Brought home my Acura RDX: Why I feel its better than other SUVs

The Acura RDX basically aims to appeal to a certain demographic: people who look for a car that is VFM, reliable and offers ‘luxury car’ feel at ‘regular car’ prices

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Acura RDX – Quick Impressions

A special thank you to Hopkins Acura for letting me check out their demo car. I highly recommend them if you’re looking at buying a new Acura in the NorCal Bay Area.

Introduction

During my recent trip to the United States, I had the opportunity to stop by an Acura dealership and check out some of their cars, and eventually I decided to explore the RDX small luxury SUV in-depth. The RDX competes with the likes of the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC and Audi Q5 in the USA, and the price of the fully-loaded A-Spec model I saw was $55,000 – a fairly reasonable price for what is quite a lot of car. The RDX’s price doesn’t just undercut its rivals, but also commands only a reasonable premium over the fully loaded Honda CR-V that the RDX is related to, making this a sensible choice for lots of CR-V buyers looking to upgrade but seeking something… nicer.

Quick Impressions

The sharp front end is quite good-looking in my opinion. Although there is definitely a hint of Lexus / Infiniti, this is still a face that is rather instantly recognisable as ‘Acura’. This slate grey shade is also a winner in my opinion, and looks perfect on the RDX.

The rear end also features quite a few cuts and creases, but IMO apart from the taillights this is pretty standard small crossover fare. It isn’t ’bad-looking’ of course, just slightly generic and it doesn’t have a unique identity to it.

The front driving position is extremely commanding and the steering wheel feels great to hold. Although the gauge cluster isn’t fully visible in this photo, it is worth nothing the gauges are NOT fully digital like the one in the Volvo XC60, for example. However, the white analog dials still look classy.

The dashboard design is definitely a little dated and feels very 2017 in its overall aesthetic. That being said, the touchscreen infotainment system is fairly large and details like the metal knobs feel extremely upscale. Furthermore, the leather upholstered center console is large and great to rest your hands on – however, do note the heavy amounts of piano black plastic on the dashboard, which can be prone to scratches.

Rear legroom is quite good – for context, I’m a 5’7” 14-year-old, and I found that the legroom on offer was at par (if not slightly better than) with the Volvo XC60 and was better than that on offer in the Lexus NX. The rear seats are also quite comfortable, and heating is available for the rear seats. The large panoramic sunroof makes the RDX’s cabin feel quite airy.

The rear console houses the air vents, two USB-C ports for charging electronic devices, and the controls for the heated seats.

Verdict

• Does the Volvo XC90 use better quality materials and have more features? Yes.
• Does the Mercedes GLC have more badge snob value? Yes.
• Does the BMW X3 probably feel better to drive? Yes.
• Does the Lexus NX have a more efficient powertrain? Yes.
• Does the Genesis GV70 look more unique and have a more appealing cabin? Yes.
• Do these cars cost $55,000 fully loaded? No.

The Acura RDX basically aims to appeal to a certain demographic: people who look for a car that is VFM, reliable and offers ‘luxury car’ feel at ‘regular car’ prices. And if you’re an existing Honda customer looking for an upgrade within the same family or an owner of another mass-market Jap car looking to upgrade and seeking a reliable and VFM option, it’s hard to argue against the RDX.

For most of this forum’s readers, it doesn’t matter. This car is never coming to India anyways…

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

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