**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.
2025 Acura MDX vs. Competitors
2025 Acura MDX vs. Competitors
Acura helped establish the luxury three-row crossover segment with the launch of the MDX for the 2001 model year. Today, this category is without question among the most competitive in the auto industry. Yet despite the rise of many rivals, the venerable MDX continues to hold its own. We took a close look to see how the 2025 Acura MDX stands up against the Cadillac XT6, Audi Q7, and Infiniti QX60 from the same model year. Unless we specify otherwise, all comparisons involve the least expensive trim with all-wheel drive.
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Power
It’s no secret that three-row crossovers are larger vehicles, requiring ample power for confident passing on the highway and satisfying driving in general. Yet, many automakers have shifted to turbocharged four-cylinder engines to lower their production costs. Acura has bucked this trend as the only automaker in this comparison to offer standard V6 power.
The MDX’s 3.5-liter V6, which makes 290 horsepower, tops the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines of the rivals listed here, which produce 235 to 268 horsepower. The XT6 and Q7 are available with six cylinders under the hood, but only after adding thousands to the window sticker. Despite the MDX’s greater engine output, its fuel economy only trails the XT6, Q7, and QX60 by one to two miles per gallon in most rating categories. The MDX makes strides in fuel economy thanks to an advanced ten-speed automatic transmission, while the others use eight- or nine-speed units.
Pricing and Depreciation
When it comes to MSRP, the Audi Q7 is priced the highest with an MSRP of $60,500. Meanwhile, the MDX ($53,400), XT6 ($52,590), and QX60 ($52,200) are more closely matched. While focusing on cost is natural for most buyers, not as many think about the effects of depreciation on their purchases. Here, the MDX is a champion. CarEdge estimates that the MDX has a five-year depreciation rate of 46%, which is a better-than-average valuation. In contrast, the Q7 is forecasted to take a 56% hit, while the QX60 is expected to lose 52% of its original value. CarEdge hasn’t calculated how depreciation will impact the XT6, but on average, Cadillacs drop in value by about 52% over five years.
Ratings
A recent analysis by the auto review website Edmunds gives the MDX and Q7 matching overall rankings of 8.1 out of 10, while Cadillac and Infiniti have scores of 7.3 and 7.4, respectively. Regarding reliability, Consumer Reports (CR) rates Acura as a top-five brand. Audi has a seventh-place ranking against a 21st-place (out of 22 brands) finish for Cadillac. CR didn’t have sufficient information to report on Infiniti's reliability.
Cost of Ownership
Edmunds’ deep dive into ownership costs exposes a striking difference between the 2025 MDX and these three challengers. Based on five years and 15,000 miles per year of use, the MDX is less expensive to drive. Its five-year ownership costs add up to $64,976, or $0.87 per mile. The closest competitor is the Infiniti QX60, at $66,316, or $0.87 per mile. Driving the XT6 costs $67,574, or $0.90 per mile, while the Q7 involves a financial impact of $79,016 or $1.05 per mile. Among the many areas that Edmunds assesses, all of the critical categories – maintenance, repair, insurance, and depreciation level – clearly show in the MDX's favor.
Cabin Space
All four vehicles are similar in exterior size. As a result, their interior measurements, such as legroom, don't vary significantly among these four premium crossovers. However, the MDX has a few notable advantages in interior space that can make a difference when the back rows are in use. To start, the MDX's 18.1 cubic feet of rear cargo space tops the range of 12.6 to 14.5 cubic feet offered by its rivals. At the same time, the MDX boasts leading first- and second-row shoulder room, which will be noticed when it’s filled with passengers. The MDX's 55.2 inches of third-row shoulder room is another positive. It’s only topped by the QX60 with 55.6 inches in this area.