Ok, my wife is trying to decide on a car to buy. A little history, beginning with how I came to be on Acurazine.

We got a 2004 TSX back in late 04 and loved it. Awesome car. Sold it in favor of a 00 4Runner Limited due to a pregnancy (saving money, and easier to manage a kid with more cargo room and a higher load height). But no we are realizing that while it is convenient, the 4Runner sucks to drive, and drinks gas out of a ridiculously small 11-12 gallon tank. We have to fill up twice a week. And the mileage is not the worst I've had, but 14-15 mpg is just not practical. I long for at least 20!

I have a friend who works at Honda and he was telling me the RDX is kinda of a big "WTF" internally over there. Nobody really knows why they went with that Turbo motor. It weighs more than a V6, makes less power, and is not getting any better MPG. And while I like the idea and believe whole-heartedly that SH-AWD is the real deal (after driving an MDX), the cost is just too high for the RDX!

So we looked at the new CR-V. Awesome redesign, I have to say. Much better than before. Although I find myself longing for another Acura. The RDX in concept appeals to me more. I know they are selling slow and I figured that a deal is more likely on an RDX than on a CRV, but the cost is still higher for the RDX!



So, beyond the SH-AWD vs Realtime 4WD a lot of equipment is comparable between a loaded CRV. Why should I get an RDX over a CRV?

Marcus

 

I liked the CR-V as far as room and storage capacity. I drove it too, and if you're looking for a fun car, that's not it. You can't compare the 4 cylinder CR-V to the turbo 4 ride of a RDX for fun factor. Also, it is definitely not as plush or refined. You don't feel like your driving a beefy expensive car with nice leather interior (I don't think you can get leather in the CR-V but could be wrong). The CR-V is practical. Not plush, not fun, not lux, and yea, It's gonna be one in a million (a million others). Why buy it?
I guess you have to be comparing the X3, and wondering why you're not buying that. If money was all the issue, then you should be comparing the CR-V and the pathfinder, and Rave4.
Did you drive the RDX yet? That should tell you right there, enough about a vehicle class, and comparison. It blows the CR-V away. CR-V is exquisitely practical period.

 

If its for your wife, and she isn't a driving enthusiast, I would go for the CR-V. Much better on gas, and equal utility.

 

I agree with Mickie, drive the RDX. You will know in 2 minutes the difference between it and the CRV. I did test drive the CRV, the Murano, the Rav, the RX330, the X3 and X5 and the CX7. I might sound bias but I bought the RDX and I don't regret it a bit. The fun to drive factor sold me!

Rusty

 

In my opinion, the main differences are: interior comfort/luxury/quality, the handling, and the powertrain. SH-AWD is one of the reasons the RDX handles so well.

There is a fairly notable difference between the RDX and CR-V, and it is very much consistent with the pricing. I don't think you will have any problems deciding which vehicle makes more sense for you once you give them both a good look and test drive.

If gas mileage is a priority and you do a lot of city driving, then that is a strong argument in favor of the CR-V. The RDX has not been returning great city MPG for many of the owners here.

Also note that the RDX rides quite firmly. I like it myself, but many people find it too firm and stiff. Another issue that may drive you towards the CR-V.

Good luck!

 

i agree. i bought the RDX simply on the fact that it was turbo and the SH...cargo to cargo - the CR-V is almost identical. and with fuel economy, the CR-V would take the win. the new CR-V's are quite nice, leather w/nav is a nice little "truck". not sure of the $ difference, but thats a no brainer. good luck with a successful purchase of something!

 

When I was looking for a new car, I started looking at the new CR-V (look at almost all of the cross-over's). The CR-V is a great car, I looking at the Leather seats(no power seats) and NAV ($28,000 and they sell at MSRP)
You can get close to invoice on the RDX ($34,000 or so). The price difference between the 2 is a little over $100 month. The comparision between them is like night and day. The CR-V is nice the RDX is outstanding. Yes the mileage is not the best (getting about 18.5mpg 50/50 driving so far) but compare to my Ford Ranger it is about the same. I love my RDX, the ride, handling and interior.
So if you are looking for luxury buy the RDX, if you are looking for economy and MPG the CR-V is a great choice.

 

I've actually heard of long waits on the CR-V and paying full sticker
I've also heard subpar mileage although some reports show it just 2 mpg lower than the EPA which isn't that unusual.
I just think once you get a 4WD CRV with leather you're getting up there in sticker price and a V6 RAV4 is a superior value.
The CRX ride is smoother than either the rav or RDX but there are some really annoying things about the crv especially how the rear seats fold fwd. The RDX and RAV do a lot better if you're going to use the cargo area a lot.

 

You guys are really helpful!

We are going to drive both cars. So far we only drove and MDX and looked at a CRV. The MDX is perfect, except for the fuel economy and cost is out of our budget. The CRV is perfect too, except for the ho-hum-ness about it.

We loved are TSX and would have gotten bored with an Accord. I am thinking that RDX might be to CRV, as TSX is to Accord.

