Compare the2026 Acura MDXVS 2025 GMC Acadia

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Acura MDX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the MDX and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, 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 Acura MDX is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	MDX	Acadia
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	35.9%
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	159 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 Acura MDX is safer than the GMC Acadia:

	MDX	Acadia
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	226 lbs.	372 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	168 lbs.	518 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	424 lbs.	721 lbs.

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Acura MDX is safer than the Acadia:

	MDX	Acadia
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	171	260
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	290 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.75 in	.83 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Warranty

The MDX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the MDX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Acadia. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Acadia ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The MDX’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Acadia’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Acura vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than GMC.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 15 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Engine

The MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 27 more horsepower (355 vs. 328) and 28 lbs.-ft. more torque (354 vs. 326) than the Acadia’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Acura MDX is faster than the GMC Acadia:

	MDX V6	MDX Type S	Acadia
Zero to 60 MPH	7.5 sec	5.9 sec	7.8 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	14.4 sec	15.9 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the MDX 3.5 SOHC V6 SH-AWD gets better fuel mileage than the Acadia AWD (19 city/25 hwy vs. 19 city/24 hwy).

The MDX has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Acadia. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Acura MDX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Acadia.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the MDX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

	MDX	MDX Type S	Acadia
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	14.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13 inches	12.4 inches

The MDX stops shorter than the Acadia:

	MDX	Acadia
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The MDX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia AT4’s standard 65 series tires. The MDX Type S’ tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Acadia Denali’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MDX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the MDX can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Acadia doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

The MDX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Acadia’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The MDX Type S has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The MDX’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Acadia doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Acadia Denali AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The MDX Type S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Acadia Denali AWD (25.7 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the MDX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia Elevation (7.3 vs. 6.8 inches), allowing the MDX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The MDX Type S’ minimum ground clearance is 1.6 inches higher than on the Acadia AT4 (9.4 vs. 7.8 inches).

Chassis

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 250 pounds less than the GMC Acadia.

The MDX is 5.6 inches shorter than the Acadia, making the MDX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 12% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Acadia Denali, the MDX offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The MDX’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Acadia’s passenger windows don’t close automatically.

The MDX’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Acadia’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the MDX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Acadia doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the MDX is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Acadia’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The MDX Advance/Type S has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Acadia.

The Acura MDX has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. GMC charges extra for Homelink® on the Acadia.

Recommendations

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

The Acura MDX outsold the GMC Acadia by 1718 units during 2024.

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