Zoopa

So I was in the dealer for my first oil change on my 6-month old Milano Red/ebony 6-spd w/navi TSX, with my spouse and 6-month baby with 45-minutes to kill. So we all went on a RDX test drive. Its very nice, but after looking at it from the point of view from owning a TSX I'm a little confused.

So the RDX has like nearly an identical sized interior as the TSX, meaning it had the same back/front seat space with the rear facing baby seat. The passenger sitting in front of baby seat has to move the seat like way forward, just as in my TSX. Okay, maybe it is hair bigger, but not by much.

The trunk on the RDX is marginally bigger too, it's really just taller. But since I have a family, there would be like no opportnity for me to tumble the rear seats forward to increase space. And the MDX, new or old, is just way to big, not environmentally correct enough (sorry Honda, I'll wait for the hybrid) for me.

So thinking about it after I left the dealer, the RDX is really targeted at single people or DINKs, while the CRV is targeted at young families, like myself. But that's the problem, I wouldn't wan'na be caught in a CRV, that's like a step above driving a minivan in the social stigma sense.

The things I thought were cool: the styling. Again, there is no way that I would wan'na drive the new Honda CRV version of the same vehicle after driving the RDX. It is that much sportier looking. All in all, the RDX is really cool.

If it had come out before the TSX was released I would've been torn between the two. It is way cooler than the B(ourgeois)MW X3. Real nice throttle reponse, you can fire off a downshift even if you're in fully automtic mode!

boosted_dc2

DINK?? wtf is that??

Landon

JeffS

Dual Income No Kids!

Zoopa, I kind of agree with you. As a TSX owner too I don't see many advantages to the RDX over the TSX except in the taller cargo area or maybe the AWD if you live in a snow belt. Otherwise save $$ and gas with the TSX. I guess I just haven't figured out the SUV thing yet.

tris

Question for you on your rear-facing car seat. Did you try to put a base with the infant car seat or are you using the convertible car seat? I didn't put my 3-mon-old baby nor tried to install the car seat when I test drove the RDX. I was just assuming it should fit 7 it is bigger compare to my Integra coupe. I haven't try to put the baby stroller in the RDX trunk either (darn.. I don't know why I didn't try). I am getting the RDX mainly because of my 3-month-old baby as there are 2 Integra coupe at home now and we need a 4-door car for the baby. Bending the back to try putting in the infant carrier/car-seat at the back is not fun.

I don't like the look of a minivan and I always wanted a small/mid-size SUV and I like my Integra/Acura. So RDX seems good to me as the MDX is too big.

I guess I still haven't adjust my mind that I am married with kid... I like the gadget of the RDX Tech! :P

My RDX already arrived the dealership yesterday... they are just waiting for me to sign the paperwork and installed the accessory. Is RDX really bad as a family car with small baby?

wolfeman314

Yeah Zoopa, it just sounds like you don't want an SUV. The whole taller cargo space and not-much-bigger-than-a-TSX part of the equation is what lures people to the mini suv market.

Zoopa

I think you will absolutely love having the RDX as the primary car for your new family and all the stuff that they require. I don't think you will have trouble fitting your stroller in the back. In the TSX, our stroller folds in half, not at all four corners like an umbrella stroller, and I still fit a cooler, big sun-umbrella and lawn chairs for the beach. And the RDX trunk is a smidge bigger, but much taller.

As I said, if the RDX was out when I made the decision, I probably would've had a harder time deciding to buy the TSX. I guess I was just expecting the size to be a little bigger, like closer to the Accord/TL frame, or more "midsize-ish." I still prefer a manual, which is why I got the TSX, driving an Impala for six-years after having manuals mt whole life made me feel old. But the RDX is so fashionable, it seems to be trendsetting even though the X3 came out first, that I don't think the auto thing would've bothered me too much.

The RDX is awesome for what it is, a sporty SUV that woops the X3s tail.

