Used 2019 Acura RDX Consumer Reviews

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More about the 2019 RDX
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Close to Being Perfect Compact Luxury SUV--Not The

Petros Bezirganyan, 01/07/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
414 of 428 people found this review helpful

After months of researching and shopping, pulled the trigger on new RDX w/ Tech... After driving it for 3k mi in 2 months, here are my impressions. THE GOOD 1. The leather seats are very soft and comfortable. Beats any latest model Nissan, Volvo or BMW. The real leather is exquisite. Acura makes the best leather seats, period. Better than the latest Volvo XC90 or XC60, BMW X3 or 3 series, Nissans and even Hondas and Audi Q5... The only seat that is better is the one in Volkswagen Passat, but these are synthetic leatherette... The seat is 16-way power adjustable, and on Advance trim it has power thigh extension as well... Love the seats... 2. The ELS 3D Studio premium audio system is sublime. The surround sound is fantastic, and is second only to Volvo's latest Bowers & Wilkins audio system. 3. The style. I really, really love the body styling if the new RDX. It is elegant, agresive, sporty, modern. I really love the 19" shark gray wheels. The cabin is modern, luxurious and I would say, elegant. Love panorama sunroof. 4. Comfort and ride. Very quiet cabin, supple ride. Good rear legroom and headroom 5. Cargo capacity. Is on par with any compact SUV, and is better than almost all luxury compact SUVs. 6. Price point. Very competitive guven the amount of features. 7. Engine power and torque. With 272 hp on tap and low-RPM 280 lb-ft of torque, this SUV has a pick-up of a sporty sedan or a hatchback. 8. Handling. With its wide stance and low profile, coupled with torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, this SUV corners flat, and can handle any curve confidently, feeling sure-footed on any type of pavement. THE BAD 1. Transmission. Acura keeps telling us (since the crappy 6-speed in 2013 RDX and 8, and then 9-speed ZF transmission in Acura MDX 2013-2015, 2016-2019) that they are going to finally fix the rough and jerky gear shifts, especially at low speeds and going uphill, and finally they claimed that they did it with the Honda-engineered 10-speed transmission, debuted in the 2018 Honda Odyssey, and now in 2019 RDX... But let me tell you, this tranny, although much better than 9-speed German-made ZF and the 6-speed in old RDX, still has some serious issues: at low speeds it tends to keep in the middle gears (3-6), instead of downshifting to 2, perhaps--I don't know, but the effect is as if it is in higher gear at lower speeds than it should be, preventing acceleration at speeds at around 25-30 mph, or when coasting to a stop light or parking... This is very annoying, since the vehicle feels underpowered for simple maneuvers, like coasting to a stop light or driving in a parking lot. Pushing the throttle, simply jerks the vehicle forward, as if accelerating from dead stop, which is not what one wants, and is dangerous in traffic or parking garages... Disappointing. 2. Fuel economy on premium 92 grade gas. In the mixed mostly city driving I average only 21 mpg on premium gas. Very disappointing. On regular 87 octane gas, the fuel economy drops to 20 mpg. Disappointing... 3. Small fuel tank, short driving range on a full tank. With only 17 gallon tank, maximum I can drive on premium gas on a full tank is 300 miles, before the fuel gauge light up. Very, very disappointing... My Nissan Rogue would go 359 miles before I had to stop for refueling... 4. Infotainment system. Very, very glitchy and underbaked. Using the precision touch mouse pad is awkward; using navigation is clunky. Voice recognition barely works. The loading of contacts takes a very, very long time... Calls are driooed every now and then; the system hangs intermittently... Nissan's simple Bosch-designed infotainment puts Acura to shame... Android auto is not supported as of yet... No way to look up point of interest phones; no Pandora or Google integration. My Nissan had all that. I miss Nissan's infotainment system... THE UGLY 1. The brake pads already squeal on all 4 as if completely worn out on a brand-new vehicle with less than 3k miles!!! 2. Passenger wiper is not retracting completely. This is a calibration issue, which Acura is looking into. 3. The hatch back-door creaks and moans on opening and closing, just like a whale. 4. Driver vanity mirror cover squeaks when opening. Not nice. 5. The cargo area liftable cover does not stay open, and needs to be held while accessing the underfloor storage compartment. 6. To put in roof-rails and crossbars, Acura is asking for $1,200. Very expensive for almost a necessity on a SUV. CONCLUSION On hindsight, unless you are getting a super killer deal on 2019 RDX (e.g. below invoice), I do NOT recommend buying or leasing it, until Acura addresses transmission and fuel economy issues. Also, note that it is a wide vehicle: 4-5 in wider than a regular sedan or a compact SUV. This may pose a challenge when parking in tight spaces.

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I Traded-In My RDX After 7 Months Of Ownership

Eva, 11/07/2018
updated 06/11/2019
2019 Acura RDX Advance Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
224 of 232 people found this review helpful

I had my “dream car” for 7 months and then traded it in for something more reliable. When I first purchased the Acura RDX Advance I was ecstatic. Everything seemed to be customized for me. From the memory seats to the technology, to the safety components. I was in love with my SUV. However, things seemed to go south the longer I owned the vehicle. First it was the constant issues with the Infotainment System. I would exit the vehicle and it wouldn’t turn off. I called the dealership and they either thought I was dumb and didn’t know how to operate a car, or they would say “this is the first time we’re hearing about this...” I found a site called AcuraZine which had a workaround for turning off the frozen system so I wouldn’t get a dead battery. So that was the first issue. The second was the constant brake squealing after about 3 or 4 months of ownership. I drive typically on the interstate, so nothing weird about my driving habits. The last, and most terrifying issue was the electronic issue. I was on my way to work, driving about 65 mph, and everything shut off except for the engine. So I had no dials (since they’re digital) / no GPS / no A/C nothing electronic whatsoever in my car. It was pitch black. I was in the middle lane and there was no way to pull over. I safely made it to work. When I placed the vehicle in park all electronics came back on but they were “strobing.” I called the dealership who told me to bring it in ASAP. After an hour they found nothing wrong and sent me on my merry way. This happened too many times for me to be comfortable with the reliability of the vehicle and the dealership never found any issues so I just traded it in for something more reliable and safe. I really wanted to love this car but for the price I paid (and the thousands of dollars I lost trading it in) it just wasn’t worth my safety. I hope this helps others.

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So disappointed with my first Acura

Don't buy an RDX, 03/30/2019
2019 Acura RDX Advance Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
72 of 74 people found this review helpful

This car is haunted! The software needs so much improvement, and the dealership says they can't do a thing. The radio comes on at will and often will not allow me to change channels. Sometimes I can make phone calls, sometimes not. The car has refused to go out of Park twice, so you can't go anywhere. It has locked me out and has stopped in traffic twice. All infotainment features work when they want to. Sometimes I have no contact list and sometimes the car tells me it cannot perform the request, like make a phone call. It is driving me crazy; I am always waiting for the next shoe to drop. I have had it about 6 months and plan to trade it after a year. It is a pretty car but does not perform reliably at all. Even the mileage is not as predicted. Every day it is something..................save your money and buy a decent car!

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Last FREE Navigation Update NEVER TOOK

Mark S of LI NY, 01/15/2019
updated 01/27/2025
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
146 of 152 people found this review helpful

Last FREE Navigation Update NEVER TOOK & now every time I use it I have to click off a message that covers the screen. 6 year update on my 2019 Acura RDX Advance I’ve had since 8/18. Before this I owned a 2014 RDX & before that 2010 TSX. I still enjoy the handling, new modern look (in & outside) as well as feel of the new RDX 3rd generation over the 2014 (2nd generation). But I’m not a fan of the 4 cylinder turbo. It’s noisier compare to the V6 in 2nd Gen., offers no better HP, or gas mileage. I would have preferred the V6 like in the 2014. It offered smoother overall performance. My earlier complaints about entering addresses into navigation are not an issue any longer since the an AcuraLink update allowed entering locations from the app directly to infotainment system while RDX is off. Something they had disabled in a prior update for some crazy reason. I’ve added several at a time & all I need to do when I start the car is accept them & they are on the system for use later or then. The addresses for companies & other locations (besides) personal locations show up I full. Overall it does have amazing Technology for a vehicle introduced in 2018. Though there were several over the air free updates in the first 2 or 3 years Acura has not provided an update in 3 years leaving some unresolved quirks to deal. I believe Acura was cheap by not including a key FOB with a remote start feature on a premium priced vehicle. The only way to remote start is purchasing a yearly Subscription of about $110 or at time a of purchase have a dealer installed transponder costing $500-& 600. Crazy Acura did not incorporate the transponder into it when new like just about all other manufacturers do.

