Compare the2023 Acura MDXVS 2022 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the MDX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The MDX offers an optional Low-Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The MDX has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Range Rover Sport’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the MDX has standard Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Land Rover charges extra for rear cross-path warning on the Range Rover Sport.

Both the MDX and the Range Rover Sport have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the MDX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Range Rover Sport has not been tested, yet.

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the MDX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Land Rover covers the Range Rover Sport. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Range Rover Sport ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Acura pays for scheduled maintenance on the MDX for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Acura will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Range Rover Sport.

There are over 36 percent more Acura dealers than there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the MDX’s warranty.

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 MDX’s reliability 39 points higher than the Range Rover Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Acura vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than Land Rover.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover With 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Acura higher than Land Rover.

On the EPA test cycle the MDX gets better mileage than the Range Rover Sport:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Acura MDX uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Range Rover Sport requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 Range Rover Sport 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 an eight-speed automatic is available for the Range Rover Sport.

The MDX stops shorter than the Range Rover Sport:

For better traction, the MDX has larger standard tires than the Range Rover Sport (255/55R19 vs. 235/65R19).

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 Range Rover Sport’s standard 65 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 Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

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 Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the MDX is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than on the Range Rover Sport.

The MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Range Rover Sport HSE pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The MDX SH-AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Range Rover Sport HSE (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 650 pounds less than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

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

The MDX has 11.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Range Rover Sport (139.1 vs. 128).

The MDX has 2.1 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Range Rover Sport.

The MDX’s cargo area provides more volume than the Range Rover Sport.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Land Rover. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 56% lower rating, Land Rover is ranked 30th.

Consumer Reports rated the MDX’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Range Rover Sport’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the MDX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Range Rover Sport 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 Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The MDX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Range Rover Sport doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the MDX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the MDX will cost $4240 to $9995 less than the Range Rover Sport over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Acura MDX will be $23839 to $62221 less than for the Land Rover Range Rover Sport.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Acura MDX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport isn't recommended.

The Acura MDX outsold the Land Rover Range Rover Sport by almost six to one during 2022.