Jeb

Hey Tris
if you do take the plunge, share with us your thoughts after you install the car seat and start using it for your family. We have a 1 year old and we are thinking about going for the rdx ourselves given the car seat, stroller, etc. that the kiddo needs. no longer dinks!
Jeb

tris

Zopa,

Cool. I hope I will like it. I am thinking to bring my car seat to the dealer today just to kinda try it out and see how the space goes at the back. Worse come to worse, I can still back out the deal (I hope not!). Will let you know.

tris

Jeb,

Yeah, I will share my experience about the car seat and kiddo stuffs when/if I get the RDX. I was actually wondering how much is the 2007 CRV cost though I don't really want to switch my mind. I saw on the Honda site that the CRV trunk is dual level and it has those rear-mirror under the sun-glasses case so you can see the back seat (nice to watch out the kid at the back)... if it's not that much cheaper compare to the RDX, I would go for RDX.. but if it's a lot cheaper (highest CRV model compare to the RDX Tech)... humm should I go for the CRV now and later just get a decent sedan (to replace 2 Intergra coupe at home)...

schuchmn

I'm curious. What do you think makes the CRV any better for young families than the RDX?

Zoopa

Hmmm...well I guess a few things make me feel that way after driving the RDX. The price difference for loaded models is like a $10k more for an RDX than a loaded CRV. So the RDX is something that you aspire to own if you can't afford it. That is a generalization I would say for all Acuras.

I think I read that the target buyer Honda picked for the CRV is literally a soon to be mom, or a mom that has a two year-old child. So the empasis is probably on safe, usable transportation. Whereas the RDX has really dramatic/aggressive styling, in the press photos the CRV seems to be pleasant to look at, but not ugly like a Toyota Highlander.

But more importantly, the RDX seems to be for people who put a high premium on driving with the SH-AWD, shift paddles and turbo motor. With my 6-month old kid in the back on the test drive, I didn't want to whip the car around a corner and paddle shift down a gear on exit, even though I was really tempted to.

The electronics package kind of confuses me though, because in a non/navi TSX or TL you get bluetooth, which is almost a "safety feature" (because you keep both hands on the wheel but still are on the phone), but in the RDX it comes bundled in a $4k option package. So the impression I had after driving the RDX was that it is something I would rather own than a CRV, because of the styling, turbo engine, and admittedly Acura nameplate.

wiz

Hmm, when I sat in the RDX I felt that the whole interior was much larger than the TSX. I cannot get in my TSX with the front seats pushed all the way back..my feet and legs just will not fit. However, when I put the RDX front seats at a comfortable position for me to drive at, I can sit in the back of the RDX with plenty of room to spare. This leads me to believe that there are is a lot more space in the back seat than in the TSX. I haven't tried a car seat (no kids yet, but probably soon) but I feel that it would fit with ease and without having to move the front seats too far forward.

snorton48

Can't compare the CRV and RDX. Different everything, cost is many thousands different, much less power etc. I'm afraid of the RDX in terms of poor mileage and 91 octance fuel.

vitocorleone

Don't have an RDX ('04 TSX) but was browsing and, if the seating is simliar to the TSX, the Brittax Roundabout car seat is your best bet if you can find one (they've been replaced by the less-well-reviewed Marathon): not only is it rated #1 for safety, it is one of the most shallow compared to other car seats (even by same manufacturer). Currently positioned in the middle of the rear seat facing forward and we don't have to move our seats up - though we're both < 5'9".

PS - our only car is the TSX and we've never had a problem fitting baby stuff in (only one child). The worst thing about the TSX trunk is the narrow opening. Find a way around that and you can fit ALL SORTS of stuff in the trunk and back seat etc.

schuchmn

I keep hearing this, but let's run a few numbers.

Suppose you drive 15,000 miles per year and you average 20mpg. That's 750 gallons of gas. If regular costs $2.80 per gallon (which is high at the moment), you pay $2,100 for gas. If you figure premium at $3.00 per gallon, that's $2,250, so the premium for premium (so to speak) is $150 a year. If instead you get a vehicle that uses regular gas and gets 24mpg, that's 625 gallons costing $1,750. So the difference betweem a 24mpg regular gas vehicle and a 20mpg premium gas vehicle is $500 a year.

Now I realize that everyone has his/her own income and budget and $500 may not be negligible, but it doesn't strike me as a lot for someone paying $33-37k for the car to start with.

amypinseattle

I think you need to compute this with an average MPG of like 17...much closer to what people will be getting I think with the typical city driving...

schuchmn

OK, do the same calculation for 17mpg and you get 882 gallons. At the prices I used above, that's $2,471 for regular and $2,647 for premium.

