How is the handling and driving experience of your rdx?

How did it compare to the competition if you test drove any of them?

 

Thank You!!!

I've been asking around myself... I have a 2007, which handles amazingly well...

But I'd like to know myself about the 2013+ model...

RDX10 should be commenting soon... He tried to explain it to me once, but I'd like to hear different peoples take on it... Probably my biggest all-time question!!!

I see their getting cheap now, today, I found one for $17k (usd) and change!!!

Best at of luck!!!

 

IMHO the RDX is a decent handling car. It isn't at the level of the Q5 or X3, but quite competent. The only way to really get this answered though is to go out and drive one(along with the competition) yourself. Then you can make an informed comparison.

 

Certainly better than a Ford Escape. Feels solid, well poised, good ride. Not noisy, skittish & bumpy like the Escape.

 

In terms if ride quality, the RDX is definitely nicer. But in terms of handling? It isn't even close. The escape drives like a lifted focus and not like a floaty top heavy boat. I am talking about the 2013+ escape of course.



OP,

In my experience the 2G RDX suspension was incredibly good at soaking up bumps. I was really really impressed. I remember when I took my 1G in for service and drove out with the 2G, it was like night and day difference. I almost called it Germanic (but Germans do this without sacrificing handling or causing floatiness).

In terms of handling, I was incredibly disappointed. It drove like our 2009 santa fe, in corners the whole body would pitch and roll. Really gave me the impression that I was in a boat on the water. On undulating surfaces the car would float and bob causing me to move all around in there.

I tried taking a wide corner moderately quick (think 40km/h) and you could feel it about to roll over with all the body pushed over to that side and very understeery. Very unsettling to say the least. Whereas on the other habd my 1G would have happily eaten up that same turn going 70-80km/h.

My current 2G MDX has the magnetic shocks and SH-AWD so it isn't a fair comparison. But it can handle turns just as well as my RDX did. Minimal to no body roll. Drives like it is on rails and like something its' size and height has no right to do.

IMHO the 3G RDX has to fix these short comings. They can be addressed with using dual flow dampeners (one section of flow for slow driving to absorb bumps, and a valve that closes to increase dampening when going fast for better handling in corners. Also they need to add stiffer and larger sway bars and return at least the i-vtm4 version of SH-AWD. Hondas should not have better awd systems than any Acura.

 

It must be me. This is a 4,000 pound SUV with electronic steering! It's a soccer mom car.

 

Are you implying that because it is an SUV it can't handle well, or are you just saying that the RDX itself is a soccer mom car?

 

Before I got my RDX I test drove the Lexus NX and did not like it one bit. The engine always felt strained and coarse. It was noisy, I felt every bit of cracked asphalt and was too cramped inside.
Then I drove a Lincoln MKC reserve with the 2.3 turbo. I loved everything about the car except the idiotic gear shifter with buttons on the dashboard. The engine power was amazing, it was whisper quiet, the ride was great and the technology/options are among the best in the class. The deal killer for me was the reliability and worse yet the customer support from Lincoln are not good at all. I rummaged through the online forums and both counts are unanimous. To top it off the insurance premium for it was a lot more than for an RDX Advanced.
Finally I test drove the RDX and liked it but not falling in love. It had the right size, ride, power, options and price and I got it because it was the overall best car from the ones I tested (Germans/Europeans were not in contention for me).

 

I got to drive a loaner 2016 RDX on Thursday last week. I'd say it handles just fine for the market this car targets. Yes, coming from a 1G, it felt bigger and "boaty" but did it's job well. The weirdest part for me was the sensation of the flat seats coming from the deep bolsters of 1G. But they were soft and comfy but I didnt have that snugged-in feeling I'm used to.

 

i came from a '14 Escape Titanium and my old Escape handled MUCH better than my '17 RDX. The RDX does well for an SUV and I'm not disappointed in it, but the Escape is known for its handling so I was not expecting the same when I bought the RDX. Ride quality is a bit better in the RDX, but handling not even close really. I drove the NX200 and the Q3 and the Q3 handled pretty well, probably better than the RDX. I think the NX was comparable To the RDX and was nothing special.

 

The RDX is really good at a lot of things and the '16 handles better that the older models. It's doesn't handle like a car but it's solid and a good value for what you get. Seems this topic get's beat to death. Always amazed at how many people on these forums seem to dislike their car. Coming from a TSX wagon I do miss the "fun" factor but I don't regret going with the RDX. It seems a lot safer loaded up with the family and AWD is solid in bad weather. TSX was a sled. Drove the 1st gen RDX and didn't like it at all. Handled ok - but nothing like the tsx. loud - unrefined ahh. The only disappointment I have with RDX it is the gas milage - it blows. Other than that it's good for what it is...

 

Having owned my 2017 RDX for 2 weeks and driving over the same roads as I did with my 2014 Ford Escape, I get better mileage. The composure and handling are much better than the Escape. The overall feeling is solid, as compared to the Escape which was noisy, skittish and vague. Glad I made the change !

 

I bought a new 2016 RDX Advance this past March. Traded in my beloved 2008 RDX. I was a bit skeptical how the 2016 would feel handling wise coming from the 2008 with SH-AWD. I was pleasantly surprised that although the 2016 no longer has the SH-AWD it still handles quite well. I read somewhere that Acura improved the 2nd gen AWD in the 2016 model to be more rear biased when powering into a corner or from a standstill. It feels it too. Granted it can't match the performance of SH-AWD but it isn't bad. I can't wait until the winter to see how it does in the slippery stuff. PS. Love the 8.1 inch ground clearance vs the 1st gen RDX which was like only 6 inches or something.

 

^^ I too felt the 2016 loaner I had handled better than the 2013 I test drove some time ago. I enjoyed spending a day in the '16. The ground clearance is nice. But I suspect the taller profile and also taller profile tires compared to the 1G contributes a lot to body roll. A better tire set up would do a lot.

Regarding driving (or listening to Pandora while driving), my loaner last week had the ELS sound system. To my surprise, while it sounded good, not the big jump I expected over the base system in the 2008. That seems consistent with what several owners have posted elsewhere about the sound being so-so. To me, most of the improvement in sound came from the vehicle being quieter than my 1G.