Review: 2019 Acura RDX

 

The Acura RDX has been in production for 12 years now and its design has significantly changed since it debuted in 2006. The luxury vehicle has been upgraded in design and technology, and is in its third generation. Hit jumo for a full review.

Exterior Design

The 2019 Acura RDX sits lower and has a more aggressive design with an angled front grille and lens assemblies. The signature Jewel Eye LED headlights stand out while the front grille repeats the theme with diamond shaped patterns.

The rear of the vehicle continues with the angled styling most noticeable in the rear lens assemblies.

Our road test came with 19” alloy wheels, and a panoramic moonroof which made the RDX feel much more spacious with all the natural light coming into the cabin.

Interior Design

I took the RDX on a 6-hour road trip (one way) and the 12-way power adjustable front seats had lumbar support too. The ride was very comfortable.

The RDX’s dashboard offers a clean look with the transmission shift selector placed front and centre. I appreciate that Acura changed up the design as previous generations had the cupholders right next to the transmission gear buttons. This could cause problems as inevitably spills are bound to happen and liquid isn’t as easy to clean up once it seeps into the buttons. Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) is the silver dial that you turn to choose four driving modes: comfort, snow, sport and sport+.

There is more space for storage under the shift selector since it is electronic, and the design adds to the overall sleek look of the RDX.

The instrument cluster is distinctly Honda/Acura, with a mix of digital and analog displays.

The 2019 Acura RDX steering wheel hasn’t changed much from previous generations or other Honda/Acura products. It has many buttons, including ones that you scroll and push down, side to side, or up. It’s a contrast to the otherwise clean and simplistic look that Acura maintains through the cabin and in the exterior design.

The 10.2” HD colour centre display is located above dashboard without blocking much of the road view. The split screen feature was done well, displaying information that was easy to see at a glance while driving.

The 2019 Acura RDX infotainment system can be controlled with a touchpad located below the transmission shift selector (named True Touchpad Interface). The touchpad was responsive and allows you to navigate and select features on the infotainment screen.

The RDX’s rear camera has multiple views available for you to choose from and had minimal distortion.

Passengers in the rear seat can enjoy an independent climate control, as well as heated outboard seats and USB charging.

Under The Hood / Basic Maintenance

 

The engine bay is narrow, compared to older generations of the Acura RDX and much is covered with plastic shields and cowlings. Thankfully, basic maintenance items are located up top so it’s relatively easy to access.

The battery is near the driver side, though the designated engine ground is on the other side of the engine.

Of note, the coolant bottle is located towards the front of the vehicle and is tucked deeper in the engine bay. The good news is that Honda/Acura coolant fluid is a deep blue which makes it easy to read the level in the reservoir bottle. There’s also a raised marking on the bottle to discern the maximum level.

Of note, our road test model had the spare tire is located under the vehicle. Some RDX models may only include a tire repair kit. A spare tire is always preferable. Remember to ask your technician to check the tire pressure when it’s in for service if you don’t intend to do a regular check on your own. Also, ask your technician to ensure that the cable and bracket aren’t seized so that you can lower the spare tire in the case of an emergency.  

The RDX I tested had a warning label on the fuel door to wait for 5 seconds before removing the nozzle when you’re finished refuelling. When asked, a Honda Canada representative responded: “This standard warning is not Honda-specific and is typical and included in most OEM/manufacturer’s owners’ manuals. It’s to minimize fumes, spillage or spray due to any pressure build up while filling the tank. It impacts hot weather climates and in Canada we don't typically have to worry about this because our temperatures usually don’t get that high.” While we’re talking about fuel, take note that the 2019 Acura RDX requires premium unleaded fuel.

Child Car Seat

In terms of installing a rear-facing child car seat, the 2019 Acura RDX is quite spacious so you may not need to move the front passenger seat too far forward to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle (depending on the size of the child car seat, of course). The rear seat bench is relatively flat and firm, so you may achieve the correct recline angle without any issue.

When considering a forward-facing child car seat installation, the headrest of the rear seats leans forward slightly towards the top so you may not need to remove the headrest depending on how high the seatback of your child car seat is.

The UAS latches are clearly marked on a flap that is secured with Velcro. Flip down the flap and the latches are exposed which makes it very easy to install a child car seat.

For forward-facing child car seat installations, the tether is located just behind the rear seats above the trunk floor.

Storage / Trunk

The 2019 Acura RDX trunk is deep and narrows towards the rear seats. There’s enough room to store daily errands and I fit a couple of suitcases during my road trip. If you’re carrying larger items, the rear seats have a 40/60 split to give you more flexibility.

Lift up the trunk floor and there are compartments for smaller items that you can stow out of sight and without concern of it jostling around in the trunk during your drive. Acura calls this a “smart underfloor storage”.

The tailgate height is also adjustable in case you have a lower ceiling in the garage or you aren’t able to reach the close button when the tailgate is open and extended fully.

The 2019 Acura RDX is considered a compact luxury CUV, though it’s quite large with a lot of cabin space. It does well as a daily vehicle, and was very comfortable to drive in on a longer road trip.

Model tested:

2019 Acura RDX Elite

2.0L Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine

10-speed automatic transmission

All-wheel drive

Seating Capacity: 5 people

Road Test Terrain: 60% city, 40% highway