bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

and... right on cue

there's a market for a 7/10ths rx

you make it sound like a toyota camry.

might as well copy the best.

because it has a v6, more room, and because prices go up?

good questions. but same can be said for SO many vehicles. why buy a highlander? why buy a venza? why buy a tribeca? any volvo? a mazda cx7/9? but in this sort of 'premium mid market' ultimately people end up liking the way a vehicle feels to drive/use, maybe like the dealer, etc.

ok, so after heaping haterade on it you answered your own question.

and you pile on more haterade as if selling 2k a month is a bad thing.

i think this is a decent refresh of the model. you also mentioned about it being on cr-v platform vs. an accord as if that's a bad thing, but the cr-v sells like hot cakes.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

you can have the back barn door and cheap interior.

Phil2005

Well the price increase is due to inflation, and the addition of standard push button start and keyless access, multi-view camera, Pandora internet radio, 6-speed transmission, active-noise cancellation, and Amplitude Reactive Dampers.

Even without the SH-AWD and turbo engine, it'll still be funner to drive and handle better then an RX, while having noise, vibration, and harshness levels now near Lexus levels. I'm willing to bet that the new RDX will sell 2 to 3 times better then the last ten RDX.

GoHuskers

I like the new design, much better than the 2008 we have in the family. I have not driven it yet so I don't know if it handles better than the RX (F-Sport) or not but I definitely pick this ride over a Limited RAV4 V6 (but Rav4 is cheaper I think).

Rominl said it once "People have different tastes and they are all happy with their selection". That is why we see people bought CX-9, SRX, MDX, RX/RXh, 911, LS, S-class and so on. There is always a market for something created, even RL managed to have sold few units every month.

TripleL

I like what they've done. Smoother engine & quieter ride with more room should put them right in the thick of it with sales.

stlgrym3

iTrader: (4)

in a nutshell, it is a luxury version of a CRV with Pilot's engine and AWD system. nothing more, nothing less. we may actually look into one if we can get it for couple grand below invoice.

LexFather

And you can break down replies all you want but you never answered the question "why badge this a luxury vehicle" when it has nothing luxurious about it and seems to offer nothing more than the older competition let alone non-luxury brands. So who are they fooling? I know

You named features Kia, Hyundai, Ford, toyota offers. Again the last gen RX had its own engine, platform and SH AWD so it should be more expensive. This model now shares its engine with every other Honda, its platform with the best selling CR-V and loses AWD. Why does it cost more outside of increasing margins? They entire reason Acura builds nearly every vehicle here is b/c of the weak dollar and they sell 95% of their car here.

ITs not RX competition. The RX F-sport likely handles better anyway.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

it's a good question. i agree it's not that luxurious, but then so many vehicles are getting closer and closer - luxury coming downscale in many cases, and entry/middle going upscale.

you mention the rx, which to me seems INCREDIBLY PLAIN inside (even compared to an MB ML, which is competition), so i don't consider it very luxurious either. and i don't think it's particularly quiet, or smooth, or anything. so the same you say about the new rdx could be said about the rx. but yes, we both know the rx is highly successful, so there's more to sales than gobbets of wood, leather, stitching, etc. the rx provides a combination of things, plus a great reputation, plus generally great service, at a reasonable price.

but regardless, you continue to want to judge acura as if it should be lexus, and it isn't. maybe you should compare acura to buick.

pvmike1

Mike, you make a valid point about price, but I think Acura is on target with this redesign. It's not about the SH-AWD or handling - buyers will care more about a smooth ride, better MPG and better looks. And I suspect potential buyers will like the fact that it's based on a tried and true platform and engine, and that will be a positive instead of a negative. I read a previous post you wrote about the turbo 4, saying that it was a mistake that it was designed for only one platform. That was absolutely right - imagine if it could be dropped into a Civic how quickly the aftermarket would have adopted it. But instead it only fits the RDX, what a waste. The RDX buyer doesn't care if it's a turbo or not.

I predict that this model will sell much better than the last one.

Och

iTrader: (3)

Meh, RX has the big L badge and that alone is enough to sell it in droves to chubbying soccer moms. Lexus has achieved the reputation where most of its vehicles can sell merely on the merit of the badge alone, much like BMW and MB, so they can afford to lay back but Acura has to work hard, like Kia and Haiyondie are doing.

Honda and Acura are setting themselves for the same situation where GM/Ford/Chrysler found themselves during 90ies/00s, but nobody is going to bail them out.

LexFather

Oh its going to sell, its vanilla and a 7/10ths RX. With an entry like this, drop the Acura badge call it a Honda and call it a day. B/C who is being fooled more, the buyer or the seller? For a new 2013 vehicle it seems to be made by the Civic team. People bash the RX to death for being vanilla and here is low-fat vanilla

mmarshall

No. It is a luxury version of the Pilot, not the CR-V.

Och

iTrader: (3)

The luxury version of the Pilot would actually be the MDX.

spwolf

sounds like 2001 all over again... we have 6 speed transmission folks! :-)

GS69

2013 Acura RDX
The Softening of a Sharp-Edged CUV

If you had asked us back in 2006 if the then-brand-new Acura RDX would be a success, our answer would have been yes. And why not? The Acura brand was still in demand, buyers were increasingly clamoring for luxury crossovers and the economy appeared to be in solid shape. And don't forget that the RDX was seemingly ahead of its time, pairing together a turbocharger and inline 4-cylinder engine before it became de rigueur among engine choices.

If you had asked us that question 6 years ago, we would've been dead wrong, because the RDX proved to be anything but a sure bet. The compact luxury crossover stumbled along with woeful sales over the past half-decade, with 2007 being its best year with a meager 23,356 units sold. As it turns out, American luxury car buyers weren't ready for a boosted CUV with a stiff ride, limited cargo-hauling capabilities and lousy fuel economy.

