so you're considering acura's fully redesigned 2019 rdx compact luxury suv? can help with its full review of the brand's smallest (but not so small) suv. reviewer jennifer geiger carefully went over and drove the new rdx, and she offers detailed guidance in her review for what you might like — and might like not so much — in the suv.
and it's just that: guidance for your shopping. every vehicle has pluses and minuses, but only you can decide with your own test drive which things are most important to you. here are five highlights of what geiger really liked about the rdx, as well as a couple of things she thinks you should check out before you decide. (for more details on these and other things to know about the rdx, as well as links to specs and dealer offers, you can find her full review here.)
what we like:
1. compelling value
the rdx continues to make a case for itself by being a compelling value for standard luxury features and safety tech. it starts at $38,295 (including a destination charge) in front-wheel-drive form, undercutting many competitors.
2. dramatic new look
rdx stands out — like all the way out, with its domineering, blinged-out shield grille, beefed-up body and sharp angles.
3. excellent ride and handling
geiger found that the new rdx has engaging, dynamic road manners. it has nicely weighted steering and a tightly tuned standard suspension with a firm — but never jarring — ride and superlative maneuverability. also available is acura's excellent torque-vectoring super handling all-wheel drive system.
4. at last, a true luxury interior
the previous rdx's interior was nice, but its honda cr-v roots were just below the surface. geiger found that the new model ups the luxury factor quite a bit with interesting materials, upscale touches and sumptuously comfortable seats.
5. premium features and options
standard features include a panoramic moonroof, led headlights and a 10.2-inch display screen. upscale options include 16-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats, a 10.5-inch full-color head-up display and an excellent audio upgrade.
related: 2019 acura rdx undercuts rivals on value
what we don't:
1. the new multimedia interface
this was a deal-breaker for geiger and it's been debated by other editors, too. you should thoroughly check out the new system before writing a check. while she lauded the big 10.2-inch screen that sits high on the dashboard for visibility, she found its new-design touchpad controller "annoyingly unergonomic and unnatural to use." she notes, however, that there still are physical controls for the volume and to skip tracks back and forth, and that clearly marked climate-control buttons also are separate from the multimedia interface.
2. minimal mileage improvement
despite the switch from a conventional v-6 and six-speed automatic to a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 10-speed automatic, the epa mileage rating is just barely better than the v-6 rating, at 21/27/23 mpg city/highway/combined with awd, lower in its combined rating than turbo four-cylinder awd versions of some of its luxury suv rivals.
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