Honda Pilot vs Acura MDX: Which SUV is Right for You?

The three-row SUV segment is awash with competitors.

Ranging from entry-level family haulers destined to be filled with runny noses and spilled Cheerios all the way to uber-lux machines in which one needs to wipe their shoes before entering, there is no shortage of choice in this arena.

Two choices appear from under the same umbrella. Honda and its corporate cousin Acura put forth the Pilot and MDX, respectively. The vast House That Soichiro Built has the financial reserve and development strength to engineer a pair of three-row SUVs that may share many mechanical components but are designed to appeal to very different sets of customers. As Honda’s luxury brand, Acura is the fancier sibling while Honda is the more family-focused brand, but both SUVs have a lot in common.

Which one is right for you? Let’s figure it out.

Pilot: Just over 40 inches (1,016 mm) of headroom is available in both the front and middle rows of the Honda Pilot. Models equipped with a moonroof shave about half an inch off (12 mm) that figure. Legroom is a vast 40.9 inches (1,039 mm) up front, 38.4 inches (975 mm) in the second row, and an elfin 31.9 inches (810 mm) in the third row of seats. Practical touches like bag hooks and tie-down anchors line the interior, a nod to families. The Pilot is available with second-row captain chairs or a traditional bench-style seat and can fit up to eight people, depending on the seating configuration you pick. Access to the third row is easy, as the second row can be pulled forward with an available one-touch system.

MDX: Space for noggins is slightly less in the sportier MDX, measuring 38.5 inches (978 mm) and 38.1 inches (968 mm) in the first two rows. Popping for the more expensive Acura rewards buyers with an extra half-inch of front-row legroom but second-row space is nearly identical, and way-back room is down to 29.1 inches (739 mm). The MDX is an inch narrower overall, however, contributing to a slightly tighter three-wide seating experience.

Every new MDX comes with a three-seat second row, though the middle seat can be removed to turn it into a pair of captain’s chairs. However, it only has seating for up to seven people (only fits two people in the back row), down one from the Pilot’s maximum of eight. Acura also has a one-touch system that allows the second row to slide forward to allow access to the third row.

Bottom Line: If your travels frequently involve packing the second and third rows to capacity with kids resembling future wrestling stars, the Pilot does offer a smidge more width that’ll help prevent unwanted elbow-rubbing. The Pilot can also be configured to hold a maximum of eight people, where the max in the MDX is just seven. However, families whose headcount measures no more than four will appreciate the Acura and its extra front-row legroom.

Pilot: A total of 16.5 cubic feet (467 liters) of room greets Pilot owners when they open the hatch and try to stuff items behind the third-row seat. Flipping the third-row into its flat position reveals 46.8 cubic feet (1,325 L) as measured by the industry standard test. We mention this because Honda sometimes quotes this figure as 55.9 cubic feet (1,582 L), a number arrived at if one generously counts available floor space between seating rows and with all passenger seats in an uncomfortable bolt-upright position.

Pilot: A raft of tech is available in the Pilot, including 4G LTE WiFi and, finally, a physical volume knob! It also adopts the Honda Sensing suite of advanced driver-assistive and safety technology as standard on all trims — this includes stuff like adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, lane-keep assist and more. CabinTalk is included on the top three trims and allows front row occupants to use the Bluetooth mic to amplify their voice through the Pilot’s rear speakers so any ungrateful whelps seated astern can hear you yelling at them. It even works through the car’s wireless stereo headphones. Cross-traffic monitoring, blind spot monitoring, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless phone charging, power tailgate, and a rear seat entertainment system are also available.

Acura MDX: With a whole new model debuting for 2022, the MDX has reasserted itself as the top dog in the Acura line. The AcuraWatch suite of safety nannies is standard on every fourth-gen MDX, covering collision-mitigation braking, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and more. Higher trims add a 360-degree camera and a head-up display.

The latest MDX goes fully digital for its instrument panel, a 12.3-inch screen matching the measurements of the central screen. The latter is no touch-screen, however; Acura is sticking with its touchpad infotainment setup.

Luxury appointments range from power seats with umpteen adjustments, to a killer ELS Premium audio system—higher trims use a “3D” setup with 16 speakers. Both major phone pairing systems are wireless as standard, which pairs nicely with the wireless charge pad—also on every MDX. Alexa joins the mix, too. A WiFi hotspot is standard, along with AcuraLink Connected Services, five USB charging ports, a power tailgate, full LED exterior lighting, and CabinControl, a social playlist audio feature. CabinTalk is also available in the MDX.

