How important is the RDX to Acura? Not only is it their best-selling vehicle but this2019 redesign is being heralded as the beginning of a new era for Honda’s luxury division. Remember the Super-Handling All Wheel Drive system that was skipped in favor of a lighter,simpler setup for the 2013 redesign? It’s back. And the original’s turbochargedengine?
That’s back, too. The RDX has an interesting history; born a turbocharged rebel, tranquilized in its adolescenceand now arriving with a learned and confidentpersona, Acura’s latest reboot of theirever popular luxury crossover is the RDX at
its very best.
Just like Honda, Acura is donewith boring styling. The brand exudes excitement
through its designs and powertrains and finallydelivers on its Advance promise by incorporating
more of today’s technologies. Can you get a front-drive RDX for under $40,000?
Yes. But if you crave one with all-wheeldrive, and the vast amount of goodies included
in the Technology and Advance packages you’llend up with this attractive example. Also
fitted with 19” black wheels, MSRP is $50,495. And with so much happening here, that price
is not only justifiable but it seems likea bargain. No longer a Honda CR-V clone, the RDX has
gone its own way stretching its wheelbaseby over 2 ½” and widening its body.
Acura says its structure is lighter, more rigidand more tightly sealed than before and the
driving experience corroborates these claims where the RDX uses its instantly accessible
280 pound-feet of torque, the company’stypically great steering feel and the true-to-its-name
Super Handling All-Wheel Drive to delivera wonderfully sporty attitude that is both
fun and evolved. That being said, I’vebeen debating all week whether the typically
conservative Acura customer might find themselvesa little out of their comfort zone here.
This RDX certainly appeals to the driver likenever before. But with the Advance package’s
new Active Damper System, the ride and handlingcan be tailored at the turn of a dial. I love
how Acura integrated this feature making iteasy and engaging to switch modes including
Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Snow. Not onlydoes the suspension tuning change but the
steering, throttle and traction control parametersare all adjusted for whatever you prefer not
to mention Active Sound Control which cangive the RDX’s 2. 0-liter engine a much more
rebellious voice. The new 10-speed automatichas a Sport mode as well, activated by pressing
this button.
Though I appreciate the packagingefficiency of the shifter, it’s certainly
not the easiest to change directions whentime is of the essence. With precise wheel
control and all of Acura’s other handlingassist technologies this RDX has the moves
that will delight the enthusiast yet at thesame time not alienate the casual driver with
well-damped impact motions and a quiet cabin. The RDX is so good now. It’s finally hit
its stride perfectly blending style, comfortand performance. It’s really sporty, exactly
where Acura is taking the brand.
Though the10-speed has its occasional hiccups with some
undesirable manual tendencies like rollingbackwards in gear, it’s by in large a fitting
companion to the torquey engine. And fakeor not, the turbo sounds really good from
in here with a convincing baritone voice. The seats and driving position are phenomenal,
the steering is very quick and the handlingis totally legit. I’d be very happy driving
this every day.
A couple of more driving notes; even in its
most relaxed setting the steering requiresattention and 2 hands and the RDX’s added
width is palpable; from the driver’s seatit really seems to fill a lane. On that front,
the huge heads-up display helps keep you focusedon the road ahead and the conveniently placed
360 degree camera button is a big positive. When it comes to this beautiful cabin redesign
Acura is very proud of 2 things; this ELSStudio audio system including 4 thin, ceiling-mounted
speakers…and it really does sound incredible,matching or exceeding the richness of some
much more expensive setups and this…a newtouchpad to control infotainment. To preface
this I should say I have had a professionalAcura walk through with this new system, I’ve
watched videos and I am on day 6 of my loanbut no matter how hard Acura tries to convince
me that this is the answer, it just isn’t. Is it better than the awful Lexus setup?
Yeah, but not by much.
Yet again, nothingbeats the ease of use of a simple touchscreen. It’s called a True Touchpad because every spot on it is mapped exactly to the spot onthe big screen, unlike the mouse-like movement
from Lexus. It runs on an Android operating system that ironically doesn’t play with
Android Auto – only Apple CarPlay. It’sa little slow to boot and react, it can be
glitchy, and if after a week of use I still need to think about how I’m going to change
radio stations, then something hasn’t goneas planned. Though slow, voice commands
seem to work best. It’s far from greatbut it’s also not a deal breaker. And
one of the most amazing aspects is this 16-speakeraudio system that is mesmerizingly good.
I find myself driving around aimlessly justto continue listening. It’s probably the
best car audio system I’ve ever tested withsuch power and finesse that you’ll experience
elements of your favorite music you’ve neverheard before. Real metal, wood and leather create the perfect
luxury setting, while extensive rear seatlegroom and greater cargo room accessed via
a kick of the foot renders deeply carved underfloorbins and fold flat seat levers for high functionality. With 272 horsepower and 23mpg on premium,
Acura has given the RDX balance and an overalllikability that’s hard to beat. Owners are
going to love this one.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
Acura