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Navigation system never worked.

Marianne Stolfi, 08/19/2018
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
160 of 168 people found this review helpful

From the first time I tried to use the navigation system it would not recognize the input address. I tried every method. ( It was the address for the Bethpage DMV!). I called my sales person and he walked me through the steps, it still did not recognize the address. I drove the car to the dealership. Another sales person tried to tell me that the problem was because Bethpage and Oyster Bay had the same zip code. (They don’t!). I tried to use the navigation to get to a friends house, it took me to a shopping center. I tried to use it to get to my home address. It tried to take me twenty blocks away. When I got fed up and called the service manager, he admitted that they were having problems with the new system and he didn’t know when it would be fixed. It is now over a month since I got the car!

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I wish we could give our RDX back

Scott Diedrich, 11/14/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
142 of 149 people found this review helpful

After a month of ownership, with two weeks in the shop during this month, we are finally getting a new transmission for our RDX. Sadly they should be replacing the car considering the transmission started acting up with 30 miles on it, but instead have wasted weeks of our time and act like they are doing us a favor by replacing it. It would slam in to gear, feeling like it was skipping multiple gears at a time. Sometimes it would just hang up between gears, other times it would just rev up and not go before finally shifting in to gear. My favorite solution from the dealership was to just let the car warm up and auto start it and it won't be as bad. Granted, the issue was worse when the car was cold, but it also did it while warm. On a side note, letting the car idle in the driveway or garage does nothing to warm up the trans fluid, that only happens when the car is actually in motion and shifting. Confused looks on the face of the service adviser told me all I needed to know there. On the plus side, the loaner car drives nicely and shifts smoothly. Although the loaner car has a horrible infotainment system that lags and freezes constantly, at least mine doesn't do that. Maybe it will though when it's out of the shop, we can be so lucky!

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Trouble From Day One. Now a Lemon

Lynn, 11/04/2018
updated 10/22/2019
2019 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
282 of 298 people found this review helpful

I drove off the lot mid June only to notice 4 flaws before I got three blocks: front windshield crazed between layers, visible only when sun directly on it, Steering wheel unraveling, flaws in clearcoat on hood and faulty rear hatch. After 4 weeks and a loaner for 13 days car seemed fixed and great—-until suddenly I had nothing on computer screen. It’s now working again but frequent messages of LOADING which takes several minutes or FUNCTION NOT NOT AVAILABLE with steering wheel controls. Often I drive miles with no access to screen as it spins. Local dealer and corporate say an update is coming but nobody knows when. I’ve waited 3 months now. So now nearly 5 months in I have no horn. Keeps blowing fuses and nobody knows why. Car been in shop several days. I’m afraid to drive too far from home for fear screen will go out again or I’ll have no horn. Other problems include cracked battery cable, a mysterious mug rolling around under seat which was not mine. Seat had to be removed to get it. Leather on most seats is picked and I’m told it’s normal. But no car in showroom is puckered like that. I’ve been Honda and Acura owner 20 years. Still have a perfect 2012 TSX. But I’m done. Poor quality and poor attitude from corporate in trying to get problems resolved. UPDATE It’s taken 4 months since filing Lemon Law Arbitration paperwork but my 2019 RDX is an official lemon and I’m awaiting buyback check. The issues have been many since the day I left the dealership. I’ve posted before. But the horn that simply kept blowing fuses every time used and the constant malfunctioning Infotainment issues put me at 84 days out of service and 26 trips to the dealer in 6 months. I’ve been shopping and sadly nothing duplicates the great look and handling and amenities for the price. But I can’t go back. Not only do I fear another faulty vehicle but Acura treated this 20 year Honda and Acura owner terribly. At the hearing everything was my fault. I must use the horn too long or too often. I do not but even if I did, so What!, I must not see the obstacle when the collision mitigation engages on an empty road. The screen blinks because I must be using main headlights in the daytime. Seriously!!?? The 62 days out of service for the horn should not count because I could’ve driven the car with no horn. Duh. That’s illegal. The cruise doesn’t work because I used it in the rain. No. I showed videos of the malfunction on a sunny day. I still have to drive the car while awaiting settlement and no dealer will see me to reset my flashing screen. This helps for the short term. Shame on Acura for the delays and treating me like an ignorant owner. My past 4 Honda and Acura vehicles never once saw a dealership but for maintenance. I could list dozens of family members, neighbors, colleagues and friends who have made choices other than Honda products recently. Strangers stop me to see if I love the RDX. I tell them the truth. Had Acura come through with the buyback they said they were evaluating after 31 days out of service (legal definition of Lemon in FL), this would have ended better for all of us. Hoping the money/car exchange happens soon so I can move on and take the road trips I had planned nearly a year ago. The buyback finally took place in June - nearly a year after purchase. Shame on Honda America for the stalling and the insults and the rude treatment at the final arbitration. As a Honda/Acura owner for over 20 years I could not take an exchange. Took the money and now I’m wonderfully happy in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. The computer is dependable and much more efficient than what Acura tried unsuccessfully to do in their 2019 RDX.

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Car released too soon

Faye, 02/08/2019
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
71 of 74 people found this review helpful

After owning this car for 6 months, I'm very disappointed. It's my first and last Acura. On a regular basis, I notice the gears aren't shifting smoothly, or are delayed shifting so the engine revs in the 3000-4000 RPM range for no reason. It's not every time I drive the car but once is enough. It appears that this may be a common problem on this car reading other reviews. Looming transmission replacement??? I've told the dealer and their only response was "we'll make a note". Also, if you have an Android phone...beware. This car's infotainment system doesn't work with an Android. They told me in August it would be a few months and they expected software update to come out in November. The update was published in January but still didn't address the the Android problem. Now they are saying April...maybe. For 5 months (before the January update), I had systematic failure of the tuner to tune to a radio station when I started the car. Sometimes, there would be non-working camera links or other infotainment system errors. The automatic collision braking system is a joke. Twice now, the automatic system took over while I was braking, but it forces the car to brake in maybe a 1' span and way before it's really necessary, literally grinding the car to a halt without warning. The first time it happened, I had at least 8' or more of play in front of me. And the car behind me hit me because they didn't anticipate the unnecessarily & immediate halting of my car. I only see this automatic braking system causing more accidents than they were designed to prevent. Gas mileage is not nearly as advertised, around 20mpg average.

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Too Soon!

Steve S., 07/25/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
115 of 121 people found this review helpful

Enjoyed it while I had it, but after driving less than 25 miles and owning for under 3 hours, the Infotainment center flashed between the home screen and “touchpad is not available.” After restarting, the Infotainment center screen was completely dead. Volume/power button on console didn't work. Now in a loaner while dealer diagnoses the problem. Highly disappointed with Acura quality control as this is not an isolated incident.

