Acura MDX is the poshest SUV in Honda’s lineup. Its interior wins you over with a bevy of luxurious features such as open-pore wood mingles, leather upholstery, and stainless steel covers. Plus, you could equip this SUV’s front seats with massage and 16-way power adjustability.
All in all, the Acura MDX has everything to exceed all your expectations. Well, not everything, if we’re being honest. This SUV still needs tires that can reinforce its strong points (comfort, safety, etc.) while putting a lid on its failings (average fuel efficiency, small third row, etc.).
Honda might want you to believe that OEM tires could do all that. But that is not the case. Aftermarket tires made for Acura MDX come with extended treadwear warranties, offer unparalleled driving comfort and enhance fuel efficiency, features factory tires could only dream of.
In this article, we’ve reviewed the 11 best tires for Acura MDX. All these tires were tested in real-life driving scenarios. Our experts also analyzed them on key factors such as tread pattern, dry and wet performance, traction and grip, and compatibility with Acura MDX.
Not every tire reviewed below will suit your driving style. Neither are all of them suitable for every possible weather condition. For this reason, we have divided our picks into various categories including all-season, winter, performance, touring, grand touring, etc.
Read on to find the best tires for Acura MDX.
#1. Michelin Premier LTX – Best Overall
The Michelin Premier LTX is our top pick for Acura MDX. This tire reinforces the strong points that distinguish the MDX from other three-row SUVs. In addition, it plays down the shortcomings that have kept this SUV from being the best on the market.
Michelin’s EverGrip technology use hidden grooves to help this tire offer original traction for long. The hidden grooves only appear once the tread has worn down and the built-in grooves have stopped providing traction, helping this tire ensure your on-road safety.
Strength and flexibility are key indicators of a tire’s traction in dry and wet conditions, respectively. The Premier LTX’s silica content tread (which strengthens this tire) and sunflower oil (which helps it stay flexible as the temperatures nosedive) help it on both counts.
The issue of low fuel efficiency is also taken care of. The Premier LTX might be a sturdy tire but it is nowhere near the heaviest. Its light weight construction, combined with Michelin’s proprietary technologies, help this tire reduce the MDX’s low fuel consumption.
Unfortunately, the Premier LTX comes with a paltry 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, at least 10,000 miles shorter than the competition.
Pros
- Best-in-category responsiveness
- Dry grip is outstanding
- Wet traction and grip are equally great
Cons
- Limited treadwear warranty
#2. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady – Best Grand-Touring
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is one of the most highly-rated all season grand-touring tires out there. Even wear, outstanding winter performance and excellent dry/wet traction – all these features distinguish the Assurance WeatherReady from rivals.
Start with even wear. Goodyear has equipped this tire with its Evolving Traction Grooves which widen (or evolve) as the tire begins wearing. As a result, once the tire’s built-in grooves stop providing reliable traction, these will replace them, both in form and function.
Weather Reactive Technology helps enhance the tire’s traction in dry and wet conditions. This technology works side by side with 3D TredLock, another of Goodyear’s exclusive technologies, to ensure that this tire grips dry and wet roads equally well.
The Assurance WeatherReady also carries the Three Peak Snowflake Mountain (3PMSF) emblem. Only a few all-season touring tires come with this icon which shows that this tire has what it takes to safely carry you from point A to point B in wintry conditions.
Not everything is great about this tire, though. It seems that all the added traction and grip has made this tire noisy, at least when compared with other all-season tires.
Pros
- Excellent treadwear warranty for an all-weather tire
- Great winter traction
- Supreme wet performance
Cons
- Makes a fair bit of noise
#3. Continental CrossContact LX Sport – Best All-Season
The Continental CrossContact LX Sport is a middle of the class performer. Which, when you think of it, makes it an excellent choice for the Acura MDX. This three-row SUV isn’t a world-beater on many counts, either. So, both (the tire and the SUV) are perfect matches for each other.
The tire provides a comfortable ride for the most part. Also, unlike the Assurance WeatherReady which requires you to travel with windows rolled all the way up, its road noise is low too. All in all, you’d enjoy its ride and look forward to the time you’d spend behind the wheel.