But my assumption in my last post was mixed driving and getting something between the city and highway mileage.

If you drive only city, then for an apples to apples comparison, you have to compare 17mpg for the RDX versus another vehicle's city mileage. So pick a RAV4 that gets 21mpg in the city. You buy 714 gallons and pay $2,000 for regular or $2,143 for premium.

So worst case here is 21mpg with regular ($2,000) vs 17mpg with premium ($2,647) and the difference is $647. More than $500, but still not outrageous.

As a buyer, you should also consider performance, features, and the intangible "feel" of the car. But these things may or may not matter to you.

Whether $647 a year is worth it is, of course, a personal decision based on how big a bite of your budget that money represents, how important things like handlng and features are to you, and how much you're willing to pay extra for them.

There are no right or wrong answers to these issues; each buyer has to balance all of the issues for him/herself.

Boon

I think that's a pretty fair assessment schuchmn. And one that I've only recently come to grips with. Performance and fun come at a cost...and not just with the RDX...but with any car. The question for me, with my limited budget, is whether I'm willing to give up some other "luxuries" (cut down on DVDs, concerts, nice restaurants, etc.) in order to fuel that unique driving experience. No pun intended. =)

schuchmn

You know, one of the ideas that crossed my mind before I decided on the RDX was to get a fully-equipped RAV4 Limited. It's got enough amenities for most people and it's got those sweet 6 cylinders. What it lacks is the handling. So how much would suspension mods cost? A RAV4 plus suspension upgrades might still cost less than an RDX. Though I never took the next step which would have been to start looking for suspension kits. Just a thought.

Teledatageek

No GPS option in the RAV either

Zoopa

Acura has decided to go in a unique direction with the RDX. It is much more unique than the B(ourgeois) MW X3, which was the first compact Sporty-SUV. I thoroughly enjoy my TSX 6-spd, but I can still appreciate the RDX for what it is, and what the CRV is not. Acura has gone as far to cal the RDX the "TSX SUV."

Even though it is obvious that the RDX and new CRV are sourced from similar part bins, based on the same unibody frame, and the RDX's motor derived from the K-series engine, I would've gone for the RDX over a RAV4 V6.

Digits

I've read a lot of articles claiming that the RDX and CRV are on the same platform, but recently the Edmunds article has said this is not true since they can't share platforms due to the SH-AWD.

Even Honda and Acura news state that the RDX is based on a new global light truck platform and CRV is based on a compact platform.

schuchmn

True, and I'm not saying that a RAV4 with suspension upgrades is equal to an RDX.

But I was talking about working with a limited budget. If price is a deciding factor, you probably wouldn't go for the tech package anyway. And again, it depends on how much weight you personally put on features like that.

And then, of course, there are alway non-OEM GPS systems. I don't know because I haven't checked pricing, but it might be the case that a RAV4 plus suspension mods plus a nav system still costs thousands less than an RDX. And, again, depending on budget, the yearly cost of gasoline might be a major issue.

s4iscool

Zoopa, lota good info in your more objective "non-owner" posts. I tend to agree with most of what you have said.

Unfortunately the mpg issue is becoming a sore spot for prospective RDX owners (me), and possibly current owners that expected closer numbers to the esimates. If the sub 15 city number is true and hw miles are lower than estimated...the RDX might have gotten hit with a gas guzzler tax! some irony there from a honda car...and you can be sure that would have killled sales. I am optimistic that the reported numbers on this forum will rise, because im ready to get one, but not until the numbers get closer to the estimates...and yes MPG is an issue for me.

Overtaxed

I know what you mean Zoopa,

Although I want a TSX, the husband likes SUVs. But I'm thinking.... if I need a SUV, wouldn't I need more size??

crisco

I agree. As a TSX owner with 2 kids under 3 yrs old, I find this car to be truely amazing in what it can haul. I can fit suitcases, bags and a jogger stroller in the trunk. I'm not sure that I 'd gain too much as far as cargo space is concerned by jumping to either a CRV or RDX - although I like both of these vehicles.