2022 Acura RDX

If you want a luxury and somewhat sporty compact crossover in 2022, there are a lot of choices, including the freshly updated Acura RDX. What the RDX brings to the table over its German competition like the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class is a reputation for reliability and a price they can't match. The RDX's attractive pricing doesn't mean it's a cut-rate vehicle, though. It comes stacked with standard features and competitive onboard technology, premium build quality, a plush interior, and a smooth ride. Add to that a rock-solid 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 272 horsepower, Acura's (optional) refined Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD) system, and engaging driving dynamics, and the Acura RDX sounds like a steal at a starting price of just over $40,000.

There are a few exterior tweaks, but you'd be hard-pressed to spot them. The new Acura RDX has larger air intakes on the front bumper and a new rear bumper with rectangular tailpipes. It's not a supercar, but it is a bit more special than the average SUV. The standard Jewel Eye LED headlights with LED daytime running lights look spectacular. It may even be the best integration of DRLs on a current car. All models also get a panoramic roof with a tilt-and-slide function.

You can also change some individual accessories for the right color combination. Standard white or grey combined with the standard 19-inch alloy give you an elegant look. Add a splash of red and 19-inch black wheels, and you have a sporty-looking SUV with a bit more character. The sporty A-Spec wears larger 20-inch wheels.

The undisputed beauty of the range is the PMC, available only in Long Beach Blue Pearl paint. Acura borrowed this color from the NSX, and it looks sublime in combination with the dark alloy wheels.

The RDX is 187.4 inches long, has a width of 74.8 inches, and is 65.7 inches tall. It has a sizable wheelbase, measuring 108.3 inches. The claimed ground clearance is impressive for what is essentially a mall parking lot crossover. You might not want to tackle the Rubicon Trail, but 8.2 inches is perfectly adequate for exploring a badly corrugated gravel road. Overall, its dimensions are similar to other SUVs in the segment.

The RDX's curb weight is impressively low thanks to the small-capacity turbocharged engine under the hood. A base model with FWD weighs 3,776 pounds, while the new top-spec A-Spec Advance with AWD weighs 4,058 lbs.

Acura's color palette for the RDX provides enough choice for the majority of shoppers. On the base RDX, you have access to Fathom Blue Pearl and Lunar Silver Metallic, the only two no-cost choices. For $500 more, you can select Majestic Black Pearl, Liquid Carbon Metallic, Performance Red Pearl, or Platinum White Pearl. With the Technology package, Phantom Violet Pearl becomes available, also for $500. The A-Spec swaps Phantom Violet Pearl for Apex Blue Pearl. As mentioned previously, the PMC Edition is exclusively finished in Long Beach Blue Pearl.

The RDX is only available with one engine option, but it's a good one. It's a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder delivering 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Those are good specs, but because the RDX is limited to one engine, other luxury SUVs are quicker. Acura doesn't provide a claimed 0 to 60 mph time or top speed figures, but independent tests have shown that it is capable of completing the benchmark sprint in 6.6 seconds when equipped with all-wheel drive. This is primarily due to the low curb weight and aggressive first, second, and third gears.

Front-wheel drive is the default setup on the base RDX, Technology, and A-Spec trim levels. AWD is standard on the Advance, and A-Spec Advance trims. You can add it as an optional extra to all models, however. This is pretty much the gold standard in this segment, though Acura's AWD system is tuned to provide a sportier driving experience and additional grip in slippery conditions

On the downside, all models come with a 1,500-lbs tow rating, which just isn't good enough. By comparison, the admittedly pricier BMW X3 can tow up to 4,400 lbs.

The RDX is powered by a modern 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 272 hp at 6,500 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque from an impressively low 1,600 rpm. Whether you opt for FWD or AWD, the RDX is equipped with a ten-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel.

The engine is responsive and lag from the turbo is minimal, so pulling away from a standstill is done with authority and, at higher speeds, there's power in reserve for overtaking. The sound piped into the cabin from the engine plays up the whine from the turbocharger, but it's hard to tell what's real and what isn't. Acura's ten-speed auto is a gem if you like your shifts to be smooth, but given the RDX's sporting pretensions, we would like the downshifts to be a little quicker.

