Test Drive: 2010 Acura RDX

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May 13, 2010

2010 Acura RDX Tech; bottom photo by Michael Clark. Click image to enlarge

Acura attempts to put the “sport” in sport utility with the RDX’s firm ride. It’ll please drivers getting into the RDX from a sports car, and it does lend itself to sharp handling, but comfort on rough roads suffers. The steering is satisfying enough, but dynamically, the brakes are the real star, with near-perfect pedal feel and binders that are never grabby.

Comfort thrives inside the RDX, where the driver and front passenger get great seats and good space considering the car’s tidy dimensions. Likewise, the rear seat isn’t large, but it’s plenty roomy for two passengers; filling all three rear seatbelts would make for a tight fit, width-wise.

The RDX’s instrument cluster is my favourite part of the dash, with big, readable gauges that remind me of Honda displays from years past. The only questionable piece is the turbo boost gauge that does more to provide a visual indicator of the engine’s turbo lag than any useful information; an engine coolant temperature gauge would be handier.

Otherwise, the interior, like many newer high-end Honda and Acura products, lacks the ergonomic simplicity of Hondas of the past. This dash isn’t as button-heavy as many of this car’s siblings, but there are some annoying features, like the way the climate controls are split up on either side of the main navigation control knob, and the placement of the radio, low on the centre stack. The Technology Package’s navigation system controls are to blame for displacing the radio, which is better situated, higher up, in non-navi models. Tech Package cars also get an extra dash-top display for radio and climate control information, which shows up in the main dash screen in the base model.

2010 Acura RDX Tech. Click image to enlarge

At first glance, small-item storage is at a premium, until you notice the small covered compartments in the front-door armrests. Their position, ahead of the door pulls, is a little awkward, though. The centre console bin is huge, but the cover is hinged on the passenger side, which makes it easy for the driver to access, but not the front seat passenger. Also, the cover doesn’t like to stay open on its own.

Cargo space is generous, and the rear seats fold almost flat for extra space, but only after the bottom cushions are flipped forward and out of the way. The niftiest feature of the cargo area is the hard privacy cover, which, when not needed, fits neatly into the cargo floor. It’s a solution elegant in its simplicity, even next to a compact soft, roll-up cover, which can’t be as easily stowed when removed.

The RDX is an entertaining ride that scores well in performance and comfort, even against well-sorted competition like the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and the less-expensive Mazda CX-7. Its pricing and standard feature list are attractive, too, but, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Acura is the only automaker pushing a four-cylinder engine in the small luxury crossover segment – not to mention one whose peaky nature and lack of refinement let the RDX down next to the smoother, stronger sixes found elsewhere in the segment.

The most puzzling thing is that Acura has an engine – the 3.5-litre, 280-horsepower V6 used in the TL and TSX sedans – that would make this car a real winner. If the RDX had that motor under its hood, I’d recommend it as an easy equal to any of its competitors; as it stands, though, this little Acura is too much of a misfit to earn my love.

Pricing: 2010 Acura RDX

Base price: $39,990

Options: $3,000 (Technology Package of voice-activated navigation system and 410-watt, ten-speaker stereo)

A/C tax: $100

Freight: $1,895

Price as tested: $44,985
Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives

Specifications

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Acura RDX

Competitors

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Audi Q5

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 BMW X3

Buyer’s Guide: 2010 Cadillac SRX