2007 Acura Rdx

[RX in NC]

Anybody out there with any experience regarding the new Acura RDX crossover? Looks to be a ramped-up version of the Honda CRV with a turbocharged 4-cylinder 2.3 litre engine that supposedly is packing about 240 horses under the hood. I'm not sure about a 4-cylinder powerplant having to continually move a 3,950-pound vehicle, even with a turbo system that supposedly doesn't suffer from any lag whatsoever. I like the price point that Acura is MSRPing these things with and imagine that during the relatively slow holidays, one could get a decently-equipped RDX in the low $30s. Not sure about the legroom or headroom, but it wouldn't be my vehicle.

Interested in any knowledgeable input, pro or con.

We had a 1989 Acura Legend in our family for more than 13 years that started out as my wife's everyday vehicle for about 5 years, then I rotated it in with one of my Jeep Cherokees for another 4 years, and finally our daughter drove it for almost 5 years before I finally donated it to charity. Great car - well-engineered and quality-built. If the new RDX has the same toughness, I'd put my wife in one over another Lexus RX any day of the week....

[denslexusgx470]

Anybody out there with any experience regarding the new Acura RDX crossover? Looks to be a ramped-up version of the Honda CRV with a turbocharged 4-cylinder 2.3 litre engine that supposedly is packing about 240 horses under the hood. I'm not sure about a 4-cylinder powerplant having to continually move a 3,950-pound vehicle, even with a turbo system that supposedly doesn't suffer from any lag whatsoever. I like the price point that Acura is MSRPing these things with and imagine that during the relatively slow holidays, one could get a decently-equipped RDX in the low $30s. Not sure about the legroom or headroom, but it wouldn't be my vehicle.

Interested in any knowledgable input, pro or con.

We had a 1989 Acura Legend in our family for more than 13 years that started out as my wife's everyday vehicle for about 5 years, then I rotated it in with one of my Jeep Cherokees for another 4 years, and finally our daughter drove it for almost 5 years before I finally donated it to charity. Great car - well-engineered and quality-built. If the new RDX has the same toughness, I'd put my wife in one over another Lexus RX any day of the week....

It depends. I'm not sure, but is the RDX made in Japan or USA? That will definitely spell the difference.

Plus I don't think it's worth getting an RDX. Personally, I'd buy an EX-L w/Nav & DVD CRV over an RDX unless for some odd reason, an RDX (equipped as the CRV i mentioned above) is the same price, or cheaper than a CRV with those options, then Yes I'll go for the RDX. Plus, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't is true that Honda holds it's value well, but Acura doesn't? But for Toyota and Lexus, they both hold their values pretty good? ;)

[Rx330driver]

ill tell you one thing, the RDX isnt selling as well as Acura hoped it would. i think that answers your question. however, if you think the car may be good, go try it out.

secondly, i dont like the direction acura is going with the joystick looking thing for the nav. its not classy at all.

[Lexusfreak]

I found the new RDX to be fairly 'portly' (being close to 4,000 lbs!) for it's size to be honest. Already creamed one from a stop light.......bigtime! & he asked me to 'go' It has no more people or cargo space than my 06 Forester XT. I had a close look at my local Acura dealer & honestly for it's price point, I found it rather cheap inside. Just my 2 cents

[RX in NC]

Thanks for the input. I haven't seen one in person and won't make a special trip to the Acura dealership just to do so, but the next time I'm in that general area I'll probably go have a look for myself. I am concerned about a 2.3 litre 4-banger (even a turbocharged one) trying to push almost 4,000 pounds around, though.

I anticipate my wife finally winning the battle with me to cough up the money to replace her RX300 at some point during 2007 so it's time to secretly do a bit of research in an effort to try to steer her into something I can live with since I'm the one who will be doing all the maintenance. I assumed it would mean going back to a Grand Cherokee but I think she's gotten used to the size of her RX crackerbox and she'll probably prefer to stay with something smaller. The RDX appears to be about the same size as the RX and my experiences with our former Acura Legend were great as opposed to the many failures we've experienced with her RX300. That's why I wanted to include the RDX in the mix, at least from an investigation standpoint. After seeing it and driving it I may very well rule it out, though.

