Compare the2025 GMC AcadiaVS 2025 Acura MDX

The Acadia has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The MDX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Acadia AT4’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The MDX doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Acadia and MDX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Acadia 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 Acadia and the MDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, 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, front parking sensors and driver alert monitors.

The Acadia’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the MDX’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 6 times as many GMC dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Acadia’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Acadia’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’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Acura.

The Acadia’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 38 more horsepower (328 vs. 290) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (326 vs. 267) than the MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Acadia uses regular unleaded gasoline. The MDX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Acadia FWD’s standard fuel tank has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the MDX (19.4 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Acadia AWD’s standard fuel tank has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX (21.7 vs. 18.5 gallons).

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

The GMC Acadia’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Acura MDX only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Acadia’s wheelbase is 7.1 inches longer than on the MDX (120.9 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Acadia Elevation’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the MDX’s (38.8 feet vs. 40.5 feet). The Acadia Denali Reserve’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the MDX’s (40.1 feet vs. 40.5 feet).

The front grille of the Acadia 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.

The Acadia offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the MDX can only carry 7.

The Acadia has 4.1 inches more front headroom, 2.7 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 3 inches more rear legroom, .6 inches more rear hip room, 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 2 inches more third row headroom, 3 inches more third row legroom, 8 inches more third row hip room and 2.7 inches more third row shoulder room than the MDX.

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

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

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

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

The power windows standard on both the Acadia and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Acadia 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 Acadia 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 Acadia’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The GMC Acadia outsold the Acura MDX by 15% during 2023.