Acura MDX vs Audi Q7 vs Lexus TX
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Summary
Three unibody three-rows under $63,000 to start: Acura MDX ($51,800), Lexus TX ($58,190), Audi Q7 ($62,000). The TX has by far the most usable third row (33.5 in of legroom vs 29.2 Q7 and 29.1 MDX) and the most cargo behind row 3 (20.2 cu ft). The Q7 tows the most by a wide margin (7,700 lb vs 5,000 for both others).
The MDX is the price-and-cargo play: the lowest starting MSRP in the entire segment plus 95 cu ft of maximum cargo. Pick TX for the third row, Q7 for towing or the badge, MDX for the money.
The numbers, side by side
| Spec | Acura MDX | Audi Q7 | Lexus TX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | |||
| MSRP range | $51,800 – $75,850 | $62,000 – $77,100 | From $58,190 |
| Space | |||
| Row 1 legroom | 41.6" | 41.7" | 41.6" |
| Row 2 legroom | 38.5" | 38.8" | 39.5" |
| Row 3 legroom | 29.1" | 29.2" | 33.5" |
| Row 3 headroom | 36.2" | 35.9" | 37.2" |
| Cargo behind row 3 | 18.1 cu ft | 14.2 cu ft | 20.2 cu ft |
| Max cargo | 95 cu ft | 68.1 cu ft | 97 cu ft |
| Capability | |||
| Max towing | 5,000 lbs | 7,700 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Seating | |||
| Max seats | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Third-row reality
This is where the three separate most. The TX publishes 33.5 inches of third-row legroom and 37.2 in of headroom — genuinely adult-tolerable numbers that rank just behind the segment's big unibodies. The Q7 (29.2 in) and MDX (29.1 in — the tightest tracked in the segment) are kids-and-short-trips rows.
If the third row is the reason you are shopping this segment, the TX is the only one of the three that answers it structurally.
Cargo capacity
Behind the third row: TX 20.2 cu ft, MDX 18.1, Q7 14.2. Maximum with rows folded: TX 97, MDX 95, Q7 68.1. The TX and MDX are within a couple of cubic feet of each other on both measures; the Q7 trails meaningfully on both.
The MDX's figures use Acura's underfloor-inclusive measurement (16.3 cu ft behind row 3 without the bin) — worth knowing when comparing against brands that publish floor-level numbers only.
Towing capacity
The Q7 is alone here: 7,700 lb matches the GLS and R1S at the top of the unibody class. The MDX and TX both rate 5,000 lb — the segment floor — and the MDX's rating requires SH-AWD (front-drive models rate 3,500 lb).
A trailer above 5,000 lb makes this a one-model comparison. Below it, towing does not differentiate the three.
Powertrain and seating
The TX is the only electrified option of the three — the 500h hybrid (from $71,710) and the 550h+ plug-in sit above the gas TX 350. The MDX and Q7 are gas only.
Seating: all three seat seven — the TX via its TX 350 bench trims. The TX's electrified and captain-chair trims seat six with a walk-through layout, convenient for car-seat access.
Pricing and trims
The MDX opens the entire luxury 3-row segment at $51,800 and tops out at $75,850 in Type S Advance form. The TX starts at $58,190 (gas TX 350) with the 500h hybrid from $71,710. The Q7 spans $62,000–$77,100 — the highest floor of the three.
The honest framing: at their gas base trims the three sit within $10,200 of each other, and the TX's third row and cargo come without a price premium. Its electrified trims are where the ladder climbs.
When each one fits
Acura MDX: Budget leads the decision. The lowest starting price in the segment, near-TX cargo, and a 7-seat layout — with the third row as insurance rather than a daily seat.
Audi Q7: The tow vehicle of the trio (7,700 lb) and the German-badge answer at a $62,000 floor. Third row and cargo are its structural weak points.
Lexus TX: The third-row answer at this price tier — 33.5 in of legroom and 20.2 cu ft behind row 3 — plus the only electrified options (500h hybrid, 550h+ plug-in). Ties for the lowest tow rating.
Compare legroom yourself
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