I currently have 2020 RDX A Spec and at times I believe I made a mistake not getting the advance module with the HUD, active dampers, 360 camera 16 way power seats. My question is the active dampers do they make a difference can you actually notice it when you drive. I have the opportunity to up grade to advance model. What do you think?

 

I've only had the car about 2 weeks and 300mi, but I can't feel a significant ride/handling difference in damper settings. I do feel the throttle, shift, and steering change more distinctly, but you already have that. I personally wouldn't make a determination based on the benefits of active dampers alone. IMO

 

Wow you can’t? It’s pretty obvious the suspension stiffens up once you go from comfort to sport and even more so in sport +. Maybe you don’t have the advance model because it’s pretty obvious to me. It isn’t subtle either. The bumps are much harsher and the car feels more planted with the stiffened suspension. In Sport + it feels more like a sports sedan like my G37x.

OP, test drive the advance model and see if you can feel a difference. That’s the only way to really know. I can feel a huge difference.

 

I certainly accept your take. My experience has been short and on smooth, 2-lanes and some highway. It just may be too early for me to making a claim. Agree about the test drive. It's your call and you need firsthand experience to make it.

 

I have the same adaptive dampers in my Accord 2.0T (although they only have 2 positions, not 3 like the RDX).

On the Accord forums, there are always people who say they can't feel the difference. If you drive gently, you probably won't notice that much different.

But I use it EVERY DAY! On my way to work, there are a couple of right turns where the light is almost always green, visibility is good and I'm coming in with a lot of speed. In Sport, I can take the turns very quickly, coming in hot and applying throttle mid-turn, and the car doesn't lean or feel like it wants to pull leftward as I turn. If I leave it in normal mode, the car leans WAYYYY to the left.

To be honest, the inability to get A-Spec AND Advance is one of the reasons I'm still stuck on the fence about the RDX. THE A-SPEC SHOULD HAVE ADAPTIVE DAMPERS! Honda did the same thing with the Accord. The Sport 2.0T model is the looker, and the only one available in manual. Want the adaptive dampers? Nope, only in the Touring model, which is overtly less sporty.

 

I don't notice much difference between Comfort and Sport, but in Sport+ the ride is decidedly stiffer, although not harsh, and through the many round-a-bouts which populate my neighborhood, the cornering difference is massively noticeable. The car stays flat with no plowing or leaning, and the difference in the feel, combined with the SH-AWD boost accelerating out of the curve, is very noticeable.

 

Indeed. I have my 2020 RDX Advanced and I got on to the freeway on-ramp which turns sharply and I decided to sport + it and see what was up with this SH-AWD system, Wow....it is the weirdest thing to feel the car pull it self through the turn and remain flat. Really fun, it just pushes and pulls you through with no sweat.

 

Retest that with comfort settings, as that on-ramp test really shows the SH-AWD feature.

 

Just make sure if you make the switch, you keep the wheels from your old car

 

IMO the advance is worth it. BUT the A-spec has some advantages in looks that you will lose with the advance. The adaptive dampeners make a huge difference when driven hard but if you don't push it then they are not a deal maker. I use sport+ twice daily so I take advantage of the comfort on the highway and flat cornering when I mat it on merges. Honestly, if you don't screw around and push the car, they are not worth it. I enjoy having them but your value may vary. I don't use sport mode - just comfort and sport+. I'm not sure it make a huge difference in sport mode. I think the comfort mode could be even softer but I suppose they went for balance. They could have another setting called cranky old man that was even softer and that would be pretty cool.

The HUD is excellent - clear, easy to configure, and I can't imagine not having it now.

Seats are excellent but I have a short torso and long legs so I wanted the additional adjustment - you may not need them at all because the normal seats are very good.

The 360 camera is meh - not as good and other premium implementations but I use it daily.

 

I had a loaner 3rd-gen RDX Tech SH-AWD yesterday when my Advance SH-AWD was in for maintenance ( and to document that my front lower control arms are squeaking ), and I noticed the difference in the suspension right away. My Advance corners flatter and feels more composed yet supple. This is my first experience with active shock absorbers, and I'm worried I will be hooked for life. Yet another expensive vice.

 

Full disclosure for the OPs benefit: The HUD is excellent, but will almost disappear when using polarized sunglasses. Just something to know.

 

I only have polarized sunglasses, and I don't notice the HUD disappearing.

 

Just so you know, this is ALL HUDs, and not a problem with the RDX.

 

Your sunglasses either aren't polarized or they are not polarized properly. The HUD reflections off the windshield, which causes it to always have a horizontal polarity. The glare that polarized sunglasses aims to block is primarily also of horizontal polarity. In other words, the HUD necessarily uses the same polarity as the glare that polarized sunglasses are intended to block. If you can see your HUD full brightness with your sunglasses on, either they aren't polarized or they are vertically polarized which makes no sense as 90% + of light on a sunny day is horizontally polarized.

