Bought this SUV a couple of months ago and very pleased with t. Starting in 2106 there are new engine mounts to control vibrations which can occur when the VCM turns off and on. Lots of power , not direct injection so may not have carbon built up over time. 4 wheel drive is 50% front 50% back which is great in the snow. It runs on regular gas without a problem, which most newer high compression motors wont. LED lighting front and back and great sound system , cold AC . I also like the size , not too big, not too small with good carrying capability.
Totally agreed so far. I just got my '16 in the last few days, but damn it's a nice xover! Better/Classier looking than the Lexus. Smooth ride on the rough roads in my area. Great sound system. Naturally aspirated v6 with cut down to v3 on highway give to great gas mileage. Awesome features... I couldn't be more smitten.
Love Acuras! I personally see it as a Luxury car. It’s Honda’s Lexus. It’s luxury enough for me as an Acura owner to feel like I’m driving a luxury car and that’s all I care about. I could care less about what the world thinks. Would I prefer a Lexus? Maybe, maybe not. Is there a huge gap between them? No. I have a 2017 RDX and I’m in love with it!!!
I traded my 2014 CRV for a 2018 RDX AWD basic. I could afford he top of the line but I preferred the convention knobs on info system and I don't ant any high tech alerts. I test drove a 2019 and decided to buy the 20118 because of V6, and 6 speed. I did wish they didn't remove the SH-AWD, that was liked a backward down grade. I am 5'11 and I had no problems with seating position. The RDX hanled much better than the CRV because it had a better steering and suspension system. The structs on it cost over $800. The brakes are also improved. I don't feel like a cheapskate when I drive it.
If you want the price to get closer to Lexus, BMW, and MB, then they will give you choices. If you want the fuel economy to tank, then you will get the SH-AWD, and if you want Acura to get more luxury, then you cut out a lot of middle class buyers who don't want to lease but want nicer, quieter, and a smoother ride.
Your comment about this being a "really nice CRV" is ridiculous... I drove both after watching your review, and it wasn't even close... The Touring CRV is loud inside at highway speeds over 90 decibels and the RDX was 66 db... huge difference. The power and shifting are not even close either... Add to it the ride and comfort... For $10k difference on AWD ADVANCED to the Tourning and less than $60 per month on a 3 yr lease, the RDX is miles ahead of the CRV... Add to it the typical dealership service department at Acura is going to far superseed the Honda... I'm in the market for a small SUV and after driving the BMW X3, Q3 and Q5, NX and QX50... The RDX AWD with Advance Package is an outstanding value... The Honda backing only makes sense to bring up when it comes to reliabilty and resale...
Thanks for the decibel numbers! I drove a 2013 model RDX and the road noise was very noticeable, to the point I eliminated an RDX from my list of possibilities, even though I liked the vehicle otherwise. Since then, I've read/researched online and found that the 2013-15 models were considered noisy in the cabin by others as well. Acura made various changes to address the road noise for the mid-cycle refresh 2016 model but, until now, I haven't been convinced they could have reduced the road noise significantly. I'm going for a test drive this week.
I currently have a 2016 with 5600 miles on it... I LOVE THIS SUV... We recently took it on a trip from Indiana to Delaware with a stop in Washington DC... We averaged 26 MPG and between my wife, and son driving some... We all agreed, the RDX was the nicest driving vehicle we have ever owned... The only complaint is the "RADAR CRUISE"... It seems to pick up other cars in the other lanes, especially on 3 or 4 lane highways and especially in curves... So a lot of the trip, I drove it without the cruise... Other than that, we LOVE THE vehicle... Best wishes on your decision...
Like your reviews very much! the comparison details, the pros and cons; the speech tone, the length- not too long but yet not rushed. Just right! Do the VW Touareg 2011-2016 years please!
Having Lost SH-AWD made me lose interest in the newer RDX... The old RDX handled INCREDIBLE hands down it destroyed anything in its class in the Driving Dynamics category. This new RDX lost that which puts it in "like every other SUV" category. Ill keep my MDX with SH-AWD.
I test drove a couple 2015-2016 RDXs and I agree that the front seat position is lousy. I messed with the seat controls for 2 minutes trying to get it in a good position, then tried adjusting again after a couple minutes. The passenger seat has no up or down adjustments, which left my wife at a low view over the large hood. And yes this is a CR-V with a V6. They share the same suspension and rear axle components. The CR-V is actually a little bigger inside. Also why isn't the RDX cabin taller with more headroom? My sons are 6'4 - 6'5" and their heads were on the roof in the back seat.
