I know anything is possible, does anyone have any information if Honda will install a diesel engine in the 2016 Acura RDX.

 

Not a chance in the US, too many enviro whackos for diesels to become common here and any mpg gains would be offset by the higher cost of diesel fuel which is a sham as diesel costs less than gasoline to refine.

 

Some things are less probable than others. There is no Honda or Acura in the US that runs on diesel. In fact, I can't think of a single Japanese diesel vehicle sold in the US. Mazda has delayed the US introduction of the 2.2 diesel. I would expect a hybrid RDX before a diesel.

 

That is incorrect. The mileage gains (ofter 25-30%) are not offset by the increased fuel costs (generally about 10% more than regular and only a few % over premium.

The lack of acceptance has nothing to do with "enviro whackos" but with past poor experiences with early attempts to bring diesels to the US - primarily in "luxury" cars that was a complete failure.

All that said, I'd bet a dollar to a hole in a donut that Acura never brings a diesel to these shores.

 

Acura won't introduce a diesel unless all the other Japanese companies do so ahead of them. If Toyota and Nissan bring them to the US and have success then Honda will follow suit.

It will probably depend on the Germans (Audi, BMW, and Mercedes) who all have diesels in the US. If they increase market share then the Japanese may follow suit to compete.

 

No. And that's too bad, because anybody lucky enough to sample a modern diesel - particularly VAG's 3.0 TDI - knows how far diesels have come. Simply wonderful power plants.

Btw, diesel fuel is less expensive than premium in my area.

 

Certainly not the case in western WA, of course the politicians on the western side of the state simply cannot tax us enough to pay for their social engineering.

 

Diesel is around 5-10 cents more expensive than Premium in the southwest at regular gas stations. Sam's (and I think Costco) don't sell diesel and their fuel prices are usually 5-15 cents lower compared to regular gas stations.

I usually put 15,000-18,000 miles per year on my vehicles at hwy speeds of 80 mph and a 10%-25% jump in mpgs would help with the gas bill as long as Acura don't try and screw us on the vehicle price. HP is nice in my MDX; but, torque with a turbo diesel is what I need when heading in the mountains at +8000 feet. The torque in my RDX from the I-4 turbo (Hondata+ETS intercooler) makes short work of any mountain pass, even the +11,000 foot I-70 Eisenhower pass in Colorado.

Diesel, turbo-diesel, gas hybrid, and/or turbo-diesel hybrid would be a great addition to the Acura line-up (just keep the cost reasonable).

 

HOT ROD....That is a gorgeous Touareg you got there!! There is one similar at our local dealership and everytime I drive by it, I drool! I took it for a test drive and what an amazing machine.

 

Thanks Weather. I'd had it with the BMW ... simply the most disappointing vehicle purchase of my life. I was hoping for some substantial updates to the RDX, but Acura apparently feels it's OK as-is.

The Touareg has to be one of the most underrated SUV's on the market. I was looking at the Q5 TDI as well as the Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel and a few other utilities, and only happened upon the Touareg when a Q5 I planned to drive was sold on my way to the dealership. Rather than waste a trip, I took the Touareg for a spin. A few minutes behind the wheel was all it took. I finally understand why Porsche had no reservations about selling a version themselves. The torque and refinement are pretty amazing. Even more amazing is the fuel economy. Cruising at 75 returns right around 30 mpg - a number I was never able to hit with the 4-cylinder X1. It's still early, but so far I'm absolutely thrilled.

 

You almost make me want to revisit my VW dealer....especially that the owner is my neighbor Keep me posted....Have you experienced a vibration in highway speed? I read somewhere that some were saying its a known isse because of the 20 inch wheels... Any truth to that rumour?

 

No vibrations at all. I was admittedly concerned because the R Line has the 20's plus stiffer springs, but the ride is surprisingly compliant. It actually rides better than our Q5. The first test drive was in a Sport trim model with the 18" wheels and standard suspension, and I think it felt noticeably softer. I would have been fine with that, too, but I think I'm going to be glad I went for the slightly firmer ride. The sweet spot might be the R Line with minus-size 19" wheels, which is what I intend to use for my winter setup. If at all curious, I recommend you take a look. The TDI's torque is intoxicating, so consider yourself warned. I am a little worried about reliability. But I was told my Audi would be a maintenance nightmare, and at 45,000 miles it's only been to the service department for scheduled oil changes. Having owned a Toyota that had a transmission failure a few thousand miles outside of warranty, I'm absolutely convinced you can get a turd or a gem from any manufacturer.

 

I agree.....I think we have reached a point where cars are much more reliable then they have ever been. Although some brands have had lots of problem, they are are much more on par with each other now. Even Hyundai which I swore I would never own has been bullet proof!

Maybe I shouldn't go for a test drive afterall....I don't want to end up with a Touareg in my driveway until I have a chance to at least see the TLX in the flesh.

 

I traded a Jetta TDI wagon for the RDX. That car, a stick, was a hoot to drive, and the mileage was great. But after 110,000 plus miles, the check engine and everything else flashed one day, and the car went into limp mode. Fortunately, it was an only $700 problem with the turbo system, not the dreaded, but not uncommon, disintegrated fuel pump ($2000 to replace the fuel system, since it sends shrapnel throughout). Traded it in after the work while it was still worth something.

So I'm hoping that the boringness of the Acura will translate into reliability. I'd sworn after a Passat that would randomly blow electrical coils that it would be no more VWs. The Jetta sold me, but I wasn't about to try again with another.

The problem with the fuel pump is that is fiddly, and US diesel fuel isn't of the same quality as Europe's. So one bit of bad diesel and -- boom.

That said, when Mazda gets diesel figured out for the US market (the problem is meeting the California regs without losing performance), I'll check it out. After about two years of a track record.

 

It would seem a hybrid electric turbo diesel would be the perfect combo for the RDX to deliver excellent power, towing, and mpgs? It could be the first SUV to average 34-38 mpgs combined with a +500 mile range and 0-60 time of 7-8 seconds.