Marcus

 

Hehe...I'm thinking that was the intention?
Mike

 

This is kind of like a thread just played out in another forum. The vehicle choices are different, but I think some of the advice still holds... Worth a breeze through.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3557

 

I upgraded to RDX from an Element, though I was no stranger to Acuras as my late wife had a '99 TL. Ditto what everyone else said. CR-V is more utilitarian, RDX is more lux. Both are great choices. One thing I really like about the RDX is the dual-zone climate control. My gf is always friggin' cold, so it has alleviated some aggravation for me -- and I haven't even rec'd the full benefit of a road trip with it yet. My guess is that even outside the comfort potential which is terrific, it will quiet the car considerably!

It's the seemingly little things like this that make me glad I got the RDX. Coming from such a bare-bones ride like the Element, though, it wasn't hard to find improvement. Some mini-van types have indeed commented on the tight suspension (as in "rough ride") but I have to say that I find the ride pretty compliant vs. my Element. Then again, it's all relative as I'm used to the E and my S2K. But it seems like coming from a Toyo truck, the sport suspension would be a welcome handling change for you. I can tell you that whatever bumps you may encounter are totally negated by the fact that the RDX rides on rails.

My guess is the new CR-V will have a smoother ride than its predecessor. It is also a very nice vehicle; kind of a tough choice.

Call me crazy b/c you sound a lot like me, a Honda/Acura fan, but you might also consider a GMC Acadia. Featured-up, it's about the same price as an RDX and it has a V6 and I think more space in back (plus std 3rd-row seating) with equal mpg. It won't handle anything like a CR-V or RDX (but the ride will likely be smoother), and the styling is typical GM; not bad, but imho not as sharp as CR-V or RDX. They do have a 100k wty standard now, and they might also have some cash back deals. I think they make Nav, etc. a pricey option, but with factory incentives it probably evens out. I think it's a pretty decent effort by GM; trucks/SUVs are what they do really well.

You might also look at some Subarus. They have a nice line of small SUVs that get TERRIFIC mpg even under serious flogging, have great utility, are a blast to drive and are tricked out pretty well for a price (after incentives and negotiating) between CR-V and RDX. Kind of the best of all worlds. I shopped the Legacy Outback against RDX; for me, RDX had the Tech edge and more room in the front seats. My gf's next car will probably be a Forester as she had one before and liked it. One thing with a baby seat, though -- you may find the Subies too cramped. Their back seat room is a bit on the small side. For that matter, you'll want to test the baby seat in each of these rides to ensure you're not cramped in the front seat.

I think on RDX vs. CR-V, it comes down to driving prefs; does your wife like a quick, sporty ride, or a more sensible one? Does she prefer more gadgets or less? The CR-V does have RDX beat on mpg. And RDX has CR-V beat on creature comforts and power. Both have their advantages. Good luck in your decision. And enjoy.

 

both NICE cars.. acura of course has more toys... but the crv seems very underpowered... many people get over or close to 20mpg... i only stay around 15 cuz i drive fast , pick races, and its all city...

 

Test drove the RDX tonight....we are pretty much sold on it. The time seems right too with sales volume down and my local dealer (Acura Mission Viejo) breaking ground on a new building this month. They need to get rid of inventory.

 

I'll support you.. by buying some stuff from you

 

There is something to be said about paying for a car you really enjoy...somehow, it doesn't hurt so much when I puts a smile on your face

As I figure, I will get a lot more enjoyment (every day) for a longer period of time, with better gas milage then my sister, who sunk her $ into a $50,000 boat!

Good luck with your purchase!

 

well Rdx is a Fun Car..Maybe your friend at Honda never Drove The Rdx..he will not tell you what to do..if u want for her The Rdx and She Likes It And Want It..Get IT!...im a owner of the Rdx..We Are All Rdx Owner here..and we all know how the Rdx Is FUN..soo..maybe buy the Rdx..and help Acura sell more of it

 

I am going to try for a super low purchase price.

We did a little math here, and I think it is actually going to be cheaper to lease for 3 years then buy out with a 2 year finance, rather than finance for 60 months.

 

i think they have 1.9% apr for 36mo. right now. just saw that in local newspaper

 

Wife and I looked hard at the CRV to upgrade from her 2002 CRV...we test drove the CRV and were all set to buy it...but we could not find one liked we wanted...ANYWHERE. And the best discount we could get in the NJ/PA area was 750 under msrp.
This was back in january...
We went to the Acura dealer and test drove the RDX. Absolutely no comparison between the two. My wife loved the RDX so much that the CRV wasnt even an option anymore.

We got a non tech rdx for about 650 below invoice so the price between a loaded crv and a non tech rdx was only like a 2k difference.
She drives about 60% hwy and 40% city and gets a consistent 22-24 MPG.
I dont know why some people get far worse mileage then that but I am glad we got one that gets as good gas mileage as her 2002 CRV.
Anyone who says the CRV is just like the RDX has not driven them both. Trust me.
Thats like saying an accord drives like a TL. Not to anyone with a pulse