry Road in St. Louis. Call (314) 673-4076 or stop by to confirm current colors and stock before making the trip.

All 2026 Acura MDX guides

MSRP excludes the $1,350 destination charge, taxes, title, registration and dealer-installed accessories; Frank Leta Acura sets the actual selling price. EPA fuel-economy figures are estimates from fueleconomy.gov; real-world mileage varies with conditions and driving style. Equipment and availability can change with production timing — confirm current specs and stock with the dealership. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Frank Leta Acura.