Some things I really appreciated about my Chrysler Town&Country; that I wish Acura would do.

Heat elements embedded in the windshield at the wiper parking area. When the rear defroster was activated, the lower windshield (and side mirrors) would defrost as well, freeing the wipers.

Audio controls on the back side of the steering wheel. These fell naturally to the fingertips in the normal steering wheel grip. Front side controls require moving your thumbs off the wheel, and most people look down at the switches, away from the road. The Chrysler method requires memorizing the switch functions, and does not compromise grip or attention.

Additionally, my VW GTI has manual jacking levers on each seat for raising and lowering, and they have worked flawlessly for years. If the RDX passenger seat is not powered, at least a manual vertical adjustment would be welcome.

 

Agreed also heated steering wheel would have been nice too. top end beemers and audi's have them.

 

My Subaru had heated wipers. Really, didn't do that much. Some Fords (Explorer) have a full heated winshield. I'm curious as to how well that would work.

My Maxima has a heated steering wheel and that is an awesome feature. On cold days, you just hold it and grin like a dork.

The whole pump seat thing is lame to me though. Passenger height adjustment is not required.

 

When parked, my M-Class turns off its interior lights automatically after 20 minutes. So if the map lights are inadvertently left on, or doors not closed properly, the battery won't be drained.

 

I think the RDX does that, I know for sure the headlights turn off if you leave them on. Interior I have never checked.

 

Yes, it's a setting you can change in the MID settings. Interior light timeout and headlight timeout. I test drove a Chevy Tahoe that had wiper fluid heaters. You would press the button, it would warm up, and in a minute squirt hot wiper fluid to melt any snow or ice. After the initial giddiness, I found it kind of strange and somewhat useless though.

I've already memorized the position of the steering controls, so I don't find that too distracting.

Even though I'm not a huge fan of sport mode, I wish they used the shift lever as a shifter, like they do in the MDX and some Mazdas, instead of using steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. Partly because I get confused when the wheel is turned, and also because my right hand just happens to rest ever so perfectly on the shift lever when I'm driving!I

 

yes but the interior light timeout is only for the courtesy light feature, not if a map light or the switch is set to on

 

The fully heated windshields block signals from reaching a radar detector. Not worth it for me.

 

It is if your 6'8".

 

when u turn on the rear defrost..that also activates defrost in the side mirrors

 

Rocket launchers!

For traffic & slow drivers of course....

 

PLUS ONE!!!!

 

The '08 Techs come standard with stinger missiles behind the HID headlights. But they're not heat seeking.

 

Crap i was hoping to take out Civic's on the Highway.

 

I want automatic headlights... Im so used to auto headlights, it sucks to have to do them manually. And with the rdx cluster lights on full time. My wife doesnt even notice the headlights are off when she drives half the time.

I want memory for the power seats.

I want some sort of button interface for the bluetooth. I want to be able to view my phonebook in bluetooth like I can in my BMW.

 

Probably works pretty well until the first time that you need to use it and you discover that it doesn't work anymore. But luckily you find that it's covered under it's umpteenth recall notice so you take it back to the dealership for the umpteenth time.

 

Not that this is necessarily ideal but couldn't you just turn the headlights on all the time. The car will automatically turn them off. That way everytime you turn the car on the headlights are on. The RDX has an Auto Off feature just not Auto On/Off. Sure you'll burn the headlights a little more but I think it's a lot safer than driving around not knowing your rearlights aren't on because all you have on the DRL.

 

Sounds like a fantastic idea except for the people who don't change settings and end up killing there batteries because the control unit for the headlamps stay on. Also, which may or may not be an issue down the line, but leaving the lights on all the time could lead to bulbs going out faster then normal or even worse, igniters going bad. It's obviously way to early to tell since the RDX is newer but we can attribute 9 out of 10 failed igniters with people who leave there headlights on at all times. Definitely not worth the 650 dollar repair to me.

 

LED tail lights. I'm sure it'll come next year in a mid model changes.

