How important is the RDX to Acura? Not only is it their best-selling vehicle but this 2019 redesign is being heralded as the beginning of a new era for Honda’s luxury division. Remember the Super-Handling All Wheel Drive system that was skipped in favor of a lighter, simpler setup for the 2013 redesign? It’s back. And the original’s turbocharged engine? That’s back, too.
The RDX has an interesting history; born a turbocharged rebel, tranquilized in its adolescence and now arriving with a learned and confident persona, Acura’s latest reboot of their ever popular luxury crossover is the RDX at its very best. Just like Honda, Acura is done with boring styling. The brand exudes excitement through its designs and powertrains and finally delivers on its Advance promise by incorporating more of today’s technologies.
Can you get a front-drive RDX for under $40,000? Yes. But if you crave one with all-wheel drive, and the vast amount of goodies included in the Technology and Advance packages you’ll end up with this attractive example. Also fitted with 19” black wheels, MSRP is $50,495. And with so much happening here, that price is not only justifiable but it seems like a bargain.
No longer a Honda CR-V clone, the RDX has gone its own way stretching its wheelbase by over 2 ½” and widening its body. Acura says its structure is lighter, more rigid and more tightly sealed than before and the driving experience corroborates these claims where the RDX uses its instantly accessible 280 pound-feet of torque, the company’s typically great steering feel and the true-to-its-name Super Handling All-Wheel Drive to deliver a wonderfully sporty attitude that is both fun and evolved. That being said, I’ve been debating all week whether the typically conservative Acura customer might find themselves a little out of their comfort zone here.
This RDX certainly appeals to the driver like never before. But with the Advance package’s new Active Damper System, the ride and handling can be tailored at the turn of a dial. I love how Acura integrated this feature making it easy and engaging to switch modes including Comfort, Sport, Sport + and Snow. Not only does the suspension tuning change but the steering, throttle and traction control parameters are all adjusted for whatever you prefer not to mention Active Sound Control which can give the RDX’s 2.0-liter engine a much more rebellious voice.
The new 10-speed automatic has a Sport mode as well, activated by pressing this button. Though I appreciate the packaging efficiency of the shifter, it’s certainly not the easiest to change directions when time is of the essence. With precise wheel control and all of Acura’s other handling assist technologies this RDX has the moves that will delight the enthusiast yet at the same time not alienate the casual driver with well-damped impact motions and a quiet cabin.
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