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Great vehicle, but not perfect

Krewman, 06/24/2018
updated 07/21/2021
2019 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
166 of 176 people found this review helpful

Have put 1,000 miles on my new fully-loaded RDX. Love the ride, handling, and acceleration. Interior materials and seat comfort are excellent. Premium sound system is awesome (Last night, I sat in the car, ignition off, and blasted 70's rock and roll for an hour). Love the heads-up display and ACC. There are, however, a few things that drive me nuts: 1) The nav system has a major flaw - you can't easily zoom the map in/out while guidance is in use. Sounds trivial. It's not. 2) Synching a phone does not provide access to the phone's contact list. In fact the entire bluetooth/phone system is frustrating to use and poorly designed. Thank god for Apple CarPlay so you can just avoid the Acura system all together. 3) No place to put spare change except in the center console. Yes, it's a nit, but would it have killed them to add a small nook to keep coins? 4) The touch pad will make you insane the first few days. Then you get the hang of it and it's not too bad. Still, Acura definitely needs to improve input approach. **UPDATE** I've driven the vehicle for over 13,000 miles. The Good: 1) Acura updated the software so you can now zoom in/out when using the navigation system. 2) No mechanical issues. Trouble free. Nice! The Bad: 1) The nav system is still a mess. At times the turn arrow on the heads up display doesn't match the turn arrow on the dash display. For example, the heads up will have a arrow pointing to the left, while the display has an arrow pointing to the right. Bring a penny with you so you can flip a coin. Second, using the voice command feature to enter in a destination is an exercise in frustration. You often get a "destination not found" or it misinterprets what you said and sets the destination to somewhere random. We actually play a game to see who can get the navigation system to set the most ridiculous destination. However, you can avoid the Acura nav system entirely by using Apple Carplay. Which brings me to item 2. 2) Apple CarPlay works. Then it doesn't. Then it does. Then it doesn't. It connects. Then disconnects. Then connects. Then disconnects. I have Apple Carplay on my other vehicles and it works fine with my iPhone, so the problem is with Acura. The workaround is to connect your iPhone to the vehicle using Bluetooth and then use Google Maps or Waze for navigation. You'll be limited to the iPhone screen, but at least the voice directions will play over the vehicle's sound system (which, by the way, is awesome). July 2020 update. If you have the heads up display there’s a fun game to play. Enter a destination into the navigation system. Then watch as the heads up display and the dashboard screen display completely DIFFERENT turn directions. So entertaining. As stated earlier, the electronics package on the vehicle (e.g., navigation, phone, radio, etc) is poorly designed and even after several updates is frustrating to use. To avoid these problems, just use Apple CarPlay. Oh wait, never mind, CarPlay only works intermittently. Like, hardly ever. Mechanically the vehicle is top notch. After 28,000 miles no repairs needed and no problems requiring dealer visits. Comfort and ride remain excellent.

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Comfort & Performance

LiyaM, 08/30/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
90 of 95 people found this review helpful

Traded my 2012 RDX Tech (considered the loaded model) for the 2019 RDX Advance. Wanted the ASPEC for the rims but loaded like an Advace, so I got the black Advance with black interior and upgraded to black rims. It's a gorgeous car! It rides like a dream. I drove it out of state the second day I had it and it surpassed my expectations! The comfort was superb and handling on sport or sport+ mode was nice and tight. The seats are soft and supple. Loved the lane keep assist and cruise control features - the car sort of drives itself! The panoramic sunroof is a gorgeous addition. The touch pad gets easier to use with practice, but is a little frustrating at first. A few cons: a small space for coins would be nice as well as a bigger center console (my 2012 was much smaller but the center console was huge). Also, the navigation system needs an upgrade. There are portions of not so new roads where I was 'flying in the gray' on the screen because those roads weren't recognized. Had I not had my phone (Android) GPS on, I'd been lost.

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So far, so good

CM, 12/10/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
21 of 21 people found this review helpful

My family loves this car and would buy it again; in fact, if we were replacing our second car today, we'd end up with two identical cars in the driveway. We evaluated every competing 2-row luxury SUV and chose this one mainly because it: 1. Offers the best interior space and comfort relative to exterior dimensions (including ample rear headroom and legroom); 2. Has the best mix of sporty luxury; 3. Has the freshest design and technology; 4. Offers the most competitive pricing, even when fully loaded. Noting only things that I haven't read about much in other excellent, comprehensive reviews: window defrost takes forever, even after starting the car remotely; the rear seats allow little adjustment/recline; lane-keeping assist has so little reliability that it adds nothing to vehicle convenience or safety (but adaptive cruise control with low speed follow works great); even with 50/50 suburban/highway driving, our gas mileage won't budge from 18.2.

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Great SUV Ruined by Infotainment System

Sean, 11/03/2018
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
102 of 108 people found this review helpful

We've only had this car about three weeks, and so far this is the first new car purchase I've ever considered trying to find my way out of. First the good.... The way the car drives is fantastic. Great engine, although I'm not getting the advertised MPG. Not a big deal. It's close. The transmission is smooth so far, handling is great for the type of vehicle this is. It's quiet, it's comfortable, very good headlights etc. Again, the car side of the equation is wonderful. Now, the other side of this. The infotainment system in this car is garbage. It crashes from time to time, the Nav system is antequated. Cannot name addresses, searches come up empty. It runs at 1/4 mile resolution unless on a highway. Then it comes out a hair more. Still no good if you want to see the big picture. The radio will just say "loading" on startup sometimes. Requiring the power to by cycled. Sound is very inconsistent from source to source. Strange digital pops when talking over BT. Everyday it's something new. All of this is while using Apple Car Play or an Android phone paired of BT. With some research, I've found many reporting the same issues. To top it off, dealers are helpless as there's no way for them to fixed this. This isn't new technology. Just new in this car, and regardless of price point it's shameful that it operates so poorly.

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Bad surprise

California, 07/27/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
86 of 91 people found this review helpful

I owned 2 hondas before, which I loved. About 1 momth ago bought a new Acura rdx SH-Awd 2019. Very comfortable, luxury looking. To the bad surprise, over the past week I had two problems with acceleration, like I was stuck in traffic light or stop for some time, accelerating very slowly. Then 2 days ago my car would not accelerate at all, while revving at 5-6 rpm, barely moving on the road. I had to call towing. Now got a courtesy car from dealership, but they have not been able to identify the problem, saying now it works ok. I would not risk that type of failure on the busy freeway, so would not drive that car until problem is found. So Lynn, who wrote a review on 7/15, you are not the only “unlucky” person. It seems flaws are not due to luck at all, but rather due to manufacturer flows. I would not recommend buying these cars until more reports would start to come up, since everything is different in this new model, transmission, engine, etc. I am very disappointed.

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Great Vehicle with One Serious Issue

Scott, 04/26/2019
updated 04/15/2022
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
46 of 48 people found this review helpful

Overall I enjoy the RDX but be aware there is an issue when under hard acceleration the engine may stall/lose power. It’s happened to me twice in the 8 months I’ve owned it - both times on an interstate highway. I was fortunate both times to make it to the shoulder without incident. Neither Acura nor the dealership admit to an issue but it’s serious enough that I won’t buy another until it’s resolved. CarPlay still isn’t perfect as it randomly disconnects within the first few minutes of use but works well when it does stay connected. It is annoying. UPDATE: Overall I’ve been happy with the RDX outside of MPG but I knew turbos are thirsty. The complaints about the push button shifter and touch pad are a non-issue for me. I do wish navigating CarPlay was the same.

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Rough transmission transition when leaving

Jay, 11/25/2018
2019 Acura RDX 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
96 of 103 people found this review helpful

Looks like I’m not the only one who sensed rough transmission transition at low speed. I believe 2019 RDX has a serious transmission problem. I have a base model. The problem that I noticed is that when leaving my place in the morning with the temperature gauge stuck at the lowest position, the vehicle jerks when switching the gear to upper ones at low speed. As the temperature gauge bar appears as it’s warmed up, the abrupt transition of transmission becomes smoother. I tried warming up for 5 minutes before leaving and the problem was less severe. So this vehicle requires warming up as most of vehicles in 80s or 90s did. But remember you're buying a so-called luxury vehicle paying more than 40 grand in 2019. This is really hard to reproduce at dealer because by the time I arrive at dealer, the vehicle is already warmed up. People complained a lot about hard control of electronic system, but I don’t, it’s a matter of time to get used to it. Another issue is this 2019 RDX is gas greedy, usually I can get a little less than 23 mile/gallon but it requires 92 octane recommended. When I'm spending more money for high-end version and more gas with higher priced octane gas, at least I didn't expect rattling or jerking of rough transmission transition.

