mahimatt

So I have a 05 TL (Love it), and was thinking of moving to an RDX. Has anyone made this transition? Any thoughts on a AWD vs FWD. I am not an off roader although I do live in the Northeast and Snow can get deep at times. That said I have been fine in my FWD Tl for the last 6 years. Is it worth the extra coin? Any suggestions on a great drive off the lot price on the RDX the Tech Package is a must for me? Any feed back is much appreciated.

Acura604

i made the move from an 07/08 TL. ( i had 3 TLs - 2 x 08 and 1 x 07 )

check out this thread i started to illustrate some differences from an 08 TL to an 08 RDX tech:

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/bye-now-3g-tl-834919/

other than that, i've upgraded my RDX to the point where I love it more now than my former TL. (by adding oem options).

in hindsight, since i had a set of dedicated winters for my TL, i might've re-thought the transaction and held onto my TL cuz it was pretty low mileage but whats done is done. The 3G TL in my opinion is the best looking (and still is) sedan on the roads today.

mahimatt

Your thoughts are mine exactly. My fav body style of the TL I had an 04 and an 05. The new body just is not the same on the TL. Thanks for the feed back this is a tough call. I guess i will have to see what kind of deal they will offer.

Mr Marco

.SH-AWD FTW.
BUT, You should keep the TL. You'll miss that low center of gravity. My RDX is a full 1ft taller than my TL. The trouble is the wife wont give up the TL. I really miss driving a sedan. But she's been makeing the payment, so I keep my mouth shut.

red00tl

I moved from 2G TL to RDX. The biggest difference of course was SH-AWD. RDX is much better in every aspect compared to my 2G TL.

The main reason I made the move, however, was the faulty tranny issue with 2G TL. If I had a 3G TL, I think I would have stayed with it.

See what kind of offer you'll get and go from there.

russianDude

my wife has RDX, you would not like the ride if you like how TL rides on highway... its a truck, sporty one, but still cant compare truck to sedan.... cant arue about likes though

mrgold35

I (still) have an 06 TSX w/ Navi and purchased a used 08 RDX Tech. What I liked about the RDX was:

Pros:
- Better visibility: with the higher seating position you have much better 360 degree visibility. Even in traffic, the RDX can see over shorter vehicles and through the glass of taller vehicles.
- Upright driving position: I’m 6’3” with size 14 shoes; I have more knee, foot and elbow room in the wider/larger cabin space. More comfortable for longer trips compared to my TSX.
- Better Tech: Auto door lock/unlock, navi traffic, ELS system, back up camera, one touch up/down on front windows, one touch sunroof, passenger side mirror goes down in reverse, illuminated home link buttons, lots of extra storage in doors/center console, etc…
- Very easy to use the “U” in CUV: Wide hatch, easy fold down back seats, no drive shaft “hump” in the middle of the RDX, easy to remove hatch shelf and store in RDX for more room, optional roof rack for more storage, etc...
- You can haul 4-5 folks in more comfort (wider cabin, no hump on floor, more head room, etc...)
- Easier to get in/out: My 72 year old mom can just slide in/out of the RDX much easier compare to my TSX.
- Mods: Hondata reflash for about 270hp and about 290tq AND an 5-8% improvement in average mpgs
- More fun to drive with the turbo power and sh-awd is engaged. A lot of tq on hand when the turbo kicks in.
- For a new vehicle, the RDX has not had the same amount of problems like the 2004 TSX/TL or 2005 RL. A 2007 RDX is just as good as the 2008 or 2009 RDX (no memory seats on 07 RDX).
- Value: the RDX still command a pretty high price in the used market
- Insurance: I only pay $4.62 more every six months compared to my TSX for the same coverage.

Cons:
- Gas mileage: I average about 19.5-20 mpg combined commuter miles (or about 300-325 miles per tank) with 60% hwy driving
- Average about 21.5 mpg straight hwy at 80-85 mph, I can get up to 24-25 mpg if I keep the speed around 65 mph.
- Road noise: the RDX can be a little noisy depending on the type of asphalt you drive on. I have Conti DWS tires on both the RDX and TSX, TSX is very quite on the same roads.
- Feels like a 2 ton top heavy CUV when you hit the corners without power and sh-awd
- Mods are pretty much limited to rims, window tint, tire, brakes, reflash, and OEM accessories
- No touch screen navi, knob is very slow to enter addresses
- my knees touch the glove box when I ride as a passenger (needs a 6-way power seat for passenger)
- need to allow room to open rear hatch when parking. I have to open garage door to open rear hatch at home. You will get your hands dirty when you open/close the hatch when the RDX is grubby. (needs auto open/close button in cabin/hatch/keychain).

If I could only pick the TSX or RDX, I would have to pick the RDX because of Tech, power, and utility over the TSX.

MMike1981

wait for the 2013 to make your decision. right now, an RDX TECH is so old in every respect. Still a great performer, but outdated in every other area, especially the NAV/stereo (the 2nd generations of which are in Acuras other models) and the transmission. your money will buy you, assumingly, a lot more vehicle with the 2013 for more than likely same money.

RDX Dad

Hi,

I sort of moved the other way. I bought a '08 RDX Tech based on the combo of a truly sporty SUV and great rebates. My wife now has the RDX since we sold her '06 CR-V.

I have a '08 TL-S 6MT. The key differences I see between the two are:
- RDX pros:
has better traction - no substitution for AWD
- SH-AWD, you have more options then FWD when cornering hard
- TL-S has better transitional response and feels

RDX Dad

Messed up previous post and couldn't figure out how to edit it. Sorry about that.

---

Hi,

I sort of moved the other way. I bought a '08 RDX Tech based on the combo of a truly sporty SUV and great rebates. My wife now has the RDX since we sold her '06 CR-V.

I have a '08 TL-S 6MT. The key differences (other than space and utility) I see between the two other than are:
- RDX has better traction - no substitution for AWD
- SH-AWD, you have more options then FWD when cornering hard
- RDX has virtually no torque steer
- RDX steering less communicative and too light
- RDX has a rougher ride and it's noisier (quality isn't that great other than the slight whistle from the turbo)
- RDX has slight turbo lag (or too much traction?)
- RDX has an awesome steering wheel
- RDX has a better trip computer
- RDX has a more rigid body

- TL-S has better transitional response and feels significantly lighter
- TL-S has awesome brakes
- TL-S has torque steer (can get nasty too)
- TL-S VSA doesn't work that great for traction (not sure if it's a 6MT thing)
- TL-S has better interior materials including leather
- TL-S is quieter and sounds better (when you do hear it)
- TL-S sub-woofer thumps more

Hope this helps.

pickler

RDX steering too light? i was going to say the RDX has stiff steering compared to the TL. maybe it changes from 08-on models. the biggest fault with the TL is torque and understeer.