Acura MDX Cargo Space: Real Photos With the Third Row Up and Folded

Cargo figures: 2026 US-market MDX · Photos: Maxpro team install on a current-generation (2022-2026) MDX

Quick answer: The 2026 Acura MDX has 16.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 39.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 71.4 cubic feet with both rear rows folded. Those are Acura's standard figures, and they're the same on every 2026 trim, Type S included. The larger numbers you'll also see (18.1, 48.4 and 95.0) are Acura's "max" figures, which can also count the floor space between seating rows, measured with the seats in their forward-most, upright position.

Maxpro Liner is a US-based maker of custom-fit, 3D laser-scanned automotive floor liners, cargo liners, and cooler boxes, based in Rialto, California. Our team fitted a set of Maxpro liners to a current-generation MDX and photographed the cargo area both ways, third row up and third row folded, so you can see what each layout looks like in a real car.

How much cargo space does the Acura MDX have?

These are the figures from Acura's 2026 MDX specifications:

Seating setup	Standard (cu ft)	Max (cu ft)
All three rows up (behind the 3rd row)	16.3	18.1
Third row folded (behind the 2nd row)	39.1	48.4
Second and third rows folded (behind the 1st row)	71.4	95.0

All six 2026 trims share these numbers, from the base MDX to the Type S Advance. Acura's 2025 Canadian spec sheet converts to the same volumes, so cargo space isn't a reason to choose a 2025 over a 2026.

Searching for Acura MDX trunk space? Same figures; Acura calls it cargo volume. The spec sheets we checked list volume only, not the length or width of the cargo floor.

For perspective, the largest standard figure Acura lists for the two-row 2026 RDX is 58.9 cubic feet, and Cars.com lists 55 cubic feet for the 2026 ADX. At 71.4, the MDX has the most cargo volume in Acura's current SUV lineup. It's also the only one with a third row.

Why do the Acura MDX cargo numbers seem to conflict?

Acura publishes two sets of figures, and different websites quote different ones. MDX owners on r/Acura have noticed the mismatch too.

The footnotes in Acura's 2026 MDX specifications and features release explain it. The standard figures are "based on SAE J1100 cargo volume measurement standard." The max figures use the same standard "plus, where applicable, floor space between seating rows and seats in their forward-most and upright position."

In plain terms, the max numbers add space you wouldn't normally load, like the floor between rows, and they're measured with the seats pushed as far forward and upright as they go. They tell you the ceiling. They don't describe one flat floor you can stack boxes on.

For everyday planning, use the standard figures: 16.3, 39.1 and 71.4. And when you compare the MDX with another SUV, check that both were measured the same way before you read anything into the gap.

What does MDX cargo space look like with the third row up?

Third row up: 16.3 cubic feet (Acura standard figure). Shown with the short Maxpro Cargo Liner 5TH Row.

With all seven seats in use, this is the space you have to work with. The photo shows how short the load floor is: it runs from the tailgate to the back of the upright third row. If you regularly travel seven-up with luggage, bring your own bags to the test drive and try them in the back before you buy.

The short Maxpro cargo liner covers that floor and turns up into a raised lip at the base of the third-row seatbacks. The raised edges are designed to help contain everyday spills and wet gear.

How much room is there with the third row folded?

Third row folded: 39.1 cubic feet (Acura standard figure). Shown with the long Maxpro Cargo Liner 4TH Row, which runs to the back of the second row.

Folding the third row raises the published standard cargo volume from 16.3 to 39.1 cubic feet. If you only need seven seats now and then, this is likely the layout your MDX spends most of its week in.

In the photo, the long Maxpro cargo liner runs from the tailgate to the back of the second row and covers the folded third-row seatbacks. It's shaped around the seatbelt anchor at the side instead of riding up over the trim.

What's under the Acura MDX cargo floor?

Acura lists Hidden Cargo Storage with a Reversible Smart Lid on every 2026 MDX trim, a compartment under the cargo floor. The spec sheet doesn't give its volume. It's a sensible place for a first-aid kit or jumper cables. A cargo liner sits on top of the load floor, so plan on lifting it out to open the compartment.

Which cargo liner fits each MDX cargo setup?

Maxpro makes two cargo liners for the 2022-2026 MDX, and the names on the listing don't tell you which is which:

• Cargo Liner 5TH Row is the short one, for the floor behind the upright third row (the first photo above).

• Cargo Liner 4TH Row is the long one, for an MDX running with the third row folded flat (the second photo).

"4TH" and "5TH" are Maxpro's piece numbers. The MDX only has three rows of seats.

Maxpro liners are made from TPX, Maxpro's enhanced TPE compound. It doesn't absorb water or dirt, it's odor-free, and it's 100% recyclable. To clean one, lift it out, rinse it with water and wipe it dry, ideally before anything has a chance to dry in. A spill won't soak in, but a forgotten gym towel left on top will still go sour by Monday. Weighing a flat mat against a full liner? Our cargo mat vs cargo liner comparison covers the trade-offs.