Lexusfreak,

I've tried for six months now to convince my wife to consider adding a Subaru crossover to her list, but she refuses to consider it. She still perceives Subaru as spartan and cheap which I know is certainly not the case anymore. I even sat her in a 2005 Tribeca earlier this year but its quirky appearance made things worse, not better. If you've got any pro-Subaru ammunition that you can offer, I'd appreciate it. Since she spends so much time on the highway in all sorts of weather conditions, she favors the perceived security of full-time all-wheel-drive and no matter how much I talk to her about the fact that Subaru essentially perfected it, she won't listen. I may have to resort to a baseball bat before this is all over....

[SW03ES]

ill tell you one thing, the RDX isnt selling as well as Acura hoped it would. i think that answers your question. however, if you think the car may be good, go try it out.

secondly, i dont like the direction acura is going with the joystick looking thing for the nav. its not classy at all.

Do you know that for a fact? Where do you get your sales figures.

The RDX interests me too. I'd love Carla to consent to trading the Prius in for a little SUV. I miss having one in the family. I did sit in a new MDX at the mall and was REALLY impressed by it. Very muscular stance, high quality and stylish interior too. I would buy one over an RX, I'd definately lease one they have good captive lease deals.

You know RX the vehicle you guys should look at, the Infiniti FX35. My parents have an 04 (my mom drives it mostly) and they really like it. Its definately a lot more unique than the RX and they've had no problems with it.

[Rx330driver]

i actually read it somewhere so i cant verify for sure. Im not sure if it was on autospies or something. bowever after finding some of acura's sales figures, the RDX sold in the 1 thousands area. closer to two thousand. which isnt low but it isnt exactly hotcakes. lets not go into the sales figure "discussion" again ;)

i dont know, i feel the RDX and the MDX have the same problem in that the dash is a little too busy. whats with all the buttons?, more so on the MDX though . And again the joystick looking thing...it sticks out like 3 inches...i dunno, looks weird.

my only gripe with the FX is that the rear looks a little weird to me. as much as the RX looks weird still to me, the fx is worse. looks more like a bug than the first rx.

and perhaps some of you dont care about this, or maybe i am wrong about this, but there is a small voice in the back of my head that tells me, among all the tier 2 luxury cars, i think lexus holds more prestige over infiniti and acura. However, i maybe wrong and biased.

[denslexusgx470]

and perhaps some of you dont care about this, or maybe i am wrong about this, but there is a small voice in the back of my head that tells me, among all the tier 2 luxury cars, i think lexus holds more prestige over infiniti and acura. However, i maybe wrong and biased.

Very true. You are not biased. My old service advisor, who was an advisor for our Lexus dealership here, for at least like 15 years, moved to Infiniti. Reason was because the owner of Fresno Lex, sold Fresno Lex and kept his Infiniti dealer. Anyways, so I meet him one day (after picking up my car from Fresno Lex, and both dealers are just right next to each other, about rubbing-shoulders distance) and I asked him what his input is on both. He says, Definitely Lexus has that refinement, quality, and luxury that Infiniti nor the Bmws or Benz have. BUT the only thing that the Lexus line-up is missing, is the power and sport performance. If you want Sporty handling and power (and design too), Lexus isn't for you. But if you want refinement, luxury and quality, Lexus is the best candidate.

Then there's another service advisor I know, that moved to BMW. He says BMW is nice and "quality" but nothing will ever compare to Lexus. But this guy's probably into sporty cars so he wasn't really into Lexus.

So all car companies have their own characteristics.

[Rx330driver]

sure...that was a given. but im saying prestige factor as in...when you drive it onto the street, people think you have more money. thats the blunt way of putting it...lmao. sorry if that offended anyone. as much as that sounds materialist, i promise im not a shallow person. lol. its just a small factor that goes into the cars i buy. otherwise, id be driving a toyota now.

[Lexusfreak]

Lexusfreak,

I've tried for six months now to convince my wife to consider adding a Subaru crossover to her list, but she refuses to consider it. She still perceives Subaru as spartan and cheap which I know is certainly not the case anymore. I even sat her in a 2005 Tribeca earlier this year but its quirky appearance made things worse, not better. If you've got any pro-Subaru ammunition that you can offer, I'd appreciate it. Since she spends so much time on the highway in all sorts of weather conditions, she favors the perceived security of full-time all-wheel-drive and no matter how much I talk to her about the fact that Subaru essentially perfected it, she won't listen. I may have to resort to a baseball bat before this is all over....

