Compare the2025 Jeep WagoneerVS 2025 Acura MDX

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

Safety

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The Wagoneer has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The MDX doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

With its standard Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus, the Jeep Wagoneer is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Acura MDX, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Wagoneer	MDX
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	-17 MPH
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
37 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	No Slowing
Warning Issued-Low beams	1.5 sec	No Warning

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

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Wagoneer Grand helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The MDX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Wagoneer 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 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, available all wheel drive, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The Jeep Wagoneer weighs 1049 to 2163 pounds more than the Acura MDX. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

	Wagoneer	MDX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	125	244
Neck Stress	195 lbs.	304 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	277/329 lbs.	463/521 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	219	288
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.7 inches
Neck Stress	114 lbs.	122 lbs.
Neck Compression	62 lbs.	75 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	357/300 lbs.	392/458 lbs.

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

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 Jeep Wagoneer is safer than the Acura MDX:

	Wagoneer	MDX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	20	107
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.6 inches
Hip Force	203 lbs.	226 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	142
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	41 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	238	549

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

Warranty

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Wagoneer for 4 years and unlimited miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the MDX (5/unlimited vs. 1/12000).

There are almost 9 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Wagoneer’s warranty.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Wagoneer’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 Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 26 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Acura.

Engine

The Wagoneer’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder produces 130 more horsepower (420 vs. 290) and 201 lbs.-ft. more torque (468 vs. 267) than the MDX’s standard 3.5 SOHC V6. The Wagoneer’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (420 vs. 355) and 114 lbs.-ft. more torque (468 vs. 354) than the MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6. The Grand Wagoneer’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder produces 185 more horsepower (540 vs. 355) and 167 lbs.-ft. more torque (521 vs. 354) than the MDX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Wagoneer 3.0 is faster than the Acura MDX:

	Wagoneer	MDX V6	MDX Type S
Zero to 60 MPH	5.4 sec	7.5 sec	6.2 sec
Quarter Mile	14.2 sec	15.8 sec	14.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.7 MPH	88.6 MPH	96.2 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Wagoneer 4x4 with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the MDX Type S 3.0 turbo V6 (16 city/23 hwy vs. 17 city/21 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Wagoneer 5.7 Hemi’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The MDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Wagoneer has 8 gallons more fuel capacity than the MDX (26.5 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Wagoneer higher (6 out of 10) than the Acura MDX (4). This means the Wagoneer produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the MDX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Wagoneer’s brake rotors are larger than those on the MDX:

	Wagoneer	MDX	MDX Type S
Front Rotors	14.9 inches	13.8 inches	14.3 inches
Rear Rotors	14.8 inches	13 inches	13 inches

The Wagoneer’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.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Wagoneer has larger standard tires than the MDX (275/55R20 vs. 255/55R19). The Wagoneer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the MDX (285/45R22 vs. 275/40R21).

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

The Jeep Wagoneer’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.

The Wagoneer has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the MDX; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Wagoneer’s wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the MDX (123 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

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

For greater off-road capability the Wagoneer has a greater minimum ground clearance than the MDX (8.3 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the Wagoneer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Wagoneer Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is .6 inch higher than on the MDX Type S (10 vs. 9.4 inches).

Chassis

The front grille of the Wagoneer 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 Wagoneer offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the MDX can only carry 7.

The Wagoneer has 40.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the MDX (179.2 vs. 139.1).

The Wagoneer has 2.8 inches more front headroom, 4.1 inches more front hip room, 4.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 4.2 inches more rear legroom, 5.2 inches more rear hip room, 4.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 2.8 inches more third row headroom, 7.5 inches more third row legroom, 11 inches more third row hip room and 9.2 inches more third row shoulder room than the MDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Wagoneer’s middle and third row seats recline. The MDX’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

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

	Wagoneer	MDX
Behind Third Seat	27.4 cubic feet	18.1 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	70.8 cubic feet	48.4 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	116.7 cubic feet	95 cubic feet

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Wagoneer’s optional 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.

Payload and Towing

The Wagoneer’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the MDX’s (6120 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura MDX SH-AWD is only 5000 pounds. The Wagoneer offers up to a 10,000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Wagoneer 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Wagoneer can be unhitched and driven around locally. The MDX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Wagoneer has a much higher standard payload capacity than the MDX (1510 vs. 1173 lbs.).

The Wagoneer has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the MDX (1550 vs. 1173 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Wagoneer 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 Wagoneer’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 Wagoneer and the MDX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Wagoneer 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.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Wagoneer has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The MDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Wagoneer has standard front air conditioned seats and the Wagoneer Grand Series III also has them 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 Wagoneer 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 Wagoneer’s optional ParkSense Automated Parking can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The MDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Wagoneer first among large suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The MDX isn’t in the top three.

The Jeep Wagoneer outsold the Acura MDX by 14% during 2024.

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