Hello enthusiasts,

Loyal Honda owner here thinking about converting to Lexus, please let me know your thoughts.

I was looking at purchasing a used 2021 Acura RDX and have been somehow drawn to a 2021 Lexus NX due to reliability

What is your experience with the reliability on your RDX? Am I right in thinking the NX?

Notes:
2021 RDX Positives:
-Sexy AF
-Sporty Ride-Recommend premium gas, regular minimum
-more bang per buck 2021 RDX negatives:
- Possible reliability issues with transmission . Limp mode scares the bleep out of me.
-ACura dealer is 3.5 hour drive away. Honda 45 min(this dealer is terrible).
- Bad fuel economy with these high gas prices. 24mpg my friend says he's getting 18mpg


​​​​2021 NX positives:
- Reliability
- comfy seats- smooth as silk ride- ok gas mileage 25Mpg
- Toyota dealer near by (friend that runs service department said they service lots of Lexus vehicles)

​​​​​​2021 NX negatives:
- premium gas only- dated interior and exterior infotainment
- no sexy moonroof
thanks for your insight!
Plunder:
91 prelude SR
91 crx spec Ed90 crx si88 accord exi97 Accord coupe ex92 civic hatch dx07 Honda fit sport(current getting up there in age and km)15 Toyota Tacoma (current - wife's truck no joke)

​​​

 

Owner of a 2019 A-Spec here. If I were buying a compact/midsize luxury SUV today I'd get the GV70 and I would cross shop a CX-50.

The RDX is merely a good car rather than a great car which is what I expect from Acura/Honda. Rides too rough, is too loud, transmission programming sucks, reliability is a mess, and that touchpad is not great. It is roomier than the competition, has a lovely moonroof, has a strong motor, and is quite attractive. For a Honda product I find it quite poorly resolved - when I drive most Honda products I know right away that it's a Honda product but the RDX doesn't feel like a Honda.

 

It's sad to hear that it's not the car I was hoping it to be. After looking at all these forums with all the issues people have it's tough for me to put cash down on one. It tough as the looks really tempt me.
I did look at the GV70 and it's amazing. Just out of my price range sadly.
The CX-50 looks good, and the price is right. I just always thought Mazda had issues with quality themselves.

 

Fwiw, the NX is a noticeably smaller crossover. If you need room for family--especially rear-facing carseats--I'd take it off the list.

I'm a 2021 RDX owner and I've really enjoyed it. The "limp mode" thing is not scary and has really been blown out of proportion by a couple folks, imho. There's no reason why it'd be scarier than stalling your clutch or blowing a tire. If you're one of the 0.0001% of RDX owners who get "limp mode," you take it to the dealer and they replace the intercooler and life goes on. It's an inconvenience, at worst.

The QC quirks you hear about are pretty much par for the lousy car industry right now. As with most new cars, you can pretty much expect to seek warranty fixes on silly things. For that reason, dealer proximity would be a MAJOR factor for me. I absolutely wouldn't buy a brand that doesn't have a dealer in town.

I second supafamous' recommendation to check out Mazda. I'd probably own a Mazda right now if they weren't so slow to release the CX-50 and CX-70.

 

They did but have really picked it up and consistently place above average in quality rankings. Acura does not. My only criticisms are the truck like wheel flares and the 6 speed automatic.

 

Since you are considering 21 RDX, how about waiting a little longer and see if you can come across a 22 RDX within your price range? MY22 has upgraded infotainment (same as MDX unit except for the smaller LCD) which is much more responsive than 19-21. IMHO, this alone is worthy of the wait and the price difference between 21 and 22. Better NVH is also a major justification.

 

I can’t comment on a 2021 Lexus NX other than agree with what you have already identified. However, as a long time owner of both Lexus and Acura (4 MDX, 1 RDX) vehicles, I find the quality and value of Lexus superior.
I have a 2022 Lexus NX 350h and 2020 RDX AWD Tech, the updates to 2022 NX solidifies my feelings and make it clear I will not purchase another Acura vehicle. The tech and quality along with 41mpg in the NX make driving a pleasure.

