Compare the2022 Acura MDXVS 2021 Infiniti QX80

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Acura MDX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Infiniti QX80 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the middle seat belts.

The Acura MDX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps 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 QX80 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The MDX’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The QX80 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the MDX uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The QX80 uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the MDX and the QX80 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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.

There are over 33 percent more Acura dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the MDX’s warranty.

The engine in the MDX has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the QX80 has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Acura 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

On the EPA test cycle the MDX gets better fuel mileage than the QX80:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the MDX’s fuel efficiency. The QX80 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the MDX’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The QX80 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The MDX has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The QX80 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Acura MDX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the QX80.

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 QX80 Luxe’s standard 60 series tires.

The MDX has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The QX80 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the MDX’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the QX80’s (40.5 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1350 to 1400 pounds less than the Infiniti QX80.

The MDX is 11.8 inches shorter than the QX80, making the MDX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The MDX is 8.7 inches shorter in height than the QX80, making the MDX much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the MDX’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The QX80 uses body-on-frame design instead.

The MDX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The QX80 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The MDX has 2 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front hip room and .3 inches more third row legroom than the QX80.

The MDX’s cargo area provides more volume than the QX80.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the MDX Advance’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The QX80 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the QX80, 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 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The QX80 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The MDX’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The QX80’s parking brake has to released manually.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the MDX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The QX80 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Acura MDX has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The QX80 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.