Are luxury models worth the price? This question has bedeviled car shoppers for years, especially between cars from the same family that share the same platform and similar hardware, such as in the Honda Pilot and upscale Acura MDX. These brothers from the same mother offer three rows of seats, available all-wheel drive, and the latest in connected car technology. So how are these three-row crossover SUVs different?
The differences are stark. The redesigned 2023 Honda Pilot gets longer and roomier, seats up to eight passengers, and comes available with an off-road ready TrailSport trim. The 2023 Acura MDX leans into the more refined side of utility, with a sleeker design, seats for seven in its leather-lined interior, and a performance-minded Type S model with an air suspension that wrings the most out of its impressive handling.
The difference between the base models is more than just $13,000, and the differences grow at the top end, with a price delta of more than $20,000 separating them. What follows is whether we think it’s worth it, and how the Pilot and MDX measure up.
Skip the base Pilot LX and its small touchscreen to at least the $40,495 Pilot Sport, with its heated front seats with power adjustments, as well as three-zone climate control. The best value for the most features is the EX-L, however. For $43,295, or $43,595 with second row captain’s chairs, the EX-L adds leather upholstery, a 9.0-inch touchscreen, wireless smartphone compatibility and charging, a 9-speaker audio system, and a power tailgate. That’s nearly as good a get as the base Acura MDX that costs just over $50,000.
If all-wheel drive is a must-have, it could be tempting to consider the $49,695 TrailSport edition or the range-topping the $53,375 Pilot Elite, which both have standard AWD. Otherwise, it’s a $2,100 upcharge. The TrailSport has off-road gear and a panoramic sunroof; Elite adds navigation, 20-inch wheels, a removable second-row middle seat, and 12-speaker Bose audio as well as a 10.2-inch digital instrument display, a surround-view camera system, and a head-up display. At that point, our eyes would stray to the MDX.
For $50,745, including destination, the Acura MDX comes well equipped, even compared to other premium and luxury three-row crossover SUVs. It rides on 19-inch wheels, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment display screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging, and a panoramic sunroof. There is a caveat, however: The infotainment screen relies on an imprecise console touchpad that might be safer in theory than reaching forward for a touchscreen. If you like playing with all the digital interfaces offered in modern cars, test your tolerance on this one before you buy the MDX.
The base model strikes us as the best deal, but we could appreciate stepping over the $55,000 Technology Package, its leather upholstery and 12-speaker 550-watt ELS audio system for the MDX A-Spec. It absorbs the $2,200 upcharge for AWD by making it standard with its $61,000 tag. It’s mostly a cosmetic upgrade, with blacked-out trim pieces, as well as more firmly bolstered front seats that are heated and cooled.
The $64,500 Advance Package adds 16-way power front seats, a surround-view camera system, a head-up display, a heated steering wheel, and heated rear outboard seats, but for about $4,500 more, the MDX Type S really tempts with its turbo V-6 and air suspension.
The Acura MDX has a more comprehensive warranty. The 4-year/50,000-mile warranty includes two years or 24,000 miles of scheduled maintenance. The Pilot’s basic warranty is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.
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