Compare the2023 Acura MDXVS 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
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 Chevrolet Tahoe doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

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 Tahoe doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Tahoe’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. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Tahoe.

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 Tahoe doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

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

Both the MDX and the Tahoe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, rearview cameras, 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 Chevrolet Tahoe:

	MDX	Tahoe
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	30%	47%
Neck Stress	122 lbs.	272 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	392/458 lbs.	333/811 lbs.

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

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 Chevrolet Tahoe:

	MDX	Tahoe
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	105 lbs.	111 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	168 lbs.	248 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
Hip Force	424 lbs.	764 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the MDX, with its four-star roll-over rating, is 6.1% to 6.8% less likely to roll over than the Tahoe, which received a three-star rating.

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

The MDX’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Tahoe’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 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. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Tahoe.

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the MDX have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of some of the engines in the Tahoe.

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 32 points higher than the Tahoe.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Acura 12 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Acura MDX V6 is faster than the Chevrolet Tahoe 5.3 V8:

	MDX	Tahoe
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	7.5 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	17.6 sec	20.5 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.6 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	89 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			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
Tahoe
	RWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/20 hwy
	AWD	5.3 OHV V8	15 city/20 hwy
		6.2 OHV V8	14 city/18 hwy

Brakes and Stopping

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

	MDX	MDX Type S	Tahoe
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	14.3 inches	13.5 inches

The MDX stops much shorter than the Tahoe:

	MDX	Tahoe
70 to 0 MPH	170 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	139 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	139 feet	153 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 Tahoe’s standard 65 series tires. The MDX Type S’ tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Tahoe’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MDX has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Tahoe.

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 Tahoe doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

Suspension and Handling

The MDX Type S handles at .87 G’s, while the Tahoe Z71 4x4 pulls only .63 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The MDX SH-AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.2 seconds quicker than the Tahoe LT 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 29.4 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

Chassis

The Acura MDX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1100 to 1200 pounds less than the Chevrolet Tahoe.

The MDX is 1 foot shorter than the Tahoe, making the MDX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The MDX is 8.7 inches shorter in height than the Tahoe, 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 Tahoe 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 Tahoe doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Acura service is better than Chevrolet. J.D. Power ranks Acura 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 19% lower rating, Chevrolet is ranked 16th.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Tahoe LT/RST/Z71/Premier/High Country, 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’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Tahoe’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

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 Tahoe can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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 Tahoe doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the MDX to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Tahoe doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 Tahoe.

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. Only the Tahoe LT/RST/Z71/Premier/High Country offers wireless charging.

Economic Advantages

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Acura MDX will be $1403 to $8413 less than for the Chevrolet Tahoe.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Acura MDX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Chevrolet Tahoe isn't recommended.