2024 Acura MDX vs. 2024 BMW X7 Comparison

Sometimes you just need more. More power. More comfort. More technology. Just … more. That’s when it’s time to peruse the luxury side of the new vehicle market, where there is a whole lot of “more,” especially when it comes to larger SUVs.

Two options for more are the 2024 Acura MDX and 2024 BMX X7. These 3-row luxury SUVs boast room for seven people, but they’re different from one another.

2024 Acura MDX

The Acura MDX received a thorough redesign for 2022, resulting in a contemporary, sculpted aesthetic that makes it look smaller than it actually is. The MDX offers an impressive mix of soft-touch materials, leading-edge technology, and plenty of space. It offers seating for six or seven thanks to its standard multi-function second-row with a removable middle seat. Pop out the middle section, and you instantly transform the middle row from a bench to captain’s chairs.

Additionally, it comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 that puts out 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque. It’s connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission and features front-wheel drive (FWD) for the base model, or optionally Acura’s highly regarded Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). If you move up to the A-Spec, SH-AWD is standard. The performance-oriented Type S — and its $69,800 price tag — brings a 355-hp V6 with SH-AWD.

The comfort and convenience tech on the base level model is impressive, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as wireless smartphone charging, Wi-Fi, and Amazon Alexa capability. Pricing starts at $51,500, including destination charges.

Acura MDX Highlights

Useful technology: The interior tech makes the cabin a nice place to be on every MDX, but additional standard features like a powered tailgate help separate it from the mainstream class.

AcuraLink: Free for three years, AcuraLink brings features such as maintenance scheduling, automatic collision notification, stolen vehicle location, and remote lock/unlock — to name just a few.

Safety : This current generation of Acura MDX has earned the highest accolade of Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as well as a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). (The BMW X7 has yet to be rated.)

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the MDX models for sale near you.

2024 BMW X7

When you want it all in your luxury SUV, the 2024 BMW X7 is ready to answer the call. The exterior styling is typical BMW, which is to say, squarish with creases in just the right places. The design is a pitch-perfect balance of traditional BMW styling and a thoroughly modern luxury SUV.

Featuring a cavernous interior, seating for seven is doable, but buyers are more likely to opt for captain’s chairs in the second row, which cuts the occupancy to six. But those six folks will be comfortable, surrounded by a mix of leather and wood trim and a world of entertainment and comfort technologies at their fingertips.

Getting them from place to place shouldn’t be a problem as the standard engine for the X7 xDrive40i is a 375-horsepwer turbocharged 6-cylinder, but upgrades are available if that’s not enough power. Pricing for the X7 starts at $82,895, including destination fee.

BMW X7 Highlights

Big power: The “small” engine is a 375-hp 3.0-liter turbo 6-cylinder, but moving up to the M60i boosts the power to 523 hp thanks to a 4.4-liter turbocharged V8. Spend a “little” more for the Alpina XB7 variant, and you get a 631-hp twin-turbo version of the same 4.4-liter that will get you and your passengers from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds. That’s even better performance than the Acura MDX Type S.

iDrive: BMW’s infotainment system is both feature-packed and user-friendly. It’s controlled by a touchscreen, voice commands, or even hand gestures. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto is standard, along with Wi-Fi and wireless phone charging.

Premium Package: For $1,850, the X7 gets a slew of convenience tech, including soft-closing doors, power shades for the rear windows, gesture control, and a Harman Kardon audio upgrade. For an extra $3,400, there’s the superb 20-speaker/1,500-watt Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the X7 models for sale near you.

Similarities

The Acura MDX and BMW X7 provide excellent exterior styling, loads of safety and convenience technologies, and room for up to seven people. 

Conclusion

This is not a comparison of “like” vehicles. The X7 might just be what you buy after you’ve driven the MDX for a few years and decide you need an upgrade. To be clear, the MDX is a great vehicle, and at a $30,000-plus cost savings over the X7, it represents a tremendous value in the segment. The BMW X7, meanwhile, leans far more heavily on opulence. Honestly, there are Swarovski crystals in the X7’s headlights. The added touches like those make buyers feel better about spending as much as $150,000 on a fully decked out X7 Alpina XB7. All of this is to say that the Acura MDX is the value choice, and the fancier BMW X7 is the premium option.