Acura MDX vs RDX: Which One Fits

The RDX's engine makes more torque than the MDX's 3.5-liter V6, and the RDX tows 1,500 pounds against the all-wheel-drive MDX's 5,000.

That pair of facts undoes the instinct most people bring to this comparison, which is that the stronger-pulling engine must be the better tow vehicle. It is not, and understanding why makes the rest of this straightforward.

Below are the 2026 MDX and RDX side by side on the things that actually decide it: how many rows of seats you need, what you tow, what you have to park, and how much fuel you burn getting there.

The Short Answer

Choose the MDX if you need three rows of seats, or you tow more than 1,500 pounds loaded. The RDX has no third row at all, and 1,500 pounds is its ceiling. For the full 5,000 pounds you need an MDX with all-wheel drive.

Choose the RDX if two rows are enough. It is shorter, narrower, lighter and easier to park, it uses less fuel, and every single one comes with all-wheel drive as standard, which the MDX does not.

If neither of those settles it, the sections below are the tie-breakers.

The Numbers

	MDX	RDX
Rows of seats	Three	Two
Engine	3.5-liter V6	2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder
Horsepower	290	272
Torque, a measure of engine effort at low speeds	267 pound-feet	280 pound-feet
Transmission	10-speed automatic	10-speed automatic
Which wheels are driven	Front-wheel drive is offered on two versions only, the base MDX and the MDX with Technology Package. Both of those can also be had with all-wheel drive, and every version above them is all-wheel drive only	All-wheel drive on every version
Maximum towing	5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive, 3,500 with front-wheel drive	1,500 pounds
Length	198.4 inches	187.4 inches
Width	78.7 inches	74.8 inches
Height	67.9 inches	65.7 inches
Wheelbase	113.8 inches	108.3 inches
Ground clearance	7.3 inches	8.2 inches
Curb weight, all-wheel drive	4,510 pounds	4,014 pounds
Cargo behind the last row of seats in use	16.3 cubic feet, behind the third row	29.5 cubic feet, behind the second row
Cargo with the third row folded and the second row up	39.1 cubic feet	Not applicable, the RDX has no third row
Cargo with every rear seat folded	71.4 cubic feet	58.9 cubic feet
Fuel economy, all-wheel drive, miles per gallon	19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined	21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined

There is also an MDX Type S, which swaps the 3.5-liter V6 for a smaller 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 making 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet. It tows the same 5,000 pounds, and is rated at 17 city / 21 highway / 19 combined miles per gallon. It is the same size and shape as any other MDX, so the dimensions, cargo volumes and towing figures in the table above all apply to it. Its horsepower, torque and fuel figures are the ones given here instead.

Three lines in that table run against expectation, and they are worth taking one at a time: the torque figures, the cargo figures, and the ground clearance.

Why Torque Does Not Decide Towing

The RDX's turbocharged four makes 280 pound-feet of torque. The MDX's 3.5-liter V6 makes 267. So on that one figure, the smaller engine looks like the stronger puller.

Then look at the tow ratings: an all-wheel-drive MDX is rated at 5,000 pounds against the RDX's 1,500, more than three times as much, with less torque to do it. Even a front-wheel-drive MDX, at 3,500 pounds, is rated well over twice the RDX.

The reason is that a tow rating is not a measure of engine strength. It is a limit set by the whole vehicle working together: the brakes that have to stop the load, the cooling that has to survive a hill in August, how the weight sits on the structure, and how steady the car stays with a heavy trailer moving around behind it. The MDX is longer, wider, heavier and rides on a wheelbase five and a half inches greater, and every one of those helps it manage a trailer. Engine output is one input among several, and not the deciding one.

This is worth carrying into any comparison, not just this one. A number on a specification sheet only matters if it is the number that governs what you are trying to do.

The Third Row Question

The MDX has three rows of seats and the RDX has two. If you genuinely need the third row, the comparison is over, because nothing else about the RDX puts a third row into it.

The honest part is what that third row costs you when it is up. With every seat in use, luggage space behind the last row is 16.3 cubic feet in the MDX against 29.5 in the RDX, so the smaller car carries almost twice as much. Fold the MDX's third row down and it goes to 39.1 cubic feet, comfortably ahead of the RDX with its own seats up. Fold every rear seat in both cars and the MDX leads again, 71.4 against 58.9.

So the MDX is the more spacious car overall, and the more cramped one on the specific trip where every seat is occupied. That is the trade-off worth thinking about honestly. A third row used twice a year may not be worth the longer car to park for the rest of it.

The fastest way to settle it is to sit in both, with the MDX's third row up, and put your usual luggage behind it.

Parking and Everyday Size

The MDX is 11 inches longer and nearly 4 inches wider than the RDX. That sounds modest written down, and it is very obvious in a tight parking structure, in an older garage built for smaller cars, or on a narrow street.

The RDX also has more ground clearance, 8.2 inches against 7.3, which is the opposite of what most people expect from the smaller car. On a badly drifted driveway in February that difference is real.

And the RDX comes with all-wheel drive on every version, so there is nothing to decide. On the MDX there is: the two least expensive versions are sold both ways, so all-wheel drive is a choice you make and pay for rather than something that simply arrives. In Central Indiana, where the roads are salted from around mid-November to the end of March, it is worth deciding deliberately rather than by accident.

Fuel

The RDX is rated at 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined with all-wheel drive. The MDX is rated at 19 / 25 / 21.

