What are the most common problems with the 2020 Acura MDX?

The engine group has the most complaints at 103. The electrical system follows with 41 and forward collision avoidance with 37. The full list is in the Problems section above.

Does the 2020 Acura MDX have any recalls?

Yes, the by-year data shows recalls for this model year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Acura MDX get?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.

Is the 2020 Acura MDX reliable?

NHTSA has 229 owner complaints for this year. Check the Problems and Recalls sections to see what owners report and decide for yourself.

2020 Acura MDX Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 229 owner complaints on file for the 2020 Acura MDX^[1]. The engine group is the biggest, with 103 complaints^[2].

229owner complaints^[1]

8recalls^[3]

21–27MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups, from biggest to smallest. These are unverified reports sent in by owners.

Engine. 103 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe the car losing power while driving, or shutting off at a stop and slipping into neutral. Some say it only happens when the stop-start feature is on, and that a restart is the only fix.
Electrical System. 41 complaints^[6]. Owners describe the car stalling at lights with warning lights on the dash, a key fob that is not recognized, and one report of a sudden surge forward while parking.
Unknown Or Other. 39 complaints^[7]. These reports do not point to one named part.
Forward Collision Avoidance. 37 complaints^[8]. Owners describe the automatic braking kicking in when nothing was in the way, sometimes more than once. Two complaints in this group mention injuries^[8]. One owner also writes about waiting a long time for a recall repair.
Power Train. 22 complaints^[9]. Owners describe hesitation when pressing the pedal, a feeling that the gears are hunting, sudden surges at low speed, and the car dropping into neutral.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 19 complaints^[10].
Lane Departure. 19 complaints^[11].
Speed Control. 15 complaints^[12]. Two of them mention a crash^[12].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2020 MDX is necessarily included.

Suspension › Rear (26V365), June 2026. About 965,561 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger (26V332), May 2026. About 98,892 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Interior Lighting (25V259), April 2025. About 152,800 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced visibility. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger (24V064), February 2024. About 750,114 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, an air bag that may not work as intended. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (23V858), December 2023. About 2,490,460 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine › Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical (23V751), November 2023. About 248,999 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash, injury, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder (23V458), June 2023. About 124,077 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[19]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump (21V215), March 2021. About 624,552 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, stalling. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[20]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
MDX FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[21]	20 / 27 / 23	$3,550
MDX AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[22]	19 / 26 / 22	$3,750
MDX AWD A-SPEC, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[23]	19 / 25 / 21	$3,900
MDX Hybrid AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic (AM-S7), Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[4]	26 / 27 / 27	$3,050

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	16.4%
SUV FWD^[24]	5	5	5	4	16.4%
SUV AWD^[25]	5	5	5	4	16.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2020 Acura MDX with 3.5L 6-cylinder^[26]	290 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
MDX 4DR SUV AWD^[27]	196 in	77 in	67 in	111 in	4,277 lb

How 2020 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each MDX model year. The 2020 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2001	224	4
2002	205	4
2003	206	11
2004	171	8
2005	180	11
2006	87	9
2007	99	0
2008	49	0
2009	52	0
2010	45	1
2011	70	0
2012	76	1
2013	30	1
2014	172	8
2015	71	8
2016	377	7
2017	268	9
2018	170	10
2019	198	9
2020	229	8
2022	180	3
2023	48	3
2024	43	3
2025	111	4
2026	9	1

NHTSA's counts for the MDX show 229 complaints and 8 recalls for 2020^[3]. Among the 25 model years listed, 22 have fewer complaints than 2020 and 2 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (9) and the most are for 2016 (377)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2020 MDX?

The complaint file for this model year is fairly large^[1]. The engine group leads by a clear gap^[2], and the electrical and forward collision groups follow^[6]^[8]. Owners often describe the car stopping or losing power at low speed, which is the kind of issue worth asking about before you buy. Recalls also exist for this year, so check the Recalls section on this page^[3]. Complaints are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a guide to what owners report and not as a score.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Acura MDX?: The engine group has the most complaints at 103^[2]. The electrical system follows with 41^[6] and forward collision avoidance with 37^[8]. The full list is in the Problems section above.
Does the 2020 Acura MDX have any recalls?: Yes, the by-year data shows recalls for this model year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Acura MDX get?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the EPA figures.
Is the 2020 Acura MDX reliable?: NHTSA has 229 owner complaints for this year^[1]. Check the Problems and Recalls sections to see what owners report and decide for yourself.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Acura MDX

2008 49 complaints, 0 recalls
2011 70 complaints, 0 recalls
2012 76 complaints, 1 recall
2013 30 complaints, 1 recall
2014 172 complaints, 8 recalls
2015 71 complaints, 8 recalls
2016 377 complaints, 7 recalls
2017 268 complaints, 9 recalls
2018 170 complaints, 10 recalls
2020 this page

Compare all model years of the Acura MDX

All Acura models

Similar cars from 2020: small suvs

2020 Chevrolet Blazer 222 complaints, 3 recalls
2020 Ford Edge 325 complaints, 4 recalls
2020 Ford Escape 1,902 complaints, 25 recalls
2020 GMC Terrain 197 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 Hyundai Santa Fe 217 complaints, 2 recalls
2020 Hyundai Tucson 179 complaints, 1 recall

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 229 owner complaints on file for the 2020 Acura MDX (4 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
103 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 54,825). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Acura MDX model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for MDX Hybrid AWD, 3.0L 6-cyl, Automatic (AM-S7), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 27 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,050. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
41 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 25,000). NHTSA vehicle records
39 complaints name the unknown or other component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
37 complaints name the forward collision avoidance component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
22 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 26,000). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the lane departure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
15 complaints name the speed control component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 26V365, filed June 4, 2026: Suspension › Rear. NHTSA recall database
Recall 26V332, filed May 21, 2026: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger. NHTSA recall database
Recall 25V259, filed April 17, 2025: Interior Lighting. NHTSA recall database
Recall 24V064, filed February 1, 2024: Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger. NHTSA recall database
Recall 23V858, filed December 18, 2023: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
Recall 23V751, filed November 13, 2023: Engine And Engine Cooling › Engine › Hard Parts Internal / Mechanical. NHTSA recall database
Recall 23V458, filed June 29, 2023: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder. NHTSA recall database
Recall 21V215, filed March 25, 2021: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for MDX FWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for MDX AWD, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 26 highway / 22 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,750. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for MDX AWD A-SPEC, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic (S9), Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2020 Acura MDX with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 290 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, MDX 4DR SUV AWD: length 196 in, width 77 in, height 67 in, wheelbase 111 in, curb weight 4,277 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2020 Acura MDX: problems, recalls and fuel economy