Al Bundy

I've owned my 13 RDX for for several months now and although I've had some minor issues here and there, I really like the car overall so far.

Some of my favorite features:

1) The power liftgate (didn't realize at the time just how convenient it is to have one)
2) Door unlocks on touch (also have this on my IS350)
3) USB port - have a 32gb flash drive that stores all the music I will ever need.
4) Smooth engine w/ decent power & solid MPG's

Don't Like:
1) Acura going cheap with the interior: hard plastics on the A,B,C pillars & other parts of interior, shift knob & steering wheel material (is that really leather?), cheap, soft material on upper door panel, passenger seat height, rear vents, lack of storage, shallow glove box, etc..
2) Cheap key fob that looks cheap and scratches (why can't Acura make a fob like Lexus/Infiniti/Cadillac using hard black plastic & metal, wtf Acura?)
3) Weak ELS system (Acura take note, DVD audio is dead and has been for a long time)
4) Only 18" wheels available
5) No LED DRL/Tails, or Pano roof option
6) Rear clunking even after shocks replaced

Minor Annoyances:
1) Blank unused buttons next to traction control even on Tech pkg. Does anyone have an actual usable switch there?
2) Driver side does not have an actual door handle?
3) Wish backup camera lines moved with car
4) Nav is not intuitive and cumbersome/clunky
5) Pay additional for cargo cover? Especially when it's standard equipment on the Honda CR-V. Seriously Acura?

rsx2rdx

I actually agree with most of your assessment regarding the RDX. Surprisingly most of the "don't likes" are not deal breakers while #4 on the "likes" is a huge Honda/Acura selling point.

I would disagree that the ELS is that bad but have heard similar complaints so I don't doubt other cars sound better ot the ears. The sound is pretty consistent throughout the cabin as they put a speaker right by your head in the rearseats. I was in a loaner ILX and noticed they boosted the low, mid and highs up past the mid so am planning to try this out on the RDX. I've also found setting the sound to "DOLBY" helps a bit.

Some other likes for me:
1. Pushbutton start works great
2. Backseat is usable
3. USB phone/charger are well located and in a nice compartment
3. HDD audio search and other voice tech is fun to play with once you get used to it.

KeithL

So I tend to agree on most items, I do not think the ELS is weak at least when I test drove the RDX. And for me DVD-A is a nice feature as I have a decent amount of them. Also remember the large interior is not ideal for any type of sound system, especially the lack of a trunk that normally helps a sub in producing deep bass. I do see the cheapening as a little of a disappointment, especially things like LED DRLs and tails. LED tails to me are a safety feature as they light up quicker and are less prone to burning out, I can't stand being behind people where most if not all of their brake lights are burnt out.

I know the tsunami hurt them a little, but boy the model will run for 5+ years my fear is when you start at this point you risk the competition running over you as the current feature set will become dated sooner. I don't see why they couldn't put in more of what is in the new Accord and offer an Advance package. One thing to remember is the new battle field is the low end luxury market in all segments, BMW, MB and Audi all are working on lower entry point vehicles and at some point while the RDX looks very competitive today I wonder how it will look in 3 years. Sure the MMC can fix some things, but Acura typically does not make radical changes at MMC.

minothor

Agree with:
1. Cheap keyfob that scratches easily... Really it would have cost them maybe an additional $2 to use better materials on the keyfob...
2. Too many plastics in the interior - Although most of surfaces you actually touch are soft, the moment you compare it with a vehicle from another premium band, the cost cutting is immediately apparent and is not something expected on a $40,000 car. Although if you put the wood trim, it greatly improves steering wheel feel and appearance of the interior.

Disagree with:

1. That the ELS system is weak. I found it to be a very good audio system and only a few other automakers audio systems (mainly Lexus) best it. And with volume reasonably high, there is no distortion or rattle. Good job on the NVH (although this is expected on a luxury car.)

Overall for me, for the price the engine, dealer experience and higher resale value (hopefully) trump the other disadvantages. It is a very rounded car and if I were asked to describe the 2013 RDX in one word, it would be: Solid.

hand-filer

If you think the ELS system is weak you need to invest in better source material or maybe make an
appointment to see an audiologist.
Drop the treble one notch from flat, leave the base flat and increase the sub level to full. This system provides an excellent stereo image, crisp highs, good detail, a very low noise floor and ample base response.
Definitely one of the best systems in a vehicle in this price range.
Worth at least half the admission price to the tech level.

BobBass

Glad to read others lamenting the lack of LED DRLs. Kia has had them for years on the Sportage. The new Accord has them. RIDICULOUS!

Mike_TX

Overall I really like what they've done with the RDX. Minor gripes might be:

- The Homelink buttons are tiny and in an awkward place. You have to have good aim and reasonable dexterity to hit one of them, unlike in my 2012 TL.

