Test Drive: 2015 Acura RDX Tech

Missing from the features and options list are things like blind spot detection and lane departure warning or active cruise control with collision mitigation (which is a bit ironic considering you can get them on a Honda CR-V). Frankly that’s just fine with me as I prefer the less costly and less complicated approach, but if these types of driver assist technologies are important to you then you might want to consider competitors such as the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 or BMW X3.

I appreciated the RDX’s comfortable seating and abundance of onboard features, although I did find that operating some of the features took a little getting used to (possibly because I was trying to learn while driving in the dark, in a monsoon rainstorm). The centre stack controls are reasonably well laid out, but there’s a lot of information to take in and the controls and display are mounted fairly low, with the result that I initially struggled to find heater mode switch, for example.

I also found the infotainment interface to be a little confusing. It has several layers of menus, and different main selections depending on whether you push up or down on the main controller knob, and on several occasions I found myself scrolling hopelessly through the wrong menus while trying to locate a function. It’s true that I tend to take a “press-lots-of-buttons-and-hope-for-the-best” approach to learning new system interfaces, but I’m usually pretty good at sussing them out, and this one baffled me more than most.

2015 Acura RDX Tech centre stack, navigation, shifter. Click image to enlarge

Other nitpicks include the somewhat restricted rearward visibility (no surprise there as the RDX is hardly unique among crossovers in this regard), the lack of retained accessory power when you shut off the engine (unless you remember to shift into neutral before shutting down), the lack of a cargo cover, and the pedal-actuated park brake (in this segment it really ought to be either a leather-wrapped handbrake or an electronically actuated setup). Last but not least, I was unable to get Acura’s Bluetooth system to work properly with my phone (not the first time I’ve had this trouble with an Acura). I’ll admit my three-year-old phone is a less-than-popular model, but still, most other systems have no problem with it. At any rate it’s worth checking that your own phone is compatible, just in case.

In most other regards the RDX really does hit the small luxury crossover nail on the head. It’s a simple but well-executed design that’s undemanding yet reasonably responsive to drive. It feels solid but not bulky, and has all the features and comfort that you really need, without unnecessary cost and complexity. You could argue that it’s a bit unremarkable and in a sense you’d be right, because other than its somewhat divisive styling it doesn’t really stand out in any particular way. Instead what it does is provide practical daily transportation with a luxuriously serene cabin and a versatile 739 L cargo-carrying capacity (2,178 with the seats folded), all for an attractively competitive price. And that’s exactly what most crossover buyers are looking for.

2015 Acura RDX Tech, driver’s seat, gauges. Click image to enlarge

Pricing: 2015 Acura RDX Tech
Base Price: $44,390 (RDX Tech)
Options: $0
Freight: $1,995
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $46,485

Competitors:
Audi Q5
BMW X3
Lexus NX
Lincoln MKC
Mercedes-Benz GLK
Volvo XC60