2023 Acura MDX vs 2022 Chevrolet Equinox

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox featured several styling updates, including a new grille, LED headlights, and LED daytime running lights. The headlights were bisected by trim pieces extending from the grille, giving the vehicle a sleeker look. The grille appeared more upright and was flanked by large fake air intakes, making the 2022 Equinox look chunkier than its predecessor. The Equinox maintained its car-based crossover appearance, avoiding the rugged styling of competitors like the Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4. Inside, the dashboard was creatively designed with a touchscreen and large air vents at the center, and materials and fit and finish were decent for the price. The new RS model added black exterior trim, darkened 19-inch wheels, and a black interior with red stitching, although the interior felt too subdued.

The 2023 Acura MDX, particularly in the Type S Advance trim, aimed to set a high bar for quality, luxury, and driving dynamism. The fourth-generation MDX was the first Acura SUV to wear the Type S badge, featuring chicane-design LED running lights and taillights, LED headlights with automatic high-beam operation, and 21-inch wheels. The Type S Advance added open-pore wood and a leather-wrapped dashboard. However, the body tapering at the doors sometimes made it look like the MDX had a massive dent, and the gloss black plastic on the dashboard made some controls hard to find. The electronic transmission switchgear was also confusing. Despite these issues, the MDX Type S was fundamentally an attractive luxury SUV.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox was powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 170 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. It offered standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Equinox had more torque than most rivals but less horsepower. In city driving, the turbo-four engine provided good torque for stop-and-go situations, but at higher speeds, the lack of horsepower became apparent, and the engine felt coarse and unresponsive. The automatic transmission's shifts were also a bit rough. The Equinox wasn't designed for sporty handling and lacked the solidity and refinement of competitors like the Honda CR-V, although it was decently comfortable on poorly maintained pavement.

The 2023 Acura MDX Type S featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine generating 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). The MDX Type S had an Integrated Dynamics System with multiple driving modes, including an exclusive Lift mode. However, the performance upgrades didn't gel into a cohesive whole. The transmission was indecisive, the ride lacked compliance, and the brake pedal modulation was poor. The engine didn't offer a substantial increase in power over the standard V6, resulting in dismal fuel economy. The MDX Type S averaged 16.9 mpg during the evaluation, falling short of the EPA rating of 19 mpg. The vehicle struggled as a driver's SUV, with issues like on/off brake pedal response and squealing tires, making it hard to trust when driving with enthusiasm.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox offered seating for five across two rows, with decent headroom and good second-row legroom. However, the lack of front legroom and a telescoping steering wheel made it difficult to find a comfortable driving position. The Equinox had a tall seating position and an unobstructed forward view, but the rear pillars created a bit of a blind spot, and the small rear window hampered rear visibility. The climate control buttons and knobs were prominently placed, but the cargo space was near the bottom of the segment, with 29.9 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 63.9 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

The 2023 Acura MDX offered three rows of seats with the option of two or three second-row seating positions. The Type S Advance trim included 16-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage, wrapped in quilted leather upholstery. The second-row seat could slide forward and back, but the rearmost position didn't provide as much legroom as expected. The third row was best for children. The cabin prioritized style over storage space, with a small bin under the front center armrest and a wrist rest that partially blocked the wireless charging pad. The cargo area offered 18.1 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 39.1 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 71.4 cubic feet with both rear rows folded.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. Higher trim levels offered an 8-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument-cluster screen. Navigation and a Bose 7-speaker audio system were available. The 8-inch touchscreen was responsive and easy to use, with large, smartphone-like menu icons. The addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto was a major advantage, and the Equinox offered plenty of USB ports and power outlets. However, the center-console slot for a phone was too small.

The 2023 Acura MDX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment display, but the infotainment screen wasn't touch-sensitive. Instead, it used a True Touchpad Interface (TTI) on the center console, which was not intuitive and added distraction. The TTI design also reduced center console storage space and partially blocked the wireless charging pad. The MDX included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa Built-In, SiriusXM satellite radio, a native navigation system, and AcuraLink connected services. The top-shelf Signature Edition ELS Studio 3D audio system with 25 speakers provided excellent sound quality. The Advance package added a 10.5-inch head-up display (HUD), but the traffic sign recognition system occasionally misread signs.

The 2022 Chevrolet Equinox received top "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but a "Marginal" rating in the updated side crash test. It earned the highest "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle situations and an "Advanced" rating for vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios. The NHTSA gave it a five-star overall safety rating. Standard driver-assist features included automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, automatic high beams, a Safety Alert Seat, and Chevy's Teen Driver system. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-change alert, and a surround-view camera system.

The 2023 Acura MDX included Acura Watch, a suite of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems. Standard features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control, and Traffic Jam Assist. The MDX also had blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Certain trims added front and rear parking sensors, low-speed automatic braking, and a surround-view camera system. The MDX earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA, although it received four-star protection ratings for the driver and front passenger in the frontal-impact test.