The 2014 Acura MDX has won the 10th Annual Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year award against other finalists in the Luxury Family category. The Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year program, known in short as ALV, is unique in that it brings together automotive journalists as well as elite athletes whose opinions are combined in naming winners in 8 categories. The 2013 event was held on Saturday, October 19 in Chandler, Arizona at the Local Motors micro-factory.

No matter the sport they participate in – biking, kayaking, soccer, and many more – active people demand a lot from their vehicles. That’s why automakers choose to enter their most versatile and rugged vehicles in the competition each October. The all-new MDX, completely redesigned for the 2014 model year, received top honors at the event for its space utility, power, and intuitive technology.

ALV co-founder Nina Russin stated that this was the program’s most expansive and competitive in its ten year history, bringing together over 100 athletes including 5 retired NFL football players. One of my hobbies besides road-tripping in my 2013 Acura ILX 6-speed is competitive long-distance running, so I was selected as one of the evaluators in this year’s program. I’d been anxious to drive the MDX since its recent launch, and I was thoroughly impressed. The MDX 3.5-liter V6 had a great growl when called upon, and handling was much better than I’d expected from a high-profile SUV.

I overheard another athlete, Rob, comment as he finished up the 15-minute drive route and got out of the MDX, “This thing drives itself!” He was, of course, talking about the MDX’s lane-keeping and other driver-assistance features that come as part of the Advance Package. It looks like Acura has hit a sweet spot with athletes in the new MDX!

For more on the ALV event, see Drive to Five.