Driver’s Seat: Acura expands its SUV offerings

There was a time when the Acura MDX was almost a no-brainer when it came to luxury SUVs.

Nowadays, every carmaker and its mother has been trotting out all manners of crossovers and SUVs. But not too long ago, Acura was at the leading edge of the movement – arguably since introducing its full-size MDX for the 2001 model year. For the 2007 model year, Acura expanded its offerings to include the RDX, a smaller, zippier compact crossover.

In that time, the MDX and RDX have been stalwart sellers thanks to their combination of tech, performance, styling and utility. The MDX has also been a veritable dreamboat for soccer moms (and dads!) thanks to being the first of its kind offering third-row seating.

Obviously, competition has heated up for the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of luxury crossover buyers. I recently had a chance to check in on how Acura is faring with some time in a 2019 MDX and 2020 RDX. Both came in Acura’s sporty A-Spec trim. Here are some highs, lows and middle-of-the-roads from my recent dates with Acura finest utes.

HIGHS

The A-Spec package really delivers in the looks department. The MDX and RDX both benefit from aggressive dual exhausts (delightfully massive on the RDX!); enhanced side skirts; and sleek, smoky gray alloy wheels. Inside, the sport seats are shod in eye-catching leather and suede combinations, like red and black. It’s all the stuff that exhilarating, high-performance SUV motoring is made of, except…

LOWS

… it’s a bit of a ruse. The A-Spec package is the proverbial all-show, no-go kind of deal: cosmetic upgrades without the accompanying mechanical tweaks. This is particularly apparent on the MDX. While its 290-hp V6 is more than adequate, the overall performance is a bit underwhelming given the visual cues. The instrument cluster and two-screen center console also look and feel a bit dated. While the newer RDX cockpit is a bit spiffier, it suffers from a frustratingly awful touchpad interface. Prominent position is also given to a round Dynamic Drive mode selector knob with super limited functionality and super chintzy feel.

MIDDLE OF THE ROADS

While the MDX’s performance falls short of the visual hype, the RDX delivers. Look, this isn’t an AMG Benz or Bimmer M model, so realistic expectations are a must. But when pushed, the RDX’s 272-hp 2.0-liter turbo four pushes back with spirited and, at times, bracing acceleration. The 10-speed automatic transmission seemed lost at times in Sport and Sport+ modes, but this was relatively minor. The RDX felt fleet and light on its feet.

If you don’t need the extra seating or cargo room, the fully loaded RDX A-Spec feels like a steal at just under $47,000 compared with a comparably equipped MDX A-Spec at $56,000. Of course, the current generation MDX is likely nearing the end of its run. An all-new model imbued with some of the RDX’s performance goodness could be worth the cost and the wait. Stay tuned!

:: acura.com

 

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