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Four Years and Going Strong!

JrBrowzer, 04/05/2019
updated 04/12/2022
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
62 of 66 people found this review helpful

I've had my RDX for almost four years now and it is still a dream SUV. The vehicle still drives incredibly well and I have come to rely upon its continued nimbleness. Wish all my vehicles aged this well!

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Buyer's Remorse - Squeaks, Rattles, Glitchy!

Unhappy Acura Buyer, 03/18/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
28 of 29 people found this review helpful

Good Points - Awesome front seat comfort, stellar acceleration and handling. Bad Points - Interior is quiet, EXCEPT for ALL interior squeaks and rattles that mostly cannot be located or stopped (I've resorted to stuffing folded business cards in seams where noise may be coming from, rear hatch rattles incessantly). Transmission shifting at low speeds is unpredictable and RPMs stay at 3000-4000 before up-shifting killing city MPG, Apple Carplay crashes incessantly, app for remote start works about 70% of time keeps asking me to re-register. Accelerator lag is noticeable off the line every time (Acura - please test-drive a Honda as they do not have lag issues). Awful gas mileage - City MPG is 17, Interstate MPG is 24 on the best day. My 2017 Honda CRV gets 24 MPG city and 31 MPG on the Interstate and no 93 octane required! My 2018 V6 Honda Odyssey gets better MPG and transmission (reportedly same Honda sourced 10 gears) shifts much more smoothly and predictably. Acura Dealer in Elmhurst Illinois is unable or unwilling to address interior squeaks and rattles...... Looking to trade-in this MISTAKE and to go back to a Mazda CX-5 which I had previously - better value, more interior road noise but no accelerator lag, smooth transmission, no squeaks and rattles.

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Curb your expectations..

Tank, 12/09/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
102 of 110 people found this review helpful

Okay, so this car is loaded with features... Keyless entry, Lane keep assist, collision mitigation, adaptive radar cruise control, backup camera, 10 speed dual clutch automatic transmission, auto engine start/stop, remote start (via phone app or optional 2 way remote), active noise cancelling, 16 speaker ELS surround sound, climate control, heated and cooled seats, all in a very affordable package. What is there not to like? Well, beginning with the fact that barely ANY of the aforementioned features actually work like one would expect, there's quite a bit... First, let's discuss it's "safety features". The RDX's collision mitigation system only beeps at you and charges the brakes, however it does NOT actually stop the car regardless of speed or distance setting. The lane keep assist only reliably works on straight roads with perfect lines, so if you're coming up on an off-ramp, pay attention as it wants to take you off the exit. In addition, LKAS is only available at speeds of 45mph or above, so if there's any sort of traffic that brings your speed below 45mph, it just shuts off. The backup camera could also be better - not sure if it's the location of the camera itself but it is very very subject to any rain drops laying on the lens and subsequently blocking it's view (which only rarely happened on my other cars). Next onto the rest of the "features" like the remote start. Yes, you can start the car remotely, however your climate control settings are disabled until you get in. To be clear, the RDX definitely WILL heat and cool the cabin, but at an alarmingly slow rate. It uses it's lowest heating or cooling settings (not your preset temps). As expected, the heated/cooled seats are off until you get in the car so there's no reprieve there either on hot/cold days. The AcuraLink app works about 70% of the time for me. During the other 30%, it's asking me to register my car (again and again) or it's not available. I've had no issues with the keyless entry so far, aside from the fact that you cannot roll the windows up from the keyfob like almost every other late model car. You CAN however roll them down with the keyfob, just not remotely roll them back up?? The 10 speed transmission is next up on the quirky list. Since it's paired to a turbo v-tec 4, you will run into the occasion where the car shifts just as the torque band kicks in leading to an uncomfortable jerky ride... In comfort mode, the car really should skip every other gear... The active noise cancellation is also another oddity. It's hard to tell if it's actually working because it's just not that quiet compared to say a Q5, Lexus NX-RX, or even a Ford Edge. Engine note aside, the car does little to shield you from the road noise. The ELS sound system is actually quite good, but the lack of insulation in the car, noticeably hinders it's performance. A little resonance control in the door panels would have gone a long way. The infotainment center is next on my critique list. I'm not going to pass judgement on the ergonomics as I knew the shortcomings prior to purchase, however the lack of detailed control over the vehicle's many functions is almost disturbing to me. Just as with the Acura Link app, most of the functions of the infotainment system are relegated to either ON or OFF with little customization. So why buy this car? My opinion - buy it for it's SH-AWD which is amazing. Buy this car for it's strong engine and "expected" Honda reliability. Buy the car for it's roomy interior. Buy this car for it's looks. Whatever the reasoning may be, buying this car for the tech features should be last on the list. In that regard, there are much better offerings on the market today. Yes most of the competition out there would charge more, but I would much rather pay for something that works instead of something that doesn't. This car is the epitome of smoke and mirrors. By cramming a seemingly huge amount of features into an affordable package, the new RDX appears to be a steal. In reality, half of the features/options function as what one would expect but most buyers probably won't even notice. At least not until they have owned or test driven one of the competitor's vehicles..

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Acura coporate admits they can't fix the problem

Bart Firp, 09/30/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
27 of 28 people found this review helpful

Have 2019. The computer screen stays on when the car is shut off causing the battery to die. Was told disconnect the battery and this should fix the problem. Fixed the problem for a week. The same thing happens again. If you are reading this, I warn you stay far away from the RDX.

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Anyone Else Having Issues

Danny, 10/12/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
37 of 39 people found this review helpful

Overall I love my SUV, however I noticed a few things that need to get checked. As I have seen in a few of these posts, the turbo lag is noticeable when at low speed, and then quickly accelerating, there is a substantial pause. Also, at low speeds, the gear shift from 1,2, and 3 are really abrupt. Even more abrupt when stopped on a hill, and just letting your foot of the brake to let the car roll. Another possible issue, when at certain speeds, it feels as though the car is (putting along), like the turbo is making the car shake. One last thing to note, when at high speeds (60, 70, 80) and braking, my SUV shakes, almost like the brakes are warpt. At first I thought it may be the transmission downshifting from so many gears, then I thought it was the breaks, and then possibly the turbocharger (putting) when the car is braking hard. Any thoughts? Anyone else experiencing this?

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Really regretting my purchase

DZ, 02/05/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
65 of 70 people found this review helpful