Wet handling is also more than adequate for more drivers. An extensive size range means the LX Sport will fit almost all the trims of the Acura MDX. Plus, for an all-season tire, its traction and performance on light snow and icy roads is outstanding.
Four circumferential grooves reduce the risk of hydroplaning. Wet weather performance is further enhanced via jointless cap piles that improve vehicle response and smoothen the ride. Braking distances, a key measure of any tire’s wet performance, are also short.
Bear in mind that Continental doesn’t back this tire with a warranty. Still, if you aren’t an enthusiastic driver, a set should easily last you around 50,000 or more miles.
Pros
- Available at a competitive price
- Great dry and wet traction
- Superb hydroplaning resistance
Cons
- No treadwear warranty
#4. Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max – Best Fuel Efficient
The Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max solves one of Acura MDX’s major pain points. This tire’s incredibly low rolling resistance, combined with Goodyear’s Fuel Max Technology, makes it an incredibly fuel efficient tire. So, if you’re worried about rising fuel prices, the CS Fuel Max is a no-brainer.
Unlike most all-season tires, the CS Fuel Max features two tread zones.
The Dry Tread Zone uses relies on shoulder blocks and a continuous center rib for enhanced steering response and increased stability at high speeds. The shoulder blocks also enhance this model’s cornering, letting you attack quick turns with a vengeance.
The Wet Tread Zone is basically Dual Aqua Channel grooves around the tread. These grooves perform the job of circumferential grooves – evacuating water from the tread area. This zone also includes multiple sipes/biting edges around the tread for better snow and ice grip.
Moving on from zone talk, this tire’s 65,000-mile treadwear warranty might not compete with that of premium all-season touring tires. But it still beats the competition as far as Acura MDX tires are concerned. You also get a uniformity warranty and manufacturer replacement guarantee.
Pros
- Low rolling resistance for enhanced fuel efficiency
- Extended treadwear warranty (65,000-mile)
- Offers equally outstanding dry and wet performance
Cons
- Not for harsh wintry conditions
#5. Continental CrossContact LX20 – Best All-Season Touring
The Continental CrossContact LX20 is a premium all-season touring tire. That means its asking price might have what it takes to blow your budget. Still, if you choose to trust this tire, it repays with market-high-warranty, extended treadlife and superior road performance.
All-weather traction is all but guaranteed by the eco-friendly tread compound. Featuring Tf-F polymers and +Silane additives, the tread compound has reduced the tire’s rolling resistance for better fuel efficiency. It also promotes even treadwear for a long treadlife.
The CrossContact LX20 would also keep your Acura MDX stable at high speeds. Independent tread blocks and a continuous center rib blocks further improve its steering response, making sure that the tire turns at the mere twist of the steering wheel.
Continental’s exclusive Traction Grooves enhance the tire’s traction on wet roads. Four circumferential grooves in the tread area help with water evacuation to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. This model’s wet performance, then, is satisfactory.
The only thing that might prevent some deals from happen is that this tire isn’t the most comfortable on the market. A considerable number of drivers have reported experiencing vibration problems at high speeds. That shows that this tire isn’t one to offer high performance.
Pros
- Built-in rim protector
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Quiet on the highway
Cons
- Susceptible to vibrations at high speeds
#6. General Altimax RT43 – Best Budget
The General Altimax RT43 offers you something different from many of its rivals: the performance of a grand touring tire in the price of an all-season tire. This unique mix of features have increased the tire’s popularity among Acura MDX owners.
A double-layer tread compound has the same structure that its name implies. The upper layer is firmer of the two and doesn’t let the tire deform. The lower layer has the pliability needed to soak road vibrations. This enables it to offer a comfortable ride.
Sound Wave Suppression Technology also does what the name suggests. This technology relies on the dual-layer tread compound and the independent tread blocks to dissipate road noise. Thanks to this technology, you can drive with windows rolled down.
Maintenance indicators are also aplenty. Visual Alignment Indicators, or VAIs for short, let you check the wheel alignment without visiting a mechanic. The VAIs are two rubber sipes on opposite shoulder blocks. As long as they are aligned, so are your SUV’s wheels.
A Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) lets you check the tire’s remaining depth. A 75,000-mile warranty shows how much trust General has reposed in the RT43. Still, all that trust would amount to nothing in wintry conditions, as this tire performs poorly on snow and ice.
Pros
- Comes with two highly useful tire indicators
- Has Sound Wave Suppression technology
- Twin cushion silica tread compound absorbs road vibrations
Cons
- Poor performance on snow and ice
#7. Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport – Best Performance
The Bridgestone Dueler H/P Sport is available in standard and run-flat versions. Be sure to pick the standard model for your Acura MDX because the run-flat model is much heavier and comes with no treadwear warranty whatsoever.
UNI-T Technology and symmetrical tread pattern enhance this tire’s grip on dry roads, in which they are helped by the L.L. Carbon Black. A silica tread compound has the flexibility needed to keep this tire useful in wet and (mild) wintry conditions.
Cornering performance is another area where this tire excels. Both the run-flat and standard versions of this tire come with two continuous center ribs and wider shoulder blocks to let you attack turns with a vengeance, helping the tire justify the UHP tag.
Four circumferential grooves and multiple lateral grooves evacuate water from the tire. The result is better wet performance and a reduced risk of hydroplaning. Aside from that, the presence of sipes/biting edges throughout its tread ensure enhanced road grip.
Two warranties are also on offer. Under the Platinum Pact limited warranty, Bridgestone will replace your tire if it becomes unserviceable due to workmanship or material defects. This warranty is valid for two years. Bridgestone also backs the tire with a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty.
Pros
- Good treadwear warranty for a UHP tire
- Offers exceptional cornering performance
- Excellent dry and wet traction and grip
Cons
- Pricier than rivals
#8. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza – Best Touring
The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza has been designed to meet the requirements of passenger cars, SUVs and light trucks. This noise should be on or near the top of your list if high road comfort, long treadwear warranty, and low road noise are your main priorities.
This tire also offers plenty of year-round traction. A symmetric tread pattern will help the H/L Alenza keep your SUV stable come rain, sunshine, or even snow. Its wider contact patch will grip the road as well as deflect road noise for a safe and quiet driving experience.
That is not to say that this tire will behave poorly in the corners. Bridgestone has provided it with massive shoulder blocks (for a touring tire) to let you throw everything your SUV has at the turns. That is something you won’t hear us associate with many touring tires.
Yet the one area where this tire shines is noise. Even as the tire rolls over bumps and other road imperfections, it won’t let you feel any noise inside the cabin. Aside from that, Bridgestone backs this tire with 80,000 miles of tread warranty.
However, like its rivals, this highway touring tire doesn’t have many biting edges. Neither can you count on it to give you a decent steering response. Both these shortcomings indicate that the Dueler H/L Alenza is perfect for everyday driving and not much else.
Pros
- 80,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Offers year-round traction
- Quiet and comfortable ride
Cons
- Not designed for deep snow driving
#9. Yokohama Geolandar G055 – Best for Comfort
Yokohama tires are famous for three things. Super-affordable asking prices. Long treadwear warranties even when compared with premium tire brands. And impressive wet traction vis-à-vis other mid-range tire brands. The Geolandar G055 offers all three.
Start with the asking price. The Geolandar G055 is far from being the cheapest tire on the market – a label probably carried by one of Hercules or Arroyo tires. Yet it is pocket-friendly. To give you an example, this tire’s asking price is less than half of that of the Dueler H/P.
Fortunately, not many corners have been cut to keep the price low. An all-season tread compound featuring high-tech polymers and Enduro compounds offers enhanced traction in dry and wet conditions. The tread compound also makes this model usable in light wintry conditions.
Wet traction capabilities are enhanced by zigzag tread grooves and four wide circumferential grooves. Both of them work in unison to evacuate water from the tire. The tread area also features plenty of sipes, though winter performance isn’t a strong suit of this tire.
The fact that this model is available in 19 sizes (ranging between 16 and 20 inches) means it can be retrofitted on most Acura MDX trims. Throw into the mix its 65,000 mile warranty, which is equal to what you get from the Michelin LTX, and it’s easier to see why this tire is our favorite.