- I would have liked a larger gas tank.

- The nag screen for the nav is really old and unnecessary. There should be an option in Setup to accept the legal disclaimer once and turn that screen off.

- There is no external release for the tailgate - you have to fish out the fob to open it if you're outside the vehicle.

The one biggest gripe is the disabling of some nav functions while the car is in motion. This isn't a mandate (at least yet), and there's no reason for Honda to cave in now.

bh9712

There is an unlock button just to the right and above the license plate, and the tailgate release is just under the Acura emblem. See pages 101 and 102 of the owner's manual...

Mike_TX

Base model only. The Tech does not have this.

bh9712

I have a Tech - mine has it...

Mike_TX

You are correct, sir. How embarrassing. I was looking for a "pad" switch button like on some other SUV's I've had with power releases - not a lever.

And the manual is vague on this, too - saying "The power tailgate can be operated by pressing the power tailgate button on the remote transmitter, pressing the power tailgate switch on the dashboard, or pressing the button on the tailgate."

Acura: It ain't a button - it's a handle!

Thanks for correcting me on this, guys. My faith is restored.

CoachRick

It's something in the Texas water. I locked and unlocked with the tailgate button quite a few times before I found the lever to open it.

bh9712

Always happy to help... I think we've all had "d'oh!" moments with the RDX. Mine came when I thought the interior lights were not working - who would have thought to look near the Homelink for the master switch?

Mike_TX

In the don't much like category, I now have to add the chrome accents on the console around the shifter and cupholders. Now that we have some sunshine, I find that sunshine coming in the side windows and sunroof reflects off of it and right into my eyes.

hawkeye62

No major disagreements except:

The ELS system with DVD-a is the best I have ever heard in a car. Better than some live performances.

My RDX has driver side door handles inside and out. What does your comment refer to?

My RDX backup camera lines move with the car. Not sure what you mean.

Regards, Jim

hand-filer

Nice to hear someone else is appreciating the ELS system. It sounds great even with quality 2 channel source material.

Mike_TX

I guess I have to add the brake dusting as another small gripe. I guess it's the price we pay for having really good-feeling brakes, but it does mess up the front wheels quickly.

Although I have a few small complaints, none of them is annoying enough to spoil my enjoyment of the RDX.

de-pro

I tend to agree with that. The front wheels get filthy, real fast.
Never had that problem with my TL

Mike_TX

Me either. The RDX must have softer pads. I thought the dust might settle down as the brakes bedded in, but apparently not.

I have to say the RDX's brake feel is a tad better than my TL's, so I guess it's a fair tradeoff.

Roadie2000

I just noticed that whenever I open my window when it's raining, water drips into the car right about where the window controls are.
I would also really love a bigger gas tank, I knew it was small before I bought it, but man is it annoying having to fill up every 300 miles.

CoachRick

I haven't noticed a considerable brake dust problem in our first 6k miles. The front and back wheels are nearly the same and I don't feel compelled to clean the wheels between car washes as I have with some Euro cars in the past. Interesting.
It's been going 'downhill' since our '04 Volvo V70 with a 21 gal tank! Still, it's slightly better than our old Miata(a bit over 12 gallons!). Heck of a lot better than the TWO gallon tank on my motorcycle back in the fuel shortages of the '70s!

smarty666

I have the fully loaded AWD with tech so most of my gripes are what the vehicle lacks at the $40k price range compared to competitors and mainstream CUVs.

Things I like About RDX:
(1) Power Liftgate
(2) Plenty of Room in Cargo Area for Stuff
(3) East Exit/Entrance to Vehicle
(4) Bluetooth Audio
(5) Decent mpg on highway (24-25 mpg avgs)
(6) Overall handling ability
(7) Smoothness/Quietness of engine at idle
(8) 3 Time Blinker ability

Things I Don't Like About the RDX:
(1) Ride Quality on Secondary Roads (way to harsh/jarring like a jeep)
(2) Too much road/wind noise enters cabin for $40k vehicle
(3) DVD/Audio is hard to obtain and come by so why have it
(4) Lack of Rear A/C vents and climate control
(5) Lack of Power Telescoping Steering Column
(6) Lack of LED DRLs
(7) Lack of Bi-Xenon Headlights
(8) Lack of Auto Dimming Side Mirrors
(9) Lack of blind spot monitoring system
(10) Lack of front and rear parking sensors
(11) Lack of heated steering wheel
(12) Lack of foot well lighting and illuminated kick plates
(13) Lack of cooled front seats
(14) Lack of heated rear seats
(15) Lack of LED interior and rear lic plate lights standard
(16) Lack of chrome door handles
(17) Lack of Panorama Sunroofs
(18) Standard Roof Rails & splash guards
(19) Power Side Mirrors

weather

^^^ Ouch...Obviously Acura did not do a good job at meeting your requirements. It is never good seeing an Acura owner being that disappointed with their vehicle. Hope you will be able to ride it (no pun intended) and then gt something that will make you happier in the near future.

aks1972

If this was my pros and cons list, I would never have bought the vehicle. I wonder what I can get for 40K that includes all the above items!!!

