Airy, perforated leather adorns the front and second row seats, side panels, steering wheel and shift knob. There is nothing swoopy or eye-popping about the instrument panel, just easily read instruments with an unobstructed view. Simple, large knobs are easy to operate whether that hand is wearing gloves or has long fingernails. The overall sense is the serenity of simplicity.

The air bag fits flat into the top of the passenger-side dash, where it deploys first up and then back toward the passenger, a sequence some crash analysts believe provides the most effective protection in frontal collisions.

Attention to detail is evident throughout. The sun visors have extensions for those sharp shafts of sun angling low at dawn and dusk. The roof-mounted grab handles don't go CLUNK against the ceiling when released; they whisper their damped way back into place. The beverage holders are engineered specifically for the seats they serve, with those in the rear configured to hold larger soda and water bottles and rectangular juice boxes and those in the forward areas with multi-tiered, stepped bottoms to fit containers of different sizes and rubber lips to corral tipping cups.

Automatic headlights and an auto-up feature for the driver's window are standard. The back-up video camera with the navigation system is an extremely useful feature, helping the driver detect hard-to-see obstacles.

Third-row seats in the MDX are relatively easy to get into, but the back row is best suited for young children or people of small stature, as there's very little space for legs and feet. We see these seats as good for only occasional use, not regular use. A convenient walk-in feature slides the MDX's entire second seat forward with the touch of a lever, located on the curb side. When not in use, both the second and third rows fold to leave a flat surface with no protrusions to scratch luggage or inhibit cargo loading. The seats split for a varied mix of people and stuff.

And with those second and third seats stowed, there's room for a ton of stuff. With 81.5 cubic feet of cargo space, the MDX dwarfs five-passenger competitors such as the BMW X5 (54.4 cubic feet) and Infiniti FX (64.5). It beats all but the Volvo XC90 (85.1 cubic feet) among seven-passenger competitors. And thanks to its space-efficient design, the MDX offers more cargo room when all three rows of seats are in place (14.8 cubic feet for MDX vs. 11.1 for XC90), plus a couple hooks for grocery bags off to each side and a concealed, under-floor storage bin. A thoughtful touch is room enough for a full-size tire in the space storing the compact spare tire.

The split air-conditioning system is one of the more impressive features. Not only can those in back have a different temperature than the front-seat riders, but one zone can get heat while another gets air conditioning.

Acura makes excellent navigation systems. We liked this one for its graphic clarity and intuitive simplicity. Indeed, this is easily one of the best GPS-guided systems going. The database is expansive, so if you want to pick up some cash, make a stop at the nearest Chinese take-out and then locate an emergency room for your over-indulgence, it is all at your beck. A novel capability, and one uniquely appropriate for a vehicle equipped to seek out uncharted outbacks, is a feature that leaves electronic bread crumbs on screen. No road visible under the little wedge-shaped marker that represents your vehicle? Not to worry. Acura's navigation system leaves a line that you can easily retrace back to where there be no more dragons.