Hi,

Recently test drove the 12' Volvo XC60 T6 and was really impressed by its acceleration ,responsiveness & comfort . There seems to be a truckload of features that can be added to it, but I was mainly interested in the Front/ Rear Camera, Blind Spot Information System & Climate Package.

I was considering the RDX 13' AWD with Tech but the price difference between the Volvo T6 is just over a 1k(with the current Volvo incentives).

A few things about Volvo that are still hazy are their long term reliability & mileage.

Any suggestions in making a decision would be helpful.

 

My best advice to you is to drive both and whichever car you feel more comfortable in, drive home. That's what I did. Admittedly, I never drove the Volvo (Not really my cup of tea). As far as the features and amenities goes, they are just one of many factors in buying a new car. The RDX w/Tech package has a lot of features for the money and Acura is a much stronger brand when it comes to Reliability and resale value, (on top of that its a 2013 vs. the Volvo as a 2012 which could be one of many reasons why these have so many incentives/rebates) The Volvo also is not in demand, hence, pushing rebates/incentives. Cars that are not in demand typically depreciate much faster than those that are, as an FYI. That $1K price difference in three years time, after depreciation, will grow by a much wider margin in Acura's favor, for sure. In 2015, The Volvo will be three years old and the Acura will show as only 2. All things to consider....Good luck! Which engine were you considering? The 3.2 or 3.0T? The gas mileage on both are marginal, at best. I personally would go for the 3.0T if you want something comparable to the RDX.
I have always used Consumer Guide when it comes to reviews, they are realistic and pretty accurate from my experiences. Both reviews are linked below Again, good luck!:
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...lvo-xc60-1.htm
http://consumerguideauto.howstuffwor...-acura-rdx.htm

 

I have been shopping the luxury/near luxury segment for months trying to find the perfect vehicle (more than a year if you go back to the purchase of my wife's Q5 last summer). After seemingly endless research, I have concluded that no such vehicle exists, and that I'm going to have to compromise. I also concluded that the XC60 is the most underrated vehicle in the segment - particularly in R-Design trim. The turbocharged I-6 is unbelievably smooth, in Polestar tune it out-accelerates everything else in the class save the X3 35i, and it runs on 87 octane. At 17/23 the EPA ratings are disappointingly low, but if the instant readout is accurate, I exceeded the highway rating by a substantial margin on both of my test drives. Ultra comfy seats, safety features galore and sharp styling further increase the appeal. And 13's are arriving on lots now, so 12's are being cleared aggressively. Expect at least the first four months payments (up to $1,800 total), factory to dealer incentives of another $1,000, plus an additional $1,000 conquest bonus if you're coming from a luxury nameplate. Without qualifying for the conquest I was able to negotiate average savings of $3-4k off MSRP. You also get free service and maintenance for 50,000 miles (includes everything but tires - even brakes and wipers).

In terms of reliability, Volvo seems to be on par with the other European makes. Like some other manufacturers, many of the complaints seem to result from tech features that are less than user-friendly. And Like BMW and Audi, I don't believe you can get a backup camera unless you splurge for the nav system. Fortunately the BLIS is a standalone option and includes power folding mirrors.

It's obvious that I really like the XC60. I did not like the Sensus navigation system, however, and the 12-volt outlet is located in the console so that I would have to deal with a dangling cord from my portable navi. Volvo does offer a portable navigation option that can be dealer installed, but it's expensive. You can also get a dealer-installed backup camera from Volvo aftermarket, but I was quoted $1,000 to $1,200 installed. Finally and for what it's worth, you may or may not know Volvo is now owned by the Chinese manufacturer Geely. You can decide if that should affect your decision.

Sorry for the ridiculously long response. Keep us posted on your decision.

 

I agree with madrye28......Also, just because a manufacturer is offereing so many incentives and cost cuts that bring it close to the RDX...to me....does not mean the other SUV is a better buy.
That is based on reliability and resale value.

When HotRodW.....stated that he felt the Volvo model was on par with other European brands....well, that's says something doesn't it??!! That's not much of an endorsement for sure.

Problem with most all European luxury brands...is that...yes, when they are brand new and shiny and all impressive, etc.....people say, "wow, what a vehicle"....etc......but, just own it for 1,2,3 years and compare how you feel then as compared to when you first got "star struck" when you bought it. Again....it's the cost of ownership....including expensive repairs, etc.....fuel mileage....AND the residual value at the 3 yr. point. THOSE are the key issues one should look at...IF money matters, no matter how much you can afford. To me, I may have the abiltiy to afford whatever the buying cost is and to pay the "upkeep costs"....but, is it a wise, smart investment??

Yes...there always exceptions to "my basic rule"....and some folks end up with a "good one" and it holds together for 3,4 years or so. But, one thing that won't change....for some time....and that is the residual value at the 3 yr. point. So...TOTAL costs to own go WAY up on these other luxury European built vehicles.

And, it's true....there are NO perfect vehicles. I concluded that a long time ago. I find the one that has more "check marks" on the "Good column" that the "Bad column."

My new RDX is my 60th vehicle owned since I was 16....and everyone of them I could have done something different IF I had been the designer! LOL!
That's why I like to have 2 or 3 vehicles that end up satisfying most all my "car guy needs." But, the RDX, so far, is well done, well equipped for the money. Good buy, great SUV.