I cannot begin to tell you how much I regret my decision to buy my 2019 RDX (Technology package). What was “love at first sight” has turned into a “hate at first month” experience and this car is not living up to the Acura name and alleged “quality” at all. I am so disappointed and frustrated with this vehicle and was not expecting all the issues I’ve had in the first 2 months of ownership. If I could take it back I would. Unfortunately for me I do keep my cars for a long time and with an expensive car like this one I’ll be stuck with it for long time. The car is definitely great looking and stylish, but that’s where my “likes” start and end. For the first month and a half of ownership I took it in 4 times, was in a loaner car for 1/3 of this time and now I have to take it in AGAIN because of other issues. I started having issues at 1,500 miles and I now have 2,000 with more issues. There are so many flaws with this car, but before I go into the actual issues that required and still require trips to the dealership, let me tell you about a few general complaints: - The FM radio drives me NUTS and that’s because you never get consistent sound. There is this “HD” signal that goes in and out when you drive and when that happens not all of the speakers work so the sound goes from loud to low and vice versa and it comes through different speakers as well. It is SO ANNOYING that I can’t listen to my favorite radio stations at all. You do have the option to turn off “HD” and only play analog, but when you do that you don’t get sound from the 12 speakers that they brag about so much. So what’s the point of that many speakers if you can’t get them to play the sound??? Sorry Acura, but my 12 year Toyota Yaris had better radio sound than this. - The lane departure feature entails an orange light that pops up on the dash. How exactly is a “light” supposed to effectively get the driver’s attention if they “depart the lane” due to a distraction? Have they not considered adding an option for a sound? Yes, you shouldn’t expect a car to replace driver’s common sense, but a light certainly doesn’t “assist” with anything. - The car did not come with all weather mats and the Acura ones suck. I had to buy Weathertechs, I also had to buy a rubber mat for the trunk, etc. How do you pay mid 40’s for a car and don’t get basic mats? My best friend purchased an Outback a month before I purchased my car and for a car that was two thirds of the price of mine, she got EVERYTHING included – rubber mats, retractable trunk cover, etc. I’d rather pay more and get it all instead of feeling nickled and dimed. - Remote start did not come manufacturer installed and you have to order it separately OR you can pay an arm and a leg for a useless app. Why? Again, if the car was in the $20-$30 K range that’s fine, but these cars are not cheap. - Infotainment system is HORRENDOUS – trying to write with your finger or type is a nightmare. I hate everything about the infotainment system and I will leave it at that. - You can’t lift your wipers. - I don’t care as much about the mileage because I bought the car for the performance and style, but I wanted to point out that the “mileage” that was published for this car was pulled out of thin air … 19 mpg has been my max. So here is a list of the things that I have taken my car in for and will be taking it in again this week: 1) Infotainment system not working – I would get the blue disclaimer screen that would stay on at all times even when I stopped and locked the car. My husband had to pull a fuse so my battery doesn’t die overnight. I have also had the infotainment screen go completely blank for days. I’ve taken my car in twice for this issue and they still don’t have a permanent fix. The Service Manager even joked and told me that if it happens again at least I know which fuse to pull. Excuse me, I did not pay an arm and a leg for a car to pull a fuse at 1,500 miles, this is not what I signed up for. 2) Auto stop/start – after I picked up my car from the dealer when I took it in for the screen issues, I now have and hear this loud awful clunky sound when the car re-starts. In addition, the auto stop/start engages whenever it feels like it. I took the car back to the dealer, but they couldn’t reproduce the sound at that time so I’m stuck driving a car that makes this loud noise when the auto stop disengages. 3) Break sound – my car now makes this awful break noise when I release the breaks after coming to a full stop. Once again I have no ideas why and how this is happening so I have to take the car in again. Story of my life … I somehow have this awful feeling that this will be the story of my Acura car ownership. For Acura’s sake I hope the rest of the owners have better experience than mine.

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A bunch of lies

Michael, 08/05/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
25 of 26 people found this review helpful

This car isn't what you think it is. The onboard system is clunky with many issues, the MPG is 20% or worse lower than advertised, Android Auto is still in testing a year later, the gas tank is incredibly small and for the price the mirrors should fold in automatically. Additionally, AcuraLink has never worked on my vehicle...I've given up on fixing it. The only positives are the interior options and the SH-AWD, however the vehicle would been better off with a 6 cyl.

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Very nice SUV.

Irvguy50, 03/04/2019
2019 Acura RDX A-Spec 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
14 of 14 people found this review helpful

So I've only had my 2019 Rdx Aspec a week now. Not in l love with the road departure mitigation system. Dont like my steering wheel shaking. Also, the automatic stop/start engine. Not a fan! My thinking is what if the engine doesnt start at an intersection. Then I'm left stranded. Also, this has to cause wear and tear on the starter. So, last but not least I had the lane keeping assist off and I felt like there was play in the steering. I had a hard time holding it in the road on the highway doing 70. Not sure what this was all about. May have to reach out to the dealership on this one if it keeps up. Also, the sports+ mode seems.like it revs up the engine to 3k rpm. Feels like it's not shifting when it should. Kind if stresses me out for something I've paid 45k for. Positves: the body style is spot on. I have the white & black. It really reminds me off a Evoque. The interior- love it. The look is awesome and the dual moon roof.. love it!! I hope these issues subside within a few weeks. Thought Acura would have done their home work better before releasing this vehicle. We also have a 2018 Rdx tech pkg and I love that vehicle..

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Horrible

Adrienne, 08/03/2019
updated 02/10/2020
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
23 of 24 people found this review helpful

Alert for anyone.. The technology package in the 2019 RDX is defective Navigation freezes, dosn’t slways work, & directions are inaccurate/some places don’t exist ... & radio issues as well, such as not turning off even after car is turned off! ACURA IS AWARE OF THIS! but is continuing to sell this to customers without informing them! THERE IS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEMS! & Acura refuses to do right by customers! * I was stranded in a strange neighborhood very late at night alone,.. navigation stopped working,.. and radio was on and would not go off. I had to get out of vehicle to make a phone call to try and figure out where I was/ and needed to go while walking around trying to find street signs. Have had navigation worked on many times! THERE IS NO PERMANANT FIX!

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One month in wish I could get my money back

Tammy, 04/16/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
31 of 33 people found this review helpful

I purchased the Acura RDX AWD Advanced Package after looking for a new vehicle for several months. I was driving a 2012 BMW X3 that I customer ordered and purchasing in the fall of 2011. I was cautious going from a V6 to an inline 4 turbo. That concern was not merited. I have no issues with power or performance of my new Acura. I actually really like the HUD and the blind spot monitors. The car is luxurious and drives great. So what's my problem? The infotainment. For 50k I should be able to play music without an issue. Initially thinking the problem was me and it was just a learning curve, my 22 and 19 yr old children said "mom its not you". The car has been at the dealer twice now for service, only 819 miles on the car. The screen goes blank, at times it freezes and wont play anything at all. Yesterday I selected my country playlist and the system played my disco playlist. If I get a text message or phone call while driving forget it, the entire system goes astray. They removed the CD player in this model so playing a CD is not an option I have to rely on a USB or my phone for my music. Dealer says nothing is wrong. When researching for a new vehicle I knew there were early issues with the infotainment but thought they had been resolved. Sounds silly but it is not. This is a lot of money for a new car and I drive my vehicles for a long time.

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Loved it and now I regret It

Scarlette, 03/27/2019
2019 Acura RDX A-Spec 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
38 of 41 people found this review helpful

I have had my new RDX for 4 months. I have 5k miles on it. Gear shifting is spotty. Brakes scream. Suspension crunches and squeaks when you go over bumps. I’m driving a brand new car the rides and sounds like a 15y/o car. Dealership tells me Acura is aware of all these issues but head quarters won’t let them fix it till there is an official recall. They are not sure what is causing it yet. My screen freezes and fails all the time. To protect myself I started videoing all the noises and issues. Now they are taking me more seriously! This is my 3rd time at service and it’s really hard not to tell the couple in the show room to run! I loved this car and I’m truly disappointed by it. When everything is working it’s amazing, but that’s a rare occurrence. Sorry for typos I’m on my phone and I am truly aggravated that I am sitting her at the dealership yet again.

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Transmission failure!

Brooks Reynolds, 01/22/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
38 of 41 people found this review helpful

Brand new RDX. Barely got it home and the transmission failed immediately and requires replacement. Beware of transmission in the 2019 RDX!!

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Can we have our 2016 RDX back?

Kay, 01/30/2019
updated 02/08/2021
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
29 of 31 people found this review helpful

A real city driving (25 miles daily commute with 50% highway) showing a pathetic 18mpg! It is the same as my hubby's GX460 which is a V8! Engine is noisy even a mild pushing of gas pedal. My old 2016 RDX could easily do 22mpg even 28 mpg on highway! Why Acura all of a sudden going backward is beyond me, but if anyone out there has a low mileage 2018 V6 RDX I will trade mine with you!!!! Update( 2021). Traded away the 2019 RDX last year due to poor gas milege and horrible turbo noise. Engine block has leak (turbo wear and tear..) so car was sent to dealer before trading it away. Many of you can see that coming as you hardly find a new model (2019/2020) RDX on the road. Proves that i-4 turbo churning too much horse power is worse than a small V6. Got my extremely quiet Tesla Model Y, the new car is too fast that's the only "complain" I have to adjust myself to. Best of all, I am paying around $25 per month on electricity instead of $85 of gas on my gas guzzler 2019 RDX. Had I wait one year for the Model Y I would have saved $13K on the depreciation of the 2019 RDX.

