Wanax

Hello All,

After a long search, I finally ended up getting a 2013 RDX AWD + Tech. I’ve spent the last few months testing out lots of different brands, but felt the RDX was a good mix of luxury, performance, and most importantly, PRICE. I’m coming from a Lexus IS and wanted something sporty, but more utilitarian. Here are my thoughts for anyone else looking for a new SUV. My main requirements for a new car was Leather (allergies), AWD and rear view camera. So all the other competitors had to at least be configured with these options. The competitors were:

Mazda CX-5 AWD Grand Touring (2013) = After waiting for Mazda to finally put an adequately powered engine in this thing, I gave it a test drive and WOW! This is a fun car to drive. Performance wise you can tell it was a 4 cylinder, but it was a fun and peppy 4 cylinder that felt like it was made to be driven. Handling on the CX5 was also superb due to the nimble design and 19” wheels. It is noticeably smaller than the RDX though and gets very good mileage. The high end package has pretty much everything I wanted and a lot of extra luxury amenities (very nice leather seats, Blind Spot Monitoring, Keyless Entry, and HIDs). Letdowns were the TomTom Nav, no memory seats, no power liftgate, and no power passenger seats (a big no-no for the wifey). I wanted this car, but the best deal I could swing for was $31k (including destination). This was barely $1k off of the MSRP. The dealer also tried to lowball me on my trade-in and my overall experience at the dealership was poor. Salesmen were not very knowledgeable and manager seemed really rude during negotiations. I understand that this is a new hot car so getting a price break would have been difficult, but my overall sales experience was enough to make me walk away. Lesson to any sales people out there, treat your customers with respect and act professionally.

Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Turbo (2013) = I really wanted to like this car. I may enjoy the more luxurious things in life but would not consider myself a brand whore. The product has to have value and on paper, Hyundai looks like a winner. The interior was nice and did not feel as cheap as the RAV4. The one interior negative was that the leather seats were ugly and did feel cheap (more like vinyl to me). Soft plastic everywhere with nice touches like a beautiful INFO screen, a very nice 8” NAV, and panoramic roof. I really liked the heated steering wheel and having heated seats throughout the car was nice touch. The rear seats folded pretty much flat down and were also adjustable. The Santa Fe had almost everything you could find in a luxury brand except for the lack of Power Liftgate, Blind Spot Monitoring, LEDs, and HID. Not sure why Hyundai did not add HIDs when they pretty much threw in everything else. Unfortunately, even with turbo, the Santa Fe drove like a fat and bulky SUV. You could feel the engine struggle at times on the highways. On paper, it has more than enough power, but just did not seem to be there when you needed it. It was probably the least responsive of all the SUVs I tested. I also did not like the braking as they were also noticeably mushy. Fully equipped, this thing came in at $36k, but you can probably get it down to $31k. I’d recommend it to anyone who does not care as much about the driving experience.

RAV4 Limited (2013) = What a bummer of a car this was. Everything inside screamed CHEAP. From the faux leather stitching vinyl dash to the carbon fiber touches to the Softex fabric (faux leather). Not sure what Toyota was thinking with this one. I was not impressed with the drive at all either and leave it at that. At $29k for the top package (did I mention the lack or real leather?), it seemed way overpriced and was easily the cheapest feeling car of all the ones I tested. Also, because it is brand spanking new, don’t expect any movement on the price. If you like cheap with good mileage, this is your car. I feel like anyone who buys the RAV4 is either too lazy to shop around and just thinks Toyota is the best or is brand loyal.

Subaru Forester (2013) = Great if you love hi-revving engines with no pickup and absolutely no improvement in mileage over the RDX. Interior was nice and did not feel cheap. Being priced at $28k made it affordable, even more so now that the new model just came out. However, I just could not get over the crappy engine so had to rule it out (a 4 Speed in a 2013 model? Seriously?). I was also planning to test the 2014 model out, but they had just come in and by that time I was sold on the RDX. Even so, getting the 2014 equipped comparably to the RDX would have brought it to $35k (Turbo with Leather).

Audi Q5 2.0T Prestige Plus = Fun car that was much smaller than the RDX. It rides exactly like a sport sedan and I was impressed by the feel and performance of the turbo 4 cylinder. If money was no object, I would have gotten the Q5. It is definitely a driver’s car. My main issues were that 1) the style is several years old and therefore getting a bit long in the tooth and 2) It is very bare and minimalist looking inside so it was hard to justify the luxury price tag with only the basic features it came with. Just adding Navigation and the options that I wanted brought the price to $46k. These guys and BMW will nickel and dime you to death.

BMW X3 28i = Felt smaller than the RDX. I was actually a bit disappointed in this car and expected a whole lot more. It just did not seem to have the same driving engagement that other BMWs had (our other car is a 328xi). Good pick up and very nimble, but you could still tell it was a 4 cylinder (unlike the Q5). With all the luxury perks I wanted, it came out to $49k equipped.

