Acura has given its 2010 RDX crossover a slight makeover for this model year. Find out what is new and how it all goes together in this review.
For 2010, the RDX was drafted into the order of the shield and the corporate nose of Acura ceremoniously attached. To say that the shield grille has caused its fair share of controversy is an understatement, but in this application it looks just fine.
There were cosmetic tweaks to the exterior, quoting from the press release: "More aggressive, sporty appearance. Exterior changes include redesigned 18-inch diameter aluminum-alloy wheels, bold new front and rear bumper fascias, revised headlights and taillights, new exhaust tips and satin trim accents."
Other notable changes for 2010 include the availability of a front-wheel drive model, which lowers the entry price on the RDX, is lighter weight and offers slightly better fuel economy. Inside the 2010 model, changes include a standard rear view camera system (non-navigation models have this in the rear view mirror), electronic compass, a pull handle to make closing the rear hatch easier, auto-function headlights, ambient footwell lighting, a center console storage tray, improved cupholders, USB-port connectivity, and "Note" function for XM® Radio. The 2010 RDX interior also scores changes to the leather that improves the look and feel of the seating surfaces.
The RDX is equipped with a turbocharged, 240 horsepower engine and offers the availability of super handing all wheel drive (SH-AWD). What is SH-AWD? First appearing on the top of the ranger Acura RL, it has the ability to distribute torque between the front and rear axles and left and right wheels. The system improves cornering performance and vehicle stability. With the RDX you also get a longer warranty, better cabin materials, HID headlights, a sophisticated array of electronics and the cachet of a premium brand.
Inside the RDX, fit and finish were good and soft touch materials were in all the right places. I found the taupe interior to be bright and airy, all controls to be well laid out and the cabin to be a comfortable place to live and work, but something like contrasting piping on the seats might have set it off even more. I was able to customize things such as having the doors lock when I shifted out of park and unlock when I placed it back into park, adjust how the interior lighting functioned and how the alarm made its acknowledgments. I appreciated that ability to control these functions on my own as I did the exact tire pressure reading for all four tires (as opposed to a generic low pressure warning).
After driving around in the RDX for a week, the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbo engine (240 horsepower, 260 pound feet of torque) left me with mixed emotions. I appreciated the extra grunt, but it was not as smooth as a V6. The lag on the turbo was not inordinate, hitting strong after 2,500 RPM, but not as instantaneous as I would like my power delivery to be. The fuel economy on this RDX was rated 17 City and 22 Highway which is a little lower than I would have hoped for. I think the TSX/TL’s 280HP V6 would have done a better job in this vehicle. Ride quality was on the stiffer side, but not jarring and handling was very good for a compact crossover. It was a very rainy week during my test and the SH-AWD system worked very well, giving me more confidence when traction was low and helped the RDX rocket through corners in a very sporty manner.
Inside the cabin I was very comfortable. The heated seat controls are rocker switches, so they stayed on the whole time and began heating as soon as I started the car. I appreciated the fact that I was able to fully control the heat as opposed to some arbitrary timer. Visibility was good and all the controls were easy to learn. I would like to have had backup sensors in addition to the camera. At times the camera was either fogged over or it was very dark outside. As an extra precaution, I like to know that I have an extra set of “eyes” helping me when backing up, just in case I miss anything. There were absolutely no rattles inside and everything felt substantial. The center console was hinged on the right side and when opened blocked the view for the passenger. An excellent sounding audio system with satellite radio was very appreciated. The rear seat did not slide fore/aft and that was missed, why not use the cargo area for more legroom when you do not have stuff back there?
The 2010 RDX with the technology package comes with a navigation system that sports real-time traffic, weather and traffic rerouting. I did not get a chance to play with the traffic rerouting function, but I did occasionally check the traffic updates. My experience with a Garmin GPS that reroutes was favorable and I have no doubt the RDX’s system would be similar. The weather updates were predictably the same, more rain, the whole time I had the RDX, but it was fun to look for a ray of sunshine while waiting at traffic lights. Bluetooth pairing was easily done via voice commands (while parked) and I had no problem making calls. From what I could establish, dialing by name would require transferring the phonebook to the RDX, as I was unable to use the phone’s built-in ability to dial (something I have experienced in other Bluetooth equipped cars). Subsequently, I just voice dialed by number or hit the contact list manually on the phone. Had I more time, I would have taken the effort to transfer the phonebook over and setup voice dialing. Speaking of voices, the voice command system built into the RDX was good, responding to a fairly large number of commands for navigation, audio, climate control, etc.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of this vehicle:
Pros:
* Nice, clean styling
* Impeccable quality
* Plenty of power
* Generous helping of technology
* Great AWD
* Very sporty handling
Cons:
* Fuel economy
* There is some turbo lag before power arrives, V6 would be a better application
* Interior could be jazzed up a bit more
* Side hinged center console blocks passenger from easily viewing inside
* Needs backup sensors to compliment the rear camera for an extra margin of safety
* Ride could be a bit smoother
The price of the 2010 Acura RDX SH-AWD with technology package, which is the top of the line model, is $38,430 (including destination). The size, price and performance of the RDX are all in the ballpark. If I could have changed one thing, it would be to install the V6 that performs so ably in the TSX and TL, but that is in a perfect world. Overall, I feel that the RDX is a solid student and a pretty competitive class.
Written by Michael Sheena
HULIQ.com
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