2026 Acura MDX vs. 2026 Land Rover Discovery

Car Chomper says the battle between the 2026 Acura MDX and the 2026 Land Rover Discovery pits precision engineering against rugged prestige, with the MDX exciting with sharp handling, 290 horsepower, and a commendable 22 mpg combined at a lower entry price of $51,800, while the Discovery asserts dominance with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque plus standard four-wheel drive, despite consuming more fuel at 20 mpg combined, naming the MDX best for commuters and value and the Discovery best for families and enthusiasts. TrueCar confirms the price gap, saying the MDX's $53,350 starting price undercuts the Discovery's $62,050 by $8,700, and the MDX also wins on fuel economy at 19 city/26 highway mpg versus the Discovery's 19 city/23 highway mpg.

Which to choose, and why

Precision engineering versus rugged prestige

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) says the battle between the 2026 Acura MDX and the 2026 Land Rover Discovery pits precision engineering against rugged prestige, with the MDX exciting with sharp handling, 290 horsepower, and a commendable 22 mpg combined at a lower entry price of $51,800, while the Discovery asserts dominance with 296 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque plus standard four-wheel drive, despite consuming more fuel at 20 mpg combined.

$8,700 to $9,956 cheaper

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says the MDX's $53,350 starting price undercuts the Discovery's $62,050 by $8,700, a gap that stretches to $9,956 based on what buyers actually pay on average, and the MDX also wins on fuel economy at 19 city/26 highway mpg versus the Discovery's 19 city/23 highway mpg.

Who each is best for

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) names the MDX best for commuters and value thanks to its fuel economy and lower price, and the Discovery best for families and enthusiasts thanks to its greater height, standard AWD, and higher power output.

Questions buyers ask

Which has more horsepower, the Acura MDX or Land Rover Discovery?

Car Chomper (opens in a new tab) says the Discovery, at 296 hp versus the MDX's 290 hp.

How much cheaper is the Acura MDX than the Land Rover Discovery?

TrueCar (opens in a new tab) says $8,700 at MSRP, or $9,956 based on what buyers actually pay.

Side-by-side matrix

The published fields that can change the decision.

Acura MDX: 3 records · Land Rover Discovery: 3 records.

Decision field	Acura MDX	Land Rover Discovery
Exact EPA records	3	3
Model / option labels	3	3
Drive layouts	All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive	4-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Engines / propulsion	3.5L 6-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl SIDI	2L 4-cyl SIDI, 3L 6-cyl SIDI; Mild Hybrid
Transmissions	Automatic (S10)	Automatic (S8), Automatic (S9)
Fuel types	Premium	Premium
EPA classes	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD	Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Combined efficiency	19–22 MPG/MPGe	19–21 MPG/MPGe
Electric range	Not listed	Not listed
Annual fuel / energy estimate	$3650–4200 per year	$3800–4200 per year

Head to head

Acura MDX vs. Land Rover Discovery: size, power, capability and price.

Measure	Acura MDX	Land Rover Discovery
Starting price (KBB base)	$53,250	$61,825
Top trim price (KBB base)	$77,300	$85,125
Horsepower	290-355 hp	296-355 hp
Torque	267-354 lb-ft	295-369 lb-ft
0 to 60 mph	n/a	6.2-6.9 sec
Curb weight	4,268-4,776 lb	4,845-5,145 lb
Length	198.4 in	195.1 in
Wheelbase	113.8 in	115.1 in
Cargo volume	95 cu ft	n/a
Towing capacity	3,500-5,000 lb	5,952-8,200 lb
Seating	7 seats	7 seats
Basic warranty	4 years	4 years

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

The Acura MDX starts $8,575 lower: $53,250 against $61,825 before options and fees.
Both list the same peak horsepower: 355 hp.
On peak torque, the Land Rover Discovery leads: 369 lb-ft against 354 lb-ft.
The Acura MDX is lighter, comparing lightest trims: 4,268 lb against 4,845 lb.
On length, the Acura MDX leads: 198.4 in against 195.1 in.
On wheelbase, the Land Rover Discovery leads: 115.1 in against 113.8 in.
On maximum towing capacity, the Land Rover Discovery leads: 8,200 lb against 5,000 lb.
Both list the same seating capacity: 7 seats.
Both list the same basic warranty: 4 years.

Background on each vehicle

What public sources say about the Acura MDX and the Land Rover Discovery.

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 Land Rover Discovery

The Land Rover Discovery is a series of sport utility vehicles produced by the British manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover—previously Land Rover—and marketed under the marque Land Rover. The series has been in its fifth generation since 2017. The first was introduced in 1989 and was the manufacturer's first model series to launch since the 1970 Range Rover—on which it was based—and the third new product line since the brand's conception by Rover in 1948.

Source: Land Rover Discovery (Wikipedia)

Safety. The Discovery 4 (called LR4 in North America and the Middle East) is an updated version of the Discovery 3.

Design. The design of the fifth generation Discovery was previewed by the Discovery Vision Concept at the 2014 New York Auto Show. In profile, the exterior design is also very similar to the small Discovery Sport model. In contrast to previous Discovery models, the third-generation has a much more rounded shape, eschewing the traditional angular design.

Recent recalls (5 campaigns across the latest model years)

September 2026, Electrical System:Propulsion System:Dc/Dc Converter. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2019-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, 2020-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Range Rover, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Land Rover Defender, 2021-2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, Jaguar E-Pace… Consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
July 2026, Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Land Rover Discovery vehicles. Water may not be able to drain away from the rearview camera due to insufficient drain holes, which may result in damage to the rearview camera. Consequence: A rearview camera image that does not display can decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
June 2026, Air Bags:Frontal. Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC (Land Rover) is recalling certain 2020-2026 Land Rover Defender, 2021-2026 Discovery, and 2022-2026 Range Rover vehicles. The driver’s air bag clockspring connector may corrode, which can cause the air bag not to deploy as intended. Consequence: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Owners filed 7 complaints with NHTSA for the 2024 Land Rover Discovery, most often about electrical system (3), unknown or other (3), engine (2).

Open both dossiers

Resolve the exact engine, drive and EPA ID.

01 · 2026Acura MDX3 configurations →02 · 2026Land Rover Discovery3 configurations →

Comparison answer desk

13 answers for this exact pairing.

Q01Which is more efficient: the 2026 Acura MDX or the 2026 Land Rover Discovery?

Efficiency

The 2026 Acura MDX lists the higher combined-efficiency midpoint in this snapshot (20.5 vs. the 2026 Land Rover Discovery's 20 MPG/MPGe).