Acura is keen to point out that one of the RDX's major improvements for 2022 is the cabin's sound insulation. However, the difference is marked enough that it doesn't need to be pointed out, particularly at freeway speeds. Add that to the suspension's ability to deal with different textures and bumps in the road and, despite the A-Spec's 20-inch wheels on our test vehicle, you have a reasonably comfortable ride. However, we found larger lumps and bumps tend to crash through the cabin. That can be improved with the smaller 19-inch wheels equipped to the Advance model. Like the A-Spec Advance, the Advance has adaptive dampers.

Around town, the steering is weighted nicely for both relaxed driving and hustling, and the engine and transmission are well refined. Getting out of town, the engine is responsive and punchy and can be honed even more when in Sport mode, which changes the RDX's disposition drastically. The crossover becomes sharper and more aggressive, and the SH-AWD's torque vectoring kicks in to help change direction quickly, aided by precision from the steering wheel. While the RDX isn't as sharp and grippy as its Porsche or BMW competition, it's fun to kick down a winding road and carries itself with confidence for the most part. The only thing we would want to improve at the RDX's price point is the brakes, which aren't as consistently firm as we would like.

According to the EPA, the FWD RDX will return gas mileage figures of 22/28/24 mpg city/highway/combined. Once you add the SH-AWD system, these figures drop to 21/27/23 mpg, which is still impressive given the size and latent performance. The A-Spec models are slightly less efficient overall, managing 22/27/24 mpg with FWD and 21/26/23 mpg with AWD.

All models boast a sizable 17.1-gallon tank, giving the FWD model a range of 410 miles. In the AWD models, you can get 393 miles between visits to the pumps.

The RDX retains its weird center console layout. It looks like one of the original rejected designs for Darth Vader's helmet, but that's not our biggest gripe. For some unknown reason, Acura refuses to acknowledge the existence of touchscreens, forcing you to engage with the infotainment system via a touchpad located just below the gear selector, but we'll expand on that in the infotainment section. Quality is generally good, and the vehicle feels solid. It's a small step below the main German competitors, but so is the price. The generous standard specification also makes a good case for the RDX, as does the various storage space in the front. All variants come with power-adjustable and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and adaptive cruise control. Acura also improved the cabin quietness across the range, though we're not sure why. It wasn't a notable flaw in previous model years, but we welcome the change anyway.

As a five-seater, the RDX fulfills the needs of most, although the center rear-seat passenger isn't going to be swimming in elbow room. However, there's decent legroom in the back, and six-foot passengers won't be complaining. The seats are comfortable, benefitting from the cabin's overall build quality, which is excellent. In the front, the driver has a high driving position if you prefer that SUV feel but has enough adjustment for a more car-like position without compromising on visibility.

Acura doesn't give you as many options as other manufacturers. The available interior color depends on the exterior hue. This is likely a cost-saving measure based on the most popular color combinations. The base model comes standard with leatherette seats, available in Ebony or Parchment. Technology and Advanced trims come with full-grain Milano leather, available in Graystone, Ebony, Parchment, and Espresso. One difference between these two trims is that the Advance's seats also have contrast piping. A-Spec and A-Spec Advance models come with leather and Ultrasuede combination seats in either Ebony or Ebony combined with Red. A-Spec Advance adds the Orchid interior option.

Whereas the base model and Technology have brushed aluminum trim, the A-Spec comes with Y-pattern dark brushed aluminum and the Advance has authentic open-pore wood trim. The PMC Edition has its own unique Orchid Milano leather interior with blue contrast stitching.

With all the seats in place, the RDX has 29.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity. That's enough for a family of four's luggage for the weekend or the weekly grocery shop. The rear seats fold forward in a 60/40 split, opening up 58.9 cubes of space. As a bonus, the RDX has a hidden underfloor cargo storage compartment perfect for valuable items. On the inside, there is storage space within the floating center console and more space beneath it. You also get cupholders and large door pockets in all the doors.

Acura gives you a lot of features right from the base price. The base RDX comes with a keyless access system, a panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate, dual-zone automatic climate control, 12-way power-adjustable heated front seats, and the AcuraWatch safety suite. The latter consists of collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane keep assist, and road departure mitigation. This year Acura added blind-spot monitoring with lane change assist, an upgraded traffic sign recognition system, low-speed autonomous braking, and a rear seatbelt reminder. The Technology trim adds front and rear parking sensors, ambient LED cabin lighting, wireless charging, and a rear camera washer.

