2024 Acura MDX vs 2023 Jeep Wrangler

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler had a rugged, no-nonsense design that was reminiscent of driving a brick. The fourth-generation JL Wrangler featured a boxy aesthetic with minimal curves, available in both two-door and four-door Unlimited versions. The doors could be removed for an open-air experience, and the optional Dual-Door Group provided half doors for better visibility. The windshield folded down, and various top options allowed for open-air exploration. The Wrangler's design included wide fenders, Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille, round headlights, and old-school exterior hood latches. The tailgate swung out, and the rear glass lifted up for easy cargo access. The interior was practical with easy-to-clean floor mats and seats, a body-colored dash, chunky HVAC controls, and a manual transfer case shifter.

In contrast, the 2024 Acura MDX had a modern and refined presence with a large shield grille flanked by rakish headlights and intake vents below. The lower bumper area bent slightly, adding to its sophisticated look. Inside, the MDX was high-tech but busy, with a plethora of controls on the center console. The MDX was available in several trims, including the Technology Package, A-Spec Package, and Advance Package. Standard features included tri-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, power-adjustable front seats, and heated front seats. Higher trims added features like ambient cabin lighting, navigation, premium audio systems, and genuine leather upholstery. The Type-S Advance package included a 26-speaker ELS sound system and massaging front seats, providing a luxurious and comfortable driving experience.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler was built for off-road performance with solid axles front and rear and optional differential lockers. It offered a variety of engine options, including a standard V6 with 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Both engines could be paired with an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. The 3.0-liter Ecodiesel V6 provided 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, while the high-performance Rubicon 392 featured a 6.4-liter V8 with 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. The Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid combined two electric motors with a 17.3 kWh battery pack, offering 21 miles of all-electric range. The Rubicon 392, with its full-time 4WD and Off-Road Plus button, could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. However, the 392's brakes and steering were less impressive, with vague steering and inadequate braking power for the V8's performance.

The 2024 Acura MDX featured a standard 3.5-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. The Type-S model came with a twin-scroll turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. The MDX offered front-wheel drive or Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive System. The Type-S Advance provided strong acceleration and a comfortable ride, with Brembo performance brakes and an adaptive air suspension that could automatically level. The Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) included multiple drive modes, such as Sport, Comfort, and Snow, with a Lift mode for additional ground clearance. The MDX excelled on highways and boulevards, offering a refined and comfortable ride with responsive steering and a tight turning radius. The MDX's towing capacity maxed out at 5,000 pounds with AWD models.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler's front seats were comfortable, but heated seats were only available with the 392 or a cold-weather package. The rear seat could fit three in the four-door models, but space was tight, and the small rear doors made entry and exit challenging. Storage for small items was limited, with a flat dash and tiny glove box and center consoles. The Wrangler offered 72.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded. The hard top could be removed in one piece or in two front panels, and the soft top was relatively easy to remove. The Sky One-Touch power soft top provided a quick open-air experience. The Wrangler had ample charging points, including USB-A and USB-C ports, 12-volt outlets, and a 115-volt outlet.

The 2024 Acura MDX came standard with three rows of seating. The first two rows were comfortable and supportive, while the third row was smaller and best suited for children. The MDX offered 16.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 39.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and a maximum of 71.4 cubic feet with both the second and third rows folded. An additional storage area was available under the cargo load floor. The MDX featured a power liftgate, with a hands-free option on higher trims. The second-row bench had a fold-down center console with integrated cupholders, and the center of the bench folded out for easier access to the third row. The center console provided ample storage space, but the center stack of controls was cluttered, with a touchpad for the infotainment system that was unintuitive to use.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen running Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment system, with an optional 8.4-inch screen. The system had no hard buttons, relying entirely on the touchscreen. Uconnect offered off-road pages with information on power distribution, temperatures, oil pressure, pitch and roll, and GPS coordinates. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included. The Wrangler had a forward-facing camera for off-road trails and four auxiliary switches for aftermarket accessories. However, it lacked advanced tech features like a digital key or over-the-air updates for vehicle performance.

The 2024 Acura MDX's infotainment system was its weak point. The 12.3-inch display atop the dash was controlled by a touchpad below the shifter, which was unintuitive and frustrating to use. Despite this, the MDX offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa integration, satellite radio, HD radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. The MDX also featured multiple USB ports, a fully digital instrument panel, and wireless device charging. The center console had cleverly placed charging ports and a leather handrest for the touchpad, but the overall infotainment experience was lacking compared to competitors.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler had limited standard safety features, including a rearview camera, electronic roll mitigation, and stability control. Advanced safety features like blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control were standard only on the top 392 model and optional on other trims. Lane-keeping assist was not available. The Wrangler received mixed safety ratings from the IIHS, with some trims earning Poor ratings for headlights. The NHTSA gave the Wrangler four out of five stars for frontal crash tests and three out of five for rollover ratings, but it had not been rated for side crashes.

The 2024 Acura MDX came with a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, driver attention monitoring, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims added features like parking sensors, reverse automatic emergency braking, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a 360-degree parking camera system, and a head-up display. The 2022 MDX, which the 2024 model carried over from, earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a best score of Good in all phases of IIHS evaluation, making it a 2022 IIHS Top Safety Pick+.