Compare the2024 Lexus NXVS 2023 GMC Acadia

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The GMC Acadia doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The Lexus NX 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 Acadia doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The NX offers optional Intuitive Parking Assist with Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Acadia doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the NX and Acadia have rear cross-traffic warning, but the NX offers optional Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Acadia’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The NX’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 Acadia doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the NX and the Acadia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 Lexus NX achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Acadia is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The NX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Acadia’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the NX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than GMC covers the Acadia. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Acadia ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The NX’s 6 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Acadia runs out after 100,000 miles.

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 Lexus NX Hybrid’s reliability 29 points higher than the Acadia.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, GMC is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus first in overall reliability. GMC is ranked 24th.

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Acadia:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Acadia:

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Acadia can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The NX has a standard locking fuel door and a locking charge port on the 450h with a power remote release convenient to the driver and which locks and unlocks with the power locks, respectively. The Acadia doesn’t offer a locking fuel filler door. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank and a locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The NX offers an available continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Acadia doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the NX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Acadia:

The NX stops shorter than the Acadia:

The NX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Acadia SLE/SLT’s standard 65 series tires. The NX’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Acadia’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the NX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Acadia AT4.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Acadia doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For better maneuverability, the NX’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the Acadia’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the NX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Acadia (7.7 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the NX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Lexus NX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 50 to 500 pounds less than the GMC Acadia.

The NX is 9.9 inches shorter than the Acadia, making the NX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The NX has a much larger cargo volume than the Acadia with its rear seat up (22.7 vs. 12.8 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the NX easier. The NX’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 30.8 inches, while the Acadia’s liftover is 32 inches.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the NX. The Acadia doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than GMC. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 44% lower rating, GMC is ranked 15th.

The NX’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 Acadia does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The NX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Acadia’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

On a hot day the NX’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Acadia can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The NX’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Acadia’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 NX’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Acadia’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

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

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

The NX 350h/450h+’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Acadia doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The NX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the NX will retain 57.75% to 60.19% of its original price after five years, while the Acadia only retains 52.27% to 54.69%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Lexus NX will be $88 to $2067 less than for the GMC Acadia.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Lexus NX and the GMC Acadia, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Lexus NX outsold the GMC Acadia by 12% during 2023.