Al Bundy

It's just a minor gripe that there's no vertical door handle on the inside like on the passenger side. I just looks odd. Also, I wish the backup camera lines curved while moving with the car like on an Infiniti/Lexus. On the RDX, the lines just stay straight. Again, just a minor gripe.



But when it comes to the ELS system, I'm going to have to disagree. I've already mentioned this on another thread. And I understand if you're comparing it to, let's say a stock Honda system, it's going to be a huge upgrade. However, comparing it to the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus, the ELS is DEFINITELY inferior. That goes for whatever source material. Whether it be mp3 files recorded at 192kpbs or better, or wave files from regular cd's. DVD audio? That format is long dead. Try to find the latest music on this format. This is a 2013 NEW car model vehicle we're talking about. Acura is just trying to save a buck (in addition to all the other cost-cutting employed on this car) in investing in a new audio system for the RDX.

But going back to ELS system. First, the bass is very weak in my opinion. The ML in the Lexus has an 8-inch sub that has more low-end sound than the 10-inch on the RDX. The bass in the ELS is okay with mostly computer-generated electronic sounding bass, but it really struggles with organic drum-based bass, especially when you turn it up. It distorts and sounds very flat. As a result, I'm still trying to decide on the best scenario to replace the stock sub without encroaching in cabin space.

Also, the ELS system has no EQ whatsoever. Just bass and treble, not even a mid setting. The highs are also much, much less clear and pronounced on the ELS compared to the Mark Levinson as is the overall separation in sound. And I don't think it's just b/c of the cabin size of the RDX. The quality of each speaker in the Mark Levinson seem superior compared to the PANASONIC BRAND speakers of the ELS.

I'm no audiophile, but I do listen to my music pretty loud. And when I heard so many ppl rave about the ELS system, (this is my first Acura/Honda product) I was expecting so much more. The ML in the Lexus is not perfect by any means, but definitely better than the ELS. That's where I'm coming from in judging the RDX's ELS. But then again I just heard the Bang & Olufsen in my friend's new Audi (with pop-up tweeters) and that blew the ML system away.

Also, I found it interesting that Acura's new RLX offers a step up in audio from the ELS. They do offer the ELS in the RLX, but now you can opt for a premium Krell audio system for their flagship. I only wish we had that option.

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/blo...lx-krell-audio

Okay, I'm done. Rant over....

Rocket_man

Sounds like you bought the wrong car.

TBC787

Chrome door handles? OMG what next

KeithL

I never lived with the M&L in a Lexus, but sampled it recently a few times and brought my own material. I am not sure I would say that ELS is INFERIOR with such emphasis. I believe they both have their strong and weak points. I find the ELS to be a very tight system producing very clean sounds. My ears are not what they used to be, but I have a reasonably decent home theater / audio system and appreciate good sounding material. I was expecting to be blown away by the M&L and compared to the ELS I left saying I would need to spend my time evaluating to come to a solid conclusion. I have read my share of reviews on both an actually see more negative reviews on the M&L than the ELS. And in the RLX they hae improved the ELS to a newer version as well as added Krell.

KeithL

Not sure I would agree. You can buy a car that is missing things you want, all cars are compromises. I tend to agree that some of the dislikes in his list are minor, but they annoy me as well that Acura is leaving off things that you can now get on a Sentra or Kia.

Roadie2000

Ah if only there was some way to find out what features a car has or doesn't have before you buy it.

Seriously though, that entire list are features you can easily find out if a car has or not with minimal research. If someone is that unhappy with the features in their car I would tell them to next time do a little research or spend more money and buy the car they want.

Al Bundy

Um yeah, I'm going to have to disagree with you. Although the Mark Levinson system is NOT the end all sound systems and it does have its flaws (for example, I've had to have the 8" subwoofer replaced twice under warranty), it IS definitely superior to the ELS in my opinion

I guess it depends on how and what you listen to. If you're playing um, I don't know, something like the Beach Boys or James Taylor, well yeah, it's going to be difficult to distinguish b/t the two in a brief listening session. However, if you listen to music with sharp highs and boomy bass and most importantly, play your music LOUD like I do, then there is a BIG difference in sound fidelity between the ELS and Mark Levinson. I own both and have spent significant time in each. There is NO comparison. Levinson is hands down the winner. The sub could definitely use an upgrade, but when it comes to overall sound fidelity and separation, the ML system is definitely better in my IS350.