Bottom Line: With its new generation, the MDX now offers all of the family-friendly features of the Pilot, specifically CabinTalk. The Acura’s standard safety suite and the interior accommodations are both better, but that’s why it costs more. While the MDX’s infotainment and digital cluster are visually impressive, we don’t doubt busy family folks will find the Honda’s more user-friendly.

MDX: Stop us if you’ve heard this one, but the MDX is powered by a … 3.5-liter V6 engine. Power is up 10 ponies to 290 hp, and torque rises slightly to 267 lb-ft. It does offer an extra cog in the gearbox though, totalling 10, and Acura’s advanced all-wheel drive system is available. Those wanting a little more oomph in their premium crossover will want to wait for the hotter Type S, which will use a more powerful 3.0-liter turbocharged V6.

Bottom Line: The Acura makes more power in every trim and spec than its Pilot brother. The inclusion of that 9-speed transmission in all versions of the more expensive MDX (save for the hybrid which gets its own unique seven-cog unit) speaks to the premium feel it brings to the table. The Hybrid is also the sportier option, so if you wanted something with more oomph and was also more fuel efficient, the MDX Sport Hybrid is the way to go.

Pilot: With Honda recently simplifying the Pilot lineup to just one transmission, the SUV’s EPA ratings are clear-cut. Opt for a front-drive Pilot and you can expect a 23 mpg combined rating, split between 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway. Go AWD and every number drops by 1 mpg.

MDX: Front-wheel drive versions of the MDX exactly match the AWD Pilot’s figures. AWD has less of an impact on the Acura; the city figure remains the same, but highway and combined hit 25 and 21 mpg, respectively. More surprising is the Pilot’s requirement to drink the Premium juice.

Bottom Line: The Pilot and MDX largely mirror each other in terms of fuel economy and share a gas tank capacity of 19.5 gallons, so a family will be able to travel equally far in either rig before they have to stop for fuel. However, Acura’s odd recommendation of more expensive 91 octane fuel—despite sharing a powertrain with the cheaper Pilot, which apparently runs fine on the regular stuff—tilts this round in Honda’s favor.

Acura MDX: The MDX offers the same amount of ground clearance as its proletariat sibling: 7.3 inches (185 mm). Maximum towing figures are the same, too. Acura doesn’t even quote approach and departure angles for the fourth-gen MDX, suggesting it knows these things are unlikely to go further than the occasional muddy driveway.

Bottom Line: Straight up, the Pilot is a better choice for customers who may find themselves trying to punch their way through a January snow drift on their way to work or seeking to park their ride a bit closer to the shoreline on a summer’s day. Barring those specific examples, however, both machines are closely matched for everyday driving duties.

MDX: With a bold and expressive grille, snazzy Jewel Eye headlamps, and flamboyant wheel designs, the MDX is an extroverted foil to the stoic and boxy Pilot. Selecting the A-Spec trim unlocks a palette of bright colors to pair with a set of exhaust tip finishes the size of sewer cannons. A rear diffuser of questionable necessity adds visual theater.

Bottom Line: Stylistically, the MDX wins. No contest. The Pilot is decidedly chunkier and it barely has any style at all.

Acura MDX: The cheapest model—simply called MDX, how creative—rings the bell at $47,925. That drops the Acura right between the Touring and Elite trims in the Honda lineup. Adding all-wheel drive at any point in the pecking order adds $2,000. The top-level Advaance Package, which is only available with SH-AWD, will hoover $61,675 from your bank account. We expect the top Type S, when it lands, will stretch to $70,000.

Bottom Line: At the lower end of its pricing scale, the MDX is attractive when compared to a top-end Pilot. Beyond that specific example, however, the Pilot reliably offers more practicality for less cash.

Scientists tell us that the left-hand side of our brains is responsible for linear and analytical thought. This allows humans to make rational and sensible decisions. The right-hand side of the brain though? That part is said to be more subjective and enjoys things that provide a good emotional reaction.

Given that information, it doesn’t take a genius to infer which side of the brain would theoretically prefer the stoic but sensible Pilot and which side would like the expressive MDX. Your author, an unapologetic extrovert, chooses the latter.

Going back to the left brain here, it gets difficult to recommend the MDX because it offers pretty much the same stuff as the Pilot, except for more money — call it a tax for more style and fancier materials. With the latest generation, the MDX has rediscovered its sense of driving enjoyment, but the Pilot is so remarkably good at family duties. Add in the fact that the Pilot is more affordable while also having a better infotainment system, and it seems like a clear winner.