2026 Honda Pilot Elite AWD vs. Acura MDX Type S: What’s Different, and How to Know Which is For You
They share a platform and a parent company, and they’re both excellent choices for families. But which one to choose depends on what you’re looking for out of a 3-row SUV.
The Honda Pilot is a Swiss Army Knife in vehicle form. Or a Labrador retriever. Either every family has one, or they want one. It has everything a family needs: space, comfortable seating, great visibility, plenty of torque from a tried-and-true V6, user-friendly tech, and even at the top of the line and fully-loaded (like the Elite AWD I reviewed), it is fairly priced at $54,425. What more could you want?
When you’re asking yourself that, the 2026 Acura MDX Type S enters from stage right and says, “Well, a whole lot more.” It offers similar cargo space and family-friendliness to the SUV it shares a platform with (um, the Pilot), but it comes with more. A turbocharged V6. A Sport+ mode that will have you giggling like a piglet. Bright red Brembo brakes. And, of course, a higher price tag of a few hundred bucks shy of $78,000 fully-loaded.
So, which is the better choice? Well, that depends on what’s most important to you and your family. Here’s how I’d break it down.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
Think of These Two as Siblings: Similar, But Very Different—While Sharing and Maintaining the Good Traits
I’ve used this analogy before, I know, but that’s because it’s true. I always look to my little sister. We share the same parents and our birthdays are only 14 months apart, but we’re two very different people, with different styles, different preferences, tastes in music, and more. The same can be said about the Honda Pilot and the Acura MDX. The Honda Pilot is designed to be affordable for those who need it most: families with kids.
It’s designed to maximize the platform to be safe, easy-to-load and unload, comfortable, and easy to see out of. She’s not made for speed, but she’s multi-purpose, and looks amazing while doing it. Next time you’re within a 10-mile radius of an elementary school, pay attention to the driveways. I’d bet every other one would have a Pilot in it.
Then there’s the Acura MDX Type S. It has everything you’d want in a 3-row SUV, plus the influence of performance technology and hardware, with a very sizeable helping of luxury. It’s essentially the Honda Pilot dressed in a nice, elegant cocktail dress. It’s athletic. It’s gorgeous. It’s versatile, and it’s fun. I adore the Pilot, but I wouldn’t describe the driving dynamic as fun, while I absolutely would when it comes to the Acura MDX. She’s the sibling who spends their extra time at the gym and spends her money on only the finest.
That’s why it made it so difficult for me to choose the best of the two. The only way I could do it was to identify their ideal buyers. Then, only then, the division (and similarities) became clear.
The Honda Pilot’s Ideal Buyer is the Typical, Hard-Working Family
Statistically, a lot of us fit the profile of the Honda Pilot’s typical buyer. I spent a good while researching and thinking about this, and I realized: I am the deal Pilot buyer (Pilot for a Pilot, maybe?). Combined, my husband and I aren’t wealthy people. We have two small children who will be going to school soon. We love the outdoors, and would need something with plenty of pulling power to haul all the camping gear, a car if we need to (and we can because the 3.5-liter V6 and 9-speed transmission can tow up to 5,000 pounds), or my rooftop tent. Or, when needed, to haul a few extra family members without any latency issues in power.
Its clever storage spaces (mainly the underfloor storage) make wrangling kids into their car seats so much easier, it helps keep the space orderly and clean, and keeps stress levels low. The removable middle seat doesn’t make you choose between a bench seat—typically on lower-level trims—or captain’s chairs that are usually on higher-level trims. You can have either, no matter what trim you go with. The trunk space is excellent, and every seat has its own USB-C charging port, A/C vent, and window.
The interior is simple, yet elegant. It’s functional, with user-friendly technology that works fast and seamlessly, with an optional (and excellent) Bose sound system. The windows are large, the seating position is high, so you can see the corners of the hood (so it’s easy to park), and if you do have trouble parking, it comes with a 360-degree view that activates automatically. The cupholders are large enough to hold an adult-sized water bottle, with more cupholders in the door to satisfy every beverage goblin’s needs. You will never once find yourself saying, “I wish the Pilot had [blank],” because Honda already thought of it.
And with a price range of $42,195 to $54,425, it’s affordable. And you can choose between a stealthy blacked-out model, an off-road-ready TrailSport model, or the premium, faux-wood accent-having Elite model. I hear Oprah saying, “You get a Pilot, You get a Pilot—Everyone gets a Pilot!” Because there truly is a model for everyone.
