Posted by George Peterson on March 28, 2012 at 9:08 pm
The previous generation Acura RDX was a moderately successful contender in the small crossover SUV (XSUV) wars. The RDX was a bit pricey – almost $33,000 – coming from a premium Japanese brand. It was heavy. It was powered by a very thirsty turbocharged 2.3L 4-cylinder engine. Competition had left the RDX behind and with its source vehicle – the Honda CR-V – being updated for 2012, 2013 is the obvious time to re-do the RDX.
Honda is expecting sales on the order of 30,000 units per year for the new RDX. This is not an unreasonable number for a product selling in one of the growth segments in the American car and light truck market. In fact, this sales volume seems a bit timid for a brand forecasting a 45% increase in sales for the 2012 calendar year.
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Posted by Stephanie Brinley on September 29, 2009 at 11:54 am
While you might not know it from some of the creepy ad shots initially floating around on the ‘net, in the tin, the updated RDX is an improvement. The 2010 RDX takes its midpoint change with nips and tucks inside and out.
Looking like it stopped off at the tailor’s on the way to our drive event, the exterior changes involve typical revisions to headlights, taillights, fascias, and grilles, and the unloved Acura beak is now firmly in place. Despite the family grille, this is a nice example of minor changes, a tuck and crease here and there, that refine the overall look. With that nose, we may not call the new RDX beautiful, but it does look more refined and expensive than the outgoing car.
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Posted by George Peterson on May 28, 2008 at 10:47 am
AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction Awards results are in. AutoPacific’s awards collect the opinions of OWNERS. There is no subjectivity added by AutoPacific at all.
As usual, there are expected winners and unexpected losers, but let’s take a look at some overall results that will surprise many of you.
Truck-Based Traditional SUVs Most Satisfying
The vehicle type with the highest Vehicle Satisfaction Score is the Traditional Sport Utility Vehicle category. These are truck-based SUVs like the
Cadillac Escalade,
Toyota Sequoia,
Ford Explorer,
Toyota 4Runner,
Kia Sorento,
HUMMER H3 and
Toyota FJ Cruiser. In fact, the Toyota Sequoia was the top scoring vehicle – car or truck – in AutoPacific’s 2008 Vehicle Satisfaction results.
Car-Based Crossover SUVs More Satisfying than Cars, Minivans, Pickups
The second highest scoring category was the Crossover Sport Utility Vehicle category. These are car-based SUVs like the
Audi Q7,
BMW X3,
Acura RDX,
Buick Enclave,
GMC Acadia,
Hyundai Veracruz,
Suzuki XL-7,
Ford Edge,
Saturn Vue,
Toyota RAV4 and
Nissan Rogue. Crossovers are the response by the automakers to make more user-friendly SUVs and in 2006 Crossover SUVs began outselling Traditional SUVs… a trend that will not be reversed.
Rated substantially behind SUVs are Cars, Minivans and Pickups.
Clearly, even in times of high and increasing fuel prices, SUVs are here to stay. Their Swiss Army Knife utility guarantees they will be a central part of a high many family fleets in the future. The continuing jihad against SUVs has failed again!
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Posted by George Peterson on November 22, 2006 at 1:28 pm
IIHS released the results of its 2007 Safety Pick Awards on November 20. VehicleVoice and AutoPacific feel that these results are important to communicate to our readers. Along with other awards for quality, satisfaction and performance, safety awards can and should be among the information sources a buyer uses when deciding which new vehicle to buy. After all, the Internet gives us almost perfect information.
While we do appreciate the safety value of electronic stability control, it will take years for the entire fleet to be equipped with ESC. For IIHS to eliminate all vehicles lacking ESC eliminates many otherwise safe vehicles from their analysis. This is too simplistic an approach.
2007 TOP SAFETY PICK award winners: award criteria are tougher; SUVs eligible for first time
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety announces 13 vehicles that earn TOP SAFETY PICK awards for 2007. Winners include 4 cars, 7 SUVs, and 2 minivans. This award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute tests. Winners also have to be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC).
WINNERS
Large car
Audi A6 manufactured in Dec. 2006 and later
Midsize cars
Audi A4
Saab 9-3
Subaru Legacy equipped with optional electronic stability control
Minivans
Hyundai Entourage
Kia Sedona
Luxury SUVs
Mercedes M class
Volvo XC90
Midsize SUVs
Acura RDX
Honda Pilot
Subaru B9 Tribeca
Small SUVs
Honda CR-V
Subaru Forester equipped with optional electronic stability control
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Posted by George Peterson on April 22, 2006 at 12:50 pm
MD-X Concept and 2007 RDX Share Center Stage.
Acura used its time at the 2006 New York auto show to tease the journalists in the audience with a concept of its upcoming MD-X SUV and to formally introduce its 2007 RDX The RDX goes on sale in summer 2006 and the 2007 MDX goes on sale in fall 2006. VehicleVoice and AutoPacific contributors were on hand when the new Acura SUV lineup was first displayed. The RDX has been seen at several auto shows prior to New York, but this was the first glimpse we have had of the MDX.
MD-X Concept
The new MDX goes on sale this fall with a more athletic and aggressive look, though there were several comments made that the rear three-quarter, with its sharply raked D-pillar, has more than a passing resemblance to the new Audi Q7. We’ll leave that to you to decide. The MDX was also developed on the theme of taking a sports sedan image and merging it with SUV interior volume and utility.
We do know the MDX will continue to be offered only with a V6, and though its technical details were not revealed, it is reasonable to expect output to at least match the RL’s 290HP. The longer wheelbase and wider track of the concept will likely translate into production as well, though no official specifications were given. It will also get Acura’s Super Handling AWD system and at least as much standard equipment as the RDX. Track-tuned at the Nurburgring, Acura promises outstanding performance and handling characteristics.
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Posted by Stephanie Brinley on April 19, 2006 at 5:10 pm
2007 RDX Share Center Stage with MD-X Concept at New York
Acura used its time at the 2006 New York auto show to formally introduce its 2007 RDX, which goes on sale in summer 2006 and tease us with a near-production-but-still-concept version of the 2007 MDX (on sale in fall). VehicleVoice and AutoPacific contributors were on hand when the new Acura SUV lineup went on display.
RDX Brings Acura a Small SUV
This vehicle comes to market wearing the name RDX, similar to the RD-X concept cars of 2005 and of 2002. At the 2006 Detroit auto show a near-production model was shown, followed by the production car at the 2006 New York auto show in April. Sales begin in summer 2006. The first two RD-X concepts explored the needs of what Acura calls active urban professionals, with the 2005 concept more realistic than the first. The 2006 Detroit concept was clearly the closest of all. The philosophy is to combine sports sedan performance with the utility of an SUV, in theory more akin to a smaller Infiniti FX than to a Toyota RAV4, and has the BMW X3 in its sights.
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