Compare the2023 Acura MDXVS 2023 Audi Q7

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Q7 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 Q7 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 Q7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the MDX and the Q7 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Acura MDX is safer than the Audi Q7:

	MDX	Q7
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	30%	44%

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Acura MDX is safer than the Q7:

	MDX	Q7
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Head injury index	154	225
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Max Chest Compression	25 cm	30 cm
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	4%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Tibia index R/L	.28/.55	.57/.7

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura MDX is safer than the Audi Q7:

	MDX	Q7
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	107	187
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	105 lbs.	128 lbs.
Hip Force	226 lbs.	350 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	142	337
Spine Acceleration	41 G’s	62 G’s
Hip Force	168 lbs.	888 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	424 lbs.	557 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Q7 last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” in 2017.

Warranty

Acura’s powertrain warranty covers the MDX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q7. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Q7 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. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q7.

Reliability

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 Audi vehicles. With 47 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Acura higher than Audi.

Engine

The MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 29 more horsepower (290 vs. 261) than the Q7 45 TFSI’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 20 more horsepower (355 vs. 335) than the Q7 55 TFSI’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
MDX
	FWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.5 SOHC V6	19 city/25 hwy
Q7
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	18 city/22 hwy

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the MDX’s fuel efficiency. The Q7 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 Q7 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 Q7 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 an eight-speed automatic is available for the Q7.

Brakes and Stopping

The MDX stops shorter than the Q7:

	MDX	Q7
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	141 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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 Q7 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The MDX SH-AWD has a standard space-saver spare (not available on FWD/Type S) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q7; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the Q7 don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

Suspension and Handling

The MDX Type S has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The MDX’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Q7 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the MDX is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Q7.

The MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Q7 Prestige pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 500 pounds less than the Audi Q7.

The MDX uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q7 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The MDX has 2.4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room, .3 inches more third row headroom and 5.8 inches more third row shoulder room than the Q7.

Cargo Capacity

The MDX’s cargo area provides more volume than the Q7.

	MDX	Q7
Behind Third Seat	18.1 cubic feet	14.8 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	48.4 cubic feet	37.5 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	95 cubic feet	69.6 cubic feet

Towing

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the MDX uses the Vehicle Stability Assist sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q7 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 6% lower rating, Audi is ranked 8th.

Ergonomics

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the MDX has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q7 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the MDX’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Q7’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The MDX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Q7’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

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. Wireless charging costs extra on the Q7.

The MDX offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Model Availability

The MDX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the MDX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the MDX will cost $3115 to $5200 less than the Q7 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 $11786 to $14035 less than for the Audi Q7.

Recommendations

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

The Acura MDX outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by over two to one during 2022.