2022 Ford Bronco vs 2023 Acura MDX

The 2022 Ford Bronco, with its retro styling and go-anywhere attitude, was a highly sought-after vehicle. It returned with two new top-tier models: the Everglades and the Bronco Raptor. The Everglades model, designed for swamp trekking and deep water, featured an intake snorkel, a Warn winch, and 35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires. The Bronco lineup expanded to seven trims, each with increasing off-road capabilities. Unfortunately, the 2022 models sold out quickly, leaving many potential buyers disappointed. The Bronco offered a choice between two-door and four-door body styles, a four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine, and a removable roof with either a soft- or hard-top.

Inside, the Bronco maintained its utilitarian theme with features like sealed switches, marine-grade vinyl upholstery, and floor drain plugs for easy cleaning. The G.O.A.T. mode dial allowed drivers to select specific drive modes for different terrains. Despite its rugged appearance, the Bronco was equipped with modern technology, including a digital instrument panel, a large infotainment touchscreen, and a full complement of cameras. The Bronco's combination of off-road prowess and advanced technology made it a standout choice for adventure enthusiasts.

The 2023 Acura MDX Type S, on the other hand, aimed to blend luxury with performance. It featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 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 offered various driving modes, including Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+, along with an exclusive Lift mode for increased ground clearance. However, the performance upgrades didn't always work harmoniously, leading to issues like an indecisive transmission, lack of ride compliance, and poor brake pedal modulation.

Despite its performance-oriented features, the MDX Type S struggled to deliver a cohesive driving experience. The turbocharged V6 engine, while powerful, didn't offer a significant improvement over the standard V6, and its fuel economy was disappointing. The MDX Type S averaged 16.9 mpg during testing, falling short of its EPA rating. The vehicle's handling and braking also left much to be desired, making it less predictable and less enjoyable to drive enthusiastically. Overall, the MDX Type S fell short of its performance aspirations, making the standard MDX with the A-Spec package a more appealing choice for most buyers.

The 2022 Ford Bronco offered two engine options: a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and an optional turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 engine with 330 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The four-cylinder engine could be paired with a seven-speed manual transmission, featuring a unique crawl gear for low-speed driving, while the V6 came with a mandatory 10-speed automatic transmission. All Broncos came with four-wheel drive and an electronic two-speed transfer case, ensuring off-road capability across the lineup.

During testing, the Bronco Everglades model demonstrated its prowess on challenging terrain, including deep-rutted muddy trails, water crossings, and steep rock climbs. It could ford water up to 36.4 inches deep and handled difficult conditions with ease. On pavement, the Bronco impressed with its relatively smooth ride and precise steering, making it a better road trip companion than its direct rival, the Jeep Wrangler. The only notable drawback was some wind noise on the highway, but overall, the Bronco excelled in both off-road and on-road performance.

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 SH-AWD system. The MDX Type S offered various driving modes, including Sport and Sport+, and an exclusive Lift mode for increased ground clearance. However, the performance upgrades didn't always work harmoniously, leading to issues like an indecisive transmission, lack of ride compliance, and poor brake pedal modulation.

During testing, the MDX Type S averaged 16.9 mpg, falling short of its EPA rating of 19 mpg. The vehicle's handling and braking also left much to be desired, making it less predictable and less enjoyable to drive enthusiastically. The turbocharged V6 engine, while powerful, didn't offer a significant improvement over the standard V6, and its fuel economy was disappointing. Overall, the MDX Type S fell short of its performance aspirations, making the standard MDX with the A-Spec package a more appealing choice for most buyers.

The 2022 Ford Bronco's iconic squared-off styling contributed to its spacious interior. It offered ample headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers, making it comfortable for tall individuals. However, accessing the rear seats in the two-door model required some effort. Cargo capacity varied depending on the model and roof type, with the two-door hard top offering up to 22.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 52.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The four-door hard top increased capacity to 35.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 77.6 cubic feet with the seats folded. The Bronco also featured clever storage solutions and accessories, such as stowable doors and removable fender flares.

The 2023 Acura MDX offered three rows of seats with the option for two or three second-row seating positions. The Type S Advance trim featured 16-way power-adjustable front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage, wrapped in quilted leather upholstery. However, the seats didn't provide the expected level of support for enthusiastic driving. The second-row seat could slide forward and back to create more space for third-row passengers, but the third row was best suited for children. The MDX's 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 flat. The Type S Advance trim also included a hands-free liftgate with a Walk Away Close function.

The 2022 Ford Bronco smartly used technology to enhance its off-road capabilities. The G.O.A.T. modes allowed drivers to select drivetrain and chassis settings optimized for specific terrains, while the forward-looking trail camera provided confidence by showing where the tires would travel. The Bronco's Sync 4 infotainment system featured quick responses, sharp graphics, and helpful off-road apps. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with an available wireless charging pad.

The 2023 Acura MDX featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 12.3-inch infotainment display. However, the infotainment screen wasn't touch-sensitive, requiring the use of a True Touchpad Interface (TTI) on the center console. The TTI design had several flaws, including a steep learning curve, reduced storage space, and partial obstruction of the wireless charging pad. Fortunately, the MDX offered wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa Built-In for more familiar and user-friendly interactions. The Advance package added a 10.5-inch head-up display, but the traffic sign recognition system occasionally misread speed limit signs.

The 2022 Ford Bronco came with standard safety features like hill-start assist, hill descent control, and trailer sway control. Optional safety features included frontal collision warning with automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alerts, lane-keep assist, rear parking sensors, and automatic high beams. The High package added front parking sensors and a surround-view camera system, while the Luxe package included adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist. The Bronco received mixed crash test ratings, with the four-door model earning four out of five stars for frontal crash protection and three out of five stars for rollover protection from the NHTSA. The IIHS awarded the Bronco its best score of "Good" in frontal, side, and roof strength tests.

The 2023 Acura MDX featured Acura Watch, a suite of driving assistance and collision avoidance systems. These included forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed following capability, and Traffic Jam Assist. The MDX also included a blind-spot monitoring system 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 received good crash-test ratings, earning a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS and an overall five-star rating from the NHTSA.