There’s no denying that brand reputation plays a huge part in a consumer’s buying decision, hence why so many people purchase based on the logo, rather than the actual car. Subsequently, that’s partly why the Acura RDX has never really received much attention, despite being incredibly reliable and affordable.
However, now is the time consumers should wake up and smell the coffee; the 2019 Acura RDX is a serious contender in its class. Switch up your mindset; judge a car on a performance and design level, not because it has a BMW or Mercedes-Benz crest on the front. Believe us… the new RDX is certainly capable of battling with the big boys.
Firstly, it looks phenomenal. Acura have done a fantastic job of redesigning the exterior, with sharp lines, smooth edges and beautiful proportions. The new diamond pentagon grille empowers the front fascia to shine, and the dominating Acura badge lets you know it’s there. If you want to push the boat out even further, add the optional seven-jewel LED headlights and upgrade to the sporty A-Spec trim.
Don’t worry… they haven’t left out the interior. The quality has been significantly enhanced, to a point where it may even outdo the other luxury vehicles in its category. So, the seats are kitted out with full-grain Milano leather, which is stunningly contrasted with a suede pattern to produce a two-tone effect. To strive for more comfort, Acura engineers have made the seats adjustable in 12 different ways.
Moreover, the RDX is arguably the most spacious luxury compact SUV on the market, too. With 38.4 inches of leg room in the rear, 29.5 cubic-feet of cargo room and 58.9 cubic-feet if you fold down the rear seats, you won’t be complaining about lack of space. How did they achieve that? Well, they simply stretched the wheelbase by 2.6 inches.
Although, it’s bizarre to compare the difference between the Acura RDX and the midsize Acura MDX; there’s just a .01 inch different in rear leg room. So, where do you draw the line? But, there’s no need to panic, because the extra size definitely doesn’t affect the performance on the road.
Throwing it around corners is not a problem in this, as the Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, torque vectoring system and tuned sports suspension all come into play. How does that work? The SH-AWD sends 70-percent of the power to the rear wheels, while the torque vectoring system distributes 100-percent of the power evenly to all four wheels to ensure the car remains balanced.
When you hit a straight patch of road, that’s when you can really put your foot down. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine generates 272-BHP and 280 pound-feet of torque, meaning it’ll respond thrillingly when you touch the throttle. Now, the 10-speed automatic gearbox does perform well in lower gears, but it keeps the engine ticking over when cruising. As for emissions; you’ll get 22 miles in the city, 28 on the highway, with 24-MPG combined.
With the in-car technology, Acura have really ramped it up. Their new True Touchpad Interface with the 10.2 inch dual-content display allows you to easily navigate through the screen simply by placing your finger on the touchpad. Oh, and they’ve also incorporated a handwriting text function which is very similar to the ones you find in Mercedes-Benz, BMW or Audi.
You’ll even have an array of different features, including Apple CarPlay and several satellite radio channels. But, it’s the safety aspect which should really influence a consumer’s buying decision. With the Acura RDX, you get the AcuraWatch system as standard. That means forward collision warnings, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, road departure mitigation and lane keep assist are all equipped to the car.
Amazingly, the 2019 Acura RDX is still one of the cheapest luxury SUVs you’ll find on the market. The standard version comes in at $37,300, which is huge value when you compare to the X3 or Q5 which cost at least $55,000. Even if you bumped it up to the Advance model, you’ll still only be paying $47,400.
So, the next time you go SUV shopping, keep the Acura RDX in mind!