That being said, I think I would choose the 2021 RDX over the 2021 NX. The previous gen NX was too small, with too many compromises.

Good luck!

 

I know you’re thinking used but the newer ‘22 NX350 redesign is also 1 sec quicker 0-60 than the ‘21. For me, it went from too slow to good enough as it’s comparable to the 0-60 on my TLX.

Knowing what I know now, I would def choose Lexus over Acura. Even the newer infotainment in the ‘22 RDX brought over from the MDX makes you choose b/w music from the USB vs from CP/AA.

 

Re: Mazda reliability - they consistently outperform Honda now and rank equal to or better than Toyota. My personal experience (and my families) with Mazda has been exemplary other than a 1993 Mazda 6 that was flaky, every other Mazda has been great (CX-5, CX-9, two Miatas, Protege, Protege5, Mazda 3 (2 of them).

 

Reliability? Perfect on my 2021 RDX. My experience with any Honda product is that the first or second model year of a new generation has problems, but the final years of that generation are extremely reliable. Honda/Acura works out all the bugs.

 

Are you saying the '21 or '22 RDX models have somehow attained the ability to wirelessly charge MagSafe iPhones?

 

My 2022 RDX charged my iPhone 12 wirelessly. Slowly but it does charge.

 

I had a 2019 NX prior to my 2022 RDX. The NX was solid for 25k miles but the negatives outweigh the positives IMO.

AWD is really 100% fwd until the wheels slip. SH-AWD is superior.
It’s pretty small inside. Rear hatch area is tiny.
The remote touch pad is worse than Acura.
I averaged 22mpg in mixed driving, same as I’m getting in the RDX.
Not nearly as fun to drive as the RDX.
Non-F-Sport is kind of ugly.
Cheap looking black plastic wheel wells.
Sub-Par sound system but it does have full screen CarPlay.

So far no issues with my RDX after almost 7k miles.

 

Last gen NX and CX-5 was too small for my growing family. RX was outta my budget.

RDX aspec was the perfect compromise with looks and Honda reliability. No regrets with my purchase 3 years later besides the terrible gas mileage and wonky infotainment system.

Ask me which car today and I say new gen NX or new gen MDX.

 

I have a 21' RDX ASPEC SH-AWD. There are things I really like about this vehicle, and things I absolutely hate. I really love the styling and the blue color that I have. It's so striking, and it just looks badass with the dark rims. The engine on this SUV is pretty good as well. It has a lot of power for an SUV, and I never find myself wishing I had a lot more power when it comes to merging, etc.

I am definitely NOT a fan of the infotainment system! I have been having a lot of issues lately, and I'm not sure why. It has been a lot more problematic since I did the Map update. I also feel like the build quality isn't all that great. My wife just got a Subaru Legacy XT Touring, and I honestly feel that car is just as nice as my RDX is not a little nicer. It is also about 8-10k less as well.

Other than that, I've had some issues with my driver's side power window, sunroof creaking, and the brake squeak when it gets colder out. However, for the most part it has been a great vehicle overall.

I have been shopping around as my lease is up next year, and I think I'm going to go with a GV70. I test drove one a couple of months ago, and I really liked it. I also really like the styling of it, especially in person!

Best of luck!

 

The RDX and NX are solid, reliable mid-size SUV's. Both have their pros and cons. IMO - in this ever changing energy climate with prices rising quickly, both to me are missing the #1 factor - a Hybrid offer that get you 35+mpg on a regular basis. That is where the boat is missed currently, as it easily bridges the gap to the "green initiative", cut "range anxiety" and even F1 uses the technology.

 

I've thought about going Genesis but then I read the horror stories from owners trying to get their car serviced via the concierge program. Although you don't have the indignation of rolling up to Hyundai to get the car serviced yourself, it's getting the appointments with the concierge that has been problematic. Genesis still hasn't completely worked out the kinks but I'm sure a separate building and staff from Hyundai would help immensely.

What good is a couple years of free service if you can't get the appointments you want?