 

A month ago, after my research, I had narrowed my list down to the '13 RDX, the Q5, and the XC60. My wife and I went to look at the RDX first, instantly fell in love with it, even before driving it. We test drove it, and then went across the street to drive the Q5. Wife didn't like the Q5, and though I felt it drove a lot more sporty than the RDX, I still preferred the RDX, especially while saving $5k. We went right back across the street to look at the RDX again and bought it on the spot. Never did test drive the XC60.

The reliability reputation of Honda played a big role in our decision. We drove our last (Ford) SUV for 12 years and plan to do the same with our RDX.

But like others have said, it's best to drive everything. I didn't quite follow that advice, but I felt I had already found the right match. I'll say one thing, though... Don't buy anything without driving the '13 RDX! Especially if your wife will be driving it, too. (I'm assuming that you are a male, psychostud. LOL.) I can't describe how much my wife loves the RDX.

 

Thanks Everyone..will let you all know once i make a decision !

 

Volvo is actually a bit above average reliability comparing to the major German brands. When I did this research it wasn't far from Nissan.
One thing is for sure: you can't beat the comfort of Volvo seats, they know how to do it.
They use/share proven engines across their different cars. They also make very safe cars, everything is built around safety as a priority when they design a car.

The warranty on Volvo is not as good and the same as other European cars, the same 48/50,000 across the board. But the free service package makes up for it, you really only do pay for tires.. they replace things like wiper blades everytime almost too generously. this used to be 60k miles in 2011 and they have shortened it a bit.


Resale value, depends on how long you plan to keep the car. You didn't say you are selling it in 3 years, only mentioned something about long term reliability. Acura definitely has better resale value but the depreciation tapers off the longer you keep it.

Of course go with which one you like to drive better. I havn't driven the XC90 myself but I own another model and I think you will find the steering feel alot nicer with that "european feel". IMO Acura has gone a bit far taking out all steering sensation so you can steer with your pinky, trying to compete with Lexus I guess, and it is really numb and disconnected from the road. Some people don't care about stuff like this though.

 

I test drove a 2011 xc60 to keep my price about the same as the base RDX. It felt much larger to me. Handling was not nearly as tight as the RDX. That said, I was coming from a Grand Cherokee and was really interested in a smaller, sportier feeling vehicle.

FYI since I have not seen this one talked about here, I test drove a Land Rover Evoque last week with a freind who ended up buying one. Actually a really fun car to drive and certainly demands attention. If it was not for the $55K out the door price he paid, I would really have considered it.

 

We own a 13 RDX and a 12 S80 Volvo T6 AWD. The Volvo came with "safe and secure" meaning I don't take a dime out of my pocket for the first 5 years or 60K miles. Thats everything covered from oil, brake jobs, wiper blades, everything except tires. Having both I believe the Volvo is a superior auto with better seats and a more all around premium car. I took out a T6 SV60 when my 80 was in for service but it was bigger than I was looking for. I wanted an around town car so we went with the RDX. I'll take the RDX for everyday errands, the S80 for any extended road trip. That said if you go with the SV60 T6 you'll love the seats, the panoramic sun roof is very nice and you will have plenty of power and a fantastic AWD system. Just get ready for real world 12 MPG around town.

 

Njdman, when you wrote SV60, did you mean XC60?

In regard to comparing your S80 to your RDX... on the whole, sedans are generally more comfortable than SUVs, but SUVs have their own advantages. Personally I prefer my RDX for extended road trips because I prefer to be higher off the ground and I like the increased roominess.

 

I forgot the one thing that Volvo's have over Acura's RDX. Dual 10 way power seats. That was the one thing we missed when looking at the Acura and had my wife sat in the Acura before we pulled the trigger there would be 2 Volvo's in the driveway, not one. We test drove the RDX on different days and she never sat in the passenger seat. I will probably fabricate brackets to lift the seat up 1 to 1.5" and am in the process of measuring and drawing up the specs needed. Weather it's a Volvo s60, S80, or the SV60 which is a crossbreed of the S80 and S60, the seat comfort is unmatched and full 10 way power seats for the passenger is huge. I like the Acura and have owned Acura's in the past. The price was much better than the SV60, the gas mileage is better, its better around town, easier to park, great getting into NYC for the day when needed but put it on the highway for 500 miles one day and there is no comparison the the SV60. I'm heading out west this fall for a few weeks and already know the Acura stays home. So I guess I'll have a Volvo for life (have had 4 so far and all have been bullet proof reliable with no issues) with a dealer who is easy to deal with, not pushy, and I trust. My hope is to enjoy the Acura and realize it's a jazzed up CRV that I can use as a small run around utility vehicle, which is what I was looking for.

 

Njdman, am I missing something? You keep comparing the RDX to an SV60. I'm not sure what an SV60 is (can't find a model of that name online).

 

I've been driving Volvo's for 12 years and still don't pay attention to names- I believe its the XC60. I just had one out for the day a few weeks ago when our T6 S80 was in for service. Nice ride but couldn't justify having 2 Volvos at 45K per. Reality is that's what the T-6 AWD's with the climate package and normal options go for these days (without Nav). Possibly in 2 years when the 80 lease is up I'll trade in the RDX and only need one car since the wife and I are both just retired. Right now the Acura is my "get away" car for around town stuff. Not a bad ride but I still think it's basically a jazzed up CRV.