There's no valid reason to take a 2003 Acura MDX on a track, yet I did it and have no regrets.

      Rami Garcia via Acura

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      In my role, I often get to engage in amusing activities. There are times when I take a supercar on a Costco run to see if a pack of toilet paper fits in the frunk, and sometimes I find myself driving a classic SUV on an IndyCar street course. That’s precisely what I did last weekend during the Grand Prix of Long Beach, as part of Acura's celebration of its 40th anniversary in the U.S. As it happens, a 2003 Acura MDX remains a joy to drive today, just as it was when it debuted.

      To begin with, it’s hard to believe that a 2003 model is nearly classified as a classic now, and in about a year, it will be almost 25 years old. Time flies! Just look at it—it represents such a significant shift from what Acura (or any other brand) produces today in terms of design. For what it’s worth, I’m quite fond of the current MDX, especially the Type S. This first-generation model is noticeably smaller than modern SUVs in its category, cleaner, less complicated, and features 17-inch wheels. Remember when SUVs didn’t attempt to mimic sports cars?

      The interior is remarkably simple, with a clean layout. It emphasizes function over form while still remaining visually appealing. There are plenty of buttons, cupholders, and storage spaces, without the presence of oddly positioned screens or wireless phone chargers. The HVAC controls consist of about six buttons—a far cry from today, where there would be a dozen or more residing on a screen. That said, I found their placement a bit odd, sitting atop the infotainment display flanked by two air vents. And what about that straightforward analog clock? It really makes me chuckle that we once had a $0.89 clock on the dashboard of a $42,000 luxury SUV.

      Before I delve into my driving experience—which was, to be honest, quite hilarious—I’ll explain how I ended up behind the wheel of the MDX. It all began when Acura arranged a pre-race parade lap around the Long Beach GP street circuit to commemorate its milestone. The event showcased over 40 Acuras of different models, including race cars, classic Integra Type Rs, various NSXs, and my favorite: the No. 48 Comptech Integra we recently featured.

      With all those fantastic vehicles available for the track lap, many would have likely chosen something nimble and sporty. Not me; I opted for the quintessential dad vehicle and grabbed the keys to the MDX. As a middle-aged dad, comfort is my top priority. What can I say?

      Reality hit me as I climbed into the MDX, and while the keys were in my pocket, I reached for what I thought was a start button. Oops! We’re dealing with an old-school key and ignition here. After that hiccup, I heard the dependable 3.5-liter V6 engine start up with almost the same smoothness it had back in 2003. This specific unit, now in Acura's hands, has just 72,000 miles on it and was actually purchased from an individual instead of coming directly from the assembly line. This adds to its remarkable condition. While 72k miles isn’t excessive for a vehicle of this age, it’s also not insignificant.

      Watching the old MDX roll out of the pits and join the line of sports and race cars was amusing, and I noticed several people pointing and laughing. Rude! But that didn’t bother me; I stood firm in my choice.

      When you envision a “parade lap,” you think of slow, bumper-to-bumper driving. This parade lap was far from that. Since everyone else was driving something sporty and fast, they took off immediately, leaving me with a quarter-mile gap to the car ahead. My 260 horsepower fell short, but it didn’t matter, as I was hitting around 75 mph on the main straight, where GTP and Indy cars usually reach about 200 mph. I was on the same track where legends such as Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr., Alex Zanardi, Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, and Alex Palou fought for victories.

      Then came the first corner, a relatively tight left-hander where you need to navigate carefully between two concrete barriers. I lifted off the throttle early and gently applied the brakes. I had no intention of overheating the pads on a 23-year-old SUV or causing a red flag by crashing into the wall. I could just picture it: “IndyCar race delayed because someone crashed an old SUV on the track moments before the green flag.”

      I eased into the left turn, allowing the MDX to coast through the corner to test the tires