Through the first half of 2023, the price of the average new car has fluctuated a little north and a little south of $48,000. That complicates matters for some SUV shoppers. That’s almost a luxury car price. Some very good midsize SUVs from luxury automakers can be found within reasonable range of that price.

The Acura MDX is a well-reviewed 3-row SUV from the luxury division of Honda. The Genesis GV80 is a well-reviewed 3-row SUV from the luxury division of Hyundai. They have similar feature lists and are both available very well-equipped for under $60,000. Let’s compare them.

2024 Acura MDX

The 2024 Acura MDX is the top of the Acura lineup – the flagship of the entire Honda Motor Company automotive empire. As you’d expect from that, it offers bulletproof reliability, smooth power, and, optionally, an excellent Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system that makes it fun to drive. Prices start at $49,850.

Acura MDX Highlights

Lower price: The MDX starts under $50,000. The GV80 starts at over $57,000. Perhaps more importantly, a top-of-the-line MDX Type S Advance costs $73,500. For the top of the GV80 lineup, the 3.5T V6 AWD Prestige Signature, Genesis asks for $81,500.

Three rows at every price point: Every MDX has seating for seven. The GV80, curiously, makes its third row available only if you upgrade to a more powerful V6 engine (adding more than $7,000 to the price) and select the Advanced Package (another $7,000 plus). That alone might make the MDX the right choice for many buyers.

Available Type S package:  Car critics almost universally love Acura’s SH-AWD system. It’s not just safer on wet and icy roads; it uses torque vectoring to make driving on a dry road more fun. The Type S adds a 355-horsepower turbo V6, an adaptive air suspension, Brembo performance brakes, and creature comforts like massaging seats.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Acura MDX models for sale near you.

2024 Genesis GV80

The Genesis GV80 is a relative rookie in the loaded midsize luxury SUV class, but a good one. Buyers get the choice of a 300-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine or a 375-horsepower turbocharged V6. It also boasts one of the loveliest interiors in a class full of lovely interiors. But it’s pricey – something we’re not used to saying about Genesis vehicles – with a starting price of $57,450 and a high-end trim with a price tag more than $24,000 over that number.

Genesis GV80 Highlights

Truly exceptional interior: Every luxury vehicle has an impressive interior. So you know one is special when we call it out as perhaps the best in its class. The GV80’s cockpit is designed with a sense of artistry. It’s also available in unique color combinations, including one that combines Ultramarine Blue and sandy Dune leathers with wavy-grain olive ash wood.

Optional Road Preview suspension system: The MDX Type S might be the one to buy if you want to push your driving skills and feel the feedback of every bump in the road. But the GV80, with its optional Road Preview suspension, is the one for you if you want the opposite experience. It scans the road ahead and adjusts suspension damping to ensure you’ll rarely feel a bump, cocooning you from the road.

Exceptional warranty: You’ll pay more up front for your GV80, but you might pay less in year eight. Its 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty are longer than what Acura offers. It also gets a 3-year/36,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan.

Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Genesis GV80 models for sale near you.

Similarities

Similar power levels, strong safety scores, and complimentary maintenance (for two years or 24,000 miles with the MDX and three years or 36,000 miles with the GV80)

Conclusion

Every midsize luxury SUV is extraordinary, so it’s no surprise that there’s a strong argument for either of these.

If you bought a 2024 Genesis GV80, you’d enjoy one of the best interiors on the market and the security of a long warranty. If you bought a 2024 Acura MDX (especially the sporty Type S edition), you’d probably enjoy more fun behind the wheel, you wouldn’t have to pay extra for a third row, and you’d save money.

Which set of traits appeals to you?

Specs