Ugly storm of some snow and freezing rain today while I was at work in New Jersey. I had to drive 60 miles back home to Pennsylvania at rush hour on slippery Interstate 78. My RDX' SH-AWD handled it all like a champ! I thought I was on dry road while everybody else was driving on ice.

About 20 miles into my commute, I shifted down to Sport mode and used the flippers, keeping it between 1st and 3rd gear the rest of the way. Up and down those steep ice-covered hills, changing lanes to get around the slowpokes, the RDX handled superbly. What a thrill!

 

Good to hear. I haven't had a chance to see how it drives in any snow as it has yet to snow here, but it feels like it would drive pretty well and I'm glad to hear it does.

 

I'm right there with you Plains!!! I drove 30 miles on the Pa Turnpike in rush hour traffic last evening, and my RDX handled like a true champ. The SH-AWD was far better than anything else on the road. I even took a trip to Circuit City, another 11 mile drive, at like 8:30 last night when the roads were ice covered. Still working great!

 

I have the same experience you guys have with the RDX. The SH-AWD system does work well.

I think you guys know this, but thought I say this anyway, the SH-AWD may be great tracking around on snow covered roads, but trying to stop on icy slippery roads will be just as dicey as with normal FWD cars. But if you put on good snow shoes for the RDX, like the blizzaks, that is a slightly different story.

 

Hi Plainsman.....just out of curiosity how does the RDX handle in the snow compared to the Outlook? We love our RDX but are potentially looking at replacing our Pathfinder with one of the GM crossovers or an MDX. Thanks.....

 

It's difficult to compare the two because of the difference in size. The OUtlook drives like a car, like a luxury car, if you get one loaded with heated leather, the 19 inch tires (which come from the factory with an upgraded suspension, although half the sales people don't know that), etc. With it's greater size, I don't whip it around like I do my RDX.

SH-AWD is definitely superior to the Outlook's fairly standard AWD, which is why I considered the MDX. But paying 10K to 12K more for a comparably equipped MDX that has a joke for a third row seat and significantly less cargo space didn't make sense to me. Let's be honest. The MDX should be a five passenger vehicle. The third row is for small kids not adults.

I've owned my Outlook for a year. Exactly 12 months. I've driven my family of five (ncluding 3 adult-sized teenagers) with luggage for five all inside the vehicle on three, week long trips to Minnesota, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and Cape Cod. I did all the driving on each trip and never got tired, that's how comfortable it is sitting behind the wheel of my Outlook on long drives. Get an MDX with my family and week's worth of luggage and I'd have to use one of those roof cargo things, and my 14 year old son would still be crunched in the third row.

So it depends in part on your need. If you have smallish kids and only one or two of 'em, and you have the extra dough get an MDX. If you have older (larger) kids, and/or grandparents to haul around with you on family outings, get an Outlook XR with AWD. If it's just you and the wife, and maybe a little baby, and you love to accelerate swiftly and drive fast (when the kid isn't with you) then get an RDX.

 

Same vehicle, same ice storm, same experience. I tried starting on some steep hills, and the SH-AWD clawed right up with no drama.

It's interesting to watch the info display transfer torque, while the traction light flashes out Morse code for "n-o p-r-o-b-l-e-m d-u-d-e". After this storm I am convinced that SH-AWD provides more effective slippery surface traction than the 4XMotion in my VW Touareg did.

 

Honda has really set the bar high with their SH-AWD system. When it is raining outside it feels like if the RDX was driving on dry pavement. Add a little snow to the mix and the VSA and SH-AWD take it like a champ. I know people mock the name for the AWD, Super handling, I think its a perfect fit because thats what it does exactly. All its missing is a cape off the hatch of the RDX!

 

They mock the name because they wish their car had "Super-Handling All Wheel Drive."

 

+1 but Capes are out.

 

I was driving through the "snow squalls" in central pa down I-81 on Sunday. They closed I-81 in Hazelton. Two things I love about the RDX... I was able to program the Nav system to avoid I-81 on the way home and while driving on the slushy two lane roads the SH-AWD was awesome.

After about 10 miles I was able to find an on-ramp to I-81 that was open. Since they hadn't yet opened the lanes behind me.. traffic was light and I got home to Baltimore.

Great Car!