However, I'm sure the ML system in say, the LS, is completely different (and probably much better) than the IS. That also goes for Acura. I had a loaner Acura TL from the dealer, and I gotta say, the ELS system not as good as the RDX. The bass boomed a little bit better, yes, (probably due to cabin size) but the overall sound was definitely worse than our cars.

And coming from the Clublexus forums and being a very active member there, many folks do have their reservations of the ML system in their cars, but there is a consensus in the Clublexus community that the Mark Levinson systems are superior to Acura ELS systems and even better than the garbage Bose systems in Infiniti's. (Sorry, being a little harsh there as I previously owned a G37 with the weak Bose garbage. Talk about muddled sound).

At any rate, I do like the ELS in the RDX even though it is definitely not better than the Mark Levinson (and uses Panasonic brand speakers?!?! Seriously?). I'll just like it a lot better once I do something to it like add an aftermarket sub.

KeithL

Yeah Bose sucks big time, especially in the G, the 5.1 Bose in my M is acceptable, but the lows are boomy and muddy and the highs are not crisp.

Al Bundy

Yeah exactly. I like Infiniti cars and I've owned 2 (G37 & older M45), but the Bose systems in those cars were, as Charles Barkley would say, terrble. That's across the board with Bose in general. Home or auto. I used to work for a home theater store in college, and the old saying on Bose was, no highs, no lows, it must be Bose. Unfortunately, that's carried true to this day.

I do like the M37 Sport. Very nice. And I'm also looking forward to what Infiniti has in store for the future in cars like the Q60 coupe. It's just that Bose garbage needs to go....

KeithL

The Bose in the Touring package on the M is acceptable, better than the G for sure, not sure how it compares to the M45 Bose. I really like the new CTS, but see GM is a Bose fan as well, will likely make me pass on the CTS. Seems like Lexus, Acura and the Germans get how to add good sound to a car, but no one else.

KeithL

True, but it comes down to are they enough to make you not want to buy the car and for each person that is up to them. There have been plenty of cars I have owned that I don't like things about, but not enough to pass on them. My M for example has horrible hands free BT for the phone, enough so that in the beginning I almost wanted out of the car between that and the poor navi operation or lack thereof when driving. And honestly if they had not added their Infiniti Connection in 13 to the M I would not even think about another M right now, but the list of annoyances in the M has shrunk that it is in my top 3 right now for next car. There will still be things I don't like about the car, but there will be in every car. In the TL I hate the small side mirrors, but it did not stop me from owning 6 of them.

weather

Just a quick note....I have a 2012 TL and the RDX and I will say that compared to the ELS system in the TL, the one in the RDX seems weak in comparison. The ELS in the TL is simply amazing and so much more powerful. This could be a vehicle layout/configuration but I can see how some don't feel the ELS is top notch in the RDX. Unless mine is not work as it should....Next time I am at the dealer, I will do a comparo just for shits and giggle.

Al Bundy

I had a 2013 TL loaner with nav for 5 days while I waited for my rear shocks to be replaced as they were backordered. I wasn't impressed. Although the ELS system in that car did hit harder and played more stable at louder volumes, the highs were less crisp and the overall sound was more muddled. The amount of sound was definitely more powerful than the rdx's ELS, but inferior in overall clarity and separation, which is what I first listen for in a system.

Maybe the car was ragged out. Who knows. But I definitely prefer the RDX's ELS system over the TL I drove.

weather

^^ Was it the Tech Package? And did you actually check the adjustments? I often get in some cars (rentals or loaners) and am amazed on how people have the treble all the way down or don't have the audio properly balanced (too much of a left side bias or vice versa, or the fade is not set properly). The Dolby PLII may not been on or something.....I am not a professional audio guy but would consider myself an audio enthusiast and always seek to have the best sound and I have the settings about the same in the RDX and TL and without a doubt, that to my ears, the TL is a better quality. That being said, the key word is to my ears I am like you though, I like crisp highs and a solid/tight bass. Again, not questioning your preference in audio and not trying to diminish your opinion, just curious if your TL was properly set?

Sose

Great discussion here.

The RDX's systems sounded loads better than the Bose on my G. When I first got my G, coming from a 2001 Corolla with Wally Mart shitty Sony radio bundled with Xplod speakers, my G sounded like crap.

I thought I was nuts and my hearing was defective. How could my old Corolla's aftermarket radios sound better than my new (to me) G?

Well, guess I was right after all. The Bose system is not crisp at all. When listening to Jazz, I don't feel inspired as I would if I was using my Klipsch earbuds.

So to me, thumbs up ELS.

Can't wait to get mine!

weather

...now I am curious?! I will need to have my system checked when I am at the dealer. It just seems that compared to my TL, the RDX's ELS seems a bit anemic. Maybe something is not working properly? I'll update when I am there in a few weeks for its regular maintenance service.