 

I recently stopped by a Lexus dealer asking about either an NX350 or NX350h (first choice). He told me that if they had a hybrid version on the lot it would be offered at a couple grand above MSRP due to rarity whereas the regular NX350 could be had at MSRP. He also said that the delivery ratio of NX350/NX350h has been 20:1!

It's Q4 2022 and the chip shortage is still painfully felt. It's nice to talk about buying hybrids but you have to find one first and also be willing to pay ADM!

 

ADM - those days are dwindling, with used cars flooding the market (15k repos a day), interest rates climbing and dealers on life support. The consumer can say "no" to ADM, the more that do - dealers will have to cut prices to move inventory that they pay dearly on in interest to sit on the lot. Similar to the housing market, crazy FOMO by the media, realtors and fed super low interest rates - created a bidding war - that's over - now sellers and builders are cutting prices rapidly as inventory sits.

 

I would agree with you on ADM for gasoline-only cars. The chip shortage has made hybrid supply far less less than hybrid demand. Neither you nor I know when this chip madness will end. It's "House Rules" right now if you want that hybrid.

 

I've had no problems to speak of in the nearly 1 year I've owned our 22 Advance Aspec. It's been great. Wish the rear camera took up the full display, but otherwise it's been a nice upgrade over the 21 we had briefly.

We previously had a CX-5 and while it was overall a pretty good CUV, I hated how long it took the infotainment system to boot up in the morning (I'd be out and closing my garage door before the camera would come up on the screen). It was also kind of no frills, didn't look particularly good, didn't perform great, and was just kind of meh.

Briefly, we acquired a Macan GTS and that thing was a phenomenal CUV and was head and shoulders above the RDX and really anything in that market segment at the time. But, it was also nearly twice as expensive, and with working from home becoming more prevalent we couldn't justify keeping it.

 

I will take this a step further by saying that if there was no chip shortage and you could get any hybrid you want, Acura would be in deep S…t. Having no hybrids ( RDX & MDX) on the market today is absolutely suicidal. Yes I know the all new ZDX all battery powered is on its way, but that is not going to move the needle much, at least not for the next couple of years.
Just arrived from Europe where everybody is raving about the new 2023 BMW X1. They did an amazing job on it. Bigger than the previous model, loaded with high quality materials and the the latest i8 drive infotainment system. For now the NA market will only get the 28i 2.0 turbo with 245/295 horsepower and torque. In Europe they have a couple of Diesel engines, a couple of gas only, a plug-in hybrid and a full electric. Due to the energy crisis over there and the love for hybrids and full electrical vehicles they will be supplying the old continent for the time being. Lots of YT videos. They should be arriving here next month.
Waiting for the plug-in but who knows once I test drive it.

 

I have both a '20 NX and '21 RDX. Both vehicles have pluses and minuses. The biggest difference is the size of the NX. It's much smaller both in the cockpit area and the cargo compared to the RDX. The NX is small, nimble and a lot of fun to drive but designed for smaller people. The RDX is much more comfortable for long drives and the SH-AWD is amazing. The RDX doesn't feel like you are driving a large SUV and can haul a lot of stuff with the seats down. The NX infotainment system's look is dated but is rock solid. It just works especially with Carplay and WAZE. The RDX infotainment looks modern and up to date. It is more stable since the last upgrade but continues to be quirky/unstable at times especially with Carplay and recognizing the connected mobile phone.

But, the biggest difference is with the QC of the vehicles. The NX is solid, rattle free and feels tight. My RDX has numerous rattles, popping, creaking and groaning noises coming from the dash, pano sunroof, power seats, steering wheel and tailgate that have been issues that the dealer has been unable to fix. It could be that I just have a poorly constructed vehicle that was made during COVID (May 2021). It's disappointing because the RDX could be the overall better vehicle but the NX feels better constructed. I would test drive the '21 RDX to make sure it doesn't have the issues I have.

 

How many miles on your RDX? Nearly 7k on my 22 with zero rattles or squeaks.

