I had a curious experience while driving a 2009 Acura RDX turbo: I felt nothing. No harsh vibrations, no turbo lag, no ill-handling, no excitement, and no real road feel. I concluded that everything must be hitting the same mark or level equally so that no single element was worse or better than the rest.
Actually the only area that garnered any real reaction from me was the less than satisfying materials and interior design. The logos and nameplates on the inside said Acura but looked and felt like Suzuki.
While the Acura RDX has been around since 2007, I really haven’t spent much time in one until now.
While I stated that “nothing” really stood out, that’s not altogether a bad thing. I thought the RDX’s acceleration was pretty strong but nothing special for a V-6-powered crossover, then I remembered that under the hood resided a “puffed” four cylinder. Acura equips the RDX with a turbocharged 2.3-liter DOHC 16-valve in-line four-cylinder engine incorporating Honda/Acura’s computer-controlled i-VTEC "intelligent" intake/exhaust valve actuation system.
Acura claims that this electronic brain provides enhanced performance across a broad powerband while still delivering good fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions. Well, as the old rock band Meatloaf used to sing: “Two outta three ain’t bad.” The RDX’s window sticker came with EPA mileage ratings of 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway, but I could only coax about 20 mpg in a 30/70 split of city/highway driving. Must have been wearing my heavy shoes the week I drove the RDX.
The 240-horsepower 2.3-liter owes its smooth but brisk acceleration to its Variable Flow Turbo (VFT) that produced very negligible turbo lag during take offs. This situation held true any time added oomph was required. You do get a little turbo wine that did provide some sensory input.
The automatic five-speed transmission with Sequential SportShift is standard on the RDX and it really is automatic. The electronically controlled Drive-by-Wire throttle system works so quick and smoothly that it takes you out of the drive experience to provide almost golf cartlike acceleration feeling. The RDX does come with the Sequential SportShift transmission that can be controlled manually via steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
On the road the automatic feeling continued as the RDX did everything I asked of it, remaining calm, cool and collected.
Acura's proprietary Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system comes standard on the RDX. This invisible but fast acting system maximizes available traction. But wait there’s more: It also improves handling balance and responsiveness. The system distributes optimum torque front to rear and left to right while also being able to overdrive the rear wheels.
Precise and responsive handling is further aided by fully independent front and rear suspension greeting the pavement through standard 18-inch tires. Another standard RDX feature is Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) with traction control and it works to further enhance vehicle controllability and grip. The ride was very good gliding through the air at highway speeds. The around town ride was uneventful, well-dampened and the body stays inline with the chassis during unplanned emergency avoidance maneuvers and brisk cornering.
The test vehicle came in a very drab gunmetal gray with like painted wheels that did nothing to accentuate the sharp bodylines. The exterior has a sharply raked windshield with short from and rear overhangs that help to maximize interior space.
As I mentioned, I was caught off-guard by the interior of the test vehicle as I felt it just didn’t live up to the Acura nameplate. The dash does not utilize any soft touch materials, the light silver plastic trim (not aluminum) inserts brightened the dark interior but looked and felt inexpensive. This was especially true on the center console. Overall, the interior looked as if it were designed to project an expensive feel using inexpensive components. In a less pricey vehicle, this interior would’ve been perfectly fine.
On the plus side, I do have to say that the power seats were very comfortable and supportive as I actually fell asleep while waiting in a parking lot. The Acura RDX comes with belts for five, but seating for four is a prudent choice. The rear seat has a 60/40 split-folding capability and, when folded flat, opens up the cargo area and increases the total cargo volume to 60.6 cubic-feet.
The RDX “techs up” with standard features including a dual-zone automatic climate control system, a Multi-Information Display (MID), LED backlit gauges with progressive illumination and Bluetooth HandsFreeLink mobile telephone connectivity. A 360-watt sever-speaker Acura Premium Sound System with a multi-format six-disc changer, AM/FM tuner, XM Satellite Radio, and the convenience of an AUX input jack for the easy connection of MP3 audio devices such as an iPod is standard.
The test vehicle came with a Technology Package that consisted of advanced features including an upgraded 10-speaker Acura/ELS Surround 410 watt Premium Sound System. The rest of the package adds an Acura Navigation System and AcuraLink Satellite Communication System with real-time traffic. The AcuraLink is basically a vehicle diagnostic check via satellite that Acura provides to inform you about your vehicle and service requirements.
The real-time traffic feature of the Acura Navigation System with voice recognition displays traffic information including flow, accident and construction on freeways in 77 metropolitan areas. Unfortunately, I was usually upon the situation just as the information was coming up, and I didn’t like the fact that I had to take my eyes off the road to keep looking at a screen.
A nice feature that comes with the nav system was the rear back-up camera. Before moving, I was able to check the screen to see if it was clear to proceed. But please note: I looked at the screen AFTER I checked my mirrors and looked over my shoulder.
As for occupant safety the RDX also incorporates Acura's "Safety Through Innovation" initiative including advanced front, side and side curtain airbags, Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA), ABS with Brake Assist and an Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) front body structure.
I’ve alluded to the RDX's pricing throughout the story, so let’s get down to the details. The 2009 Acura RDX test vehicle with the Tech Package checked in at $37,455 including the destination charge.
You might get the feeling that I didn’t like the RDX. Not true. The RDX just didn’t elicit the emotional experience I like to get from driving a vehicle. Competitive models like the BMW X3 require more from the driver and provide more of a connection with the road. However, if you want an “automatic vehicle” where everything is managed for you in a certain range, then RDX fits the bill.
