2023 Acura RDX represents a first-rate value among luxury SUVs given you can live without the badge envy that BMWs and Porsches offer as standard. The RDX’s turbocharged four-cylinder is plenty powerful and its crisp handling is satisfying on a twisty road, but its 10-speed automatic transmission and brake-pedal feel could both use some refinement. Inside, the Acura isn’t as swanky as the Genesis GV70 or the Volvo XC60, although it does come standard with a similar level of technology and convenience features. Even considering its flaws, the RDX’s practicality, pleasant road manners, and value-oriented pricing make it a good if somewhat off-beat choice among compact SUVs.
Engine Performance
Every RDX is powered by a 272-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive (or "SH-AWD" in Acura-speak). The A-Spec version we tested needed 6.2 seconds to hit 60 mph at our test track, which places it mid-pack among compact luxury SUVs. The RDX's throttle is responsive at low speeds, and it pulls away from stoplights with enough pep for most drivers. The transmission could be quicker to downshift, especially when the driver uses the steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The turbocharged engine makes the RDX sound a bit like the NSX, with a high-pitched roar during hard acceleration, but much of that noise is artificial and piped into the cabin through the audio system's speakers. The RDX we drove had large 20-inch wheels and optional adaptive dampers that allow you to adjust the ride quality. While our test vehicle failed to isolate the cabin from harsh impacts on the roughest roads, it was never punishing or noisy. The torque-vectoring SH-AWD system also helped the RDX change directions quickly and was backed by precise-feeling steering. The RDX leaned only when we attacked a highway on-ramp, but otherwise, it was wonderfully balanced.
Fuel
The RDX has competitive EPA fuel-economy ratings that approach the mid-20s, with the front-drive model getting slightly higher city and highway estimates than the all-wheel-drive one. The former is rated at 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway; both those numbers drop by 1 mpg when you select all-wheel drive. Opting for the A-Spec package will reduce both highway estimates by 1 mpg, to 27 mpg with the front-driver and 26 mpg for the SH-AWD car. We tested an RDX A-Spec SH-AWD on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, and achieved 26 mpg exactly its EPA rating.
Price
Base $42,745
Technology $45,195
A-Spec $48,195
Advance $52,545
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