Acura RDX

While there is some sense of freshness to the exterior of the Acura RDX, the cabin has started to show its age. There’s no dearth of features in the cabin of the RDX – it is the layout of the dashboard which looks slightly dated.

The presence of the full-TFT screens for the MID in the instrument console and the large 10.2-inch rectangular infotainment system at the top of the centre console try to make the cabin feel modern. However, apart from these two screens, the cabin feels a bit old-school with the traditional-looking four-spoke steering wheel and a cluster of buttons for the audio and climate control in the centre console. Though the lower centre console looks unique, with a special-looking housing for the push start-stop button and gloss black surrounds.

The cabin of the Acura RDX gets a few more modern and premium features like powered, heated and ventilated front seats, memory function for the driver’s seat, wireless charger, panoramic sunroof, rear AC vents, dual-zone automatic climate control, 16-speaker audio system, ambient lighting and active noise cancellation.

The overall exterior design of the Acura RDX might not be attention-grabbing at first glance. However, that doesn’t mean that it is a bad design. The RDX looks sharp and adequately sized for a midsize SUV, with a couple of its design traits giving it an exclusive appeal.

The front profile of the Acura RDX features the brand’s trademark edgy-looking pentagonal grille, which here has a curved upper surface and comes with starry-themed gloss black inserts. The sweptback headlamps here offer all-LED illumination and come with curved outer edges. Like the larger MDX SUV, the RDX also comes with C-shaped air scoops below the headlamps and a stretched air dam in the middle of the front bumper. The corners of the front bumper get slim-looking LED fog lamps.

The side profile of the Acura RDX looks quite striking, with the combination of curves over the rounded wheel arches and a sharp character line rising upwards from the front wheel arch to the edge of the tail lamp. The stance of the RDX looks smart with the high ground clearance and large 20-inch alloy wheels.

The rear profile of the Acura RDX looks unique due to the presence of boomerang-shaped LED tail lamps, which make the rear look of the SUV appear edgy. The trapezoidal license plate housing on the boot lid looks large and makes the SUV look muscular. The corners of the rear bumper come with rounded exhaust ports, adding more sportiness to the rear profile of the RDX.

The suspension combination of Macpherson struts at the front and multi-link at the rear are tuned on a softer side, which makes the overall ride quality of the Acura RDX pretty comfortable. The Acura RDX measures 4766mm long, 2197mm wide and 1668mm tall while having a wheelbase of 2750mm and a ground clearance of 208mm. Due to the long wheelbase, the RDX offers a spacious feel on the inside for both front and rear seat occupants.

Both the variants of the Acura RDX come standard with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which is offered with a 10-speed automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive system as standard. The engine produces a maximum power output of 261 PS and a peak torque output of 380 Nm while claiming a maximum fuel efficiency of 12.5 kmpl.

The Acura RDX is packed with a host of safety features, the long list of which includes front, side, curtain and knee airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, vehicle stability control and traction control, rollover mitigation, hill start assist and tyre pressure monitoring system. The list also includes a suite of ADAS features, such as lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, collision mitigation braking system, blind spot information system, rear cross-traffic monitor and low speed following.

The Acura RDX does feel premium and new-age with the help of an edgy and distinctive exterior and a rich list of comfort and convenience features. It also offers a refined driving experience, with a smooth petrol engine and a comfortable ride quality.