I'd been on the fence about getting out the my TLX for an RDX. I had been looking at 25s, but wondering keep thinking the 4th gen may be coming in year or two.

I'm thinking about pivoting to a used one and getting a 21 or 22. I believe the refresh came in 22. It is worth staying with that model or newer. There are some good options in my area for some pretty low mileage 21 and 22. ...

Any insight or advice is appreciated!

 

Below has a list of most of the changes:

https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases...ue-pearl-paint

 

The press release is a good breakdown. I think the biggest different on the refresh is the quieter cabin - it really is noticeable. Otherwise it's a mild shake up of design tweaks and technology. If you're not in a big hurry, keep waiting and watching. '22 models will continue to come off their 3 year leases in the coming months, so used inventory should refresh fairly often.

 

I have a 21 Aspec SHawd - rock solid reliable (regular maintenance for fluids/filters and just put in a new battery after 50 months). All the kinks were worked out by 21, so both are great years. Appears all the new vehicles are made to a much lower standard these days - just read the nightmares on some of the forums. I was looking at a new Ford Explorer ST - but that changed after reading some of the issues. I value reliability over more power.

Model year 22' had a slight refresh, to me I would have upgraded to the Aspec Advanced (not offered in 21), as it has a HUD, 360 camera, auto folding mirrors and adaptive suspension. The front/rear bumper and wheel style refresh is ok.

Warranty wise, most 21's will almost be out of warranty either by year or mileage (4 years/50K). Acura's extended warranty is reasonable. especially if the HUD or adaptive suspension has an issue - both are costly to repair.

 

Those things you mention are not slight, its a pretty major upgrade if you put them all together.
HUD
360 Camera
Auto Folding Mirrors
Adaptive suspension
Much quieter cabin
Faster processor on the infotainment system

Personally I much prefer the wheels/styling of the 2022 Advanced Aspec over all prior versions, but I know that is subjective.

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May be to someone who has never owned a Gen 3 RDX, however all those options after warranty are costly to fix. Just look in the forum for HUD and adaptive suspension issues after the mfg warranty expired. However, one could purchase a Acura extended warranty - which is not that expensive, as tech stuff on all newer vehicles are super expense to repair. The original OP can weight the pros and cons.

If I was in the market for a slightly used Gen 3 RDX, I would lean toward a 22-23 CPO RDX Aspec Advanced SHawd with the extended warranty.