Two miles per gallon across all three figures sounds small, but over years of commuting it adds up. The MDX Type S uses the most of any of them at 17 / 21 / 19, which is what its 355 horsepower costs against the standard MDX's 290.

All of them are built to run on premium gasoline, the higher-octane grade, which costs more per gallon than regular.

Where the MDX Wins

Three rows of seats: the RDX has no third row at all, so this is the reason the MDX exists in this comparison.
Towing: 5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive, or 3,500 with front-wheel drive, against the RDX's 1,500 on every version.
Total cargo room: with the rear seats folded it holds 71.4 cubic feet against the RDX's 58.9.
Maximum power: the Type S version makes 355 horsepower against the RDX's 272, and there is no high-performance RDX.

Where the RDX Wins

All-wheel drive on every version: nothing to choose and nothing to pay extra for. On the MDX, the two least expensive versions are sold in either drivetrain, so it is a decision and a cost.
Luggage room with every seat occupied: 29.5 cubic feet behind its second row against 16.3 behind the MDX's third. On a full car, the smaller one carries nearly twice as much.
Everyday size: 11 inches shorter and nearly 4 inches narrower, which is what you notice in a tight space or an older garage.
Ground clearance: 8.2 inches against 7.3, so the smaller car actually sits higher off the ground, which helps over an unplowed driveway.
Fuel: 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined against 19 / 25 / 21.

Which One Fits

If this is you	The answer
You need three rows of seats	MDX. Nothing else in the comparison matters
You tow more than 1,500 and up to 3,500 pounds loaded	An MDX, in either drivetrain. This is past what the RDX is rated for
You tow more than 3,500 and up to 5,000 pounds loaded	MDX with all-wheel drive, the only one rated that high
You tow up to 1,500 pounds loaded, trailer and contents together	Either car. Weigh the trailer loaded before you decide
Two rows are plenty, and you park in tight places daily	RDX
Cost is the deciding factor	The RDX starts below the MDX, and a front-wheel-drive base MDX is the least expensive way into an MDX. Ask us for current figures on both
You want all-wheel drive without having to choose or pay for it	RDX, where it is standard on every version
You regularly fill every seat AND carry luggage	RDX, if two rows are enough. With all seats up it holds 29.5 cubic feet against the MDX's 16.3
You want the most power of the two models	MDX Type S, at 355 horsepower

Two honest notes. Above 5,000 pounds loaded you are outside what either Acura is built for, and what you want is a pickup or a large SUV built on a truck chassis. And whichever you choose, towing anything at all needs a hitch and trailer wiring installed first, which is work to be done on the car rather than a box to tick when you order it.

You can see both on the new Acura SUVs page, and the MDX and RDX each keep listings of their own. Current offers are on our specials page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between the Acura MDX and RDX?

Rows of seats, and towing. The MDX has three rows and tows up to 5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive. The RDX has two rows and tows 1,500 on every version. The MDX is also the larger and more expensive of the two, and uses more fuel.

Which is bigger, the MDX or the RDX?

The MDX, by 11 inches in length and nearly 4 inches in width: 198.4 inches long against 187.4. Comparing all-wheel-drive versions it also weighs about 500 pounds more, 4,510 pounds against 4,014. The RDX is the easier of the two to park and to thread down a narrow street.

The RDX has more torque. Does that mean it pulls better?

No, and this is the misunderstanding worth clearing up first. The RDX makes 280 pound-feet against the MDX's 3.5-liter V6 and its 267, yet an all-wheel-drive MDX tows 5,000 pounds to the RDX's 1,500. A tow rating is set by the whole vehicle, its brakes, cooling, weight and stability with a trailer behind it, not by engine output alone.

Does the RDX have a third row?

No. The RDX has two rows of seats. If you need a third row, the MDX is the only one of the two that has one.

Which one holds more luggage?

It depends how many seats you are using. With every seat occupied, the RDX holds more behind its second row than the MDX holds behind its third, 29.5 cubic feet against 16.3. Fold the MDX's third row down and it moves ahead at 39.1. Fold every rear seat in both and the MDX leads clearly, 71.4 against 58.9. So on luggage, the RDX comes out ahead only when every seat is occupied.

Do both come with all-wheel drive?

Every RDX does, on every version. The MDX is sold both ways: the base MDX and the MDX with Technology Package come in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and every version above those two is all-wheel drive only. So on an MDX it is something to check on the specific car rather than assume.

Which is better on fuel?

The RDX, at 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined miles per gallon against the all-wheel-drive MDX's 19 / 25 / 21. The MDX Type S uses the most at 17 / 21 / 19. All of them are built for premium gasoline.

How much can each one tow?

The MDX is rated at 5,000 pounds with all-wheel drive and 3,500 with front-wheel drive. The RDX is rated at 1,500 pounds on every version. Each figure means the trailer weighed with its load aboard, not its empty weight, and a hitch and trailer wiring have to be installed before you tow at all.

What does the MDX Type S add over a standard MDX?

Power, and not capability. It makes 355 horsepower against 290, and tows exactly the same 5,000 pounds. It is the same size inside and out, so it carries no more. It uses noticeably more fuel, at 17 / 21 / 19 against 19 / 25 / 21. Whether the extra power is worth the difference in price is a question to put to us on the specific cars, because it buys a faster MDX rather than a more useful one.

How do I decide between them?

Start with the two things that cannot be compromised: how many rows of seats you need, and what you tow. Those alone settle most of these conversations. If both cars clear that bar, the decision comes down to size, fuel and price, and the fastest way through it is to sit in both on the same afternoon.

Ed Martin Acura