I just got a 2016 advance awd recently so only time will tell. I will say that it's on par with Lexus in pretty much all ways except for styling. The Acura wins in this regard hands down, which is odd because the CRV is such a terrible looking vehicle(seriously Honda, the xover is one of the most popular body styles and your CRV looks like... that?!) I used to really like infiniti, but nissan has really gone to crap in the last few years. For a while factoring in dependability and joy factor, Nissan was doing great. But unless things really change with Nissan, I'll never own another one again. We've owned 3 personally and the quality has really taken a nose dive. Nissan doesn't even care either. They've released vehicles with faulty CVT trans in them and had to have class action lawsuits filed against them to even do anything about it. Leaving many customers in the wind without to sh*ts given. So to recap, *in this class* your options are: 1. Toyota/Lexus - Bland, but top tier dependability, not necessarily fun in any regard. 2. Honda/Acura - Honda has come a long way from their transmissions problems form the 2000's, and the MDX and RDX don't look like a CRV at all. Naturally aspirated V6 means better performance with no turbo issues that will hit you in the pocket sooner than later. 3. Nissan/Infiniti - From CVT transmissions to class action lawsuits to get them to admit faults in design... Their vehicles aren't dependable past 70k miles and puts them in the same class as Audi. 4. Ford/Lincoln and GMC/Cadillac/Chevy/Buick - Dependability issues galore. These simply aren't made to be long term vehicles anymore. Just like in the past. One exception (that I might be wrong on), if you want a truck a Ford truck is still a good option to look at if you want a truck. Chevy trucks these days are requiring frequent and significant repairs at or around 100k miles. GMC's at least look great, the rest not so much. 6. BMW/Mercedes - These are solid vehicles to a point. After that point, they become very costly to keep on the road. They're going to cost you an arm and a leg after the warranty. Lease only unless you have deep pockets and a lot of patience while getting your car repaired frequently. 5. VW/Audi - Audi's sure look super nice. But there's no wonder why their resell value is soooo terrible. Audi is a lease only vehicle unless you have deep pockets. The only people I see in these are people that haven't learned valuable life lessons yet. I would never own one of these period. Empty status symbol to the max. I guess if you have money to through away... cause that's what's going to essentially happen if your able to keep it running long enough to actually sell it. Unless you lease it of course. 6. Everything else... well, in this class, there's simply no other options to consider. Kia, Subaru, Hyundai... Nope, nope, and nope.
Relative to a Honda it may not seem like a good deal, but it's not competing with itself, it's competing with the Germans and Lexus.. In that arena, it wins in terms of value for the money. It'll be thousands more than a Honda sure, but it's thousands less than it's competitors. A big point that seems missing in your discussion.
Lexus is a fair point, albeit a bland option. Germans... got $$$ or leasing? If you want something that isn't a Toyota, and won't cost you a fortune to keep on the road, Acura is an excellent choice.
Chris, What are your thoughts on the RDX vs the Kia Sorento, say the Sorento SX V6. They are in the same price range. Can get either one from $35K - $40K. Both have a V6. The Acura gets better mpg on the highwway. Of course more toys on the Kia at the same price. But how do the they compare with the feel and drive experience? Day to day ownership experience?
Yep, fair enough. But..when it comes to overall value, it bested the competition in this price range for me, because of it's price, V6, and looks. And I considered every other crossover in the segment. I'm going to lease one. If I like it enough, buy it. If I don't, then it's 3 and out for Acura.
I see Acuras as luxury cars not premium Honda's. It even has more luxury appointments compared to Merc or BMW's in this class. So how can you say that Merc and BMW are luxury and this Acura only a premium? It is American and European reviewers that create this kind of stigma towards Japanese luxury car makers like Lexus and Acura.
From my experience stay away from all the bells and whistles the car offers. Normally this stuff stops working within a couple of years. Acura does make great cars and the less frills you have on the car... the less problems you have. The base model is where the bargain is at. That is true value for me.
My 2002 Acura TL-S begs to differ... Everything works, VSA (Yes Full Traction Control in 2002), Electronics. I haven't changed a single electronic part in 15 years of ownership (Although don't get me started with the shitty transmission, As far as Electronics Go its Solid). This isn't a Domestic Brand we are talking about, This is HONDA = ACURA and they know how to make good quality cars... Id Take any Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus over a Mercedes or BMW any day of the year... My former BMW X5 was a nightmare, I was actually happy when I got rid of it.
