2022 Acura RDX

Overview

Refined-Dimensional luXury (RDX) is what made Acura famous in the mid-size SUV segment. To be honest, Acura has a knack for naming their vehicles in different ways. Back to the topic, the new 2022 RDX comes aboard with minimal yet appreciable updates like the slightly tweaked exterior looks. It also has a reworked suspension that takes the ride quality to another level and makes for a quieter cabin experience. The Android Auto and Amazon Alexa joins Apple CarPlay as standard for the 2022 model year. The sportier A-Spec package now gets all the features from the Advance package making it more approachable for enthusiasts. Apart from that, the PMC Edition gets three extra color options- Phantom Violet Pearl, Liquid Carbon Metallic, and Long Beach Blue Pearl. That said, the mechanics are the same, which means the 2.0-liter engine puts out the same power along with front-wheel drive or Acura’s Super Handling- All-Wheel Drive. The 2022 RDX is expected to be priced around $40,000 and will be set to offer a lot of value if you are not a hardcore German auto fan. The compact SUV competition is growing in the U.S. market, and the RDX has a lot of competitors ready to bring in some thrill. The Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC Class, and even Volvo XC60 serve a great purpose to satiate your SUV thirst, but the 2022 Acura MDX, like its earlier model years, will be cheaper than the competition.

Trims And Features

The RDX, like a typical Acura, does not have trim levels. It has a base trim and that’s it. A single 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with front-wheel drive comes as standard. The SH-AWD is available as an option. However, Acura has made a list of packages that you would prefer over the base features to enhance the interior feeling and make it look feature-proof. They are - Technology, A-Spec, Advance, and the limited PMC Edition. Let’s take a closer look at the features each package offers.

As standard, the 2022 Acura RDX features the following features:

• 19-inch alloy wheels.
• Keyless entry and ignition.
• Heated front seats.
• Panoramic sunroof.
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror.
• 7.0-inch digital instrument panel.
• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Faux-leather upholstery.
• 10.2-inch central display with touchpad controller.
• Nine-speaker audio system.
• Apple CarPlay, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa connectivity.
• Onboard WiFi hotspot.

Standard safety features include:

• Forward collision warning.
• Lane departure warning.
• Adaptive cruise control.
• Traffic sign recognition.
• Blindspot monitoring.
• Lane change assist.
• Pedestrian detection system.

Technology.

• Leather upholstery.
• 12-speaker premium audio experience.
• Navigation system.
• Dual USB ports at the rear row.
• Front and rear parking sensors with low-speed braking system.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.

A-Spec.

• Features from the Technology package.
• 20-inch wheels.
• Flat-bottom steering wheel.
• Ventilated front seats.
• Leather and faux-suede upholstery.
• Restyled bumpers.
• 16-speaker audio system.
• Black-painted exterior trim.
• Features from the Advance trim.

Advance.

• Above mentioned features.
• Hands-free power liftgate.
• Wood cabin trim.
• Adaptive suspension dampers.
• Heated steering wheel.
• Sound-reducing front side-glass.
• Adjustable thigh extension and bolster for the front seats.
• Heated rear seats.
• Heads-up display. (HUD)
• Surround-view camera system.

PMC Edition.

• Phantom Violet Pearl.
• Liquid Carbon Metallic.
• Long Beach Blue Pearl.
• Blacked-out exterior parts including the intake grille, 20-inch wheels, and exhaust -pipes.
• Orchid interior seat color with blue stitching.

Exterior: A New Touch

Inspired by its bigger brother, the MDX, the RDX has been re-tweaked for a similar appearance and hence, sharper looks. While the LED headlights and DRLs stayed the same, Acura has added chrome treatments around the Diamond Pentagon front intake grille. That said, the grille is now slightly larger compared to the outgoing model year. The optional LED foglights are now surrounded by chrome to elevate the visuals. The rear has received no major update except for the rectangular-shaped exhaust tips which have been seen with the majority of the new Acura models.

The dual-exhaust tips come with a black glossy finish with the A-Spec package. A set of 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels come fitted to the RDX as standard and can be upgraded to the 20-inch ones with the higher packages. Acura has made available two more colors with the new RDX, Liquid Carbon Metallic and Phantom Violet Pearl exclusively for the Advance and Technology packages. As for the dimensions, the new RDX will be similar to the outgoing model with the same 108.3-inch wheelbase. The curb weight might go up a little bit but nothing intimidating.

The Already Spacious Cabin Got A Little Quieter

The outgoing model year of the RDX had impressive interior design and spaciousness along with the use of good quality cabin materials. That philosophy has been greatly carried over to the 2022 model year with a few minor but important tweaks which will now make the new RDX a better ride. Acura has enhanced the Active Sound System (ASC) which works as a noise cancellation system and, according to the company, it will provide the RDX a better cabin experience. Compared to the previous model year, the engine’s idle speed during cold starts has been reduced to 950 RPM from 1,100 RPM, and the front-wheel drive variants now have a lower torque rod that eliminates vibrations on the get-go. It seems that Acura has worked intensely in giving the new RDX a sound-proof cabin with a lot of added insulation both outside and inside the SUV. As for the differences, we don’t know them yet but will keep you posted once we get our hands on the new RDX.

