The Honda Pilot has always been an attractive SUV, and the 2026 edition is no exception. Reviewing the latest iteration of the family car, we enjoyed the pleasing sounds of the naturally aspirated V6 engine, we liked the improved steering. The price tag – at $42,195 for an entry-level model – makes the whole package difficult to resist.All of that being said, it's never been easier to get more while spending less. The late third-gen Acura MDX is, in many ways, the exact same car as the Honda Pilot, but more upscale, and cheaper. At our last check, prices for a 2020 MDX are trending at around half the original MSRP. Here's why you might want to go ahead and grab the luxury version. A Look At The Late Third-Gen Acura MDX Acura You can be happy behind the wheel of any third-gen Acura MDX, but we like the late models for a few reasons. First, the car saw a major facelift in 2017, which added AcuraWatch, the brand's safety suite, as a standard feature. Second, automakers usually work all those first-year bugs out by the end of a generation. Finally, a newer car simply means fewer miles on the odometer.When the 2020 MDX was brand-new, we noted that the existence of the Pilot, selling for nearly $13,000 less than the MDX, made the pricier Acura less attractive by comparison. Well, six years later, both cars are selling in the $20,000 range, and the Acura's upgrades feel more pronounced when the price difference is so narrow.The entry-level MDX is front-wheel drive, but the SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive) is a worthwhile upgrade. In our own review, we were impressed with the all-wheel-drive SUV's confident feel around corners, offering limited body roll. With or without SH-AWD, the car absorbs all but the harshest bumps, and the naturally aspirated V6 gets up to 60 mph in under eight seconds, and it sounds beautiful.But, that all applies just as well to the Pilot, doesn't it? What Does The Acura MDX Have Over The Honda Pilot? Honda If we're spending a little extra cheese on an Acura over a Honda, what are we getting here that we're not getting with the Pilot? Some features that we're getting in the base MDX, that we're not getting in the base Pilot, include the following. Leather seats Leather steering wheel Woodgrain interior trim Sunroof Multi-zone air conditioning Heated front seats When we first reviewed these SUVs, a 2020 MDX started at $44,500, while a brand-new Pilot started at $31,650. That's a difference of $12,850. What's more, the entry-level MDX doesn't even include premium audio. You would have had to upgrade to the $49,500 technology package MDX, or the $42,720 Pilot Touring, for a 10-speaker setup.Six years ago, we could not, in good conscience, recommend spending an extra $12,850 for some woodgrain trim and a sunroof. In 2026, the price difference is easier to justify for a used model. The 2020 MDX Is An Excellent Family Car Acura If we're looking at the Pilot and the MDX as family cars, we can start by checking out their crash test results. For 2020, both SUVs come away with a clean report card, while the MDX squeaks out a win thanks to its superior crash prevention.The 2018 Acura MDX won a Top Safety Pick award with the IIHS, while the Pilot scored the same award for the 2019 model. In both instances, these tests are mostly outdated by modern standards, but both SUVs stood ahead of the pack when they were brand-new, which is unsurprising given Honda and Acuras' status as safety leaders. The MDX's crash-avoidance system was very impressive for its time, though, and still stands out today.For 2026, the Pilot and MDX both hold a Top Safety Pick award. The MDX And The Pilot Have Always Been Roomy SUVs Acura For 2020, the MDX and the Pilot have more of their physical dimensions in common than not. Both stretch 111 inches from wheel to wheel, and a little over 196 inches from bumper to bumper. Both are seven-seaters with generous headroom, although the MDX sacrifices an inch or so to accommodate the sunroof.The 2026 Pilot is a little bigger than the 2020 version of these cars. For 2026, the wheelbase stretches 113.8 inches, you've got 40.5 inches of headroom, putting the ceiling two inches higher than in the 2020 MDX, and you can store up to 112.1 cubic feet of cargo with all the seats folded down, an improvement over the 2020 MDX's maximum capacity of 90.9 cubic feet.While the 2026 Pilot is a little roomier, the average driver could sit in either car and barely notice the difference. The 2020 Acura MDX's Price Is Hard To Beat Acura Ultimately, what makes the 2020 Acura MDX so attractive in 2026 is what you're getting for the price. An entry-level model is currently trending at around half of its original sticker price.If we take a look at our own marketplace, we can turn up the following listings: A 104,746-mile 2020 Base model is selling for $18,995 in Florida. A 54,250-mile 2019 Base model is selling for $15,995 in Texas. A 69,757-mile 2019 Base model is selling for $19,995 in New Jersey. A 61,222-mile 2020 MDX Technology model is selling for $20,600 in Nevada. A 92,687-mile 2020 MDX Technology model is selling for $20,999 in Florida. A 58,715-mile 2020 MDX Technology model is selling for $21,950 in Nebraska. A 66,835-mile 2020 MDX Advance model is selling for $21,900 in Texas. A 68,703-mile 2020 MDX Technology A Spec model is selling for $22,400 in Utah. Note that we're only providing these listings as an example of what's out there, and what sort of mileage you can expect to find on a reasonably priced MDX. There's no telling if these listings will still be up when you're ready to buy.At these numbers, budgeting $22,000 will get you your pick of the lot. We would advise looking for something in the 75,000-mile range for around $20,000 to $22,000. The Acura MDX Is Cheap To Maintain, Too Acura Some drivers avoid luxury cars as a rule because of the cost of maintenance. But, RepairPal puts the annual maintenance cost for a 2020 Acura MDX at just $571, making it marginally pricier to maintain than a 2020 Honda Pilot (at $541), with the following accounting for the most expensive common fixes. Park assist camera replacement $1,234–$1,318 Brake caliper replacement $1,115–$1,209 Power seat switch replacement $947–$978 Power steering hose replacement $777–$865 Timing belt idler pulley replacement $646–$919 JD Power gives the car a 79/100 Quality & Reliability rating, which is actually eight points higher than the rating JD Power gave the Honda Pilot that year, despite the fact that the MDX has more bells and whistles – meaning more features that can break – bumping that Q&R rating down (since it's based on frequency of repairs). The 2020 Acura MDX Has Never Been More Attractive Acura Six years ago, we found this luxury SUV a bit redundant. A mid-range 2020 Honda Pilot delivered pretty much the same experience at a lower price. Now that it's years later, you can reap the benefits of depreciation, and get yourself a $44,500 luxury SUV with low miles for about the price of a brand-new Hyundai Venue. It's hard to pick out the downside in that deal.