2016 Acura RDX - Review
The 2016 Acura RDX is the upscale Honda brand's smaller crossover SUV, aimed at pragmatic but fashion-conscious families who need more wagon practicality and less off-road capability. With a V-6 engine, excellent safety ratings and equipment, and carefully chosen features and options, the RDX comes with a little secret: Its driving experience is more extroverted than its muted styling would indicate.
Now in its fourth year, the second-generation RDX benefits from a number of updates for the 2016 model year. Both front and rear styling has been freshened, updates to its V-6 engine provide both more power and higher fuel-economy ratings, and the suite of safety features has expanded. It's also received more luxury trimmings and options for the interior, keeping it up to date with the competition in the expanding segment of luxury compact crossovers.
The basic shape of the 2016 RDX is essentially that of a sleek utility vehicle that signals it's more about on-street comfort and practicality than off-road toughness. The profile is attractive, with pronounced fender arches. Updates this year include four LED projector headlamps on each side of a revised silver grille, and LED taillights. Inside, there's a characteristically Acura form and function, with a central pod of dash controls, plus lots of soft-touch materials and matte surfaces that bring an upscale look and feel. As well as new luxury features, the interior has been updated with high-contrast silver and black trim.
The RDX bucks convention by sticking with a large and powerful 3.5-liter V-6 engine, while other luxury crossovers move to turbocharged fours--an approach tried for the first-generation RDX, which may just have been ahead of its time. The 2016 version of the engine gets Variable Cylinder Management, with rated outputs of 279 horsepower and 252 pound-feet of torque--increases of 6 hp and 1 lb-ft respectively over the last year's RDX engine. The only available transmission is a conventional six-speed automatic.
Despite the extra power, projected fuel economy ratings rise 1 mpg to 20 mpg city, 29 mpg highway for the base model, or 19 mpg city, 28 mpg highway if the optional all-wheel drive is specified.
In previous versions, the RDX has felt smooth and strong behind the wheel, capable in a wide variety of on-road situations--everything from urban stop-and-go to rural high-speed passing. We expect that won't change much with the engine updates. Handling and roadholding have been good, and two-stage dampers have kept the RDX composed on twisty roads while absorbing potholes and general harshness.
For 2016, Acura has retuned the available all-wheel-drive system to deliver more rear-wheel torque bias, increasing the sporty feel from behind the wheel. New engine mounts and suspension settings, along with revisions to the electric power steering, contribute to tighter handling as well.
The interior of the RDX is comfortable, well-laid-out, and remarkably space-efficient. The underpinnings are shared with the Honda CR-V, so that vehicle's low cargo floor and thoughtful front and rear seats make the RDX surprisingly versatile as family transport despite its much more stylish lines. The seats are better than those of the CR-V, and front-seat space is ample even for passengers over six feet tall. A driver's seat that's power adjustable in eight different ways, along with the tilting and telescoping steering column, make the driver's position adjustable enough to handle almost any body type and size. The cabin is well-insulated, and both front and rear passengers will find the car quiet under almost all circumstances. The cargo bay behind the rear seats provides 26.1 cubic feet of space, while folding the rear seats flat boosts that to 61.3 cubic feet. Under-floor storage adds another 15 cubic feet, giving an overall cargo volume of 76.9 cubic feet.
For 2016, new electronic safety systems include the AcuraWatch package of adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, a multi-view camera, and an expanded-view driver’s side mirror, which is available on all RDX trim levels. We were not impressed with the lane-departure warning system on the latest Honda CR-V, but we'll reserve judgement on Acura's version until we drive it. Front, side, and side-curtain airbags are standard on the RDX, along with anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, daytime running lights, a backup camera, and a rollover sensor to trigger appropriate airbags.
Acura has also beefed up the front crash structures of the RDX to improve its performance on the new, tougher Small Overlap Frontal Crash test performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The carmaker says it is targeting a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2016 RDX, along with an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ designation.
Acura prices the RDX slightly below comparable crossovers from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, and feature for feature, it's a better value than most luxury utilities in the segment. Dual-zone climate control, cruise control, keyless entry with push-button start, ambient lighting, a seven-speaker sound system with USB/MP3/Auxiliary support, Bluetooth handsfree calling, and more are all standard features. The addition this year of the AcuraWatch electronic safety systems keeps it competitive; new features for 2016 include standard heated front seats and standard second-row air conditioning vents.
This year, the optional Technology Package adds an eight-way power passenger seat, dual-screen infotainment, HD Radio, blind spot information system, and rear cross-traffic alerts.That's on top of the existing voice controls, real-time traffic and weather, a GPS-linked climate control, SMS texting support, and Pandora app functionality. The audio system included in that package is an Acura/ELS unit with 10 speakers that produce clear, enveloping sound, even at very low volumes.
Rain-sensing wipers, keyless remote start, front and rear parking sensors, fog lights, auto-dimming driver’s side mirror, and the AcuraWatch suite of advanced safety and driver-assist technologies make up the Advance package.
Post a Comment