One fit note: patterns are cut for one model only. The MDX and the Honda Pilot share engineering in places, but Maxpro cuts separate patterns for each, and the MDX is currently the only model in Maxpro's Acura floor mats range.

Maxpro also sells full-cabin bundles that pair each cargo liner with the right floor liners, and they match the two ways most people run an MDX. Neither one locks you in: the floor liner sets are also sold without a cargo liner, and each cargo liner is sold on its own (check the listing for current prices).

Seven seats in daily use: all three rows plus the short cargo liner

Floor Liners 1+2+3 Row + Cargo Liner 5 Row: five pieces for an MDX that runs with all seven seats up.

If the third row is up most days (carpools, a big family, regular passengers in the back), this is the set. It comes in five pieces: driver and passenger liners, a one-piece second-row liner, a third-row liner and the short cargo liner that sits behind the upright third row. Every footwell is covered, and so is the cargo floor behind the last row. On the Acura MDX floor mats listing, it's the "Floor Liners 1+2+3 Row + Cargo Liner 5 Row" option in the Row menu.

Third row folded most of the time: two rows plus the long cargo liner

Floor Liners 1+2 Row + Cargo Liner 4 Row: four pieces for an MDX that runs as a five-seater with the third row folded.

If you treat the MDX as a five-seater with a big cargo area, this set fits how you actually use it. It has four pieces: driver and passenger liners, the one-piece second-row liner and the long cargo liner. There's no third-row floor liner in this set. With the third row folded, the long cargo liner covers the folded seatbacks and runs to the back of the second row, as in the third-row-folded photo earlier, and the cut-outs along its sides are where it's shaped around the trim at the edges of the load floor. Because it lies on top of the folded seatbacks, plan on lifting it out before you raise the third row. Pick "Floor Liners 1+2 Row + Cargo Liner 4 Row" on the MDX floor and cargo liner listing.

What about the rest of the cabin floor?

The same install covered the cabin floor too. Four quick looks, front to back:

• 

  Driver side: seated on two round retention points, with the brake and accelerator above the liner.

• 

  Passenger side: the front wall runs up toward the firewall.

• 

  Second row: shaped around the front-seat rail ends, running under the rear of the center console.

• 

  Third row: shaped around the second-row seat rails, leaving a narrow strip of carpet uncovered between them.

• Driver side: seated on two round retention points, with the brake and accelerator above the liner.

• Passenger side: the front wall runs up toward the firewall.

• Second row: shaped around the front-seat rail ends, running under the rear of the center console.

• Third row: shaped around the second-row seat rails, leaving a narrow strip of carpet uncovered between them.

That uncovered strip is worth knowing about before you buy. The third-row liner goes around the seat rails rather than over them, so the carpet between the rails still needs a vacuum now and then. For more on full-cabin coverage, see our guide to floor liners for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd row.

Whatever floor liners you fit, take the factory carpet mats out first and never stack one mat on another. With the car off, press the brake and accelerator all the way down and make sure nothing touches the liner. If anything does, contact Maxpro before driving (InfoUSA@maxliner.com, 909-968-2786).

Acura MDX Cargo Space FAQ

How much cargo space does the 2026 Acura MDX have behind the third row?

The 2026 Acura MDX has 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row on Acura's standard measure, or 18.1 cubic feet on its max measure. Fold the third row and the standard figure rises to 39.1 cubic feet. Fold the second row too and it reaches 71.4 cubic feet.

Why does Acura list two cargo numbers for the MDX?

Acura's standard figures follow the SAE J1100 cargo volume standard. Its max figures add, where applicable, the floor space between seating rows, measured with the seats in their forward-most and upright position. Use the standard figures for everyday planning, and compare vehicles only when both use the same measurement conditions.

Which Acura SUV has the most cargo space?

The Acura MDX. Its standard 71.4 cubic feet behind the first row is more than the 2026 RDX (58.9 cubic feet, per Acura) or the 2026 ADX (55 cubic feet, per Cars.com), and the MDX is the only Acura SUV with a third row.

Does the Acura MDX have storage under the cargo floor?

Yes. Acura lists Hidden Cargo Storage with a Reversible Smart Lid on every 2026 MDX trim, but the spec sheet does not give its volume. With a cargo liner fitted, lift the liner out to open the compartment.

Which cargo liner fits an Acura MDX with the third row folded?

Maxpro Cargo Liner 4TH Row. It is the long Maxpro cargo liner for the 2022-2026 Acura MDX and runs from the tailgate to the back of the second row when the third row is folded flat. Cargo Liner 5TH Row is the short version that sits behind the upright third row.