RX,

You mean besides having a 5 star safety rating across the board on all of their model line, the BEST FULL TIME AWD system in the industry, excellent reliability ratings, their Turbo models (XT) being some of the ultimate 'sleeper' vehicles available? Standard side & curtain airbags? Subaru as a brand has moved 'up market' in the last several years.....bigtime! ;)

You & your wife do yourselves a favor........drive a few models such as the B9 Tribeca (have a close look at the interior with leather in either 5 or 7 passenger form), how about a 2007 Outback XT or the H6 (3 litre 6 cyl) with the Navi system & decked out in leather with vehicle dynamics control? And take them for a nice highway test drive. If your driving the OB, have a look at that moonroof!

I assume a Forester XT Limited (with leather & a huge moon roof) is not your cup of tea?

No other car company (this side of say $50,000+) comes close to offering the traction & safety that Subaru does for the price. Get a couple of brochures & have a close look at the features/options that are available. I would suggest to find actual color(s) of vehicle that you & your wife are looking for when test driving too. :) Also if your interested I can put you in touch with a guy (known as our Subi YODA) that has owned Subi's for years (including a B9 Tribeca that is his wife's ride, and has also owned the OB & his personal car is a Forester XT). One hell of a nice guy & we are amazed at his knowledge. B)

One other thing (to file under the 'unique' or 'cool' factor) is all Subi models feature what is known as 'Boxer' engines. The boxer engine, also known as a horizontally opposed engine, in which the corresponding pistons reach top dead centre simultaneously, thus balancing each other with respect to momentum. Flat engines are more compact than in-line engines, and have a lower center of gravity than any other common configuration including V configurations. Automobiles (and motorcycles) powered by a flat engine generally have much better stability and control. The only other car current car company that makes the 'Boxer' engine other than Subaru........is Porsche of course. ;)

You will do yourself a dis-service if you & your wife don't have a very close look at Subaru imo.

More detailed info here...

http://www.cars101.com

http://www.subaru.com

http://www.subaruoutback.org

http://www.sb9t.com/

http://www.nctd.com (excellent site for comprehensive vehicle reviews & you can compare vehicles side by side including detailed specs)

[SW03ES]

No question a Lexus has more prestige than an Acura or an Infiniti. Personally though, if I were buying a luxury SUV I'd be in an FX35 or the new MDX before the RX350. I dunno, the RX has never done it for me.

What I like about the FX is that its different. The RX, all of those crossover luxury SUVs look the same...boring. The FX broke out with its own style. Its a crossover SUV that the father of the household would happily drive, which cannot be said of the RX.

[RX in NC]

Lexusfreak,

Thanks for the impressive Subaru propaganda. I'll add it to my schtick and keep working on my wife to add Subaru to the short list. I think that a Subaru Outback would be a worthy vehicle to carefully investigate in our particular situation.

SW03ES,

You already know that I like the Infiniti FX series. But she flat-out doesn't like the looks. Like the Subaru Tribeca, the quirky exterior appearance turns her off. That's not going to change.

In all honesty I'd prefer to keep her in her current RX300 throughout 2007 and into 2008. It's been running satisfactorily since early 2005 and the replaced transmission appears to be holding up to my 30,000-mile Type T-IV fluid change plan. No major component breakdowns in nearly two years now, just a belt replacement, new brake pads, and an exhaust gasket replacement that has to be considered nothing more than routine maintenance. But I did tell her several years ago during the period in which she lost her trust in the vehicle that I would be willing to swallow the depreciation and get rid of it at around 130,000 miles. I know that when her odometer rolls over that milestone she's going remind me of that statement and expect to begin looking for a new set of wheels. So I need to get prepared with the research now....

[Lexusfreak]

Lexusfreak,

Thanks for the impressive Subaru propaganda. I'll add it to my schtick and keep working on my wife to add Subaru to the short list. I think that a Subaru Outback would be a worthy vehicle to carefully investigate in our particular situation.

Just the facts bud lol ;)

Nothing to lose by test driving a few Subi models to see how the wife & you like em.......if you don't after the test drives, hey.....no harm, no foul......at the very least you see what they are all about right? B)

I have a feeling you folks just might be pleasantly suprised. :)

Here is an interesting video clip you & your wife might find of interest... B)

(time well spent).

Funny thing about Subaru's......if you give them a legititimate chance or opportunity.....they pretty much sell themselves. B) Have fun! ;)

[RX in NC]

SW03ES,

If you happen to go check out the RDX when you have some time over the holidays, please post your impressions of the vehicle in this thread. I'm interested in your input on the subject. Thanks.

