RDX not a lightweight

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2013 Acura RDX Wieck/Honda

June 10, 2012

RDX not a lightweight

Redesigned Acura has a more solid driving feel

By Derek Price CNHI News Service The Record Eagle Sun Jun 10, 2012, 07:14 AM EDT

The Acura RDX started life as a small, zippy crossover vehicle that felt like it was built from celery and carrot sticks, all light and crisp.

For 2013, though, Acura has turned the RDX into steak and potatoes. It's a very different vehicle now — heavier and more substantial, and in many ways more satisfying — since it lost its little turbocharged engine in favor of a meaty V6 and a bigger, brawnier body.

I miss some things about the older, sportier version of this car. The turbo four-cylinder engine was a rarity in a crossover vehicle, and it gave the RDX a racy personality that set it apart from the tightly packed field it competes with.

On the flip side, it would be hard to argue that the new, redesigned version isn't a drastically better car. It's smoother, more comfortable and more solid feeling today, which makes it drive like a luxury SUV rather than a glorified Honda compact car.

In fact, the new RDX muscles its way in as a budget-minded alternative to its big brother, the MDX, and more well-known luxury crossovers like the Lexus RX and Cadillac SRX.

Pricing starts around $34,000, which puts it considerably less than the other exes — MDX, RX, SRX, and even the BMW X3.

The new RDX still offers two rows of seating, but it has a more generous cargo area than the old one. Its new styling and bigger dimensions make it seem more like an SUV than a station wagon, even though it's built on a car-based frame like all crossovers.

As much fun as the turbocharged engine was, the new engine is pure brilliance. It's paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that serves up syrupy smooth shifts in "Drive" and crazy-man shifts in "Sport," letting you pick between comfort and fun. It's a nice choice in this class of car that tends to favor one or the other exclusively.

Drive a Lexus, for example, and it's all about smoothness with no excitement. Drive a BMW, and it's just the opposite, all about adrenaline at the expense of comfort.

This Acura seems to slot right between the two, with a Goldilocks ride that's not too hard and not too soft — just firm enough — and an engine that's amazingly quiet when cruising and throaty when you stomp the gas pedal.

Standard features include the six-speed automatic transmission, leather seats with 10 power adjustments on the driver's side, a rearview video camera, dual-zone automatic climate control and keyless access with a push-button starter. It also comes with a Bluetooth connection for your phone and a terrific, 360-watt stereo system that integrates flawlessly with an iPhone or other audio device.

You can pay more if you'd like all-wheel drive or Acura's technology package, which includes a navigation system, upgraded stereo, voice recognition system and a power liftgate that can open and close itself at the push of a button.

The great thing about the RDX is that it makes the luxury crossover buying decision a little tougher. You can choose a Lexus if you want the smoothest ride. You can choose a BMW if you want the most exciting performance and most engaging driving feel.

Of you can choose the RDX if you want to split the difference while saving some money in the process.