I was just checking out Consumer Reports review on the RDX and one of the points they made stand out was body roll. Claiming that while taking turns there was a fair amount. Curious to know what the owners out there think? When I test drove I only got to drive a local highway so there was no chance to really check the handling. Of course its not going to handle like a BMW, but still for a luxury vehicle I was a little sad to hear them mention the body roll issue.

 

It does not handle like my wife's '06 TL, but I don't expect it to. I think the handling is good and body roll is reasonable for an SUV. Here's the quote from Motorweek:

"At our test track, the RDX’s electric-assist power steering felt great, and diving through the cones was easier than we were expecting given the absence of super-handling all-wheel-drive. Front end reaction is direct and turn-ins sharp, while body roll is moderate. Streaking down the quarter-mile, the RDX is smooth and quiet as it hits 95-miles per hour in 15.4-seconds. Sprints to 60 take just 7.0-seconds, thanks to a nice, firm launch and quick-building power. Panic stops from 60 averaged just 126-feet, with good pedal feel and consistency throughout our tests. So, maybe the RDX hasn’t lost all of its athletic pretense after all."

After driving my wife's new RDX a few times, I agree with MotorWeek.

 

It's not a sports car....it doesn't have SH-Awd like the Gen 1.....BUT.....body roll???? Not really any to speak of considering it's an SUV that sits fairly high. I took mine out not long after buying it and "tossed it around" a little on the off ramps and on ramps, etc. I have no complaints.
And, I'm still amazed how it takes off in first gear from a stop. Damn this thing is quick!! Has a nice growl to it when you put your foot in it. It easily beats my '13 TSX (4cyl.) off the line by a long ways. And it's pretty quick.....but, the RDX has shut down a lot of vehicles on the streets that tried to test me. No it's not a drag car....but, I've owned many true high performance cars in years past....and this '13 RDX has a very quick first gear start!!

 

Okay, let's cut to the chase: Consumer Reports is okay for toasters and vacuum cleaners, but they are not qualified to report on vehicles. Might as well ask Rolling Stone what they think.

All vehicles with suspension systems have body roll to one degree or another. Tallish vehicles are going to have more roll than low-slung vehicles. It is a necessary trade-off between good ride quality and razor's-edge handling.

Most of us do not drive our vehicles hard enough for body roll to be a problem, and most of us want a decent ride, so some body roll is acceptable. That said, I've slung my RDX around freeway cloverleafs and off-ramps with some gusto, and I found the roll to be entirely acceptable. If you drive a lot faster than I did you are in danger of crashing, so IMO it's not an issue.

Oh, and Motorweek is the only tester to come up with that 7.0-second run to 60. Most of the mags came in at 6.2 sec.

 

I don't understand why all the hate for Consumer Reports auto testing. Saying they are "not qualified" to report on vehicles is pretty strong. Why?? They buy their cars and drive them for thousands of miles over a period of many months vs. auto mags that take what the manufacturer gives them and test them usually for a couple of days and one or two test drivers will give an opinion. CR sends them home with employees families that use the vehicles. The have a 300+ testing facility and have a large staff of auto engineers that have been testing and comparing cars for 30-40 years. I don't agree with everything they say or even on some their nebulous ratings but what do we really know about the people that work for auto mags that do testing and that work for companies that are paid by advertisers. I did not say "paid off" by advertisers like a lot of people do but the fact remains that the advertisers pay their salaries.

I just see this anti-CR rant a lot and can't understand why. Just because they test other things has nothing to do with how well they test cars. The same people are not testing toasters as are driving and evaluating the cars. That's almost like saying because GE makes coffeemakers we shouldn't fly on planes with GE engines. I know, different divisions....but it is the same with CR, different divisions.

 

Let me first say I don't always agree with the auto mags. They are typically staffed by young bucks who think cars have to have a manual trans, stiff suspension and rear-wheel drive to be legit.

My dislike for CR's auto testing has to do with my impression of their results more than anything. They tend to say dumb things and recommend cars most others dislike and vice-versa. It's like they are on a different planet sometimes.

But I also question whether they have the resources to evaluate cars properly. Whereas the car mag people do nothing but drive and evaluate cars, cars are only a tiny part of CR's business. IOW, the car mag people are specialists and CR is a generalist.

