2019 Acura RDX

Acura's third-generation RDX was 100=percent designed and assembled here in the United States, This compact SUV went from total bore to total score. Go America! From the exterior the RDX looks less boxy and kind of generic than its previous model. The longer sloping roofline, the character line that angles more dramatically upward across the car's body and its expressive front fascia all contribute to this mini ute's sportier look, but it's still classy and got elegance, even though this badge is as big as my head. Really Acura? The sporting theme carries into the interior with cues seemingly inspired by the cockpit of the NSX sports car. From the bucket seats, to the advanced tech, the trim materials in here are really plush. This open pore wood is incredibly appealing. The leather is soft. These details are really well thought out. The stitching is great. You know, the design in here is pretty minimal, but it all comes together so nicely it's really handsome. I prefer a touchscreen, but the RDX's control pad might be the next best thing. Instead of moving a cursor the pad act like a proxy for the screen. Pressing the upper left corner down here operates the left corner there. With a little practice the system is easy to use. The RDX features a push-button shifter that I like. With nothing mechanical connecting it with the transmission there is room for thoughtful storage space underneath the console. My purse actually fits down here so when a friend rides shotgun I don't have to contort to put it in the back. Speaking of the back, there's not a ton of legroom in the second row unless of course someone's sitting behind me and there's no recline function on the seat. It's not bad, but a little more would be nice. The RDX was built in the US of A so of course it has amazing trunk space, and it has a category leading 59-cubic feet of cargo space behind the first row. Its cavernous back here.Hello... Let's talk about my favorite part of the RDX. Actually, you know what, I'm gonna let you listen to it. The ELS Studio 3D premium audio system is standard in the two highest trim levels and it's insane. The 16 speakers are geniusly positioned. In Acuras press materials they call it an omni-directional high fidelity listening experience. I call it being wrapped in an ear blanket of awesomeness. The RDX now sports a direct-injection turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. For folks comparing at home that's more power than BMWs X3, the Audi Q5, Volvo XC6, and a similarly equipped Mercedes GLC. If you're gonna ditch a V6 for a four-cylinder engine you better make it a good one. Acura did. It's nice and torquey in the low range, and even if the shifts in the 10-speed automatic aren't lightning-fast there's still a really nice surge of power after every gear. Both sport and sport plus hold gears longer for more immediate acceleration. The steering sharpens, the throttle opens up and you can actually hear it in the exhaust note. I really like the way the RDX drives in sport mode and Acura thinks buyers will too since that's actually the default drive setting, not usual comfort mode. Both front-wheel drive and Acura Super-Handling all-wheel drive are available on all trim levels. 

The front-wheel drive option gets a little bit better gas mileage, but it's negligible. Personally I'd pony up the extra, $2,000 for that improved traction and the great torque vectoring system Acura's employed Usually 70% of that all-wheel drive power is focused on the rear wheels, but in bursts up to 100% of it can be shifted to either the right or the left side. So, when you're going around turns it's super grippy. It's totally confidence-inspiring and really fun. Looks like Acura's NSX DNA didn't just make it into the interior. Another reason for all that fun is the RDX's rigid architecture, which uses high-performance structural adhesives to improve stability. That means, among other things, minimal body roll around corners. Okay one nitpick, I'm not into how grabby the brakes are. Not unlike me reading my YouTube comments, these are a tad sensitive. The Acura Watch suite of safety technologies comes with all four RDX trim levels and includes a collision mitigation braking system, adaptive cruise control, and lane keep assist, along with a multi-angle rear-view camera and Apple CarPlay. Google hasn't figured out Acura's touchpad interface yet, so Android Auto isn't available until they do. The next level up is a technology trim which includes blind spot warning, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alerts, and two rear USB ports. Move up to the performance design A-Spec and get 20-inch wheels, dark aluminum exterior trim, and a sport steering wheel. And then there's the top-level advanced trim with a 10.5-inch head-up display, adaptive dampers, a heated leather steering wheel and rear seats, and surround view camera system. These cameras are getting so good I want someone to shoot a movie with one. For the base front-wheel drive model Acura is asking a little more than $38,000 including destination charges. For this advanced trim that we're driving here pricing tops out around $48,400 that's where some of the RDX's European competitors pricing starts. If you're looking for a value rich, luxury SUV that has real performance driving chops, elegant good looks, and it was built right here in Uncle Sam's backyard, well, I think the Acura RDX might be a very sporting choice.