 

The HUD gets significantly dimmer but it does not completely disappear for me in the RDX. This could be because the windshield is at a slight angle or it would be they way I sit or hold my head. Anyway, if I tilt my head a little then it goes away or gets brighter depending on the angle (as expected).

Interesting fact: It goes away completely in all the the Audis but just gets dimmer in the Acura, BMW, and Cadillac with the same sun glasses. They are genuine Ray Bans so decent but nothing special. Again, could just be how I was sitting in each but I found it interesting. Once of the reasons for picking the Acura was that I could still kinda see the HUD with my sunglasses.

 

I have genuine Maui Jim sunglasses and they are fine. Of course, this thread is about the active dampers, not the HUD or the polarized lenses.

 

At least it is not about 91 vs 87 octane or fuel economy

 

Regardless of the quality or brand of your glasses, if they don't wipe out most of the visible light coming from the HUD, they are not properly polarized.

Also, adaptive dampers. Adaptive dampers. They are great. Honda, why aren't they in the A-Spec trim? Why aren't they in the Accord Sport 2.0T Manual? Adaptive dampers. Adaptive dampers. And adaptive dampers. There. On topic. Hope you approve.

 

Tilt your head from side to side. If you don't see the HUD fading in and out, your sunglasses are not polarized. At some point, the projected image should virtually disappear. If it happens in one eye more than the other, the polarization of the two lenses is not properly aligned.

You should also be able to see the effect on most computer and phone screens. But not the infotainment screen in the RDX (for some reason ).

 

Or Teslas.

 

Well I will never now the difference! Dealer wanted way too much to upgrade $9000 so I’ll stay with my ASpec which I am very happy with just thought it would be nice to upgrade should have done it at purchase.

 

Reductio ad Teslarum

 

Personally, I'm very happy with my Tech trim, but I would have gone for A-Spec if it had active suspension. Active suspension should have come with A-Spec as far as I'm concerned.

At least you can sleep better knowing you have the nicer wheels...

 

We do trips across country which usually involve mountain roads. While on the straight (and boring) Interstate the car says in "Comfort" but when we hit the mountains we go to Sport or Sport +. There is a difference! I like the way the car handles those curvy mountain roads. Yes, I like the active suspension a LOT. I got use to them back in my GM days when we had it on some models like the Corvette. In class I would have the techs bounce it while I used a "Tech 2" scan tool to switch the dampeners through their modes. The students were amazed at how much you could change the vehicle "feel". Yes, I love this feature. When I was shopping I saw the "A-spec" as more of an appearance package while the Advance was the one with the "good stuff" on it. Leaving off the "extras" seemed a way to keep the price down for those who cared more about "the look" than the performance. I didn't care about black wheels, etc, I just wanted a car with great handling and features like the HUD. Love that HUD also for very practical reasons.

 

This is when the extra cost of the Advance is worth every penny!

 

Somebody said that ASPEC has different parts for rear suspension, is it possible that ASPEC has different suspension from base model? Also, 20” make ride different from base model. Some say it’s harsh, others say it’s more sporty. It really depends on your preferences. I like the looks of ASPEC too. To some it’s just an appearance package, but to others it’s not.

 

That's when I take this car:

 

A-spec has different rear springs, but suspension is otherwise identical to Base and Tech. Aside from the lower profile tires, that will make the ride a bit more stiff.

 

are those springs more stiff?

 

This is a great take on it, and I totally agree!

 

Dunno for sure, but they are a different part number. It would probably be reasonable to assume that they are more stiff.

 

According to Acura's initial media release specs/info for the RDX, the suspension is the same on all models except for the Advance.

 

If you drive advance with the sportiest suspension setting vs aspec, which one feels more stiff?

 

Am I reading that right? Your dealer wanted $9,000 for an Advance over an A-Spec? Something wrong there. The MSRP difference Is only about $2K, IIRC.

 

I’m betting he’s talking about trading up to the Advance would be a 9K delta.

 

The key word there is "initial". Read the fine print and you will find that they don't guarantee there won't be changes during final production. And in fact, we are aware of other things that were initially claimed but are not factual in regard to the final product.

If you review the parts listings, you will find that the rear springs are different for A-spec vs all other trims.

 

I am curious if the hardest(stiffest) setting on Advance makes it similar feel to aspec/base?
I only drove advance during test drive, and it felt softer, but its possible I did not select the right settings, was long time ago. I like stiff suspensions, always try to get the stiffest one.

 

I haven’t noticed any difference in the suspension in the driving I’ve done in Sport+ vs Comfort in a Platinum Elite. The transmission and steering noticeably tighten up but the adaptive dampers, I’m not so sure.

 

4th Acura
How do you find the turbo lag from 1st generation to 3rd and Road handling. I have the 2011 and seriously looking at 2021 sometime around Oct or Nov this year.