Lexus RX350 AWD = A little bigger than the RDX and definitely geared towards the soccer moms. Ride was very mushy and felt like you were driving on a cloud. Some people may like that, but I don’t. Very luxurious obviously, but with all the options I want added, this was easily going to cost $48k for a driving experience I was not very fond of. Lexus needs to get off their butts and make a smaller, more sportier SUV because the CT does not count.


And the Winner is....

2013 RDX AWD w/Tech = I think I got the RDX for a great deal along with a very generous trade-in value for my old car. That made the price difference between the RDX and CX5 less than $5k. When you consider the overall better quality of the Acura, it made my decision easier. The RDX comes with pretty much everything you would expect in a luxury vehicle. There are a few things I wish it had, but they’re small ones I can live without for now.

Dorsey

Wanax - Congrats and thanks for a great overview of your shopping experience. I drove the models you tested and also chose the RDX (non-Tech FWD). A few months after that I went through a similar mission to buy my adult daughter a new car. She ended up with the CX-5 Grand Touring (FWD w/o technology package). Both have been great cars and we are both satisfied with our choices. The only ones I drove that were not on your list were the Murano SL, the Outback instead of the Forester and the Sante Fe was the non-turbo. I agree with all your comments on these vehicles.

Mike_TX

Like Dorsey said, nice review. I think you'll really enjoy your RDX.

I noticed you didn't consider any of the domestics ... the Ford Edge, for example, or the Jeep Cherokee or Dodge Durango. I know what I didn't look at them, but what was your rationale?

CoachRick

And...as someone who owned a Volvo XC60 for 3.4 years and switched primarily because of price, I'd be interested in why you didn't consider the Swedish offering.

Thanks for the multi-faceted review.

weather

..you meant Indian offering right

OP...Thanks for an amazing well detailed review...This will become very useful for people who are currently trying to decide which SUV to get.

geocord

I think they are all a lot bigger than the RDX. More comparable would be the Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty(the brand new, not for sale yet, remake is called the Cherokee but I think you meant the Grand Cherokee), and the Dodge Journey. The ones you mentioned are more comparable to the MDX. Not that that is reason he might not have considered them but they are bigger.

docboy

Excellent reviews OP.

I currently have a 2013 RDX AWD Tech as a loaner. I'm very tempted to trade in my TL for it. Seems to offer a good balance of utility, interior space, and fun (though it could be TAD bit sportier)...

weather

^^^ Happy to see that some time behind the wheel is making you appreciate what the RDX has to offer. Overall, a great vehicle even though SOME compromise in handling has to be attained (compared to your TL)....

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

My wife drives ours most of the time. When I do "get to drive it"....I've learned to appreciate it more and more. And for sporty....well, once you have accelerated hard from a stop light/sign and let it rip in first gear....this things growls and really moves!!! That makes it more sporty for me each time I drive it. I've surprised many a car/SUV with it. And I've owned many high performance sports cars over the years.

The more I drive it the more I want one just for me!! LOL!!

terdonal

Congrats on the new car. Nice job on the reviews.

Wanax

Mike_TX - I thought about the Escape but wasn't to thrilled with the new styling and the shifter being upfront was a big no-no for me (also the reason why I ruled out the Honda CRV). The other cars you listed also looked to big and bulky to me (as most domestics do) and the Cherokee gets expensive real quick with options. I figured at that price, why not just get a German car.

CoachRick - I thought about the XC60 and really liked the styling, but 3 things turned me away: 1) Comparably equipped to the RDX, it was almost $3k higher; 2) Poor reliability ratings for the premium price; and 3) Poor mileage. If you didn't notice, the RDX was almost the lowest EPA rated car of the bunch (the Lexus I tested was a hybrid). I tried valiantly to like a fuel efficient 4-cylinder but settled on the RDX even though it was a V6. However, it seemed most owners were reporting higher EPA averages and that assuaged my V6 worries. But you're right, I probably should still have taken the XC60 out for a spin.

Colorado Guy AF - Agreed, the acceleration on this thing is awesome. Its just as fast as my wife's 328xi and the purr of a V6 always trounces a 4 Turbo. If Honda would just offer a Sport Package with the RDX, it would be perfect. I'd love to see it with:
1) Bigger wheels with lower profile tires
2) A little stiffer suspension
3) A more bucketed driver seat
4) LEDs in rear and cabin

CoachRick

Actually Chinese...but totally European in construction(so far)
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money...ly-volvo_N.htm

weather

^^^ Oups....My bad! Not sure why I thought it was an Indian company that bought Volvo. Thanks for the clarification....not funny getting old

WestCoastIPA

Great review...thank you. I'm debating between the RDX and RX and can't decide. I plan on making a purchase tomorrow. Will end up with the RDX I think since it's almost impossible trying to negotiate with Lexus on their CPO's.

