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2023 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
36 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 20, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#113 of 415Among the 2023 models with a matured record, the 2023 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid ranks #113, scoring higher than 68% of them. See the 2023 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2023 Acura MDX SUV FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 15%
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2023 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (8) · Brakes (8) · Electrical system (8) · Driver assistance (6)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
22%8 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2023 ACURA MDX. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 45 MPH an abnormal sound was emitted from underneath the vehicle, and the ve…”
Brakes
22%8 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“Unable to stop the car. Luckily no accident. Brake pedal was very hard to press and car didn't stop. Brake pedal became normal again in few seconds (5- 7 sec). Inspect…”
Electrical system
22%8 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“1) I was struck by a vehicle that ran the stop sign at 50mph. After the impact my vehicle continued rolling forward and wouldn’t stop. I ended up a block away from the…”
Driver assistance
17%6 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“My 2023 Acura (VIN# [XXX] ) has experienced two separate incidents of sudden, total power loss while driving. In both cases, all dashboard warning lights came on, incl…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 36 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 26V332000
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 25V391000
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment" and 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 29, 2025. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are FLX and XLY.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Acura before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report brakes problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any brakes symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2023 Acura MDX SPORT HYBRID beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2023? See how every MDX Sport Hybrid model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2023 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.