While the 1st RDX was a box office flop, Acura feels like it has an appropriate sequel for the 2013 model year. Gone is that performance-oriented turbo-4 that was so out of place. Honda's luxury arm has instead gone with the company's tried and true 3.5-liter V6, placed it in a new larger platform, and added a raft of much-needed refinement.

The 2013 RDX went under the knife in search of a softer shape, and what we see is a well-executed styling evolution that includes smoother lines, a more distinct greenhouse profile and more palatable mug shot. Acura designers streamlined the front end of the RDX with a new grille that loses the chunky proportions of the outgoing model. The fog lamp housings have also been transformed, with over-the-top brightwork replaced by understated simplicity. The headlight assemblies have also been re-imagined, now tapering off into the front wheel wells. Out back the D-pillar is a bit more pronounced as it tapers off toward the beltline. The taillights have also been tweaked, losing their demonic hawk eyes in favor of assemblies that better match the headlights.

The RDX definitely looks more grown-up on the outside, and similar progress takes place within the cabin. The previous model featured a more compartmentalized dash, but the 2013 receives a total makeover with flowing lines that taper off into the center instrument panel. The dash continues to feature soft-touch materials, but faux nickel accents have been added to provide more visual appeal. The steering wheel is mostly unchanged, with a great, leathery grip and multitude of buttons. The gauge cluster also has been reworked, swapping out individual housings for each gauge for a centrally enclosed area with an LED display resting in the middle. Another big change is a new housing for the 8.5-inch LCD screen, which now rests higher and settles deeper into its own cove. We really liked this modification since it blocks out sunlight and makes the screen much easier to read.

The RDX also scores points for its very comfortable front seats, which offer useful side bolstering and terrific thigh support. The back seats offer plenty of real estate as well, with 38.3 inches of legroom. That number compares favorably to the BMW X3 (36.8 cubic inches) and blows away the similarly sized Infiniti EX (28.5 cubic inches). The RDX manages a cargo draw when compared to the Audi Q5, with 26.1 cubic feet of space behind the 2nd row seats and 61.3 cubes when they're folded flat. The Q5 wins with 29.1 cubic feet when the 2nd row seat are upright but comes up short with 57.3 cubic feet when they're stowed. It's worth noting that the 2nd row seat of the RDX doesn't fold completely flat, which can be a problem when sliding larger items in through the hatch.

Our positive impression of the RDX's interior was aided by the fact that our model is completely loaded. This Silver Moon tester tipped the fiscal scales at $40,315 including an $895 destination charge. Acura deserves credit for streamlining the ordering process while also providing a slew of standard features right out of the gate. This RDX arrived with all-wheel drive ($1,400 option) and the Technology Package ($3,700), or essentially every option that this Acura offers. The tech adds ELS Surround Sound, navigation with voice commands, solar-sensing climate control, High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps and a very clear and easy-to-utilize multi-view rear camera. Each RDX also comes standard with a 10-way power driver's seat, moonroof, leather seating surfaces, Bluetooth, USB and more.

As mentioned earlier, one change for 2013 that will likely break a few enthusiasts' hearts is the loss of the turbocharged 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder engine in favor of Honda's excellent 3.5-liter V6. (Click here to read more about why Honda killed this engine.) Worry not, we say, because the 273-horsepower V6 offers 33 more horsepower and its 251 pound-feet of torque is within 9 lb-ft of the boosted 4. The big 6 feels very powerful and refined, with excellent off-the-line acceleration and prodigious passing power on the highway. The new 6-speed automatic transmission is glass-smooth with its seamless shifts, and paddle shifters are available on the steering wheel for the DIY crowd. We're not always proponents of combining paddles with traditional automatics, but in this case the shifts are reasonably fast and the paddles fun to use.

Acura has also put a lot of work into the RDX's chassis to smooth out the rough ride that characterized the last-generation model, which makes sense given that U.S. buyers' in this segment typically demand comfort over performance. Since the MacPherson struts and multi-link rear suspension are carryover, the big change is Acura's Amplitude Reactive Dampers. The dampers are 15% softer, yet at the same time offer increased structural rigidity and reduced body-roll. We felt the difference on the street, as bumps and potholes were far less perturbing to our kidneys, and at the same time, this crossover still doesn't mind being tossed around. It helps that the 2013 model is 93 pounds lighter than the last RDX; an impressive number considering the addition of the 3.5-liter V6. It helps that Acura opted for attractive 18-inch wheels mated to 235/60R Michelin rubber, instead of going with heavier and costlier 19s or 20s.

1 source of disappointment is the loss of Acura's dynamic SH-AWD. That system could route 70% of the engine's power to the rear wheels, while the new, simpler on-demand setup can only manage a 50/50 power split. Steering feel has also been dumbed down a bit, as this new electronic unit feels numb and light compared to the old model's hydraulic steering.

Both the steering and the Honda CR-V-sourced AWD system aren't as engaging as we'd like, but those new additions to the RDX help improve fuel efficiency greatly. The 2013 AWD RDX boasts EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. Despite firing on 2 fewer cylinders, the 2012 model managed only 17/22, giving the new RDX a substantial advantage. And those numbers translate into terrific real-world fuel economy, as we managed an impressive 24.2 mpg in mixed driving.

In the end, the "mainstreaming" of Acura's RDX means the succeeds where it once failed. It is now more refined and more comfortable, while continuing to offer plenty of get up and go. Some will miss the edgier dynamic handling of the last model, but far more will likely appreciate this kinder, gentler RDX. Best of all, the RDX now delivers sedan-like fuel economy with improved aesthetics and a more user-friendly interior, all of which should translate into the only thing that really matters to Acura: more sales.