 

I wish the MID display could be set to display what I want as a default condition.
For example, I might want the SHAWD gague to be displayed by default. Maybe the range, maybe the coolant temp.

Maybe It can be set this way but I have not figured it out.

 

I was just thinking the same this morning...

 

Oh yea.. that too! it always bothered me as to why it cant just stay where i left it. Thats how my BMW 330i is and thats how it should be.

Ive always said to my wife... for such a smart car, its dumb.

 

Thanks for the info on that. I figured there would be some downside to it. But I've been doing it with my Honda Civic for the last 6 years now and haven't had one problem yet. Let me take that back...I"ve had to replace one headlight in that time. I'm assuming the cost of repairing a Civic "might" be a little less than that of an RDX so it might be wise not to do it. I might try it when I purchase my car and see how long it lasts. If it's an abnormal short amount of time I won't bother with it again.

 

It has Memory seats on the 08 and the pass seat is power too.

 

Actually that is inaccurate based on the Website. The driver side is power but the passenger side is not. The memory seat is only for the driver seat.

http://www.acura.com/index.aspx?initPath=RDX

 

I have the 08 Tech - USA version. The power driver seat has 2-position memory. The passenger seat is power - human power.

 

The dealer told me that I didn't go out and feel one up.

 

I really wished it had power folding sideview mirrors. They stick out more than the MDX. It's great for visibility but I wish they would fold in automatically when parked, like after 10 seconds or something like that. Oh, and LED tail lights. c'mon, the cheapo RAV4 has them. they could have also designed the hooks for the rear trunk cover to be a little more flush.

 

Ditto to the power folding mirrors and LED tails.

 

Maybe I don't understand what you mean by this.

Mine (2007 Tech) always stays at the last position that I set.

Now, it isn't actually on when I start the car, but the first tap on either Info button turns it on and it is still at the last position I was using, and then I can change it from there. If I set it to the SH-AWD gauge and turn the car off and then back on, the display is blank, but hitting an Info button turns back on the SH-AWD gauge - etc.

Are you saying that yours does not turn on at the same info you were last viewing? Or are you saying that you don't like the fact that it is off by default (I know I'd like it to be on by default). Or am I misunderstanding the problem you are having?

 

+1 for shifting with the gear lever
+1 for memory seats (which they added in 2008)

Add:

- A way to disable the HFL voice activation and turn the Bluetooth into a dumb "headset" mode since my phone already does everything that HFL does for me, but better.

- A way to disable the *ANNOYING* reminders that won't leave you alone because it thinks you are an idiot with a 5 second attention span and can't be trusted to remember key information about gas levels or impending service intervals.

- Better lighting in the trunk

- A bigger sunroof (panoramic Mmmmmmm...)

- Lower position for the headlights so that the HID cutoff didn't have to angle so sharply down.

 

Power folding side view mirrors; more than two heat settings for the heated leather seats; auto headlights; side view mirrors that automatically turn down when in reverse--BOTH driver and passenger side; the ability to turn off daytime running lights at your discretion; power rear liftgate; remote start.

I have a 2008 RDX Tech and a 2007 Saturn Outlook, both purchased new in 2007, and the Saturn gives me all of the above. My RDX has Bluetooth, which I use, but my Outlook has Onstar, which I use to make hands free calls when I don't have my cell phone with me (or the battery is low or dead).

The nice thing about my RDX is the ability to give oral commands for temperature and switching from regular radio to XM etc. etc. But the sport mode with the paddle shifters really make it cool.

 

after driving the TSX, TL, and MDX for a few days each, I'm glad the RDX has the paddles. they are so much more easy to use. you don't have to shift it into sport mode from the lever and then down or upshift. just a simple tap from the steering wheel and your done. also, what is annoying about the manual stick is that if your resting your hand on it it frequently slips into sport mode. practically all supercars have paddles for a reason.

 

Did anyone mention hood struts to keep the hood open instead of a prop rod? Also height adjustment for passenger seat.

 

The struts would get in the way, as in you will not be able to "fully" open the hood or you will have the hood open way to far for other things....