As for the interior design, the changes are bare minimum and are hardly noticeable. The dashboard design, the infotainment screen placement, and the digital-analog combo instrument cluster remain the same. The infotainment screen is still not touchscreen-operated - something that was expected to come with the 2022 model year. That said, the interior quality is superb for the price and is no less than the more expensive Germans in the segment. The interior gets soft-touch materials as standard and also comes with aluminum trim on the door panels, center console, and steering wheel too. The A-Spec now gets a flat-bottomed steering wheel for its added sporty nature. Otherwise, the steering wheel fitted as standard comes leather-covered. The leatherette seats are quite squishy and offer decent comfort. The front bucket seats come with eight-way power-adjustability with lumbar support and multi-level heating options. Now, all these features take a step forward with the higher packages but will cost you a lot of money.

Comfort was never an issue with the RDX, and the 2022 model year will carry forward the excellence with the added sound insulation. The outgoing model year could easily fit up to five people and, given that it is the same generation, the dimensions will be exactly like the previous model year. So, both the rows have ample space for your head, shoulders, and legs. The front row has 40/60/42 inches of headroom/shoulder room/legroom, which is just enough for taller individuals too. The rear row has slightly lower dimensions but not like some driver-oriented cabins found in some German SUVs like the Porsche Macan. There are 38 inches of both headroom and legroom and a decent 60 inches of shoulder room, meaning up to three average Americans can sit with good comfort. There is 31.1 cubic-feet of boot space for daily luggage shenanigans and it can accommodate a good amount of luggage for your outings. A few of the interior features of the new 2022 Acura RDX are:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control.
• Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel.
• Up to 16-way power-adjustable front seats.
• Multi-level heading for both the front and rear seats.
• Enhanced Active Sound System.
• 7.0-inch driver information display.
• Leather and aluminum interior trim.

As for the infotainment system, Acura is on the more sophisticated side of things, and with the lack of touch sensitivity, the usability is kind of distracting while you are on the road. A 10.2-inch display is available throughout the package lists, as is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. Amazon Alexa has been added to the system for the 2022 model year. The system is controlled through the touchpad which is placed in an ideal position and has a few important buttons for quicker inputs. A list of standard equipment includes a nine-speaker audio unit, satellite radio, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, and a few more. A list for your reference is just below.

• 10.2-inch non-touch-sensitive display.
• Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa.
• Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity.
• Nine-speaker audio unit as standard.
• 16-speaker premium audio unit. (Optional)
• Navigation system.
• Heads-up display.
• Ambient lighting control.

Similar Performance But Improved Dynamics

Like its predecessors, the RDX gets powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with either a front-wheel drive or an all-wheel drive option. There is no power bump compared to the outgoing model, so the engine is still rated at 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Well, this engine won’t give you any second thoughts, be it in the city or on the highways. There’s enough punch lower down the rev range to get you going. The gear shifts are taken care of by a 10-speed shiftable automatic like the model it replaces. Opting for the AWD is recommended since it not only will unlock four-wheel functionalities but also will increase handling capabilities. Acura calls it Super Handling All-wheel Drive because of the torque vectoring system which helps the RDX go faster around the twisties and feel the steering precision. The standard FWD gets a lower torque rod which enhances the torque down the rev range to minimize vibrations felt on the steering wheel and the cabin.

In real-world performance, the 2022 Acura RDX will perform similarly to its earlier iterations since 2019. Car And Driver has tested the SH-AWD variant of the RDX and it did a straight-line acceleration up to 60 miles an hour in just 6.6 seconds, which is not bad considering its curb weight. A quarter-mile timing of 15.2 seconds has been recorded too with the same variant. The top end is not that great as you can see and the RDX tops out at just 113 miles an hour. The new 2022 Acura RDX is better in the handling aspects with the improved Integrated Dynamics System. The updated system includes four new driving modes- Normal, Comfort, Sport, Snow which can be summoned by selecting the Dynamic Mode using the dial on the center console.

Acura RDX Fuel Economy

The EPA has rated the RDX at 22 miles per gallon on the city, 28 miles per gallon on the highways, and a combined figure of 24 miles per gallon. The figures are for the FWD variants and if you are curious about the figures of the AWD variants then the EPA has rated them with just a mile less per gallon than the former arrangements. The tank size is the same with about 17.1 gallons and will return around 410 miles combined with the FWD and a slightly less 393 miles with the AWD setup.

Safety Convenience

Acura takes a step forward with the safety features and ratings of the RDX. Although the ratings are not available for the 2022 model year as it is yet to be launched, considering the outgoing model year’s success, the RDX got all the maxed-out ratings from the NHTSA and the IIHS with a full-on five-star rating and “Top Safety Pick+”. For the 2022 model year, Acura made available Blindspot Monitoring and Lane Change Assist as standard. A few of the important safety features available with the 2022 RDX are as follows:

• Lane departure warning.
• Traffic sign recognition.
• Forward collision warning.
• Blindspot monitoring.
• Lane change assist.
• Pedestrian detection system.
• Rear cross-traffic alert.
• Adaptive cruise control.

Is The 2022 Acura RDX A Good Upgrade?

Compared to the outgoing model year, the new RDX is better in a lot of ways including sportier exterior stance, cabin insulation, driving experience, and added features for driver assistance. The only limitation we felt was the unavailability of a touch-sensitive display on the center console. Considering the rivals, the RDX is a better deal and it might not have brisk performance but it is not laid back either. To wrap it up, Acura has sold a lot of RDX in recent years in the US and the Germans, on the other hand, might be a little more sophisticated but the ownership cost of the latter is more.