Car Reviews
ACURA RDX SH-AWD A-SPEC – HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN
ACURA RDX SH-AWD A-SPEC
HAPPINESS IS A WARM GUN
The Beatles, 1968
The car-based crossover isn’t new, and adding performance enhancements to a sedan or wagon isn’t new. However, adding performance (or its imagery) to a crossover or SUV (warming – as it were – the gun) is still newish, especially among the more conservative OEMs. Honda and its premium arm, Acura, are typically seen as among those manufacturers skewing conservative. And when Acura’s compact crossover, the RDX, comes loaded with cosmetic enhancements along with an alphabet soup descriptive – SH-AWD A-Spec – it’s worth an extended look, along with a few days of driving.
In its almost 40 years, Acura has been a destination for Honda loyalists with growing incomes. While starting four years earlier than Toyota’s Lexus or Nissan’s Infiniti, it’s rarely captured the imagination – or dollars – of those outside Honda’s loyalty loop since the ‘Legend’ tag was dropped in favor of an English alphabet. But the company’s relative lack of showroom buzz (yesterday’s NSX, today’s Integra Type S are notable exceptions) shouldn’t diminish the appeal of quality design, build and execution. If you hadn’t noticed, today’s Acura RDX continues to embody all three.
In this most recent iteration the RDX has grown more expressive, with sheetmetal designed to attract the eye without – happily – blowing up the brain. What had been relatively bland surface treatments on earlier versions is now more interesting, with sheetmetal creased, fenders gently flared and the greenhouse kicked up at the D-pillar. On a wheelbase of 108 inches and an overall length of 187 inches, it occupies a footprint not unlike an Accord sedan of the ‘90s, but with a height of almost 66 inches and – of course – a hatch, it quietly claims ‘crossover’. In the absence of a sorely missed Accord wagon, for the activity-oriented consumer it’s arguably the best Honda available.
Our test RDX A-Spec featured a more aggressive blacked-out exterior, new 20-inch wheels and the obligatory A-Spec badges. These are in addition to the styling tweaks imposed for ’25, which include a frameless grille surrounding a more aggressive grille mesh.
Inside, the cabin experience is enhanced with increased storage, larger (natch) cupholders and easier access to a wireless smartphone charger. If without kiddos those cupholders work well for your collection of meds (ask me how I know), while the more accessible charger makes texting while driving that much safer. On-the-road texting I don’t do, but based only on in-traffic observation of those drivers around me…I can speculate.
Draped in red leather, our RDX A-Spec’s interior was eye-popping, and proved to be every bit as comfortable as it was visually seductive. Surprisingly, behind the wheel the RDX gave off a midsize vibe, not supplying the cut-and-thrust entertainment I had expected. My personal preference is for a chassis more athletic, something Volvo’s XC60 provided in my testing a couple of weeks earlier. But for those spending upwards of $50K for the privilege of ownership, there’s a reward for the solidity and heft of the RDX, and when going from Drive to Sport the feedback is appropriately more responsive.
Under the hood Acura gives you one choice – and one choice only. Two liters of turbocharged four deliver 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque; the hp comes in at 6,500 rpm, while that torque figure begins at just 1,600 rpm, or just above idle. That goodness is sent to the ground via a 10-speed automatic, an upmarket spec when compared to the growing number of OEMs opting for a CVT.
With that horsepower and torque going to all four wheels, Car and Driver’s team arrived at 60 in just over 6 seconds. That, of course, is adequately quick, and suggests an extra measure of safety when merging or passing. The surplus of power, though, necessarily impacts efficiency: EPA estimates you’ll achieve 21 in town, 26 or 27 on the highway and 23 combined. While those numbers are acceptable when gas is below $3, they may start to hurt – at least psychologically – when we (inevitably) go back to over $4/gallon.
In a segment represented by the Lexus NX, BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC, the RDX quietly plays the game with an abundance of composure, a generous serving of comfort and – at between $45K and $50,000 – an accessible price point. It doesn’t dazzle, but then, neither does it distract. In short, it could be likened to a warm gun – and not, notably, an AR-15.
If you like what it has to offer, go ahead and pull the trigger. But If it’s my $50K I’m buying Acura’s Integra Type S. True happiness – I’ll continue to believe – is a hot rod…
