Compare the2025 Lincoln AviatorVS 2025 Acura MDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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Both the Aviator and MDX have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Aviator 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 Aviator has standard Post Collision 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.

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

Both the Aviator and MDX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Aviator has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (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 Aviator 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 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, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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

	Aviator	MDX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	125	244
Neck Injury Risk	26.3%	29%
Neck Stress	167 lbs.	304 lbs.
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	59 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/210 lbs.	463/521 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29.2%	30%
Leg Forces (l/r)	380/405 lbs.	392/458 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Aviator is safer than the MDX:

	Aviator	MDX
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	POOR

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 Lincoln Aviator is safer than the Acura MDX:

	Aviator	MDX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	65	107
Hip Force	224 lbs.	226 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	86	142
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	288	549
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	40 G’s

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

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Lincoln dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Aviator’s warranty.

Reliability

The Lincoln Aviator’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the MDX’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Aviator has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The MDX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

Engine

The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 110 more horsepower (400 vs. 290) and 148 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 267) than the MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6. The Aviator’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 45 more horsepower (400 vs. 355) and 61 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 354) than the MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lincoln Aviator is faster than the Acura MDX:

	Aviator	MDX V6	MDX Type S
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	7.5 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	14.1 sec	15.8 sec	14.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.7 MPH	88.6 MPH	96.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Aviator AWD gets better fuel mileage than the MDX Type S 3.0 turbo V6 (17 city/25 hwy vs. 17 city/21 hwy).

The Aviator has 1.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX (20.2 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

The Aviator’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 Aviator stops shorter than the MDX:

	Aviator	MDX
60 to 0 MPH	124 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Aviator has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the MDX. The Aviator’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels on the MDX Type S.

Suspension and Handling

The Aviator’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The MDX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Aviator’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the MDX (119.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

The Aviator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (51% to 49%) than the MDX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Aviator more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Aviator’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the MDX’s (39.2 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

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

Chassis

The front grille of the Aviator 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.

Passenger Space

The Aviator has 3 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, .5 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room, 1 inch more rear shoulder room, .7 inches more third row headroom, .1 inches more third row legroom and .3 inches more third row hip room than the MDX.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Aviator	MDX
Behind Third Seat	18.3 cubic feet	18.1 cubic feet

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

Towing

The Aviator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Aviator 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.

Ergonomics

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

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Aviator’s exterior PIN entry system. The MDX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Aviator’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 Aviator has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The MDX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The Aviator also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The Aviator has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The MDX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Aviator 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 is only available on the MDX Advance.

The Aviator (except Premiere)’s optional Active Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.