Above this is the aptly-named Advance which adds front-seat ventilation (included with the A-Spec, too), rain-sensing wipers, 16-way power-adjustable front seats, a surround-view camera system, a 10.5-inch head-up display, heated steering wheel, and heated rear outboard seats. This is where Acura starts to shine compared to its German rivals.

Acura's RDX now comes with a 10.2-inch screen that's controlled by a touchpad on the center console. According to Acura, the touchpad is designed to be intuitive to use, but even after experiencing it a few times, we can tell you that it does take a little getting used to. Standard features include wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, a nine-speaker sound system, Bluetooth, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Both SiriusXM and HD Radio are thrown in, too. The optional Technology Package adds a navigation system, wireless charging, and the stunning ELS Studio premium audio system with 12 speakers. The 3D version of the ELS sound system is then available on A-Spec and Advance models, further increasing the speaker count to 16.

Reliability reviews for the Acura RDX are not perfect, but they're also no reason for you not to consider it. While the 2022 Acura RDX remains recall-free, the 2021 model was recalled once for a driveshaft that may fail. A single recall also affected 2020 models, this time for a fuel pump that could fail.

For such a seemingly reliable car, the Acura RDX has a rating of just 76 out of a possible 100 from J.D. Power, at least for the 2021 model. There isn't one particular category that dragged it down as the RDX simply scored average across all the various categories.

The RDX is sold with a four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty, a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty, and roadside assistance that's valid for four years/50,000 miles.

In its Acura RDX safety review, the NHTSA gave the SUV the full five-out-of-five stars for overall safety. The IIHS was even more generous, giving the 2021 model a Top Safety Pick + award, its highest recognition of safety standards. While the 2022 model has yet to be reviewed by the IIHS, Acura fully expects to receive top marks from both institutions again.

The Acura RDX SUV comes standard with eight airbags (including dual front knee airbags), ABS, traction and stability control, hill start assist, and a multi-view rearview camera. On the top-spec models, you also get a 360-degree camera and a 10.5-inch head-up display, plus a head-up warning function.

From the base upwards, all models now boast collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, low-speed autonomous braking, and a rear seatbelt reminder.

If you have a tighter budget but want a comfortable, stylish, well-built crossover designed with the driver in mind as well as passenger comfort, the Acura RDX should be on your test-drive list in the USA. As a value proposition, the standard safety specification is certainly impressive, as is Acura's build quality and reputation for dependability. As the 2022 model is a refresh, any small issues will have been ironed out, and it's a perfect time to buy. When cross-shopping, we would take a long, hard look at the Genesis GV70 in terms of value and performance or the Audi Q5 if technology is important to you.

The price of the Acura RDX starts at an MSRP of $40,100, while the Technology trim retails for $42,750. Upgrade to the A-Spec trim, and you'll have to fork over $45,750. These models are FWD as standard, but you can add AWD for an additional $2,200. The Advance model comes standard with AWD and retails for $50,100, while the A-Sped Advance starts at $52,100. The Acura RDX will cost $53,300 in limited PMC Edition guise.

These prices exclude tax, licensing, registration, and a destination charge of $1,045 in the US.

Acura has a different structure to its lineup that deviates from traditional, standalone trims. Instead, there are five packages that build on top of each other. With that in mind, the range offers six models: the base RDX, Technology Package, A-Spec, Advance Package, A-Spec Advance, and the limited PMC Edition.

All models are powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 272 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a ten-speed automatic gearbox, which sends power to the front wheels in base to mid-spec models and an AWD system on top-spec models. A $2,200 AWD upgrade is available for the lower three trims.

The base model is simply called the RDX, although there's nothing entry-level about it. It comes with 19-inch alloys, Jewel Eye LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate, 12-way power-adjustable heated front seats, and Acura's improved 10.2-inch True Touchpad Interface with a nine-speaker sound system.

With the Technology Package, the RDX adds navigation, full-grain Milano leather seats, front and rear parking sensors, ambient LED interior lighting, a 12-speaker sound system, a wireless charging pad, and a rear camera washer.

