2022 Infiniti QX60 vs. 2022 Acura MDX

2022 Acura MDX A-Spec ・ Photo by Acura

The 2022 Infiniti QX60 is a luxury SUV with seating for up to seven people. It’s beautiful with premium leathers, wood accents, and lots of standard amenities. It’s offered with a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive in a range of four trims all depending on just how much luxury you desire.

The 2022 Acura MDX is also a luxury SUV with seating for up to seven people. It offers the same upscale experience with a beautiful interior across a range of four trims. It too comes with a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive and all the features a luxury buyer demands. Let’s take a closer look at these two SUVs to see which is the best.

Four Well-Equipped Trims for Both

The Infiniti QX60 is available in four trims with pricing from $46,850 for the base Pure with front-wheel drive to $63,250 for the top Autograph with all-wheel drive. There’s a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive across the lineup. It has standard amenities including power heated front seats and leather trims.

The Acura MDX is available in four trims priced from $47,200 for the base MDX with front-wheel drive up to $60,950 for the Advance Package with all-wheel drive. Unlike the QX60, font-wheel drive is only available on the two base trims. It has a similarly rich interior right from the start. Though comparably equipped, we give this one to the QX60 for its wider availability of front-wheel drive.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

A Choice of Two Powerful V6 Engines

The Infiniti QX60 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 295 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. This is paired to a 9-speed automatic transmission. It shifts smoothly and quietly, delivering all the power you need to accelerate up to highway speeds with plenty of power leftover for passing slower vehicles. The engine is also quiet, and there's minimum noise intruding into the cabin.

The Acura MDX also gets a 3.5-liter V6 engine. This one has 290 horsepower with 267 lb-ft making them nearly even. The MDX, however, gets a 10-speed automatic transmission. It’s a small difference, but it makes for smoother, quieter power delivery.

: Acura MDX

Photo by Acura

Fuel Economy That’s Easy on Your Budget

The Infiniti QX60 gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. Those numbers fall to 20 mpg in the city, 25 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.

The Acura MDX gets an EPA-estimated 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive trims come in with just a slight drop to 19 mpg in the city, 25 mph on the highway, and 21 mpg combined. It’s only a slight difference, but the QX60 posts better fuel economy with front-wheel or all-wheel drive.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

Room for Cargo and the Capability to Tow

The Infiniti QX60 has plenty of room for your cargo. There’s 14.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 41.6 cubic feet behind the second row, and 75.4 cubic feet behind the first row. It has a standard tow rating of 3,500 pounds or up to 6,000 pounds when properly equipped.

The Acura MDX comes in with 18.1 cubic feet behind the third row, 48.4 cubic feet behind the second row, and 95.0 cubic feet behind the third row. Standard towing is 3,500 pounds with a maximum of 5,000 pounds properly equipped. We give this to the MDX for its greater interior cargo room, which is what gets more daily use.

: Acura MDX

Photo by Acura

Infotainment With or Without a Touchscreen?

The Infiniti QX60 has a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with standard wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Wi-Fi connectivity. There are also 6 USB ports that cover all three rows along with a 9-speaker audio system.

The Acura MDX counters with a 12.3-inch dual center display that’s controlled by a touchpad on the center console. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Wi-Fi connectivity, 6 USB ports, and a 9-speaker audio system are standard. The two systems are well-matched, but the touchpad controller on the MDX instead of a touchscreen makes it tricky to use. It takes time to learn and can still be fiddly even when mastered.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

Excellent Standard Safety for Both

The Infiniti QX60 comes with a long list of standard safety features. These include forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warning, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alert, rear view monitor with rear sonar, lane departure warning, and blind-spot warning.

The Acura MDX also gets good standard safety with Collision Mitigation Braking System, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, lane departure warning, road departure mitigation, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert. These are both well-equipped vehicles when it comes to safety. We give this win to the QX60 for its standard rear automatic braking, which is not standard on the base trim of the MDX.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

A Smooth, Luxurious Ride

As luxury brands, both the Infiniti QX60 and Acura MDX offer smooth, quiet rides. There’s nothing harsh or abrasive about the ride quality, even over rough pavement. Handling is responsive, but not so sporty that it will tire the driver over longer trips. A luxury car is supposed to have a smooth, relaxing ride, and that’s exactly what both SUVs deliver.

While you won’t be disappointed in the ride and handling of either, we're giving the win to the QX60. Its handling is more refined, and the ride is softer and more compliant so passengers can fully relax. If you’re looking for a luxury SUV that truly coddles its passengers, then the QX60 comes out on top.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

What About Captain’s Chairs?

There’s room for up to seven people in the Infiniti QX60. The top Autograph trim adds standard second-row captain’s chairs that take seating down to six but improve the comfort level for those passengers. There is no option for captain’s chairs on the rest of the lineup.

The Acura MDX also has seating for up to seven people with a standard second-row bench seat. Instead of captain’s chairs, it has a removable center seat in the second row. While this doesn’t offer the same plush experience of captain’s chairs, it does offer the roominess and easy pass-through to the third row. This is also a standard feature across the MDX lineup rather than reserved to select rims.

: Acura MDX

Photo by Acura

Advanced Driver Assistance Technology

The Infiniti QX60 offers advanced driver assistance technologies in with ProPilot Assist with Navi Link. The system supports the driver in single-lane highway driving by managing steering, speed, and braking. It’s not a replacement for the driver, but it does make driving the QX60 easier.

What’s new for the system this year is the addition of Navi Link. This used the in-car navigation system to proactively slow down for things like curves and off-ramps. It makes the experience feel more natural to the driver and passenger. The Acura MDX has many of the same driver assistance features as the QX60 offered as a part of its safety suite, but nothing at the level of ProPilot Assist.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti

And the Winner Is…

The Acura MDX is a solid luxury SUV with good pricing, a good range of trims, and a luxurious interior. If offers ample standard safety features and a fully featured infotainment system, but the controller is a challenge to operate. It also has more room for cargo and more flexibility for passengers with its removable center seat in the second row.

The Infiniti QX60, however, comes out ahead overall. It has a better ride, an infotainment touchscreen that’s easy to use, and better standard safety. It also offers front-wheel or all-wheel drive on every trim and unique advanced driver assistance technologies not available on the MDX.

: Infiniti QX60

Photo by Infiniti