Pros
- Competitively priced
- Super-comfortable and quiet
- 65,000-mile treadwear warranty
Cons
- Poor winter performance
#10. Michelin CrossClimate SUV – Best for Wet Weather
The Michelin CrossClimate series contains four tires – CrossClimate, CrossClimate+, CrossClimate 2 and CrossClimate SUV. All four offer outstanding grip and traction in dry and wet conditions. Yet only two – CrossClimate 2 and CrossClimate SUV – are meant to be retrofitted on SUVs.
Among the duo the CrossClimate SUV is our pick for Acura MDX. This tire offers excellent snow and ice traction and its braking distances are the shortest of any tire in this category. A winter specific tread compound helps keep this tire’s performance intact in extreme wintry conditions.
This tire also excels at wet performance. Various lateral and circumferential grooves evacuate water from the tire to minimize the risk of hydroplaning. Aside from that, self-locking grooves and perfectly floating tracks help the tire grip the road tightly in inclement weather.
Michelin has provided the CrossClimate SUV with features you won’t see in many rivals. These include 3D self-locking sipes, bevel-edged tread blocks and Emerging Grooves. Such design elements are the reason why this tire looks different from most of its all-weather rivals.
Tread Wear Indicators (TWI’s) are also on offer to ensure you know in advance when the time to replace the tire is approaching. Having said that, this tire could have done better on treadwear warranty.
Pros
- Surefooted performance in winter
- Outstanding braking distances on light snow
- Excellent dry and wet handling
Cons
- Relatively small treadwear warranty (50,000 miles)
#11. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 – Best Winter Tires
One of the Acura MDX’s unique selling points is that it performs brilliantly in the snow. This SUV’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system supplies more power to your wheels than an average AWD system, helping this SUV handle the slipperiest of roads with aplomb.
Yet even with this system the Acura MDX needs a reliable set of tires to remain useful in harsh wintry conditions. Enter Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2. This dedicated studless winter tire has all the attributes to be the perfect companion of your Acura MDX in inclement weather.
A special rubber compound helps this tire withstand special demands sub-zero temperatures place on a tire. Regardless of how much the temperature drops, the compound’s flexibility won’t waiver, helping this tire carry you from point A to point B in the worst possible condition.
A multi-cell technology increases grip on snow and ice. This technology works by trapping snow particles between the tread area. The resulting snow-on-snow contact between the snow in the tread area and that on the road generates the friction needed for a reliable winter performance.
This makes it especially frustrating to note that the multi-cell structure covers only the first 55 percent of the tread depth. So, with the passage of time, this tire’s winter performance might deteriorate.
Pros
- Superb braking power
- Great hydroplaning resistance
- Excellent traction on deep snow and ice
Cons
- Multi-cell structure features only the first 55% of the tread depth
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best tires for Acura MDX?
Touring tires are the best choice for the average Acura MDX driver. These tires offer excellent performance in multiple conditions – touring tires are as reliable on the highway and the street as they are for light off-roading.
Another reason we vouch for touring tires is their durability. Most touring tires are backed with 60,000- to 80,000-mile treadlife guarantees. Touring tires also perform excellently in wet conditions, with their grooves and tread compounds playing a crucial role when driving in the wet.
What sizes tires fit Acura MDX?
Following are the tire sizes for the Acura MDX:
- 235/65R17
- 245/60R18
- 255/55R18
- 245/55R19
- 255/50R19
- 275/45R19
- 245/50R20
- 255/50R20
What brand of tires does Acura use?
The latest model of the Acura MDX uses Michelin tires. In the past, the Honda has also opted for Bridgestone tires for this luxury SUV.
How long do Acura tires last?
Depending on your driving habits and the conditions you drive in, your Acura MDX tires should be able to accompany you for 30,000 to 50,000 miles or 2-4 years.
Conclusion
Now that you know everything about the best tires for Acura MDX, the onus is on you to select the model that best fit your requirements.
Keep your driving style as well as the conditions you drive in while making the decision, and it’s likely you’d end up making the correct choice.
