Newbie Ques for hitch selection

Grit dog wrote:
Vehicle weight sounds a little porky, unless you're figuring it loaded with passengers and stuff. Which would figure into your available payload.

Idk about the exact recommendation for that vehicle (based on the info posted above), but in general, little mid size suvs will want/need a wdh for any significant tongue weight. Not as tolerant of weight as say a full size truck or something designed more with towing and tongue weight in mind.
You're tracking correctly.

I think the OP may have misposted the MDX weigh. We have a 2021 MDX advance hybrid, the heaviest of the bunch and it is around 4500 lbs. IMHO the MDX tow rating is misleading at best, dangerous at worst. Typical cargo capacity which include hitch weight is about 1000lbs on the MDX. Now a 5,000lb trailer typically will have 700+lbs on the tongue. That leaves 250lbs for TOTAL other cargo, basically 1 passenger and suitcase. Fill the car with people and you'll be way over Cargo capacity or no capacity for trailer towing. And IIRC Acura has a 500lb limit on the hitch, so it conflicts with the typical 5,000lb trailer hitch weight of over 500lbs.

In fact passenger alone can get you over Cargo capacity. The MDX is available in either 6 or 7 person seating. Not hard to imagine going over 1000lbs with 6 passengers.

But then at campgrounds I've seen MDX and Pilots loaded with mom, dad and kids and a trunk full of stuff pull in with some pretty good sized trailers. Doubt they are realizing how overloaded they were, even with the tail almost dragging on the ground. A big problem with todays cars and trucks is they have the power to get this overload moving and going up hills and give a false sense of security. Not like 20+ years ago when vehicles really didn't have the power to tow rated loads, let alone an overloaded situation.