Compare the2023 Acura MDXVS 2022 Toyota Sequoia

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row 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 Toyota Sequoia doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Sequoia doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Sequoia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Full-time four-wheel drive is optional on the MDX. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Sequoia.

The MDX Advance has a standard Surround-View Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Sequoia only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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 Sequoia uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the MDX and the Sequoia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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 and driver alert monitors.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the MDX is 3.4% less likely to roll over than the Sequoia.

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 Sequoia has not been tested, yet.

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 Sequoia’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 Toyota covers the Sequoia. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Sequoia ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Acura MDX is faster than the Toyota Sequoia:

	MDX V6	MDX Type S	Sequoia
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	5.4 sec	6.7 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.6 sec	13.8 sec	18.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.6 sec	5.8 sec	6.9 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.6 sec	3.3 sec	3.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	14 sec	15.3 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
MDX
	FWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/25 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6	17 city/21 hwy
Sequoia
	RWD	5.7 DOHC V8	13 city/17 hwy
	AWD	5.7 DOHC V8	13 city/17 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the MDX’s fuel efficiency. The Sequoia 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. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Sequoia 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 Sequoia doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the MDX Type S’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Sequoia:

	MDX Type S	Sequoia
Front Rotors	14.3 inches	13.9 inches

The MDX stops much shorter than the Sequoia:

	MDX	Sequoia
70 to 0 MPH	170 feet	192 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	139 feet	146 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	163 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 Sequoia SR5’s standard 65 series tires. The MDX Type S’ tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Sequoia TRD Sport/Limited/Nightshade’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MDX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Sequoia SR5. The MDX Type S’ 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels on the Sequoia TRD Sport/Limited/Nightshade.

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 Sequoia 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 Sequoia 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 Sequoia’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Sequoia 4x4 pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The MDX SH-AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.6 seconds quicker than the Sequoia Limited 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.8 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1200 to 1450 pounds less than the Toyota Sequoia.

The MDX is 6.7 inches shorter than the Sequoia, making the MDX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The MDX is 9.9 inches shorter in height than the Sequoia, 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 Sequoia 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 Sequoia doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the MDX Type S is quieter than the Sequoia 4x4 (36 vs. 45 dB).

Passenger Space

The MDX has 3.7 inches more front headroom, 3.2 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more third row headroom than the Sequoia.

Cargo Capacity

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 Sequoia doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Toyota. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 23% lower rating, Toyota is ranked 20th.

Ergonomics

The engine computer on the MDX automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. The Sequoia’s starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Sequoia, 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 Advance has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and incoming text message readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Sequoia 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 Sequoia’s parking brake has to be released manually.

If the windows are left open on the MDX the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Sequoia can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

The MDX has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

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 Sequoia’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The MDX’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

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

The MDX’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Sequoia’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

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 Sequoia’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the MDX keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Sequoia doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the MDX’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Sequoia doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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

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 Sequoia doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Recommendations

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

The Acura MDX outsold the Toyota Sequoia by almost 9 to one during 2022.