I'm tempted to wonder about this statement. Lexus is premium/lux for Toyota, Acura is premium/lux for Honda, Inifiniti is premium/lux for Nissan. I've had an Infiniti and am familiar with it's Nissan counter part. I know people with Lexus and know their Toyota counterparts. I know about Honda's and their Acura counterparts... The step up from a Honda CRV to the Acura RDX Advance is more substantial when compared to the step up from Toyota to Lexus or Inifiti to Nissan.
He is spot on - this 2016 is nothing more than a CRV with a V6 engine. The interior materials feel cheap. There is no brand panache, no soul. The controls and infotainment system is slow to boot up and just awful all around. The AWD is fine for snow and light 4WD applications. The SH-AWD would be wasted on this crossover. It is peppy and the V6 is nice. But it is not sporty like the 2019.
I work in Holland Michigan,and make the door panels for the 2019 Honda Acura MDX !! They brought it in and we all got to look at it before it was out for sale to the public it's Awesome!! Honda decided not to go with our company to make the 2020 doors panels and are going with another company....and they are now upset they made that decision! Just a lil info to share.
Bought this SUV a couple of months ago and very pleased with t.
Starting in 2106 there are new engine mounts to control vibrations which
can occur when the VCM turns off and on. Lots of power , not direct
injection so may not have carbon built up over time. 4 wheel drive is
50% front 50% back which is great in the snow.
It runs on regular gas without a problem, which most newer high
compression motors wont.
LED lighting front and back and great sound system , cold AC .
I also like the size , not too big, not too small with good carrying
capability.
Totally agreed so far. I just got my '16 in the last few days, but damn it's a nice xover! Better/Classier looking than the Lexus. Smooth ride on the rough roads in my area. Great sound system. Naturally aspirated v6 with cut down to v3 on highway give to great gas mileage. Awesome features... I couldn't be more smitten.
This guy is Auto Reviewer gold. Gold Jerry, Gold!
I'm 6'4" and I think the RDX has a perfectly fine seating position.
Nothing beats a butter smooth V6, I am not getting anymore 4 cylinders shaky engines. No power. I am looking for a low mileage RDX.
Love Acuras! I personally see it as a Luxury car. It’s Honda’s Lexus. It’s luxury enough for me as an Acura owner to feel like I’m driving a luxury car and that’s all I care about. I could care less about what the world thinks. Would I prefer a Lexus? Maybe, maybe not. Is there a huge gap between them? No. I have a 2017 RDX and I’m in love with it!!!
I traded my 2014 CRV for a 2018 RDX AWD basic. I could afford he top of the line but I preferred the convention knobs on info system and I don't ant any high tech alerts. I test drove a 2019 and decided to buy the 20118 because of V6, and 6 speed. I did wish they didn't remove the SH-AWD, that was liked a backward down grade. I am 5'11 and I had no problems with seating position. The RDX hanled much better than the CRV because it had a better steering and suspension system. The structs on it cost over $800. The brakes are also improved. I don't feel like a cheapskate when I drive it.
I’ve actually seen an RDX with the ebony leather seats
If you want the price to get closer to Lexus, BMW, and MB, then they will give you choices. If you want the fuel economy to tank, then you will get the SH-AWD, and if you want Acura to get more luxury, then you cut out a lot of middle class buyers who don't want to lease but want nicer, quieter, and a smoother ride.
Your comment about this being a "really nice CRV" is ridiculous... I drove both after watching your review, and it wasn't even close... The Touring CRV is loud inside at highway speeds over 90 decibels and the RDX was 66 db... huge difference. The power and shifting are not even close either... Add to it the ride and comfort... For $10k difference on AWD ADVANCED to the Tourning and less than $60 per month on a 3 yr lease, the RDX is miles ahead of the CRV... Add to it the typical dealership service department at Acura is going to far superseed the Honda... I'm in the market for a small SUV and after driving the BMW X3, Q3 and Q5, NX and QX50... The RDX AWD with Advance Package is an outstanding value... The Honda backing only makes sense to bring up when it comes to reliabilty and resale...
Thanks for the decibel numbers! I drove a 2013 model RDX and the road noise was very noticeable, to the point I eliminated an RDX from my list of possibilities, even though I liked the vehicle otherwise. Since then, I've read/researched online and found that the 2013-15 models were considered noisy in the cabin by others as well. Acura made various changes to address the road noise for the mid-cycle refresh 2016 model but, until now, I haven't been convinced they could have reduced the road noise significantly. I'm going for a test drive this week.