Bottom line is I've seen enough silliness in CR's reports that I don't respect their opinions on cars. A lot of automotive testing and evaluation is subjective and I just don't agree with their subjective evaluations.

 

They did like the RDX and it's one of their recommended so I guess you have to admit they got that one right! No reviewer is perfect and they all are subjective to some degree. CR does a lot of tests that are not subjective also like acceleration, braking etc and their MPG tests are all done the same on every single vehicle so it is good for comparison IMO. I agree that some of the subjective comments they make are not the best but I've read similar stuff in auto mags too where they really should know what they are talking about.

As far as resources go I know they have a 300+ acre auto testing facility in Conn. and a staff of auto enineers(not toaster engineers) doing the testing. They test cars for months like I said and get feedback from the employees and families that also drive the vehicles. So maybe some of the subjective comments are coming from them.....real people, not young bucks. I don't know what kind of staffs the auto mags have as far as facilities and engineering staffs go. I guess we all assume they have a lot of resources because we seem to take everything they say as almost gospel.

I usually read all the reviews, tests etc that I can find on a new car before I buy, CR included. Not because CR is great at auto reviews but because they offer a different perspective a lot of times.

But anyway, back to body roll. I have noticed that when I read about the dual damper system that was in this vehicle I thought it would be similar to another vehicle I have with a similar system. That vehicle rolls to a degree and then kind of settle down and flattens out. The RDX just keeps rolling. Not a boat by any means but also not quite as good as I thought it would be. It's pretty much the same as my previous SUV and I expected a little tauter, sportier handling around the curves and it really isn't. It's fine for me though as I really don't push it much. I'm through replacing tires at 30k!

 

Suffice it to say that one should never make decisions based on a single review, but should consider input from multiple sources. I respect CR for what it is and what it does, whether it be cars or toothpaste. I also don't drive a car like they do in Road & Track (although my wife might differ on that) but I respect their opinion as well.

I looked at several reviews, including YouTube videos, and spent countless hours in this forum and in the end, I am very satisfied with the RDX. I took every review with a grain of salt... Heck, if they only went by this forum, with all of the complaints no one would buy an RDX. But we all understand that this is typical of forums - a great way to learn many of the ins-and-outs of a vehicle and of the potential issues that might crop up.

 

I think for what it is and how she sits, she does pretty good around a hard turn. Reading all the reviews from many sources and my own driving experience, this is not a problem IMO.

 

Consumer Reports.....their "car evaluation division" is heavily invested into what they do. They have entire magazines and books printed just on cars/trucks/SUV's and it's pretty thorough. Much more so than car magazines. Their analysis is a composite from many inputs.....NOT just one car mag. writer that puts his/her mostly subjective spin on the vehicle they drove. I laugh much more at the car mag. writers than what CR puts out. I am a car guy...owning 60 vehicles to date...and subscribe to many auto mags a month....but, I've cut them back also, since there is so much redundancy.

And, in case some don't know....CR buys....read that....owns all the vehicles they test. Then some poor schmucks end up with them as they are sold at auctions and then on to dealers lots!
LOL!!

So, to say that their vehicle analysis is just a "side issue" along with toothpaste etc, is just plain wrong. That being said....I take input from multiple sources....not just one when I buy or endeavor to do most anything...if I'm researching first. No one "Human Behaviorist" got it all right about us humans. Freud had his thoughts....other's had theirs. They all wrote about it....students studied all of them....and you try and figure out what makes the most sense.

 

Yes, RDX definitely has body roll on tight turns but does not concern me - Stock X5 is quite better than RDX in turns. I would do 40 mph on a particular ramp and never felt in X5 but I do feel in my RDX though it sits lower than X5.

I was wondering if there is any way to make this body roll a little less....

 

Drive a little slower.

 

By the BMW back....and then let us know what your service and maint. bills are to keep that overrated SUV going!
I agree...drive slightly slower. But, seriously...what are you concerned about? So it leans a "little more" than a hot rodded whatever.....it also rides better...costs much less to keep up....and truly, if you need to "go really fast" in the off ramps, etc, then you need a second vehicle to get your thrills. Like my '13 TSX Spec. Ed. It stays pretty darn flat at 65 plus in the ramps!! LOL!!!