Getting into a luxury vehicle can be a bit out of reach financially if you only look at the largest models offered. But dipping down into the territory of crossovers (smaller SUVs) makes things a bit more easy on the wallet, both at purchase time and at the gas station.
One luxury offering in this category that is getting some attention in 2014 is the Acura RDX, and I recently got to spend some time in one. I’m back with a full report on what it has to offer.
LOOKS
It’s not a stretch to say this is one of the best-designed luxury crossovers you will find on the interior -- offering lots of headroom and comfortable seating for five; plus a versatile design that allows you to push down the back seats and store a ton of cargo for a vehicle this size.
It’s easy to get in and go with the keyless access system and push-button start; and the rear-view camera gives you several angles of what’s going on behind you when you back up.
Dual-zone climate control lets people in different areas of the car tweak the temp to their desire.
In terms of exterior looks, the RDX is definitely an attractive vehicle; but perhaps not the most attractive in the luxury crossover segment (Some of its competitors are a bit sexier in terms of styling) but that’s not a big deal because the RDX’s many successes overshadow that.
The leather-trimmed seats are comfortable, the moonroof is a nice touch, and you get 18-inch wheels. Driver recognition remembers your seat settings so you don’t have to adjust it every time.
I would define the interior of this vehicle as something along the lines of “refined but not overly ostentacious”. You know it’s luxury, but it’s not too excessive.
ENGINE, HANDLING, OVERALL RIDE QUALITY
The 3.5-liter, V6 engine in the 2014 Acura RDX is more than capable, producing 273 horsepower. You’re not going to win any drag races against a hot rod, but it’s still got a lot of get-up-and-go when you need to start moving.
Overall, the drive is smooth and enjoyable and turns are a breeze due to top-notch handling. Also, road noise inside the vehicle is kept to a minimum.
All-wheel drive and front-wheel drive are both offered on the RDX.
MPG
There is a lot to cheer about here in terms of MPG. I got about 22 mpg during my time in the vehicle -- official numbers on the AWD models are 19 city/27 highway/22 combined)
If you opt for the front-wheel drive model, you’re going to improve to 20 city and 28 highway, a tick higher on the combined number. That’s pretty solid for a small SUV.
TECH
You’ll get a high-quality and booming surround sound audio system on the RDX, along with USB connectivity, iPod integration, Bluetooth connection for phone and streaming audio access, and a three-month trial of SiriusXM satellite radio.
The technology package gives you voice recognition of the audio, navigation and climate controls. Other features in the tech package are AcuraLink, a helpful system that provides real-time traffic and weather and reroutes if traffic is backed up. The navigation system on the RDX worked perfectly and got me where I needed to be without any convoluted routes.
The tech package also includes auto xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights and fog lights.
SAFETY
Among the safety features you’ll get standard on the RDX are an Immobilizer theft deterrent system, a full complement of airbags, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, Vehicle Stability Assist, Brake Assist and Daytime running lights.
It tested nearly perfect in safety tests, which is a comfortable feeling to have.
But I was disappointed a blind spot detection feature was not included, even in the technology package. This feature is too often omitted, as it has been here.
PRICE
My test vehicle, a 2014 RDX all-wheel-drive with Tech package, came in just over $40K ($40,605) incuding destination charge.
The base RDX starts out at $34,520,, the all-wheel drive upgrade pushes it to $36,295. Base model with the tech package is $38,595, and then there is the vehicle I tested -- the all-wheel-drive RDX with the tech package, which will cost you about $40K.
This is not a low price but still pretty reasonable considering we’re in luxury territory here.
BOTTOM LINE
Crossovers are a popular trend right now in the auto industry, and in the luxury segment you will find few as impressive as the 2014 Acura RDX -- not an easy accomplishment considering there is strong competition from Lexus, Infiniti, Audi and others.
This is a smaller luxury SUV, not as spacious as Acura’s MDX, but it’s still an impressive ride with the usual Acura quality and should compete well in the segment -- and its price will help in that regard since it is less expensive than some of the competition.
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Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.
