2025 Acura
ADX
vs. Competitors

The entry-level luxury crossover segment has become increasingly competitive as premium marques seek to attract more buyers with more accessible pricing. Joining this fray in 2025 is the Acura ADX, the starting point into the company’s crossover lineup. Let’s compare the Acura ADX against the established German rivals: the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class. Unless mentioned otherwise, this matchup explores each nameplate’s lowest-priced all-wheel-drive trim from the 2025 model year.

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Pricing

Cost-conscious buyers will find the ADX’s strong value proposition appealing, thanks to its $37,000 starting price. Its closest rival in pricing is the Q3, at $39,800: an almost $3,000 difference. The competitors’ window stickers only go up: the BMW X1 costs $41,800, while the Mercedes-Benz GLA sells for $45,000. Note that the MSRP gap between the ADX and the GLA is an eye-opening $8,000.

Warranty

A bumper-to-bumper warranty of four years or 50,000 miles is standard fare for most luxury vehicles, including these four subcompact crossovers. Acura goes one step further, though, by extending the ADX’s powertrain protection to six years or 70,000 miles. This upgrade can be a strong differentiator for a buyer who’s likely to keep their car beyond a few years.

Power

Acura takes a different powerplant approach than its rivals do. The turbocharged 2.0‑liter four‑cylinder engines in the Audi, BMW, and Mercedes produce between 221 and 241 horsepower. In contrast, the ADX uses a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine that makes 190 horsepower. This smaller displacement helps with fuel economy and weight reduction.

Fuel Economy

The ADX provides competitive fuel efficiency with EPA-estimated ratings of 25 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway, positioning it well against its German rivals. While the BMW X1 leads slightly with a rating of 24 city/33 highway, the ADX outperforms the Audi Q3's 20 city/28 highway ratings. The GLA delivers an estimated 25 mpg around town and 33 on the open road.

Interior Space

The ADX makes the most of its compact dimensions. It offers competitive cargo space at 24.4 cubic feet behind the second row, trailing only the BMW X1's 25.7 cubic feet while exceeding the Audi Q3's 23.7 cubic feet and substantially surpassing the Mercedes GLA's modest 15.4 cubic feet. With the rear seats folded, the ADX's cargo capacity expands to 55.1 cubic feet, just behind the 57.2 cubic feet in the X1. The GLA and Q3 trail with 50.5 and 48.0 cubic feet, respectively.

For passenger comfort, the ADX provides 41.9 inches of front legroom, beating the GLA (41.0 inches), X1 (40.4 inches), and Q3 (40.0 inches). In addition, the ADX's 37.7 inches of rear legroom surpasses that of the X1 (37.0 inches) and the Q3 (36.1 inches). The GLA has slightly more rear legroom, with 38.0 inches.

Standard Features

The ADX comes well equipped with comprehensive standard features that usually can only be acquired through expensive optional packages on competitor vehicles. Standard adaptive cruise control gives the ADX an edge over the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA, which both only have the feature as an option. The ADX, Q3, and X1 also include standard heated seats, an amenity that Mercedes charges more for. Furthermore, the ADX and Q3 both get a standard power moonroof, which is optional on the X1 and GLA.

Consumer Reviews

Although it’s a debuting model for 2025, the ADX is already earning high consumer scores on Edmunds.com. Owners give this newest Acura a perfect 5 out of 5 rating, which tops the Mercedes GLA (4.3), Audi Q3 (4.1), and BMW X1 (3.7).

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**Based on current year EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid models only) and other factors.