[SW03ES]

I will. I want to go drive an MDX, I'll look at an RDX while I'm at it ;)

[RX in NC]

Drove an RDX today. Spent more than an hour crawling around and underneath the vehicle as well as reading the manuals. Very nicely done small crossover SUV. Far more legroom and headroom for me than my wife's RX300 has (I'm 6'7" with very long legs). The turbocharged 4-cylinder engine delivers 240 hp and has more pep and power than I was expecting. There was no turbo lag whatsoever, which really surprised me. The transmission shifts were smooth and predictable. The oil filter location and transmission fluid drainplug are beautifully placed and ridiculously easy to get to - I know I can do an oil & filter change on this vehicle in less than ten minutes total. The interior is nicely appointed and roomier than my wife's RX. The dash layout and color schemes are visually appealing to me. No wood trim but I don't care (she might). Mobil 1 synthetic oil is required or you void your warranty. 91 octane fuel is required as well. This is Acura's first turbocharged engine so I'm a bit concerned in that category. I also don't like the 18-inch wheels requiring low-profile tires (it comes with Michelin Pilots which might go 30,000 to 35,000 miles tops if you're anal about taking care of them like I am, but tirerack.com Pilot buyers really dislike their tires and overwhelmingly say that they won't buy them again). I would rather have 16-inch wheels with true SUV tires on this all-wheel-drive vehicle, not low-profile "performance" tires that aren't really needed and wear out faster than a pair of basketball shoes on an asphalt court....

The vehicle was quite quick on the highway and rode well - much sportier than the RX with much better road feel. Granted, it was just me and the sales guy with no cargo. Load it up with our luggage and a couple of our dogs and it might be a different story.

Although it's still too small and not powerful enough for me, I think the RDX would be more than acceptable as the replacement for my wife's RX300. I plan to do some more research and when she brings up the fact that her RX has crossed the 130,000-mile barrier come January/February, this may be the card that I play. I believe that I could have bought a base model today, paying cash, for several hundred dollars under invoice meaning that it would have cost me around $29,600 or so plus taxes....

If anyone else out there drives one during the holidays, please add your comments here....

[lenore]

Hey RX nice write up, wish you luck with your endevor. First year model kind of shakey (my RX300) but Accura did stand behind their product when it failed so maybe it will be OK. I agree with the Low profile tires, plus I find the regular tires ride better, maybe just a mental thing. Premium fuel also a negative, but did you read Consumers review? they generally liked the car. Something about the dash they didnt like, but oh well. Have a great Christmas. Tom

[SW03ES]

I agree with you when it comes to lower profiles too. Sure they look great, but the tire life and ride setbacks from them vs 16s is definately apparent.

[Rx330driver]

isnt a turbo bad on such a small engine? well it probably doesnt matter if the car wont be in your hands for more than 10 years.

sure its a pain to spend the grand changing the tires, but they do look great. I keep those stock tires on my RX...

[SW03ES]

Well I'd be a lot less worried about one made by Honda...

[RX in NC]

I don't believe that gigantic rims with low profile tires "look great" on ANY vehicle. Whenever I see them, I automatically think "ghetto pimp"....

Looks should never be the primary factor on your wheel/tire combination. Safety, longevity, ride comfort, and the ability to handle inclement weather should all come first and foremost. If these factors don't come into play first for you, you're setting yourself up for a serious accident at some point down the road....

[SW03ES]

Well unfortunately the vast majority of consumers do like larger diameter rims. 17s or 18s are hardly "gigantic" though.

[Rx330driver]

have you seen the ones on the FX...?

[SW03ES]

They're 20s, but they do have pretty high series tires on them though. My mom's FX35 has the 18s, but the 20s don't make that much difference in the ride.

[denslexusgx470]

They're 20s, but they do have pretty high series tires on them though. My mom's FX35 has the 18s, but the 20s don't make that much difference in the ride.

Wow. 20" that's really big for OEM rims. Definitely not made for offroading. I remember there's a video on Youtube, make a long story short some guys bought a new FX35 (because they won money in Vegas) and decided to just mess it up by driving it around offroad and bashing the bumper against their Expedition. Wish I could post it here but there's inapporpriate language in it. They really tested the limits of it but I don't think the car was in the best of shape. lol.