I currently have a 2016 with 5600 miles on it... I LOVE THIS SUV... We recently took it on a trip from Indiana to Delaware with a stop in Washington DC... We averaged 26 MPG and between my wife, and son driving some... We all agreed, the RDX was the nicest driving vehicle we have ever owned... The only complaint is the "RADAR CRUISE"... It seems to pick up other cars in the other lanes, especially on 3 or 4 lane highways and especially in curves... So a lot of the trip, I drove it without the cruise... Other than that, we LOVE THE vehicle... Best wishes on your decision...
a fancy CRV is not fair at all to this SUV. the crv has a 4 cylinder and a CVT. this car is much nicer
The RDX is actually based off of the HRV I believe and the MDX is based off of the CRV
I have this exact car though and it is truly amazing and wayyyyyy better than any CRV or HRV
@@ethandoll7741 nope, the hrv wasn’t a thing when the rdx originally came out.
@@ezeo.7315 Then reverse what I said. I just meant the HRV and RDX are more alike than the CRV and RDX
Like your reviews very much! the comparison details, the pros and cons; the speech tone, the length- not too long but yet not rushed. Just right! Do the VW Touareg 2011-2016 years please!
Having Lost SH-AWD made me lose interest in the newer RDX... The old RDX handled INCREDIBLE hands down it destroyed anything in its class in the Driving Dynamics category. This new RDX lost that which puts it in "like every other SUV" category.
Ill keep my MDX with SH-AWD.
I test drove a couple 2015-2016 RDXs and I agree that the front seat position is lousy. I messed with the seat controls for 2 minutes trying to get it in a good position, then tried adjusting again after a couple minutes. The passenger seat has no up or down adjustments, which left my wife at a low view over the large hood. And yes this is a CR-V with a V6. They share the same suspension and rear axle components. The CR-V is actually a little bigger inside. Also why isn't the RDX cabin taller with more headroom? My sons are 6'4 - 6'5" and their heads were on the roof in the back seat.
I just got a 2016 advance awd recently so only time will tell. I will say that it's on par with Lexus in pretty much all ways except for styling. The Acura wins in this regard hands down, which is odd because the CRV is such a terrible looking vehicle(seriously Honda, the xover is one of the most popular body styles and your CRV looks like... that?!)
I used to really like infiniti, but nissan has really gone to crap in the last few years. For a while factoring in dependability and joy factor, Nissan was doing great. But unless things really change with Nissan, I'll never own another one again. We've owned 3 personally and the quality has really taken a nose dive. Nissan doesn't even care either. They've released vehicles with faulty CVT trans in them and had to have class action lawsuits filed against them to even do anything about it. Leaving many customers in the wind without to sh*ts given.
So to recap, *in this class* your options are:
1. Toyota/Lexus - Bland, but top tier dependability, not necessarily fun in any regard.
2. Honda/Acura - Honda has come a long way from their transmissions problems form the 2000's, and the MDX and RDX don't look like a CRV at all. Naturally aspirated V6 means better performance with no turbo issues that will hit you in the pocket sooner than later.
3. Nissan/Infiniti - From CVT transmissions to class action lawsuits to get them to admit faults in design... Their vehicles aren't dependable past 70k miles and puts them in the same class as Audi.
4. Ford/Lincoln and GMC/Cadillac/Chevy/Buick - Dependability issues galore. These simply aren't made to be long term vehicles anymore. Just like in the past. One exception (that I might be wrong on), if you want a truck a Ford truck is still a good option to look at if you want a truck. Chevy trucks these days are requiring frequent and significant repairs at or around 100k miles. GMC's at least look great, the rest not so much.
6. BMW/Mercedes - These are solid vehicles to a point. After that point, they become very costly to keep on the road. They're going to cost you an arm and a leg after the warranty. Lease only unless you have deep pockets and a lot of patience while getting your car repaired frequently.
5. VW/Audi - Audi's sure look super nice. But there's no wonder why their resell value is soooo terrible. Audi is a lease only vehicle unless you have deep pockets. The only people I see in these are people that haven't learned valuable life lessons yet. I would never own one of these period. Empty status symbol to the max. I guess if you have money to through away... cause that's what's going to essentially happen if your able to keep it running long enough to actually sell it. Unless you lease it of course.
