Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2025 Acura MDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The MDX’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Pilot is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Acura MDX, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Pilot	MDX
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-20 MPH	-19 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-17 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Brights	-34 MPH	-33 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	2.3 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-28 MPH	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.6 sec	No Warning

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Pilot’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The MDX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Honda Pilot TrailSport/Elite/Black Edition’s Multi-View Camera System is available with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Acura MDX only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the Pilot and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Acura MDX:

	Pilot	MDX
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	28.9%	29%
Leg Forces (l/r)	178/233 lbs.	463/521 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Leg Forces (l/r)	396/388 lbs.	392/458 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Acura MDX:

	Pilot	MDX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	53	107
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Abdominal Force	59 lbs.	105 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	100	142
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	12 inches
HIC	340	549
Spine Acceleration	34 G’s	40 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Pilot’s reliability 13 points higher than the MDX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Acura is ranked fifth.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Pilot is faster than the Acura MDX V6:

	Pilot	MDX
Zero to 60 MPH	6.9 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.6 MPH	88.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Pilot gets better mileage than the MDX:

			MPG
Pilot
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	19 city/25 hwy
		TrailSport 3.5 DOHC V6	18 city/23 hwy
MDX
	FWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	17 city/21 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Pilot uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Pilot higher (6 out of 10) than the Acura MDX (4). This means the Pilot produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the MDX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Pilot stops much shorter than the MDX:

	Pilot	MDX
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the MDX; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 2.8 feet tighter than the MDX’s (37.7 feet vs. 40.5 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the MDX’s (37.8 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Pilot uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The MDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the Pilot TrailSport is quieter than the MDX Type S (66 vs. 68 dB).

Passenger Space

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the MDX can only carry 7.

The Pilot has 19.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the MDX (158.4 vs. 139.1).

The Pilot has 2 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 2.3 inches more rear legroom, 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room, 3.1 inches more third row headroom, 3.4 inches more third row legroom, 4 inches more third row hip room and 4.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the MDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pilot’s middle and third row seats recline. The MDX’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the MDX.

	Pilot	MDX
Behind Third Seat	21.8 cubic feet	18.1 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	59.5 cubic feet	48.4 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	111.8 cubic feet	95 cubic feet

Ergonomics

The power windows standard on both the Pilot and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Pilot is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The MDX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda Pilot and the Acura MDX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Acura MDX by almost three to one during 2024.

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