Curiosity lead me down the path of acronyms when I laid eyes upon the 2019 Acura RDX; I wanted to know what the RDX stood for. Somewhere amidst my research I discovered that the RDX was an acronym for Recreational Dimensions eXperiment. I haven’t confirmed the validity of this name with a Honda/Acura representative yet but I almost don’t want to learn the truth. Recreational Dimensions eXperiment sounds perfectly complex and ridiculously appropriate at the same time. Acura’s compact luxury crossover SUV has indeed felt like an experiment since it’s introduction to the market in 2016; through its various redesigns and updates it always appear like a work in progress. Like a painting that only had several foundational layers completed upon the canvas.
Until recently, it appeared as if Acura was content on allowing the RDX to live quietly in the background of it’s SUV lineup where it performed reliably but without much hoopla. This year, the tables have changed. The RDX has a new facelift, a new attitude and a new lease on life – or a least it intends to inspire life into drivers in a whole new way. Luxury is colliding with spunky energy in the new 2019 RDX and nowhere is that marriage more fruitful than in the A-Spec trim.
What I Dig about the 2019 RDX SH-AWD A-Spec
A Welcomed Visual Updated – Acura has finally decided that sexy is in. With a bit of resculpting and some modern touches, the 2019 RDX is finally free to strut. It’s design aesthetics are miles ahead of the subdued, nondescript styles of previous generations. The 2019 model stands out, sits lower and stretches out at 2.2 inches longer and 2.6 wider than the 2018 model. As if bursting free from the wider grille, angular stylings trail from the nose to the rear of the vehicle, digging lines throughout the body that create a sharp look and a clear path for wind. Fenders bulge out and drive the body back in elegant fashion. Even the roofline has character; it swoops down towards the rear providing the illusion of a fast-back line, and floats out past the rear window. Headlights and tail lights are dagger-like in shape and accentuate the RDX’s aggressive new look. It might be a small design point, but I really dig the trapezoidal impression stamped into the cargo door of the RDX; its a perfect marriage of form and function. This stylistically engineered impression serves as a housing for a license plate light but is wisely crafted with the overall aesthetic in mind.
The A-Spec – While I would expect a trim level named A-Spec to come with extra performance enhancements (it doesn’t), the enhancements it does brings to the exterior and interior design are well worth the “price of admission.” Gone is most of the chrome throughout the vehicle, replaced with gloss black trimmings that compliments the RDX’s redesign. Blacked out 20 inch wheels, LED fog lights, dark treatment to both headlights and tail lights, large exhaust finishers and A-Spec badging are also added to the exterior. Inside the cabin this trim level brings some eye-catching red leather accents to the seats, Ultrasuede portions on the dash, red illuminated gauges, chrome plated paddle shifters, branded sill plates, sporty metallic pedals and an ELS Studio 3D premium audio system (more of this later). The A-Spec trim does drives the price up 3k from the next lower trim but compare the stylings next to the base version of the RDX and a case can be made that that extra 3k accentuates the new stylings perfectly. After experiencing the A-Spec trim, I’d find it personally difficult to go with any other trim.
Refined Excitement in Performance – A V6 engine is so 2010; turbocharged inline-4 engines are where its all at now. The 2019 Acura RDX joins the turbocharged party this year with its 2.0-liter turbo-4 configuration that produces 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Coupled with a 10-speed transmission, this engine creates quite a refined driving experience that rewards drivers looking for a bit of a driving edge. Despite being wider and built on a much stronger frame, the 2019 RDX feels lighter on the road but grounded confidently enough that you’ll never hesitate taking sharp turns. While slightly sluggish on the first gear, the transmission climbs swiftly and appropriately up the rest of the line making for effortless transitions in “stop-and-go”, city traffic. Acura’s Integrated Dynamics Control is included in the RDX this year and offer options to switch the transmission into Comfort, Sport and Sport+. In the two Sport options, the RDX receives tighter handling and a more aggressive ride through the gears. It’s a blast to experience and offers an alternative to the equally noteworthy, smooth driving experience the RDX normally delivers.