The A-Spec Package is primarily a cosmetic and feature package, but requires at least the Technology Package too. It consists of 20-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lights, leather/Ultrasuede seats, ventilated front seats, aluminum sports pedals, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D sound system.

The Advance trim comes with model-specific 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive damping, ventilated front seats, rain-sensing wipers, a surround-view camera system, a hands-free power liftgate, a head-up display, heated rear outboard seats, remote engine start, and LED puddle lights.

Combine this with the A-Spec Package, and you get the all-new A-Spec Advance Package. It gets a unique sports styling package with exclusive 20-inch alloy wheels, an interior sport styling package, and access to the Orchid leather interior.

Acura will only build 200 PMC Edition RDXs. It's an A-Spec Advance painted Long Beach Blue Pearl and combined with an Orchid Milano leather interior. Other additions include a body-color grille surround, gloss black exterior trim, 20-inch black Berlina wheels, dark chrome exhaust finishers, and an individually numbered interior plaque.

For 2022, every RDX model gets the full available suite of safety items, including collision mitigation braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane keep assist, road departure mitigation, blind-spot monitoring, traffic sign recognition, low-speed autonomous braking, and a rear seatbelt reminder.

The base and Technology models can be equipped with a Premium Package, available in Black or Silver. It costs $1,432, and it adds remote engine start, hands-free access to the trunk, and black or silver roof rails. The Sports Package retails for $3,418 ($3,478 with the Advance) and comes with gloss black emblems, 20-inch diamond-cut alloys, black valve caps, and black wheel lug nuts. There is also a $1,895 Utility Package with a cargo organizer and more. For the A-Spec, there's an A-Spec Sports Package for $1,810 with extras like gloss black emblems, a sport heated steering wheel, and illuminated door sill trim.

Other than that, Acura pretty much gives you everything you want the more you pay. Some individual accessories are available, including crossbars ($319, and requires roof rails), a roof basket ($394, requires both crossbars and roof rails), or running boards for $746.

There's nothing basic about the RDX's base model and, if budget is important and performance isn't, there's a lot of vehicle for the money there. If performance is important, then you'll want to add the SH-AWD system for an additional $2,200.

Beyond the RDX base model, there's something to suit everybody's preferences and needs, although we would go for the Technology trim, tick the SH-AWD option, and call it a day. That adds the performance and bad-weather ability plus tech bells and whistles, a Milano leather interior, and a nicer sound system for just shy of $45,000.

Unfortunately, the A-Spec is still just an appearance package bar an upgrade to the 3D version of the ELS Studio sound system and one or two other extras that we could live without. The Advance model is well worth considering for going full luxury for $50,100. We wouldn't consider the A-Spec Advance package.

If you're interested in a top-spec RDX A-Spec Advance, you might as well have a glance at the mid-tier MDX. The latter retails for more or less the same at base level, and there are a few reasons why you should take it over the RDX. First, it has a tow rating of 5,000 lbs (with AWD) and seating for seven, so there are more seating and cargo configurations to choose from. It's the go-to alternative if you need more space for people or towing something more significant than a jet ski. The MDX uses the same clunky infotainment interface, but you get a larger screen. It also replaces the RDX's analog dials with a more modern digital gauge cluster.

The MDX uses an old-school NA 3.5 liter V6 engine producing 290 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque, mated to the same ten-speed gearbox. The RDX's turbocharged engine produces 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Not only does the smaller engine feel more spirited, but it also consumes less fuel. Choosing between the two depends entirely on what your needs are. If you have a larger family or need to tow something heavier regularly, the MDX is the way to go. For everything else, the RDX is the better option.

The CR-V is the RDX's slightly smaller, cheaper cousin. You wouldn't be able to tell the size difference on the inside, however. The Honda's trunk offers 39.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity, easily beating the RDX's 29.5-cube trunk. The top-spec Honda is also around $4,000 cheaper than the base RDX. So, what do you have to give up? Well, the Honda isn't as powerful. Its 1.5-liter turbocharged four-pot only produces 190 hp and 179 lb-ft of torque, while the hybrid model gives you 212 hp. Naturally, you get better fuel economy, but the performance isn't exactly stunning. But that's not precisely the point of an SUV, is it? We'd much rather have the Honda because the quality is nearly as good, it comes with all of the goodies at a much lower price, and you get a regular touchscreen interface.