Car Acura RDX - 2019 Acura RDX First Drive Review - Price: $38,295 - Technology Car

Starting Price: $38,295 | Price yours
Engine: 272-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder
Fuel Economy: 24 mpg combined (23 AWD)
Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles
Similar: Infiniti QX50, Lexus NX, Audi Q5
On Sale: Now | See listings near you or Get a price quote

A forerunner forges into the future… When the first Acura RDX arrived for the 2007 model year, it could count its major rivals on one finger, and that finger pointed to the BMW X3. A little over a decade later, the once-niche segment of compact luxury SUVs is among the most competitive in the automotive industry.

Now, every major luxury brand has a compact SUV battling for the dollars of up-and-comers or those looking to downsize. The Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLC (nee, GLK), Volvo XC60, Lexus NX, Infiniti QX50, and Jaguar F-Pace are among those eager for a piece of the action. But the RDX’s early entry firmly established it in the segment. Between that original version and the second generation that arrived in 2013, the RDX has sold more than 370,000 units in the U.S. and is one of the segment’s top sellers. Now comes an all-new model, with the 2019 RDX marking the third generation of Acura’s premium crossover. Arriving on dealer lots this week, the RDX has fresh technology, enhanced safety features, striking design inside and out, and a few surprises. What hasn’t changed is the RDX’s impressive value for the dollar. We’ll get to that, but first let’s detail what else is new and compelling in the latest RDX.

 

While returning to its roots The all-new RDX is similar to the very first in terms of its power train. That’s because the 2019 RDX has swapped its former 3.5-liter V6 for a new, 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. This is similar to what almost every other rival has also done, and harkens back to the original RDX with its turbo-4. Moving from a V6 to a 4-cylinder enables better efficiency while not sacrificing power thanks to advancements that have made the smaller engines just as or more powerful than a traditional V6. In the RDX, the new 4-cylinder engine makes nearly the same horsepower as the old V6–272 vs. the outgoing model’s 279–and a lot more torque. The new engine has a stout 280 lb-ft of torque, vs. the 252 in the outgoing model. The fuel efficiency improvement isn’t as drastic, but it’s an improvement nonetheless, increasing 1 mpg combined for both front- and all-wheel drive models. And that brings us to the Acura’s all-wheel drive system. This latest RDX again boasts Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), which replaces the previous model’s simpler AWD system. SH-AWD differentiates itself with torque vectoring. Now in its fourth generation, Acura’s SH-AWD can send up to 70 percent of power to the rear wheels, and of that power, up to 100 percent can go to either rear wheel. This enables superior traction in wet or slippery environments, plus more of a sports-car feel. Also new is the transmission. The first-gen RDX used a 5-speed automatic. Just over a decade later, that number has doubled, with the 2019 RDX among the latest new car to use a 10-speed automatic. A host of other improvements are also part of the package, from Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System that allows you to adjust drive modes on the fly to sound-deadening materials and a host of active safety and driving equipment. Acura invited us to Whistler in British Columbia to get a first impression of the all-new RDX. Following are our first impressions.

Power in spades As with its rivals, the RDX doesn’t feel as if it’s lost any bite despite losing two cylinders. Today’s turbocharged 4-cylinder powertrains are worthy substitutes for a naturally aspirated V6. And anything they might give up in smoothness they can potentially gain back in efficiency. If there’s one rub, it’s that 91-octane premium unleaded fuel is recommended–but that was also the case with the V6. We found the RDX’s 272 horsepower plenty capable of getting this SUV up to speed, all with minimal turbo lag. It even sounds good doing it, putting out a throaty little growl. Acceleration and passing power feel right up there with the best of its competition. As with so many other new cars, the 2019 Acura RDX luxury SUV is fitted with a fuel-saving idle start/stop system that turns off the engine at stop lights and other situations where the vehicle would otherwise idle. Restarts are smooth for the most part, and ultimately the system can be switched off via the press of a button. This new RDX’s towing capacity is the same as the outgoing one, and at 1,500 pounds is on the light end of the scale among compact luxury SUVs. For comparison, the Audi Q5 is rated to tow up to 4,400 pounds, nearly three times that of the Acura. Quartet of drive modes Thanks to the new Integrated Dynamics System, this new RDX’s driving personality can be changed far more than the old one, which simply had either a “Drive” or “Sport” mode. This new one can be switched between Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Snow modes. Toggling between the modes optimizes the powertrain and other systems for the task at hand. For example, in Sport+ mode the new RDX holds gears longer and tweaks the throttle response, while the Snow mode tames them for optimal traction. We particularly like the steering feel, both in general and in the sportier settings. Acura’s engineers have been able to tune it to feel stiffer and tighter, yet not artificial. 10-speed transmission As for the 10-speed automatic transmission, we found it good to very good in our initial test drive. These new transmissions are meant to emphasize fuel efficiency, especially in the higher gears, yet have the ability to kick down several gears when needed. In driving these pre-production models, the 10-speed transmission did indeed work as planned. Perhaps most importantly, the transmission did its job mostly unnoticed. I personally found it smoother than many of the 9-speed setups out there. 

Brake feel If there was one soft spot–literally–in the models we tested, it was initial brake feel. This is not to be confused with function, but feel. When initially pressing the pedal, there is a soft spot before engagement occurs. Over half a day, we tested three different RDX models and all had this to some extent. Acura reps say the RDX was actually made this way on purpose, and that this new setup was tuned to prioritize pedal force rather than pedal stroke. I and some other car reviewers found it slightly awkward. Others, however, said they didn’t even notice it. If you’re the sort of driver who is hyper-aware of pedal feel–both for throttle tip-in and the linearity of a brake pedal–it’s something to be aware of when you test-drive the new RDX. We are eager to spend more time in an actual production model to see if it’s something that feels normal after a while, as Acura reps say is the case. Ultimately, stopping is secure, and in simulated emergency stops the RDX felt just as good or better than its rivals.