2026 Acura MDX vs. 2026 Honda Passport

TrueCar says choosing between the Acura MDX and the Honda Passport comes down to price up front versus cost at the pump, with the Passport's $46,545 starting price undercutting the MDX's $53,350 by $6,805, while the MDX wins on fuel economy at 19 city/26 highway mpg versus the Passport's 19 city/25 highway mpg. CarGurus says the Honda Passport was redesigned for 2026 and now targets aspirational lifestyle SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner, with the base MDX's 3.5-liter V6 making 290 hp against the Passport's 3.5-liter V6 at 285 hp, the MDX seating seven against the Passport's five, and the Passport offering far more cargo space at 44.0 cubic feet versus the MDX's 16.3 and a higher 5,000-pound max towing capacity versus the MDX's 3,500 pounds, calling the Passport a well-rounded crossover that shines on cargo space and user-friendly tech but still lacks a locking differential and low-range 4WD for serious off-roading.

Which to choose, and why

$6,805 cheaper, but less efficient

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says choosing between the Acura MDX and the Honda Passport comes down to price up front versus cost at the pump, with the Passport's $46,545 starting price undercutting the MDX's $53,350 by $6,805, while the MDX wins on fuel economy at 19 city/26 highway mpg versus the Passport's 19 city/25 highway mpg.

A redesigned Passport with far more cargo and towing

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the Honda Passport was redesigned for 2026 and now targets aspirational lifestyle SUVs like the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner, offering far more cargo space at 44.0 cubic feet versus the MDX's 16.3 and a higher 5,000-pound max towing capacity versus the MDX's 3,500 pounds.

290 hp and seven seats for the MDX

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the base MDX's 3.5-liter V6 makes 290 hp against the Passport's 3.5-liter V6 at 285 hp, and the MDX seats seven against the Passport's five, though the Passport well-rounded crossover still lacks a locking differential and low-range 4WD for serious off-roading.

Questions buyers ask

How much cargo space does the Honda Passport have versus the Acura MDX?

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says 44.0 cubic feet for the Passport versus 16.3 for the MDX.

Which seats more people, the Acura MDX or Honda Passport?

CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the MDX, with seven seats versus the Passport's five.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Acura MDX: 3 records · Honda Passport: 2 records.

Decision field	Acura MDX	Honda Passport
Exact EPA records	3	2
Model / option labels	3	2
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	3.5L 6-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl SIDI	3.5L 6-cyl SIDI
Transmissions	Automatic (S10)	Automatic (S10)
Fuel types	Premium	Regular
EPA classes	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	19–22 MPG/MPGe	20–21 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$3650–4200 per year	$3100–3250 per year

Head to head

Acura MDX vs. Honda Passport: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Acura MDX	Honda Passport
Starting price (KBB base)	$53,250	$46,445
Top trim price (KBB base)	$77,300	$55,345
Horsepower	290-355 hp	285 hp
Torque	267-354 lb-ft	262 lb-ft
Curb weight	4,268-4,776 lb	4,478-4,705 lb
Length	198.4 in	191.5 in
Wheelbase	113.8 in	113.6 in
Cargo volume	95 cu ft	104.4-104.6 cu ft
Towing capacity	3,500-5,000 lb	5,000 lb
Seating	7 seats	5 seats
Basic warranty	4 years	3 years

Figures are ranges across each model’s trims from Kelley Blue Book records (2026 model year); prices are KBB base prices.

The Honda Passport starts $6,805 lower: $46,445 against $53,250 before options and fees.
On peak horsepower, the Acura MDX leads: 355 hp against 285 hp.
On peak torque, the Acura MDX leads: 354 lb-ft against 262 lb-ft.
The Acura MDX is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 4,268 lb against 4,478 lb.
On length, the Acura MDX leads: 198.4 in against 191.5 in.
On wheelbase, the Acura MDX leads: 113.8 in against 113.6 in.
On cargo volume, the Honda Passport leads: 104.6 cu ft against 95 cu ft.
Both list the same maximum towing capacity: 5,000 lb.
On seating capacity, the Acura MDX leads: 7 seats against 5 seats.
On basic warranty, the Acura MDX leads: 4 years against 3 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Acura MDX and the Honda Passport.

2026 Acura MDX

The Acura MDX is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV with three-row seating produced by the Japanese automaker Honda under its luxury Acura division since 2000. The alphanumeric moniker stands for "Multi-Dimensional" luxury. It has ranked as the second-best selling mid-size luxury SUV after the Lexus RX in the U.S.

Safety: Fourth generation (YD8/9/YE1; 2022) Skipping the 2021 model year, the fourth-generation MDX was revealed as a prototype on October 14, 2020, virtually revealed on December 8, went into bulk production on January 12, 2021, for the 2022 model year, and went on sale on February 2, with the Type-S trim released on December 23.
Awards: North American Car of the Year Utility Finalist for 2019. Car and Driver magazine's Best Luxury SUV in 2001. Motor Trend magazine's SUV of the Year Contender in 2017.

Source: Acura MDX (Wikipedia)

Recent recalls (3 campaigns across the latest model years)

May 2026, Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic… Consequence: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
June 2025, Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Pedals And Linkages. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Acura TLX, 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and 2023-2025 Honda Pilot vehicles. The brake pedal pivot pin was not secured properly, which can cause the pedal to shift out of position. As such, these vehicles… Consequence: A brake pedal that shifts out of position can prevent the driver from applying the brakes as intended, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
January 2025, Back Over Prevention:Software. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2025 Acura MDX vehicles. The touchscreen in the center console may go blank, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of… Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Owners filed 105 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Acura MDX, most often about engine (63), electrical system (48), unknown or other (26).

2026 Honda Passport

The Honda Passport is a line of sport utility vehicles (SUV) from the Japanese automaker Honda. Originally, it was a rebadged version of the Isuzu Rodeo, a mid-size SUV sold between 1993 and 2002. It was introduced in 1993 for the 1994 model year as Honda's first entry into the growing SUV market of the 1990s in the United States.

Safety: The 2019 Passport received a "Top Safety Pick" award by the IIHS.

Source: Honda Passport (Wikipedia)

NHTSA rated the 2025 Honda Passport overall 5 of 5 stars, front crash 4 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.

Recent recalls (2 campaigns across the latest model years)

July 2026, Suspension:Rear. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2026 Pilot and Passport vehicles. The rear subframe bolts may have been tightened improperly. Consequence: Loose rear subframe bolts can lead to a loss of vehicle stability or rear subframe detachment, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
November 2024, Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap. Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Passport and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. The fuel filler neck tube and fuel filler pipe may separate, allowing fuel to leak. Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Owners filed 39 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Honda Passport, most often about electrical system (16), engine (16), unknown or other (12).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2026Acura MDX3 configurations →02 · 2026Honda Passport2 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

13 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2026 Acura MDX or the 2026 Honda Passport?

Efficiency

Neither the 2026 Acura MDX nor the 2026 Honda Passport separates on this field: both list a 20.5 combined MPG/MPGe midpoint in this snapshot.