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Disappointed in my 2019 RDX

Slack, 09/02/2018
updated 03/18/2024
2019 Acura RDX Advance Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
51 of 56 people found this review helpful

I traded in my 2009 Acura TL 3.5L V6 Tech Pkg sedan for the 2019 RDX Advance. I loved almost everything about my TL including its acceleration, sound system, and ride. However, I wanted a vehicle that I could enter & exit without bending so low. All the reviewers on YouTube & in print seemed to have high praise for the new RDX, so I made the change after a couple test drives. I've had the vehicle only a couple of weeks and I'm already regretting my purchase. It is fun to drive, but I've had several issues. On my second day, Apple CarPlay wouldn't work. Then after pairing my iPhone X to the Bluetooth, my contacts were not available. So I hard reset my phone, reset the infotainment system to factory default and that seemed to fix the problem for the moment. After about 450 miles of mixed driving, I'm averaging about 17.5 mpg. You read it right - 17.5 mpg, and mostly in Comfort mode with no redlining. I'm going to conduct a highway only test soon, but I don't expect to get the advertised mpg. Yesterday, my monitor stopped working, as did the auto idle feature ( even though I don't particularly care for it, it should work!) Aside from features not working, I am disappointed in the turbo lag. It has almost caused an accident because I couldn't get out of the way of an oncoming car while turning at a traffic light. That's beyond inconvenient. Anyway, I will probably trade it next year for a more proven vehicle. Fortunately, this is the first time I have had this much trouble with a new vehicle, so I'm lucky, but I cannot recommend this with all its initial problems. UPDATE: After 4000+ more miles and seven months, I’m still regretting my choice. I took the car to the dealership because when the auto engine idle stop restarted the engine, it would release the electric brake hold, causing my car to move forward while at traffic stops. Fortunately I was able to manually brake before rear ending the car in front of me. Also, the auto engine idle stop engaged so often that it drained my battery within six months! Prior to purchasing the vehicle, I was assured that this feature would not affect battery life. So, the technician decided to kill two birds with one stone. He retuned/reset auto engine idle stop so that now it doesn’t engage at all! So that should save the new battery and eliminate the release of electronic brake hold since there is no engine restart now. While I don’t necessarily miss the idle feature, that’s how Acura achieved its EPA mileage ratings, which were already overstated. Now, I’ll get even less mileage per gallon. And, as many owners have commented, Apple CarPlay still only works intermittently. It’s mostly useless because it drops in the middle of apps. In fairness, I did get up to 27 MPG on a recent road trip, so I guess the highway gear ratios work well if in steady traffic. But as soon as I returned to mixed driving, the MPG returned significantly less than advertised. I’m pretty sure this will be my last Acura and that’s unfortunate because I really liked my 2009 TL. Had this new architecture worked well, and assuming it would be migrated to the MDX in 2020, I had thought about upgrading in a year or two. That plan is moot now. ONE YEAR LATER: I’ve owned the 2019 RDX for a year now and most of my original review still holds. The infotainment system is still problematic with Apple CarPlay only staying connected intermittently, and glitches in the nav system have the head up display (HUD) showing upcoming turns opposite those on the nav screen. The nav voice prompt often agrees with the HUD’s incorrect direction. Even with most recent firmware update, many problems still exist. The turbo lag/transmission lag on quick passing acceleration situations is still annoying. I often have to quickly downshift to prevent getting broadsided by an oncoming vehicle. I still love the ride and handling of the RDX. I call it my big sports car when in sport+ driving mode. The driver’s seat and leg room are very comfortable for a midsize SUV. The sound system is the best I’ve ever had in a car, and aside from the HUD losing its mind occasionally, I love that feature. As to whether I’ll buy another Acura, probably not. Acura does not seem interested in addressing these complaints by 2019 RDX owners. Whatever I purchase next will have a more reliable infotainment system in which Apple CarPlay works. UPDATE: March 2024 It’s been almost six years driving my 2019 Acura RDX, and most of my complaints have been addressed or worked out. Apple CarPlay now works flawlessly, as does the HUD. I still greatly enjoy driving the RDX and the combined mileage averages about 22 MPG - not bad. The driver assist features still leave a lot to be desired. Lane keeping assist notifies me of lane drift, but does very little to keep me centered in the lane like my wife’s Genesis GV80 does. Adaptable Cruise Control (ACC) works, but not well at slowing or stopping behind cars at traffic lights from 55 mph highway speed. I definitely have to manually break. Other systems work much better. I still miss power folding mirrors and power adjusting steering column features. And turbo lag is still a problem in instances where I need quick acceleration to avoid an accident or quickly move between lanes. Also, I’ve had my RDX towed to the dealer twice for the same problem. According to the dealer, a hose between the engine and turbo charger disconnected causing the car to loose power. The first repair lasted a year. The second repair is holding up so far. As far as buying another Acura, I don’t discount it if the highway assistance and safety features improve, and the turbo charger lag is improved. I’ll wait for the 2025 models to see how much improvement is made across the board before deciding.

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Great luxury compact SUV! NOT!!!

Nick Z, 06/23/2018
updated 12/28/2020
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
50 of 55 people found this review helpful

The title says it all! I've had my RDX for a couple weeks and love everything about it, except it lacks some of the things the Canadian Elite Platinum model has: power folding mirrors, puddle lights, temp control for the rear seats, headlight washers, and articulating headlights. I would have gladly paid more for those features for my RDX, but sadly no such option for this model year that I know of. Fit and finish is top notch, and I got 27.2 on the Interstate right out of the box. The 3D audio system is excellent, but only "discrete" surround; not true 5.1 or 7.1 surround I had in my loaded '16 Lexus RX 350 I traded in. Big disappointments are the lack of a CD player, and wireless phone charger. The RDX's is really peppy even using regular 87 octane gas. It looks like the RDX is a keeper for at least a couple of years. Update: On 1 January 2019 the RDX went into “limp mode”. Long, long story, Honda/Acura refused to acknowledge there was a serious problem even with numerous complaints to NHSTA. Consequently, I sold the RDX at the end of April 2019 for a BIG loss. Of course, the RDX is now under recall for a bad fuel pump. As a consequence I will never buy or recommend a Honda or Acura product ever again.

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Extremely Nice Car...need to know a few tricks

BZone, 02/25/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
27 of 29 people found this review helpful

