Compare the2023 Audi Q7VS 2023 Acura MDX

The Q7’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.

Both the Q7 and MDX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The MDX’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Q7 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies 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 Q7. But it costs extra on the MDX.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q7’s standard Hill Descent Assist allows you to creep down safely. The MDX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Assist.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Q7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The MDX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Q7 and the MDX 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Q7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the MDX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

There are over 12 percent more Audi dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Q7’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Q7’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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Audi higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 14 places higher in reliability than Acura.

The Q7 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 267) than the MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6. The Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 354) than the MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Q7 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid is faster than the Acura MDX V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Q7 gets better mileage than the MDX:

Regenerative brakes improve the Q7 55 TFSI’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The MDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Q7 has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX (22.5 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the Q7’s brake rotors are larger than those on the MDX:

The Q7’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.

The Q7 stops much shorter than the MDX:

For better traction, the Q7’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the MDX (285/45R20 vs. 275/40R21).

The Q7 Prestige’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the MDX Type S’ 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q7 Prestige offers optional 22-inch wheels. The MDX’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q7’s wheelbase is 4.1 inches longer than on the MDX (117.9 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Q7 Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the MDX SH-AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q7 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the MDX SH-AWD (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Q7 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the MDX (8.3 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Q7 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q7 w/Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is .3 inch higher than on the MDX Type S (9.7 vs. 9.4 inches).

The Q7 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom, .7 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom and .1 inches more third row legroom than the MDX.

Pressing a button automatically lowers or raises the Q7’s third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The MDX doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Q7’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (4400 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura MDX SH-AWD is only 5000 pounds. The Q7 offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Q7 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 power windows standard on both the Q7 and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Q7 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 Q7’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.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the MDX’s LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The MDX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The MDX doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Q7’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 Q7 55 TFSI Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus 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.

The Q7 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q7 will retain 47.36% to 48.47% of its original price after five years, while the MDX only retains 45.63% to 46.51%.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi Q7 and the Acura MDX, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Q7 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Five/10Best Trucks” for 3 of the last 6 years. The MDX has never been a Car and Driver “Top Five/10Best Truck” pick.