H_CAR

Did you test drive the new CR-V? Curious to see how it compares to the CR-V as I have a 2012 and I want to trade my Odyssey for an RDX. is it really worth the extra 10 grand?

hand-filer

Weather,
Maybe you were thinking of Jaguar & Range Rover.

CoachRick

Nearly everyone is more willing to negotiate three days before the end of the month/quarter.

fleuger99

Great reviews, thanks for posting. Only other vehicles I cross shopped with were the Volvo XC60 and Audi Allroad. I liked both of these more than the RDX in terms of drive and looks but they were both $6K - $8K more equiped the same as the RDX with tech pkg and I could not justify that price difference. The RDX will likely be more reliable than either of the other two.

danmangto

I would only consider a domestic for a 3 yr lease. Get rid of it before the warranty runs out. For ling term ownership. I take the Acura anyday in terms of reliabilty and build over any jeep or ford

fleuger99

I leased a Grand Cherokee Overland in the first year the new one came out. It had the air suspension and it went back to the dealer 7 times for air suspension failure in 4 months.

I'd be driving along, never highway fortunately, and all of a sudden the rear would sag down and it felt like I was driving off road on rocks. Every little bump would create pounding through the car because there was no suspension. I'd limp over to the dealer which fortunately was only a few miles from home and I'd get a loaner for a week. They even had engineers come out from Detroit and they replaced sensors, air compressors, central processing unit for the air suspension and nothing fixed it. After the 7th failure I filed a lemon law. I'd never touch another Jeep product.

Apart from that, I really liked the vehicle. Great looking, nice interior with lots of room and a nice ride. But, I never trusted the vehicle so what is the point.

Mike_TX

^ Yikes. After that, I can understand why you'd run the other way from any Jeep!

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

I had 3 CRV's...07, 09, '11. I think the latest CRV's are much nicer than the 3 I had, but, with that said, I did appreciate those 3. The '12 and '13 CRV's have upped their game.

For me, it was worth it, and time to "step up" to an Acura. The warranty is longer....but, I also like the looks better compared to what they did to the CRV. I also like the RDX's V-6 engine. The fuel mileage is almost what the CRV's were getting. Very close. The extra power without much fuel sacrifice is a real plus. If you can truly afford the extra $$ I'd say go with the RDX. We love ours.

Colorado Guy AF Ret.

I also wanted to add.....that there are many SUV's out there to choose from. On the surface they look....like.."Wow, this is a nice vehicle." Well, most aren't so nice at the 3 yr point...after you had it to the dealer numerous times...etc. Just read the history of the "other choices" from all the sources you can....and you'll find that for instance....the Jeep.....has TONS of issues during the time it's owned/driven. Sitting in the show room it may have that WOW factor....but, after 2 or 3 yrs it will have that CRAP factor. Most....true some of them manage to hold together....so you will always find someone that will praise their Jeep like crazy.....but, most have way too many "issues."

Compare it and others to the Acura products....what's the history tell you there? They hold together....never perfect...no vehicle is....and at the 3 yr. point their resale value has held up much stronger than most others.

RDXed

I also test drove the vehicles mentioned by Wanax (except Subaru & CX-5 and including CRV).

The 3 vehicles I really liked and spent time considering were X3, CR-V and RDX. I really loved the way the new X3 looks and has to offer. The interior technology (the user interface, the parking assist etc) is way superior to RDX (I can take the beating for this but I am being frank here). The deal breaker was the rear space X3 has to offer. Its way too small for 2 adults and a car seat. So, for the space that RDX gives you, the right comparison is X5 and you know how much do they cost.

CR-V makes much more economical sense (better mpg, use of regular gas, better resale value) but is too cheap inside. With 6-8k more, you get much improved interior and more powerful engine.

So, finally bought RDX Base AWD, it may very well be called "Affordable Luxury Vehicle" (though the words affordable and luxury do not go well together).

Wanax

RDXed,

Agreed on X3. Lots of neat gadgets and technology, but smaller room and it gets pricey after you start adding things to it. Plus, RUN-FLATS are a deal breaker for me. I hate those things on my wife's BMW.

waxwing1

My parents have an Edge so this was on my list. On paper the Edge supposedly has an inch more headroom but my hair touched the ceiling with the seat in the lowest position. It also has more cargo room with the seats up but less than RDX with the seats down. I needed the extra space for the occasional time I'm hauling a few electric guitars. Previously 23 years of cars with Dodge minivans so I was used to lots of space. Also, my parents are constantly frustrated with the MyFord Sync. It is confusing and buggy. Retail price of the decked out Edge was a few thousand more than the RDX though you can negotiate more. After checking out a dozen models at the auto show, we only test drove the Edge and RDX. The RDX won!