After spending a considerable amount of time researching SUV's in this class and test driving them, without a doubt, this is the clear winner for me, for a few different reasons and while not perfect, what is important to me the RDX excelled in those areas. There are a couple of tricks to know to get full benefit of the vehicle and I have only had it a few days so will continue to update as I learn more. Comfort: Excellent, seats are extremely comfortable and very adjustable. The detail level control knob is a little ways back, so you might miss it. It does a great job of showing on on-screen what parts of the chair you are adjusting and being a tall driver, it is nice that it extends out under the legs. Another great feature is the seat cooling and heating has an auto feature that is awesome, it automatically adjusts the heating and cooling of the seat based on overall temperature. Cabin is very quiet and audio is better than most of the other vehicles I tried. THe 4 cylinder is a little noisier accelerating than the previous six cylinder, but is not a distraction. My one caveat is that the hood does have a noticeable ridgelines and while not normally distracting, you do notice it. Drivability: While there are not a lot of them around, I strongly recommend getting the AWD, it isn't just for bad weather, it drives nicer and I found out the 2 wheel drive doesn't come with a spare tire either...which is a $600 option. Was cautious about the 4 cylinder at first, but it has plenty of power, and is fun to drive. Tech: Very good, but takes a little getting used to the keypad...one thing I really like is that the display is wide so you can see quite a bit side by side. For example, if you are using Apple Carplay, in our pilot it takes up the entire screen, but this one allows you to have apple car play on the main part of the screen and still see other things (like navigation if you want to use the built in navigation) next to it. There are also a lot of niceties, for example, when you want to turn off the headlights because you are sitting in front of a store but want the vehicle to keep running, with most cars you have to turn it off and then remember to turn it back on. With the RDX, you can just turn it off and it flips back to auto immediately and will turn them back on for you when you start moving again. This is my first HUD and I found it to be very helpful and easier to see than some of the other vehicles I tried and it is very adjustable. Access to USB, power, etc. is very good, but one improvement would be more of a dedicated place to store your phone...there is a place to put it, but nowadays, it just seems there should be a designated spot for it. On another review in this thread, someone points out that you can't import your contacts. You actually can, but there is a trick to it. Once you connect via blutooth, you have to go to the device on the phone, press info, and then select the option to allow the phone to share contacts with that device. I don't think that is an Acura specific thing so it shouldn't be held against them. This model scores excellent on safety scores and am not willing to do a dummy test on my vehicle so will just have to trust the people that do those tests:) On a last note, when purchasing the vehicle, I built it online first and selected the accessories I wanted, but when I got to the dealer, the prices were wildly different. When I asked, they stated that those don't include the "installation" fees...so if you go to their parts department and show them the online prices they will match it and most things are easily installed by yourself.

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Great SUV

RK, 10/16/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
27 of 29 people found this review helpful

First the positive...Love the ride/handling/power of this vehicle.Drives like a sports sedan.Love driving it.Turbo hesitation not very evident to me.The cargo space in the car is just right,seats very comfortable..especially on trips. Consumer Reports mentioned the shifter ,and especially the touchpad as not cool ,but I think they are items that differentiate the car.Don't mind the touchpad at all now..after spending some time playing around with it, I like the system. Now to the one not -so - positive.....The engine turn off at idle drives me crazy...I hope they come up with an override for this because you have to press a button every time starting the car to turn it off. .....All in all ,it's still a really fine SUV and I would absolutely buy it again.The price is great compared to other premium SUVs with the same equipment.

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Everything is great except for the fuel economy.

JinJJa, 08/27/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
34 of 37 people found this review helpful

I was one of the first 10,000 purchasers of this awesome SUV and just put in my first 1000 miles. The 2019 Acura RDX has exceeded all my expectations. It handles better than my C class Mercedes. It accelerates very quickly. It is very quiet and comfortable. It can haul LOT of cargo and every one loves the backseat room. It has awesome stereo (which takes 100 hours of play to break in). The SH AWD is just awesome on highways and high speed twisty roads. It also adds a LOT of fun to the ride. Some experts have panned its transmission but, in my opinion, it is better than good. The ONLY downside of this vehicle is that it does only 18.5 MPG combined. I do a fair amount of driving on the highways. That is significantly lower than the 24 MPG as advertised. It also has the highest safety rating possible form IIHS. The reliability remains to be seen. But I am loving this SUV so far.

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I want to give this car back

Jennifer, 03/15/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
19 of 20 people found this review helpful

I was so excited to get this new 2019 RDX it’s fully loaded and handles great and is a beautiful car. But now so disappointed in Acura for putting a vehicle on the market before they got the bugs out. So many electrical issues and they don’t know how to fix them. Let’s start by saying it’s garage kept and I take very good care of my autos. Within 2 months this car has had to be jumped twice but no one knows why as we’ve found nothing left on. I have no small kids that could have left something on, they really don’t know what it could be. The brakes squeak terribly and they are currently working to find a solution, gas mileage is terrible and no where close to what they advertise. I’m getting avg of 19.3 overall and 21.2 if I do highway only driving. It has a small gas tank so I find myself constantly filling up. They have lied and totally misrepresented gas mileage. Next problem is toggle button doesn’t work 85% of the time. Now obviously this isn’t a safety issue however I expect everything I paid for on this car to work. I constantly get a message saying function unavailable. At times on/off button won’t work, app button won’t work and volume control. I just picked my car up yesterday for dealer to tell me there was an update out there that fixed my issue. Before leaving the parking lot guess what the button doesn’t work. They have no clue what to tell me as Acura has no solutions. The dealership is great but their hands are tied because no one knows how to fix these issues. I’ve paid $47,000 for a vehicle full of disappointments. I’d like to sell it but I can’t do that with items not working. Warning don’t buy this vehicle until they get their issues fixed or you will be frustrated as well.

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First week with RDX Advance package.

G. Madia, 08/12/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
40 of 44 people found this review helpful

I researched a lot of vehicles and the level of items included in my Advance trim RDX is unmatched for the given price level (< $46k). The ride is solid, the interior is quiet and built with quality materials. The multi adjusting drivers seat is outstanding, the HUD is great and the sound system in the Advance package is unreal. My only complaint thus far is the finger pad that controls the center console can be a bit confusing and trying to input an address in the Nav system was problematic. I instead used voice control and the system nailed the address on the first try. Finally, the LKAS only notifies you of lane drift via vibration and visual cues I wish it also adjusted the steering wheel to keep you in the lane like my wife's new Volvo does..but then again the sticker price on the Volvo was $15k higher.

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Great drive, nav system unusable

LightSPD, 07/31/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
39 of 43 people found this review helpful

2019 RDX is sporty to drive...very responsive, quiet, handles well. The major flaw is the navigation system. It defaults to a screen scale of 1 inch = 3/4 of a mile and the scale can't be changed. Also, you can't name favorites for the frequent places you visit. I have spoken to Acura tech support and these are known deficiencies in the system. They were unable to commit to a software upgrade to get it fixed in the future. I use the apple carplay feature now for nav, but then you lose all the integration niceties with the other systems......makes a great car a bummer.

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Best Bang for the Buck

Eastern PA Driver, 08/26/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
24 of 26 people found this review helpful

The newly designed RDX is almost perfect. Starting from the looks and exterior to the interior fit and finish the vehicle is top notch. I chose the base model because it had everything I needed. I did not want to spend a whole lot for the bells and whistles (though I would have if I didn't have two kids in college). The engine is very responsive with excellent power. The electronics is superb. My IPhone works seemlessly with the cars bluetooth. The voice recognition is very good in spite of my accent. As others have mentioned the touch pad does need getting used to. Once you get the hang of it, it seems the most logical thing to do as far as safety. The seats are extremely comfortable with lumbar support (front). My only suggestion is that the base model should have included the blind spot monitoring - now only higher models come with it. I love the vehicle. It is not cheap but I think it is the best value in a luxury compact SUV.

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Utterly Failed Car

Tesbih , 04/23/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
37 of 41 people found this review helpful

After one week of leasing the car, and with 100 miles on it, the car broke down— I mean LITERALLY BROKE DOWN as we were driving. The entire system crashed and the car’s system went into a hysterical mode. Every light in the dashboard started flashing and the car barely got us few miles to our house. We are still in shock and trying to comprehend what’s going on...

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Save your money until 2020

Suz, 02/01/2019
updated 02/04/2020
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
17 of 18 people found this review helpful

I purchased one of the first RDXs in June 2018. While the interior and exterior look nice, there are countless electronic issues. I have spent hours working with the dealer and Acura corporate. It was a lesson learned the hard way to not purchase a newly released vehicle. The steering wheel controls don't always work, the monitor had outages and it does not work in the cold weather. They claim these issues may be fixed with system update 2 but after waiting months for the first update (and it didn't fix all the issues), I'm not holding my breath. Wait until next year, this one is not worth it. Update Feb 2020 - ongoing issues with the vehicle. I would not recommend it if electronics are important to you. Had a total outage of infotainment system and system controls, makes for a scary experience.

