Compare the2023 BMW X7VS 2023 Acura MDX

The X7’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The MDX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the middle seat shoulder belts of the BMW X7 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Acura MDX doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The X7 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The MDX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X7 has standard Post-Crash Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The MDX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the X7. But it costs extra on the MDX.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X7’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The MDX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the X7 and MDX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the X7 has Cross Traffic Warning with braking function (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The MDX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the X7 and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The BMW X7 weighs 609 to 1715 pounds more than the Acura MDX. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The X7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the MDX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X7 for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the MDX (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

There are over 30 percent more BMW dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the X7’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the X7’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the MDX’s camshafts. If the MDX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

The battery on the X7 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the X7’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The MDX’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Acura is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW third in overall reliability. Acura is ranked 8th.

The X7 has more powerful engines than the MDX:

On the EPA test cycle the X7 gets better mileage than the MDX:

Regenerative brakes improve the X7’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The MDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The X7 has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX (21.9 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The X7’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The MDX doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the X7 M Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the MDX:

The X7’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the MDX are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the X7 has larger standard tires than the MDX (F:275/40R22 & R:315/35R22 vs. 255/55R19). The X7’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the MDX (285/45R21 vs. 275/40R21).

The X7’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the MDX’s standard 55 series tires. The X7’s optional 275/35R23 front and 315/30R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the MDX Type S’ 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X7 has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the MDX. The X7’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the MDX Type S.

The X7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The MDX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the X7 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the MDX, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X7’s wheelbase is 8.4 inches longer than on the MDX (122.2 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The X7’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49.4% to 50.6%) than the MDX’s (57.4% to 42.6%). This gives the X7 more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the X7 has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the MDX (8.7 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the X7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the X7 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The MDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The X7 has 3.4 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more rear headroom, .4 inches more third row headroom and 4.2 inches more third row legroom than the MDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the X7’s middle and third row seats recline. The MDX’s third row seats don’t recline.

The X7’s cargo area provides more volume than the MDX.

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the X7’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The MDX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The X7’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The MDX’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The X7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (5950 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura MDX SH-AWD is only 5000 pounds. The X7 offers up to a 7500 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the X7 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the MDX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

The X7’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The MDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows standard on both the X7 and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X7 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The MDX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The X7’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The MDX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X7 has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The MDX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X7 also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The X7’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The MDX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The X7 has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Acura doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the MDX.

The X7 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the MDX.

The X7’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW X7 and the Acura MDX, based on reliability, safety and performance.