A week spent in the compact crossover SUV from Hondas luxury brand
Pros:
Smooth engine and transmission
Some nice luxury touches
Fit and finish, ergonomics, switchgear
Cons:
Road noise
Electric steering setup could use more on-center feel
The RDX
Acura's smallest crossover, the RDX, began life as a bit of an experiment for the luxury brand. Introduced in the fall of 2006 as a 2007 model, it was the first (and so far only) Honda model powered by a turbocharged engine.
It managed to garner a following of enthusiast drivers who enjoyed the way it performed, but never sold in the numbers Acura was hoping for.
Interestingly, many of the complaints about the first-gen model, aside from a stiff ride, also zeroed in on its inline-four turbo. While it was quick and responsive, it was sometimes criticized for its poor fuel economy and the need for premium fuel.
2013 Acura RDX
Fast forward to 2012 and we now have the all-new 2013 Acura RDX.
Honda started by ditching the turbo engine in favor of an all-new 3.5-liter SOHC all-aluminum V6 which, in the RDX, manages 273 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 251 lb.-ft. of torque at 5,000 rpm, gaining 23 horsepower but losing 9 lb.-ft. of torque to the smaller mill. The new engine also features the first application of variable cylinder management in an Acura vehicle, allowing the engine to run on six, four or three cylinders, based on driving conditions.
The six pot is mated to a new six-speed automatic with relative short gearing in the first five gears, while a relatively tall sixth gear allows for lower-rev highway cruising.
On all-wheel-drive models, Honda also chose to 86 the 2012 model's sophisticated Super Handling All Wheel Drive system for a new AWD system, shared with the Honda CR-V that is both smaller and lighter – overall weight of the 2013 RDX is down 104 pounds - that Honda calls AWD with Intelligent Control.
With the previous engine issues addressed that included a corresponding increase in fuel economy from 17/22/19 city/highway/combined mpg to 19/27/22 city/highway/combined mpg in the AWD version, Honda set about tweaking the RDX's issues.
In this case, it meant enlarging the vehicle's footprint.
While overall length is up by an inch and width and height have also increased marginally – by 0.1 inches and 0.9 inches respectively, wheelbase is up by nearly an inch and a half and the front track (1.2 inches) and rear track (1.0 inch) have also been stretched significantly.
Exterior
Outside, Acura decided to go the conservative route. While the styling of the RDX is hardly what you'd call exciting, it's a step up from bland and is certainly inoffensive.
Perhaps I'm getting soft in my old age, but the much-maligned blade front grille, at least on the RDX, seems neither hideous nor out of place. In this case it's flanked by a pair of narrow headlamp enclosures that, on our Tech model contain a pair of HID headlamps. Below these on the lower part of the front fascia and as part of the Tech package are twin lower grilles containing fog lamps that bracket the lower air intake.
Both front and rear fenders are nicely flared while the sides feature two prominent creases – an upper one that bisects the front and rear door handles and a more pronounced lower one that rises slightly from the midpoint of the front wheels and extends to the rear fender flare.
In back there's a large rear upper spoiler while nicely-styled, wrap-around horizontal taillamps reside just above a chrome trim strips that bisects the tailgate.
Interior
Inside, fit and finish is excellent, although a bit spartan for a purported luxury vehicle. The heated front seats are firm and supportive with just the right amount of side bolstering and with the 10-way driver's (the passengers is 4-way) featuring three memory settings.
Leather surfaces abound and there are soft-touch surfaces galore, although there is nothing about the cabin that is particularly sybaritic for a luxury vehicle.
Instruments are clear and easy to read, while the typically-smooth console and center-stack buttons and controls are, for the most part, intuitive. The only issue I had with this setup involves the large round knob that controls most of the on-screen functions of the infotainment system. It could use a little work, as some of the functions that it performs don't come naturally. That being said, it did take me less than a minute to pair my iPhone to it.
Front seat passengers have a generous amount of head, shoulder and leg room. In back, up to three rear-seat passengers will find a flat floor, along with plenty of room, featuring high-sitting and well-shaped seats along with easy ingress and egress.
Loading objects into the cargo area is also a snap – especially with the electric hatch feature (part of the tech package) that can be operated from the back, from a button on the dash, or from the key fob.
Folding the 60/40 split rear seats, even from the larger rear hatch opening, is also easy via the two remote release levers located on either side of the storage area just forward of the hatch opening.
Cargo volume behind the rear seat is 26.1 cubic feet. With both rear seats flipped forward, that expands to a generous 76.9 cubic feet.
On the road
By their very definition, crossover SUV's, even the sportier ones, are not the type of vehicles you normally associate with either twisty roads or straight-line performance. This is also happens to be the case with the 2013 Acura RDX.
Drivers seeking performance and handling – at least in a comparative sense - may lament the passing of the old model but, for most, the changes that Honda has wrought are for the better.
The V6 is both smoother and more powerful, making both passing and merging less raucous. Road compliance is better and body lean is still well controlled. Road and wind noise are also good, although rougher surfaces can bring through a noticeable amount of tire noise. Braking is also good and it's easy to modulate the brake pedal.
The RDX also comes standard with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, for those so inclined.
Speaking of steering, it is, for the most part very good. Feedback through the leather-wrapped steering wheel is decent and the weight builds nicely - communicating exactly where you are on the road, that is, with the exception of a little on-center deadness which is something I've learned to live with in the majority of electrically-assisted systems.
But the fact is that Honda has done a better job than many manufacturers in programming their electric steering systems for both on-road feel and around-town maneuverability feedback.
Equipment and pricing
New car pricing is fairly simple when it comes to the all-new RDX. Eschewing traditional options packages - there are none - Acura's smallest SUV is available in four flavors: front-wheel-drive, all-wheel-drive, front-wheel-drive with the Technology Package and, finally, all-wheel drive with the Technology Package.
As befits their premium nature, all RDXs come with leather, push-button ignition, full power features, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated front seats, power moonroof, alloy wheels, and heated outside mirrors. A nifty remote entry package is also included, consisting of a key fob that, when present, allows the holder to lock or unlock the front doors simply by touching the door handles.
The Tech Package adds such niceties as a nav system with voice recognition, multi-view rear camera, real-time traffic and weather, dual-zone automatic climate control, the aforementioned power tailgate, HID headlights and fog lights. Finally, it adds Acura's ELS surround-sound system – a system, by the way, that rivals the best I have heard from the likes of Bose, Harmon-Kardon and Infinity.
Once you've picked your model, you can choose from a number of exterior and interior accessories that range from various and sundry roof rail attachments for the exterior to a number of different wood trim kits for the interior.
Dealer prices, including an $895 destination and handling charge, begin at $35,215 for a front-wheel drive model and top out at $40,315, which was the price of our model that featured a Basque Red exterior and Parchment leather interior.
The Bottom Line
For 2013, the all-new Acura RDX has a lot going for it – attractive styling, better fuel economy, a much improved ride and a comfortable, nicely-appointed interior. Given these qualities, it should do much better in the marketplace than its predecessor.