6. Everything else... well, in this class, there's simply no other options to consider. Kia, Subaru, Hyundai... Nope, nope, and nope.
Relative to a Honda it may not seem like a good deal, but it's not competing with itself, it's competing with the Germans and Lexus.. In that arena, it wins in terms of value for the money. It'll be thousands more than a Honda sure, but it's thousands less than it's competitors. A big point that seems missing in your discussion.
Lexus is a fair point, albeit a bland option. Germans... got $$$ or leasing? If you want something that isn't a Toyota, and won't cost you a fortune to keep on the road, Acura is an excellent choice.
I didn't know Honda made a 6 cyl CR-V...
@Chris, is this your new channel? Are you still on Autobytel?
Chris, What are your thoughts on the RDX vs the Kia Sorento, say the Sorento SX V6. They are in the same price range. Can get either one from $35K - $40K. Both have a V6. The Acura gets better mpg on the highwway. Of course more toys on the Kia at the same price. But how do the they compare with the feel and drive experience? Day to day ownership experience?
I wouldn't say Acura's sales numbers are "struggling"
I be this guy drives a chevy Aveo.
Yep, fair enough. But..when it comes to overall value, it bested the competition in this price range for me, because of it's price, V6, and looks. And I considered every other crossover in the segment. I'm going to lease one. If I like it enough, buy it. If I don't, then it's 3 and out for Acura.
I thought this was built off the accord platform
I need one
I see Acuras as luxury cars not premium Honda's. It even has more luxury appointments compared to Merc or BMW's in this class. So how can you say that Merc and BMW are luxury and this Acura only a premium? It is American and European reviewers that create this kind of stigma towards Japanese luxury car makers like Lexus and Acura.
From my experience stay away from all the bells and whistles the car offers. Normally this stuff stops working within a couple of years. Acura does make great cars and the less frills you have on the car... the less problems you have. The base model is where the bargain is at. That is true value for me.
My 2002 Acura TL-S begs to differ... Everything works, VSA (Yes Full Traction Control in 2002), Electronics. I haven't changed a single electronic part in 15 years of ownership (Although don't get me started with the shitty transmission, As far as Electronics Go its Solid). This isn't a Domestic Brand we are talking about, This is HONDA = ACURA and they know how to make good quality cars... Id Take any Honda/Acura, Toyota/Lexus over a Mercedes or BMW any day of the year... My former BMW X5 was a nightmare, I was actually happy when I got rid of it.
Is it better than a lexus nx200t F-sport?
Great analysis! Premium brand and not luxury. Is Lexus loxury brand of Nissan?
Lexus is a Toyota and the Acura RDX is lightyears ahead of the noisy 4 cyl NX ... Infinity is the highline Nissan...
I'm tempted to wonder about this statement. Lexus is premium/lux for Toyota, Acura is premium/lux for Honda, Inifiniti is premium/lux for Nissan. I've had an Infiniti and am familiar with it's Nissan counter part. I know people with Lexus and know their Toyota counterparts. I know about Honda's and their Acura counterparts...
The step up from a Honda CRV to the Acura RDX Advance is more substantial when compared to the step up from Toyota to Lexus or Inifiti to Nissan.
Acura is a premium brand, but not because it's a Honda.
By your logic Lexus isn't a luxury brand because it's a Toyota..
Looks good
Dude, could you not afford to have invisible bifocals? Looks horrible on sunglasses.
Dude trashes the RDX for the entire video & even more at the very end. Then he says he recommends buying one. Bi-polar reviews much???
I agree with you...it really is a nice Honda CRV, but for a lot more money....a Ford Edge is a winner!
My wife just traded her Ford Edge for this Acura RDX . Acura all day long the difference is night and day Acura is the winner .
This guys a paid shill. He’ll say anything for $
He is spot on - this 2016 is nothing more than a CRV with a V6 engine. The interior materials feel cheap. There is no brand panache, no soul. The controls and infotainment system is slow to boot up and just awful all around. The AWD is fine for snow and light 4WD applications. The SH-AWD would be wasted on this crossover. It is peppy and the V6 is nice. But it is not sporty like the 2019.
I work in Holland Michigan,and make the door panels for the 2019 Honda Acura MDX !! They brought it in and we all got to look at it before it was out for sale to the public it's Awesome!! Honda decided not to go with our company to make the 2020 doors panels and are going with another company....and they are now upset they made that decision! Just a lil info to share.