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"Safe, reliable, a heck of a lot of fun" on by jbpittman57
Pros: The Acura offered better performance, safety, reliability, and comfort at any price... and the price wasn't so bad compared to the competition.
Cons: I wish the gas milage was better and the navigation system was upgraded.
Summary: I have about 38000 miles on my 2008. I shopped around extensively, looking at the BMW, Lexus, Land Rover, and Infinity. It handles like a sports sedan, always feeling planted and secure no matter the road conditions. The safety ratings bear this out. I travel quite a lot and it never leaves me tired at the end of the day. The seats and interior layout fit me better than any other car I have owned. I have heard complaints about turbo lag, but if you put the transmission in sport mode, throttle response is neck snapping. Maybe I just got a good one but my 0-60 times are much better than what I read about in road tests, but I use the paddle shifters in sport mode. What most don't tell you about are the 0-80 times! Now that is a rush. Yes, it will suck down the premium if you drive it this way, but if I just put it in drive and go easy on the turbo boost (there is a handy gauge to let you know) I get about 24 mpg on the interstate. The sound system is beautiful, navigation is just okay. Overall it is the perfect drive for me. I am a middle aged commercial photographer. It is fun to drive, hauls my gear, and cleans up to be a very nice luxury SUV.
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"Versatile, sporty CUV, with great features" on by mikiec98
Pros: Lively engine
Fun to drive
Excellent tech package and creature comforts
Relatively roomy interiorCons: Fit and finish could do with an overhaul
Need to be careful with gas pedal
Boot/trunk not quite as practical as one would like
Update nav systemSummary: I have an '08, and its basically the same model as the 2010 save for some redesign on the exterior (front grille, tail pipes) and a couple of features on the interior (electric passenger seat). I've put 15,000 miles on the car in a year and it's been a joy to drive. There is some turbo lag but depending on how aggressively you drive the car does make a difference. At low revs, it takes a moment for the turbo to catch up, but you can use paddle shifters to click down a gear, which helps. In sport mode, the engine revs much higher towards red line and performance picks up notably, and you either use the paddles to shift, or allow the car to take over. Many reviews draw attention to fuel consumption and it does have to be watched, but I've consistently gotten over 20 to the gallon in mixed driving, though if you meander around town alot or spend alot of time in bumper to bumper traffic the figure will fall into the 18-19 range. This will also happen if you have a heavy right foot. Compared to its competitors the RDX does lag somewhat in fuel economy, but driving an RX 350 for example, is a far less rewarding experience unless you just want to waft along in luxurious anonymity. Unlike the RDX, the RX has no "fun" factor to it at all, and would feel out of place on roads that would be a joy to drive in the RDX. Of course, you can just float along in the RDX too. The largest problem I have is fit and finish, and I think this will be updated sooner rather than later. All other Acura vehicles have a new interior, which in most respects, is superior to the RDX and I don't know why this latest incarnation didn't get an overhaul. I have had several pieces of trim fixed or replaced because of poor fit or finish, and while I think this is an anomaly rather than a consistent pattern, I do think the interior should be upgraded. Having driven a new MDX, TL, and TSX, I know there's some room for improvement. All the trim issues were dealt with under warranty and so didn't cost anything to deal with, just an unexpected hassle. The boot/trunk of the RDX is not quite as functional as I would like it to be. I have an '04 CR-V and the back of that is far more practical for trips to the hardware store and so on. Having said that, the seats fold in the RDX incredibly easily and I'm only prevented from doing this more by a child seat. Also in need of improvement is the nav system. Newer Acura models have an upgraded display and in comparison, my 08 RDX's display feels dated, but is functional nonetheless. Searching for locations can be a real pain though. There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason in terms of how different locations (say, Walmart) were categorised and entered into the system. I know there's a Walmart close to me, but the one that came up first was in Canada. Hmm. You have to get to "know" the system to get the best out of it, but I think Acura should look at some other systems and think about how to improve theirs. Newer models feel easier to use so perhaps I would feel better about the 2010 RDX's system. As for the technology generally, there's just about everything you would need if you get the tech package option. Some reviewers complain about lots of buttons. Please! They sound like baby boomers, befuddled by techno jiggery pokery. There's nothing overwhelming at all, but there are lots of buttons to familiarise yourself with. The upgraded sound system is out of this world and makes a beautiful noise.
Overall, I've been very happy. The interior raises some questions, but so far (touch wood) the car feels fairly bullet proof as one would expect from the house of Honda. Drive wisely and fuel economy is not that different from other cars in its class. Drive aggressively and you'll have lots of fun but suffer at the pump - esp. given you have to fill up on premium. I'm not such a fan of the redesigned front-end on the 2010 model, but otherwise I think the RDX is quite distinctive to look at, and an attractive vehicle. I would certainly recommend one of these to anyone who wanted to push beyond the RAV4/CR-V type group of vehicles, and it presents a nice compromise between the harsher, more performance-oriented ride of an X3 and the more stately ride of an RX. -
"fast and luxurious but not for gas mileage" on by subiegt
Pros: Turbo, handling, braking , comfort there's not much I don't like about the car
Cons: Gas mileage
Summary: Gas mileage is a problem but look at what your driving a 4000 lb suv with a little 4 cylinder with turbo. My previous car was a 2005 subaru outback 2.5xt ltd manual transmission. Not much turbo lag in this acura compared to a subaru. Never had a problem making it perform, just have to put the pedal down a little more. Stock tires suck needs a good set of continental extreme contact DWS tires for handling and some really good brakes for braking. Other than that this little suv is a peach to drive I've owned my now for almost a year and drive it everyday for work. I use it for deliveries and has never given me any problems mechanical wise. It's been great and always have fun in it. Definitely gets better gas mileage on the highway and 25 mpg is not unreachable. Been happy with it and given all the other little suvs with their under powered 4 cylinders and v-6's people fail to tell ya this one of the fastest compact suvs on the market. Want more power than put a chip in it that boosts the turbo and gives you an extra 33 lbs/ft of torque at 3300 rpm over boosts the turbo and gives you an extra 20 hp at redline and some more boost to go with it.
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"2010 RDX SH-AWD w/Tech. Great SUV, could be better" on by eddieg325
Pros: Fit and finish are top notch, acceleration and AWD are good. Well-appointed interior.
Cons: Gas mileage, especially when the AWD and/or turbo is engaged, is poor for a vehicle this size. My biggest gripe is the navigation system is useless in Alaska.
Summary: I'd rate this 5-star if the nav system was functional. The local Acura dealership cannot explain why there is still no Alaska coverage, but they happily sell the Tech package on just about every vehicle in the showroom. I can go to a local store and buy a handheld GPS that works, so it's not for a lack of satellite coverage, it's simply because Acura won't pay for the coverage.
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"Sport SUV that doesn't disappoint" on by houston96
Pros: We've owned our 2008 for 18 months. Great SUV for those who want the utility with a sport feel. Nice cornering, good acceleration (i disagree with cnet review on turbo lag) and versatile interior. With a good deal a lot more car than the CRV 4WD.
Cons: I do agree with the fuel economy not being the best.
Summary: Great near-lux value over the Infinity EX35, BMW X3, or Mercedes.
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