2024 Acura MDX Vs. Honda Pilot: Specs, Engine Performance & Tech

Whether you look at performance and MPGs, comfort and safety, or reliability and capability, the Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot comparison will be over in a flash. The MDX is the star of these three-row SUV cousins, and it does just about everything better than the Pilot. We've compiled the facts below to show you how and why this is the case. Read on and explore the details, then visit Muller's Woodfield Acura to experience everything mentioned with a test drive.

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot Specs and Performance

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot performance and engine specs reveal most of the story here: the MDX is the performance-oriented, luxury-lined choice, while the Pilot is a more subdued, camping-oriented SUV.

Both models have a standard 3.5-liter V-6. The Acura MDX makes 290 horsepower, while the Honda Pilot has 285 horsepower. That may not seem like a big difference, but in their slowest configurations and when equipped with AWD, the MDX returns a 6.4-second 0-60 mph time,¹ while the Pilot goes from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds.²

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot performance engineering is hardly even a comparison – the MDX has features like an Agile Handling Assist to make its ride even sportier. The Pilot does not. As Car and Driver says, the MDX "drives like something half its size" ¹.

The battle continues with the MDX Type S. It has a 355-horsepower 3.0-liter turbo V-6 and a 5.5-second 0-60 mph time¹ – neither feat can be replicated by the Pilot.

Since the Pilot is aimed more at the camping crowd, more ground clearance should be offered. However, it isn't: the MDX specs include 7.3 inches of standard ground clearance and the available ability to ride up to 9.4 inches off the ground. Pilot specs, meanwhile, include a standard 7.3-inch ground clearance measurement and top out at 8.3 inches.

You may think these powerful advantages require a major MPG compromise, but that just isn't the case. The Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot fuel economy comparison sees both models deliver up to an EPA-estimated 19/25/21 MPG (City/Highway/Combined)^{3, 4} with AWD.

Both SUVs can tow up to 5,000 pounds,^{5, 6} but considering everything that the MDX can do better, it's hardly a tie.

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot Interior Luxury

The Honda Pilot, while undoubtedly a good SUV, is not a luxury SUV. The Acura MDX is both.

The Acura MDX can get an ELS STUDIO 3D sound system with more than double the speakers of the highest-end Honda Pilot sound system. The Honda Pilot, at its most luxurious, offers heated/ventilated front and heated rear outboard seats, perforated leather upholstery with accent piping, and 10-way power adjustability plus two-way lumbar and two-position memory for the driver's seat.

Comparing the 2024 Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot features in this area, the MDX can include all of that and more.

The leather, instead, can be perforated Milano premium leather with contrast stitching and piping and will extend throughout the interior. Both front seats (not just the driver's seat) can gain heating, ventilation, 16-way power adjustability, and a nine-way massage function. Three-position memory for both front seats is just one more MDX feature that the Pilot can't offer.

Likewise, new Acura MDX SUVs all come standard with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 12.3-inch infotainment display, while the Pilot SUV's top trim has a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and a 9-inch infotainment display.

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot Safety Rating

As the Pilot and MDX are siblings that ride on the same platform, they are similar in terms of safety. But, like with everything else, the MDX goes the extra mile.

Specifically, the 2024 Acura MDX is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award winner,⁷ while the 2024 Honda Pilot received the IIHS Top Safety Pick award.⁸

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot safety sees both models include great technology like a Collision Mitigation Braking System, Road Departure Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Keeping Assist System as standard. However, with the Honda Pilot having a lower IIHS score^{7, 8} and only the MDX offering an Advanced Pedestrian Monitoring system, the winner is clear.

Honda Pilot vs. Acura MDX Reliability

The Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot comparison has been a struggle for the Pilot, and it continues to struggle in this round – RepairPal.com rated the Acura MDX with a reliability rating of 4.0 out of 5.0,⁹ and gave the Honda Pilot a reliability rating of 3.5 out of 5.0.¹⁰

RepairPal.com lists the Acura MDX as the second-most-reliable luxury midsize SUV on the market.⁹ The Pilot, within its economical midsize SUV class, comes in 13th place for reliability.¹⁰ Both vehicles share efficient and reliable DNA, but the meticulously engineered MDX expresses those genes a bit better than the Pilot.

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot Dimensions and Size

Both of these SUVs are three-row models. The Honda Pilot, though, is larger than the Acura MDX, measuring 1.5 inches longer, 3.8 inches taller, and 0.1 inches wider. The Acura MDX towing capacity combines with a seven-seat passenger capacity, while the Pilot provides up to eight seats. Aside from this, most dimensions are fairly similar between them.

Discover the 2024 Acura MDX Today

The only real advantage of the Honda Pilot is that it costs less, but with our lease deals on the Acura MDX, that can be a moot point entirely. So, if the luxury, thrills, and safety of the MDX make it seem right for you, head on over to Muller's Woodfield Acura for a test drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 0-60 time for the Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot?

With their standard engines and AWD, in their base trims, the Acura MDX has a 6.4-second 0-60 mph time,¹ while the Pilot has a 0-60 mph time of 7.2 seconds.² In their fastest forms, 0-60 mph times are 5.5 seconds for the MDX¹ and 6.9 seconds for the Pilot.²

Is the Acura MDX engine the same as the Pilot?

Both the Acura MDX and Honda Pilot have a V-6 engine with the same 3.5-liter displacement, but the MDX engine makes 290 horsepower while the Pilot engine makes 285. Plus, the MDX can get a 3.0-liter turbo V-6 engine with 355 horsepower in its Type S trim, which is not offered in the Pilot.

What's bigger: the Acura MDX or the Honda Pilot?

Acura MDX vs. Honda Pilot dimensions are similar. These three-row SUVs are close, but the Honda Pilot is a bit bigger, most notably with its 1.5-inch longer and 3.8-inch taller body. The Pilot is also 0.1 inches wider than the MDX. The Pilot does have one extra seat, but the MDX focuses on providing better amenities and comfort.

¹This information is not verified by the official manufacturer and shall serve solely as unofficial general information. For details, visit: https://www.caranddriver.com/acura/mdx-2024

²This information is not verified by the official manufacturer and shall serve solely as unofficial general information. For details, visit: https://www.caranddriver.com/honda/pilot-2024

³Based on 2024 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, and other factors.

⁴Based on 2024 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, and other factors.

⁵Towing requires the addition of the Acura accessory trailer hitch and hitch ball. Please see your Acura dealer for details. Added cargo weight in the vehicle may reduce max towing capacity, see Owners Guide for details.

⁶Towing requires accessory towing equipment. Please see your Honda dealer for details.

⁷Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this award, visit https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/Acura/mdx-4-door-suv/2024

⁸Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this award, visit https://www.iihs.org/ratings/vehicle/honda/pilot-4-door-suv/2024

⁹Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this rating, visit https://repairpal.com/reliability/acura/mdx

¹⁰Reference to this third-party claim is solely for informational purposes and not to be relied upon. For details regarding this rating, visit https://repairpal.com/reliability/honda/pilot