![]() Over the weekend, we drove the 2017 Acura MDX AWD with the Advance trim. It’s all-weather capable and has a quiet, spacious cabin. We think the improvements on the 2017 MDX make it one of the best-driving crossovers in its class. Parting shot: Sharp interior, solid mechanics.Many consumers don’t think of the Acura MDX when searching for a new luxury SUV or crossover, but it’s definitely a model you need to put on your list. RDX gets more impressive the more time you dance with it to appreciate all the thoughtful details.Īs tested: $45,500 (excluding $995 delivery)Įngine: 272-hp 2-liter turbo four-cylinder It blends performance, technology and efficiency without sacrificing either. It’s not as agile as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, not as well-heeled as the BMW X3, but it’s more sophisticated than the Lexus NX. Like the Honda CR-V, the Acura RDX is well-balanced for the price. Headroom is a little tight due to the standard panoramic sunroof and tapering roofline, but Acura claims top-in-class cargo space thanks in part to cubbies in the floor. The overall layout of the controls and center console make for a roomy cabin, with plenty of leg room for rear passengers. If you like it loud and clear, the ELS Studio 3D system comes with 16 speakers (four in the ceiling) and 710 watts. Hands-free driving is available in 15-second spells, and the tech doesn’t overwhelm the driver with bings, dings and zings.Ī-Spec also comes with a premium 3-D sound system that Acura reps are very proud of, and rightly so. Adaptive cruise will take you down to a stop, but you have to press the gas to get going again. The red-on-black ventilated leather trimmed sport seats, with brushed metal accents and red trimmed gauges, prompted our tween hockey fan to call it the Blackhawks car.Ī-Spec models also come flush with advanced driver assistance systems, all of which operate effectively and unobtrusively. Voice commands were exceptional, as was overall interior design. Drivers averse to swiping and menus and such should opt out. It’s not distracting or uncomfortable, and most immediate functions can be handled by the roller dials on the steering wheel controls. It took us a week to figure out some swipe commands, such as swiping hard left to get to the next page of preset radio stations. If the map is on the main screen and audio display on the small screen, the user can switch views with the side pad. ![]() There is another slender vertical touchpad next to it, the size of a pinky, that mimics the split screen display. Even on rough roads, the touchpad acts as you intended. It doesn’t use a cursor, so the hand movements mimic the display dimensions. The menu items on screen correspond directly to the touchpad, so to hit the home button in the top left, just touch the top left of the touchpad. It’s farther away and in the same eye level as the instrument cluster, making a touchpad safer and more convenient than a touch screen. The benefit of the touchpad over a touch screen is placement. Default driving mode can be set to sport, not comfort, and sport-plus mode can be used to delay shift points and tighten throttle response. ![]() It’s light on its low-profile tires, though with a curb weight of just over 4,000 pounds, it won’t hit 60 mph until the mid 5-second range. The extra torque enables it to tow up to 1,500 pounds. The V-6 made 279 horsepower to the turbo four’s 272, but torque is up 28 pound-feet to 280 pound-feet. Acura’s diamond pentagon grille, which appears to get bigger as it flows from the badge, appears to be in motion flanked by jewel-eyed headlights, which are seven LEDs stitched horizontally, the fascia seems to be squinting from speed.ĭespite ditching the V-6 for the 2-liter turbo four-cylinder like Honda did with the Accord, Acura claims the RDX to be the quickest version yet. A-Spec has 20-inch wheels (19-inch is standard) with wider, lower profile tires for a more muscular profile and slightly tighter ride. ![]() The second highest trim bumps the price to $45,500, which is cheaper than the Germans, Volvo and Cadillac and on a par with Lexus and Infiniti. It looks good, especially in the tester’s A Spec trim, which is the first Acura crossover to get the sporty trim. Fortunately, with the 2019 RDX, Acura proves the difference is in the details.ĭesigned and engineered in America, the third-generation 2019 Acura RDX features a new platform that is taller, wider and longer - more American. ![]() With so many compact crossovers in America’s best-selling segment, it’s hard to stand out without looking like the guy in the ruffled tux at the high school dance. ![]()
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