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2019 RDX A-Spec. Poor infotainment performance

BT, 02/14/2019
2019 Acura RDX A-Spec 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
29 of 32 people found this review helpful

Technology systems experience random failures, at various times sometimes when driving. Functionality can sometimes be restored by stopping the car and restarting the engine. Sometimes the vehicle must sit for hours with engine off to restore functionality. System failures include dashboard lighting, vehicle display screen, and heads-up display. Numerious dealer visits have provided no solution till today when I was informed that that this is a software issue and that a software vehicle update is required. However this is not available, has not been available for around since November 2018 when I bought my car and no timeline has been offered for this update. I regard this as a safety and driver distraction issue that can lead to collisions. Acura needs to place a higher priority on this issue in order to provide owners with a safer driving environment.

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My Blue Apex Pearl RDX: Awesome SUV

Paul, 02/26/2019
2019 Acura RDX A-Spec 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
16 of 17 people found this review helpful

Reading over many unsatisfied customers, I am relieved that my own experience isn't the same. I know how frustrating it is when your car doesn't function and live up to the value of the car. I had some run-ins with my own MDX; minor issues that can mount to be real annoyance. Nevertheless, this RDX has been awesome to drive and the engine's sound it produces is really nice; especially during cold starts, the engine hums with power. I love it! Although many others complained about the touch pad, my own experience has been very positive. It took some time to get use to but the fixed position to control the infotainment is perfect and easy to use. The ability to swap the split screen was an excellent decision by Acura. The only annoyance with the navigation system is the fact the speech recognition software isn't very accurate. When I tell it to navigate to a concern address, it often gets it wrong; I would have to repeat it several times before it gets it close. Sometimes, the spoken address is completely wrong and doesn't get it right. Having used the Acura system before, you need to make sure the city location is according to its own database. Another minor issue with my car, is the rubber seal that surround my panoramic roof. It doesn't leak but it is slightly off on the right side. It looks like it is slightly more pressed in; potential problem of dust and dirt getting trapped in that space and eventually ending up in the water drain in the sun roof. I may take it in to have service look at it. Other than these very minor issues, nothing else to report. Right now, it has nothing but joy to drive and enjoy the new car.

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Five Years and going strong

Frank Callahan, 08/07/2018
updated 02/13/2023
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
41 of 46 people found this review helpful

I have owned my RDX for almost 5 years and I am still very pleased with my purchase. I am averaging 25MPG in mixed driving (I tend to have a heavy foot on the highways). I currently have 62K miles and to date have had no problems with the vehicle.

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Serious problem after 30 miles

Jsladin, 10/03/2018
2019 Acura RDX Advance Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
47 of 53 people found this review helpful

I have always had Acura’s or Honda’s. I loved the new RDX for the first four days. Then the entire electrical system failed and the steering wheel completely locked up. Fortunately I had already exited the highway and was in a parking lot. When I called the dealers service that’s when everything went downhill. Now I will never trust an Acura nor will I trust their service. Highly disappointed.

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Traded after 6700 miles

RT, 03/28/2019
updated 09/30/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD 4dr SUV AWD w/Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
22 of 24 people found this review helpful

RDX has a lot of potentially great technology, unfortunately far too much of it is poorly implemented. The things I found lacking that, in aggregate, caused me to move on to something different. - Windshield and rear hatch glass both had crazing between the glass layers that was visible when light hit at a certain angle. - Infotainment system in general was second class with basic functions either poorly implemented or missing entirely, as well as being slow to respond to input. - Noisy interior except for highway driving. - Adaptive cruise control was slow to react to a vehicle in front. Rather than gradually slowing it would wait until the last second then brake the vehicle. When traffic resumed speed the RDX would do a near full throttle acceleration back to the set speed. - Oil being diluted with gasoline (MAJOR PROBLEM). - Transmission slow to shift into and out of reverse. - Transmission shifting was erratically rough. Some days it was good, other days not so much so. - 10 Speed transmission made for a very 'busy' experience when driving in stop and go traffic. By the time the speed got up to 35MPH it was in 7th gear and you feel every shift. - Brake squealing/grinding, it's inconsistent and seems to be temperature/humidity related.

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I would not buy again

wayne wallace, 10/07/2018
updated 10/12/2021
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
33 of 37 people found this review helpful

I owned a 2014 RDX and after 120,000 of virtually trouble free miles I was excited to purchase a 2019 with all its technology and performance hype. I have already a turbo air cooler come off causing me to be all but stranded on the side of the road. Despite the performance hype the turbo 4 in no way out performs the silky smooth previous v-6 and gas millage is horrible. My v6 would easily run on mid-grade gasoline and deliver 24 mpg on weekly commute. The 2019 runs on Premium fuel and barley get 21mpg. The lack of power is sometimes scary when pulling out in traffic. Don't be fooled by a transmission that has 10 speeds and constantly lets the engine freely rev, look at the speedometer and you will realize you haven't actually sped up to the speed you think you have. I anticipate an investigation into HP and TQ claims as they must have been falsified. I do like the technology and ride of the vehicle and it handles more like a sports car than a SUV but the lack of power and constant transmission shifts are pure annoying. Since my initial review there have been more electrical problems and the car is overall a poor choice

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Best ever

Pierce Newton, 07/24/2018
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
27 of 30 people found this review helpful

My wife calls me a serial car buyer because I have bought so many new cars. The black ASpec is the best yet. I did a lot of research and the thing I was concerned about was the touch pad interface. I'm 70 years old and not very computer savvy. My concerns were not justified. The system is easy to use even for me. I love the majestic black pearl paint with red interior. I usually drive in the Sport mode but Sport+ is awsome. We just made a 1500 mile trip to south Texas and the car (and auto cooling seats!) Performed perfectly. Gas milage was about 28 round trip and the seats very comfortable. I wish the HUD had been available in the A-Spec but I just had to have those red seats! A sports car masquerading as an SUV!

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Bad decision

Kristin, 03/21/2019
2019 Acura RDX SH-AWD A-Spec 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
21 of 23 people found this review helpful

I have owed this car for 3 months. It’s been in the shop 4 times. Twice for the brakes, which still is not fixed. Once for the sensor just randomly going off. And twice for the struts, suspension, and shocks that had to be completely replaced!! I regret this purchase!

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Defective XM Radio in all 2019 RDX

S Werner, 02/12/2019
2019 Acura RDX Technology Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful

When starting the car or turning on the XM Radio, the monitor indicates that it is "loading" This can load for 3 to 5 minutes before the XM Radio controls are functional. I consider this to be a defect as the radio is not operating what most users would consider to be normal. I first talked to the dealer. The dealer confirmed that this was a wide spread problem. The dealer said is was a know problem and that Acura had not issued a fix or any infomration on if or when a fix was coming. I wrote to Acura to share with them that I was not satisfied with the operation of the XM Radio. Today Acura Client Relations responded after a considerable delay: " Dear xxxxxxx, Thank you for writing to us. We apologize for our delayed response and hope this message finds you well. We're sorry to hear this delay with XM service has been detracting from your new vehicle experience. We have documented what you are experiencing and if a product update is released to address it you will be notified via standard mail. We hope you have other wise been enjoying the RDX and thank you for alerting us to this issue. We welcome you to contact us with any additional questions. Our customer service team can be reached on Twitter @AcuraClientCare, or via Live Chat through our website, http://owners.acura.com/help/client-relations. Kind regards, Acura Client Relations Case #xxxxxxxx Their response ignores my complaint as if does not acknowledge that this is a defect that the company is planning or even needs to address. I am very surprised and disappointed in the lack of concern about acknowledging that this is a prolem that deserves any attentiopn.

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Computer system cannot be fixed

Unsatisfied customer, 09/27/2019
2019 Acura RDX Advance Package 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A)
15 of 16 people found this review helpful

Do not get this car. I repeat. Do not get this car. The computer system is [non-permissible content removed]. The computer does not shut off when the car is off. The battery goes dead. Roadside assistance charges the battery. The dealer resets the system by unplugging the battery and reconnecting it. The same problem continues days later. There is no current fix. Acura states we do not know what to do,

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