Used 2013 Acura RDX Base SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2013 Acura RDX Base SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
Extremely underrated; fast, Struts a problem
Phil, Tulsa, OK, 02/06/2016
2013 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2013 model passenger seat is non adjustable. No back seat air vents. Light and nimble for its size. Looking for a 2019 now. Still a great car. Fast, powerful engine. Tried to trade for 2017, but just couldn't make a deal. One oddity of this year: rain on the roof sounds like a 'tin roof'. Supposedly this solved in new RDX. Great stereo.
Update: 8/19/18 Bullet proof and fast. Looks brand … new inside and out. White/tan. $40 oil changes from dealer. Had minor squeak in steering wheel which dealer fixed early on.
Update: 2/20/19 One rear strut fixed (under recall), dealer refused to fix other even after our insistence. 2nd strut now creating extremely irritating thumping. Only 35K miles. Still in great shape. Our other car is a Honda Crosstour (2012) a great car, same engine, solid. Apparently Honda dealers are better to work with.
BUY A LEXUS INSTEAD!
Sandy Robins, Grayson, KY, 09/01/2015
2013 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
I have owned this car for 1 1/2 years. Soon after purchasing had to have the back shocks replaced (under warranty). The dealer claimed to know nothing about shock problems but the other 4 people that I personally know that have this car have had to have their shocks replaced as well, some more than once.
Recently my A/C quit working without incidence or warning. When I called the … dealer where I purchased the car I was told "maybe a pebble jumped up and put a hole in your condenser". I dismissed this as very unlikely as I had never heard of such a thing in my 40 years of driving nor did I hear, see or run over anything. Well he was right and since caused by road debris would not honor the warranty. Repair $750. I researched this issue and found that Honda/ Acura had a previous class action suit settled in 2010 for 38.5 Million FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS!!!!!!
Suit claimed placed where road debris can hit it easily and thin metal was used. Said "Parts that fail and they know it".
My husband called Acura Customer Service which is apparently a joke. Explained we owned a Honda Pilot and CRV previously and purchased the RDX and TSX to upgrade to a premium car. Again a joke. They refused to fix under warranty or even discount the repair at all. Apparently no concern that we have purchased 4 vehicles. NOT ANYMORE!!!!
They apparently are still having A/C condenser failing issues. Any of you Attorneys want a class action?
Love it!
lisas55, Puyallup, WA, 05/23/2013
2013 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Have had my RDX one month, averaging 25.5 MPG in mixed driving.
Very comfortable, nice interior.
Good for taller folks - we are both over 5'10'.
Great value - cost 6K less than
than a comparatively equipped Volvo S60 - which is the other car I looked at - and the gas mileage is much better.
I got over 30MPG on the highway.
And you never know when the active cylinder management system is … in use - it's smooth and seamless.
Buying Used but Confused? Buy This Car.
RWD Fan, Decatur, GA, 06/19/2018
2013 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
This was a great "bridge" car and I always thought it would be a perfect 1st car for a teen or a young family because of the built-in safety and test results. I bought a not-so-gently used low-mileage 2013 with 29k miles - but those were hard miles on this car and it took a lot of detailing to get it back to where I was happy with it. So I can tell you that the interior is VERY durable. … The base "pleather" seats are super comfortable and extremely durable - truly some of the most comfortable seats I've ever had. They were punished with sand and spills and I got them back to almost new with the exception of one lipstick-like stain. The interior carpet took a lot of punishment from the 1st owner but cleaned up almost like new. Well done, Acura. Smooth-shifting and quiet with the base model technology that was an upgrade for me - I like being able to select "talk to you later - I'm driving" option as auto response to texts. Sometimes couldn't understand my verbal requests. Acura's AC system isn't robust (a previous Acura had the same problem) and I see mention of that on message boards so it just must be an Acura thing. More of what I loved and why I bought it: durable, good horsepower/weight ratio for quick acceleration, easy exit/entry and the back seats are HUGE for this segment and I needed this to tote my elderly parents around and put their walkers in the back. Much better MPG than my trade-in so that was a plus. But I traded it because I drive 200 highway miles (1-way) very quickly back/forth to see the parents and it has a C-pillar blind spot that you can't adjust the mirrors outwardly far enough to address. And the FWD dynamics are annoying to me when turning and accelerating from a stop. I prefer RWD but I've had a few FWD cars over the years that didn't annoy me like this one did so that combined with the blind spot AND the lack of climate control vents for the backseat passengers (really? in 2013 you can't put vents back there?) I traded it for a very nice gently-used RWD sedan. But hey, it's a great trustworthy car for particular needs and since the 2013-2018 (?) models are virtually unchanged - go buy yourself a nice USED RDX for the price you like since you won't notice much difference between the model years. Update after having traded it 12 months ago - I still kinda miss this used RDX and will test drive the newer version for future cars to see if the things that bothered me about this model have improved. I still stand by my recommendation.
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2013 Acura RDX Base SUV
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Strong yet fuel-efficient V6 engine, roomy cabin, generous standard features list.
- Con:Some rivals are sportier or have a few more available features.
Full Edmunds Review: 2013 Acura RDX SUV
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2013 Acura RDX in Ohio is:
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