Acura RDX Review

2009 Acura RDX SUV

As manufacturers take advantage of the young target demographic to stretch their creative legs, crossover vehicles are getting a lot of hype. Currently, crossovers offer some of the most adventurous designs on the market. The Acura RDX follows that trend with a highly mechanized architecture that pushes the brand's usual style cues beyond its safety threshold to a level that could intrigue many shoppers.

The RDX is also the first factory Acura product to utilize a turbocharged engine. This attribute, along with the vehicle's design focus on on-road performance rather than off-road ability, reinforces the crossover's purpose as a sporty performer inside the body of a small SUV. As such, Acura hopes it will appeal to young affluent buyers looking for an alternative to a sedan or coupe.

Current Acura RDX

The Acura RDX, introduced for the 2007 model year, is a small luxury crossover SUV. Compared to the Honda CR-V, of which there is minimal mechanical similarity, the RDX is much more upscale in terms of interior design, features and performance. Its all-new engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder that's capable of 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed automatic transmission (with paddle shifters) is standard fare, and the RDX is equipped with Acura's advanced Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system.

SH-AWD transfers torque between the wheels (front and rear, and side-to-side) to optimize steering and handling under every driving situation. Other important standard performance features include stability control, traction control and antilock disc brakes with brake assist.

For the entry-level luxury crossover SUV segment, the Acura RDX stands out for its list of premium standard features. For instance, leather seating, heated seats, xenon headlights, Bluetooth and a 260-watt audio system with a six-CD changer are all standard. An optional Technology Package adds a navigation system (with voice activation and real-time traffic reporting), sun-sensing climate control system and a rearview camera. The stereo also gets upgraded to a 410-watt surround-sound system with 10 speakers and speed sensitivity control.

The one drawback to such a sport-conscious package is that it comes at the sacrifice of some utility. Although there's plenty of space for passengers (the rear seats are nearly as roomy as those in the larger Acura MDX), the 61 (maximum) cubic-foot cargo hold is on the small side compared to most rivals and lacks items like adjustable cargo tracks and a rear parcel shelf.

If you can deal with the limited amount of cargo space, then you should look at the RDX just from a performance perspective. In road tests, we've found that the Acura RDX drives like a sport sedan. It's quick and extremely nimble through corners. The turbocharged engine is a thrill and makes the RDX exciting to drive, providing 0-60-mph times in the high-6-second range. On the downside, the RDX's EPA fuel estimates are barely average for this segment, and the turbocharged engine requires 91-octane fuel.

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* Edmunds.com maintains vehicle data as far back as 1990.