A kick ass sound system – If you’re an audiophile like me, it doesn’t get any better than the ELS Studio 3D premium audio system that comes with the A-spec trim. It’s a symphonic treat for the ears that creates a sound field as crisp and clear as any high end automotive audio system can produce. I downloaded a few uncompressed music files to a thumb drive and popped it into the USB port in the RDX to get an accurate sound experience; say what you will about the convenience of streaming music services like Spotify or Pandora but it can never match the sound quality of uncompressed, digital music. The ELS Studio system recreated rich lows and sweet highs in the midst of a engrossing sound field.. Heck, even the speaker’s placement and design within the cabin where elegant and sharp.
Center Console Stack Design – The dash, including the center console stack and the gauge cluster in the 2019 RDX elevated the cabin experience to a higher level. Ergonomic and striking at the same time, the dash carries a design that is quintestial Acura and luxurious enough to impress. Red stiching courtesy of the A-spec trim runs up the center stack from the two bucket seats and jut outward leading the eye towards a dash design that emotes speed. Even the stacked row of buttons that replace a traditional shifter are strategically placed and presented, encouraging you to feel like you’re “firing” up a rocket instead of a car. At the top of the center console stack is a 10 inch infotainment screen that is so beautifully wide that it puts other automobile infotainment screens to shame. Heck even the two shard-shaped air vents that flank the center console stack fall into an exciting design aesthetic. There is a lot to admire in the RDX dash design and I found different aspects of it’s design to marvel over every single time I got behind the wheel. This is inspirational automotive design at its best.
Generous Cargo Space – You move up from a sedan to a crossover SUV for more cargo space and the 2019 RDX has that in spades. The 29.5 cubic-feet nestled behind the rear seats can be used to store all kinds of cargo, from groceries to strollers to large boxes. Lay the rear seats down flat and you unlock nearly 30 extra cubic feet to utilize. Best part of the generous cargo area is the 1.7 cubic-foot compartment below the cargo area floor. This is where spare tires usually reside but Acura has wisely placed the spare under the vehicle and left this cargo space available for goodies that you may want to hide from view.
Where the 2019 Acura RDX A-Spec Falls Short
Fuel Economy – Fuel economy for this sector of vehicle can vary but when it comes to comparing the RDX to its luxury crossover competitors, it falls slightly behind. At 21 miles per gallon in the city, 26 on the highway and 23 mpg combined, the RDX A-Spec gets decent miles for its size but the base model manages to squeeze out a few more miles in each rating. Similarly, competitors like the BMW X3 and the Infinity qx50 also manage to go the few extra miles in each rating. Not by much but when gas prices are steep, each mile counts.
Trackpad Requires Muscle Memory– While the infotainment screen might be gorgeous in both placement and quality, the trackpad controller makes using it a mixed bag. This 2019 RDX is the first Acura ever to feature the company’s new True Touch Pad Interface infotainment system. Basically the touchpad operates differently from a traditional one – like those found in Lexus and in some of Hyundai’s vehicles – by using what Acura calls “absolute positioning.” With this tech, wherever your finger lands on the touchpad corresponds with the position of a selectable option on the screen. For instance, if you want to select an album cover that is on the right side of the screen, you should aim for the right side of the trackpad. In theory, this should ease use by eliminating blind swiping. But in practice its cumbersome and will certainly take some time to get accustomed to. More often than not it took me twice the time it should have to select an option because I naturally start in the middle of the trackpad. I’m sure if I had more than a week with the RDX, I would grow accustomed to the new tech but it initially left a bad taste.
The eXperimental Results are In
Acura says that 45% of car buyers who opt for the A-Spec trim on the RDX are under the age of 45 years old. It makes sense that a younger consumer would gravitate to this version of the RDX – it swirls luxury and modern design together into a cocktail of sophisticated fun. More than that, the RDX manages to walk the fine line between creating a vehicle that is ultra modern but efficiently practical. The RDX feels like the adult car that all us 90s Honda Accord fans would graduate to now that we’re 20 years grown. Starting at $45,600 for the RDX with the A-Spec trim would certainly require adult financial sensibilities but again the RDX is practical in that its price tag sits below other luxury vehicles in its class. With it’s new striking redesign, luxurious technology and refined driving experience, the “Recreational Dimensions eXperiment” seems to be finally showing some stellar results.
