2008 Acura RDX - An Impressive Little CUV

I have my RL (see my other review) in the shop to have a recurring problem with the door handles fixed, after 35K miles I love my RL, but there were some issues with finicky door handles on early years. Anyway, the dealer offered an RDX as a loaner and since I've never driven one, I was eager to give it a try while they had my car over the weekend.

As for the other reviewer, with all due respect, the RDX is not meant to compete with the Lexus RX. The RDX is based off of the Honda CRV which competes Toyota RAV4. The Lexus RX is based off of the Toyota Highlander. The Acura competitor to the RX is in actuality the Acura MDX which is based off of the Honda Pilot.

Got all that?

Back to the RDX. Coming from the RL, I wasn't expecting to really be impressed by the RDX. Well I was wrong! This is one impressive and sporty little CUV. The turbo does a great job of helping the little motor along, but I quickly found that dipping into that little turbo quickly negated any fuel economy benefits of the four-banger.

The loaner was a non-navigation version so I noticed that it was missing the button for voice controls, although it still has the voice controlled Bluetooth features. With respect to navigation, it's common knowledge that Acura equips their cars with some of the best OEM navigation systems out there, and their voice commands aren't gimmicks... they really work, long before features like Ford's Sync have become popular.

The RDX has a firm, sporty ride that is never harsh. Body lean is virtually non-existent as long as you remember that it's not meant to be a Corvette. For a wagon, this thing has some impressive handling. Interior is well laid out in typical Acura fashion, with an angular dash in metallic trim. It definitely has a high tech feel to it. Looking at the instrument cluster, one thing I noticed is that you get the typical speedo, tach and fuel gauge, but the temp gauge is replaced by the turbo boost indicator. A temp gauge is available, but it's buried in the multi-information display. You have to scroll through the Tire pressure monitoring, trip computer, oil life monitor, and other displays before you get to the temp reading. I guess you could get used to it, but it kind of defeats the purpose. The idea of these types of gauges is that they are readily visible so you can notice a problem starting (in this case running hot) before it becomes critical. I doubt you would actively look for it, and if you did, I would bet that you already have an indication that there may be a problem. Interior fit, finish and materials were above average. Not quite to the levels of the RL, but then again, it costs less. Seats were firm but comfortable.

Even though I had the base version, it still had high-end features such as memory settings for seats and mirrors, paddle shifters, moonroof, leather trimmed interior, auto dimming rear view mirror, dual zone climate control, and heated seats. I'm sure I missed a few more, but you get the idea.

From a performance standpoint, the engine provides acceleration that is more than adequate, thanks to the turbo. The drawback to a turbo (aside from fuel economy penalities) is that the power delivery isn't linear. The acceleration starts off modestly and then you hear a whoosh as you approach 3,000 RPM and then... BAM! A very noticeable burst as the turbo engages. Definitely brought a smile to my face, but could get tiring for your passengers if you explore the turbo often. The Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) as it does in the RL and MDX, contributes greatly to the handling of this vehicle. I won't go into too much detail on SH-AWD as that could be a review into of itself, but for those who aren't familiar with it, I suggest you do some research. Unlike traditional AWD setups, SH-AWD doesn't just shine when the sun doesn't, but more so when it does (shine). It's torque vectoring capabilities would give any sports car a run for it's money.

Exterior styling follows Acura's current theme of extreme angles. Since styling is subjective, I won't dwell on it.

On the con side, there isn't much that came to mind. The front windows have express up/down, but the rears do not. It is a bit light in the cargo carrying department (it is a mini SUV after all), and as I mentioned before, the turbo negates much of the gas mileage benefits of a 4 cylinder. Although I had a lot of fun spooling up the turbo causing the RDX to squirt through traffic bringing a smile to my face.

Steering felt a little overboosted. It was responsive, but felt a little twitchy. Nothing terrible, but a little more of a weighted feel would be welcome.

All in all, living with this little wagon for the past four days brought a smile to my face.

If I had to downsize from our current SUV (2004 Land Cruiser) and given today's gas prices I see that day coming, and I had only light duty hauling needs (and no towing), this little SUV would be at the top of my list.