Acura MDX extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense

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Acura MDXs are known to have average reliability, so extended warranty options could offer extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what an Acura MDX warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Acura MDXs come with a four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 MDX ranged from $948.36 to $1,809.38 a year. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightAcura has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on an MDX gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightAcura MDX extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your MDX comes with. For context, Acura MDXs come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 3-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 30,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Acura MDX, you have two options:
- Buy the official Acura extended warranty, called Acura Care VSC.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
In either case, you’ll generally get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans may be cheaper, but they tend to cover fewer parts per dollar.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
Warranty type | Typically covered | Not covered |
---|---|---|
Bumper-to-bumper | ||
Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
Only 41% of Americans have enough in savings to pay for a $1,000 car repair out of pocket, and 13% say they have no way to handle a bill that large — even by borrowing.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does an Acura MDX extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $1,809.38 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for an Acura MDX registered in Austin, Texas, with 55,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $948.36 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Acura extended warranty is called Acura Care VSC, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Acura dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 MDX with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
Shop around and get quotes from multiple warranty companies so you know you're getting the best deal for your MDX.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Acura MDX were more expensive by comparison.
All the quotes we received were for a bumper-to-bumper warranty — the most comprehensive available. A powertrain warranty will typically be much cheaper but provide less coverage.
Remember that some extended warranty plans, particularly those from manufacturers, start from the date that the original owner purchased the car. In such a case, if you're getting a "seven-year/100,000-mile" warranty and the factory warranty is three-year/36,000 miles, you're really paying for four years or 64,000 miles (whichever comes first) of additional coverage.
Is an Acura MDX extended warranty worth it?
Yes, an Acura MDX extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Acura as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Acura 20th out of 29 car brands for overall dependability. As for the MDX specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers reported issues with their Acura MDXs.
Vesco in California wrote about a brand-new battery installed on a pre-owned MDX, “After 8 months the battery deteriorated significantly.”
After just 8,000 miles, they had to replace the transmission.”
Delbar in Virginia told us about an MDX purchased brand-new: “After just 8,000 miles, they had to replace the transmission, which was concerning but I didn’t raise an issue then. Over the years, my car had many problems, but they were always fixed under warranty.”
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Acura MDX maintenance suggest that an extended warranty is a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Acura MDX extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.



Article sources
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Acura MDX Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.