As for the Acura MDX Type S, Its Typical Buyer is a Bit More Picky
Remember when I said you’d never say, “I wish the Honda Pilot had [blank]”? I should rephrase that to say, you wouldn’t say that unless you drove an Acura MDX Type S right after the Pilot, as I did. The Acura MDX comes with everything that makes the Pilot so lovable and popular, but with more. Think fancy, adrenaline-spiking red leather. A 31-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. A sleeker, more refined and sporty appearance. Electronically adjustable suspension. Customizable ambient lighting. And, arguably most importantly, a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that makes 355 horsepower compared to the Pilot’s torque-forward 285.
Interior-wise, it’s just as practical as its humble sibling. It also has a removable seat, accommodations for every passenger, plenty of cargo space—even with the third row up, and enough room in the third row for a normal-sized human being. Its sporty nature means visibility is a bit more limited, with smaller windows and a lower seating position, but its luxury name means massaging seats for both front passengers. My mother-in-law was a big fan of pairing that with the seat heater. The technology was just as user-friendly as Honda’s, but with Acura’s more luxurious and elegant user interface, brighter graphics, and fun transitions with the MDX’s silhouette.
And that jump in power isn’t just for show. It has an extra gear in the transmission, too, and more drive modes, so it has more personality. When you put it into Sport+, the entire SUV hunkers down on its haunches. The transmission is tuned to hold onto the lower gear a bit longer to hold onto every bit of horsepower and torque. More exhaust sound is let into the cabin, adding to the ambience. And, she’s fast for an SUV of her size. It’s a dual-personality SUV. So, instead of the Labrador retriever, the Acura MDX is the German Shepherd, or a Doberman Pinscher. It’s snuggly and a great family asset, but when it needs to be, it can be something entirely different.
With a price range of $66,700 to just shy of $78,000 with every optional add-on, this is where the differences are crystal clear. Unlike the Honda Pilot, the Acura MDX isn’t made for everyone. But that’s the point. It’s reserved for those who ask for the expensive bottle of whiskey that sits behind a locked, glass case. They don’t want the Jim Beam—they want the better, higher-quality choice. They recognize that sharing a platform with the Pilot means it’s sturdy, safe, reliable, and practical. But they want just a bit more. They want power, class, and plenty of sass. And they find that in the Acura MDX Type S.
Because They’re Related, They Share the Minuses, Too
The saying, “If it seems like it’s too good to be true, it’s because it usually is,” rings true for both of these SUVs. The Pilot may be more affordable and fit every niche a family could possibly have. And while that V6 is versatile and ready for any job you could throw at it, it is not the most efficient choice. When I had it, I averaged about 17 mpg around town and just under 20 mpg on the freeway. And that was with just my two munchkins in the car and minimal gear.
I imagine that the mpgs would drop considerably with more people on board, or if you were towing. In states like Texas, where regular is still under $3 in most places, that’s not too bad. But I live in California, regular is a pocketful of change away from $5 per gallon. That could be a major pain in the neck for some.
The Acura MDX isn’t much better in that regard. I got about the same mileage as the Pilot, maybe a bit less when it came to highway driving. But let’s be honest—if you’ve got Acura money, you don’t really care about mileage. And, it’s worth noting that while Acura doesn’t require premium fuel for the MDX, it’s strongly recommended for “optimal torque and horsepower.” So, if you’re buying it for the extra power and performance aspects, that’s something to consider.
You can also deduce that since my only complaint about both SUVs was the mileage, it means that both felt damn near perfect.
So, Which is the One for You?
The Honda Pilot is like a band shirt: it fits well and looks good on just about anyone. There’s a short list of people who wouldn’t benefit from owning a Pilot in some capacity. I can’t say the same about the Acura MDX, though, because that’s designed and engineered for those who value performance, agility, and luxury as much as they value practicality and functionality. It’s a niche SUV for a niche market, and it puts up a resilient fight against the Germans in that area. It’s worthy of a lot of praise—but so is the Pilot. Here’s how I’d sum it up:
The Pilot is your next BFF if you:
- Are on a budget, and want the most bang for your buck
- Don’t need luxury or speed to brighten your day
- Want something the kids can be in and you won’t worry too much when they spill their juice or drop their ice cream cone
- Related to the above, having more than two children
- Don’t need or want a very tech-forward cabin, and don’t mind that lackluster acceleration
- Don’t mind how driving a large SUV feels, because you value the functionality more than the experience
The Acura MDX Type S is your gal if you:
- Want something practical, but with a bit more personality
- Value performance, technology, and the finer things in life more than most
- Don’t have small children that might put that rich red leather at risk
- Need a bit of luxury to keep your spirits high
- View your car as an extension of yourself, and you already live a fast, affluent lifestyle
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