Remember that gen of NX first came out in 2014 with few updates through 2021. Typical Lexus/Toyota. Boring but reliable.

 

I agree with this 100%. QC isn't just about the build quality of an individual car. Of course, some people have cars that are perfect, and that's a good sign for quality. However, QC also means consistency across all cars. The fact that some cars have quality issues while other cars are flawless is an indication that the QC process is lacking.

 

I have a 2021 that was built in 10/2020. She is rock solid, not one rattle or squeak. Have not had one issue in quality or reliability with 13k miles and counting. BTW - all big sunroofs creak - its a structure thing and heat vs cold in the metal around the roof.

*The SHawd is purely amazing, even with the not so great stock Goodyear all seasons. ​​​​​​Mine has been driven in a few nasty snow storms with temps in the -8 degrees and motors on. Never once got stuck, even when others with 4wd could not climb the same hills as the Acura goat.
**She's a good road tripper - pretty quiet, good tech to gobble up 600+ miles a day solo with semi auto polite and comfy seats. Downside, she is tall, wind affects mpg a lot and she's a thirsty one (averaged 25.2mpg at 72mph over 1600 miles). City mpg and cold weather will get you a real world 15-17mpg. My computer avg mpg is 20mpg. I use regular, as experimented with regular and premium - no difference in MPG, but you loose 20hp that you can feel when using full throttle - otherwise hard to tell the difference.
***Hot weather is where I feel Acura falls short with their AC systems. Takes way to long to cool down compared to a Lexus, Infiniti, BMW or a few others - theirs feels like a meat locker AC airflow, where the Acura/Honda products feel like a cool refrigerator. When it's 100+ outside - I want the meat locker AC. Helps to ceramic tint all the windows, especially the front windshield in 70-90% to reduce the solar heat rejection.****Best feature after 2 years - Walk away auto-lock, auto parking brake with in park (both easy to set up, the latter you will want to disable in freezing temps and won't let you drive without your seatbelt on). Stereo is super nice and apple car play is a blessing on a long trip.

Even though the design is only a few years old - its a little old school in design and features - especially for a premium brand. Though, all that new fancy big virtual screen stuff will not age well in 10+ years. Analog dials are nice, simple and reliable. Driven a lot of the new stuff out there, EV's and other SUV's - most new EV's regardless of price feel like they will not last the test of time well.

 

My previous and current vehicle must be outliers then. No pops, no creaks.

 

I took the RDX for multiple test drives and the only thing that I noticed was the horrid break noises at low speeds. Those breaks are massive so I'd assume that they are more supseptable to that. No creaks and rattles that I could hear. The only item I was a bit concerned with is a bit of oil that I saw under the vehicle. My thoughts are that it could have been a poor oil change that is left over, but it is a concern that it could be transmission. At 14k I would hope not, in forums I have read of people have had to have their transmissions replaced at 20k.

I used to trust Honda without blinking in the past. In fact I worked for Honda for 10 years and would swear by them. Now I feel like I need to do my homework.

I do live in snow country, so a vehicle that can tackle snow is a must. Have you ever driven your NX in snow? If so was it ok?

​​​​​​Dealerships near me: Toyota, Honda, Subaru,kia, Hyundai, ford. All the other dealers are hours away from my location
​​​​​

 

The RDX is superior in snow. The NX is slip to grip. 100% FWD until the wheels slip and power is transferred to the rear wheels.

I haven’t heard of transmissions being replaced as something to worry about but I wouldn’t buy anything that is leaking oil.

 

For the record, my RDX is completely rattle and squeak free. Very happy with the car in all respects.

Moving on, you mentioned your local dealerships. Is having a dealership close to home a priority in your decision-making process? And is having a luxury name on your car also a priority? I ask because I was recently in a new Honda Passport. I thought the level of luxury was just slightly below my RDX, but still VERY nice. It also has a solid V6 engine. I know the the Pilot and Passport are also excellent in snow. Cost is about the same as an RDX. Maybe that makes them a poor value? We may have different tastes or preferences in cars, but I thought that Passport was extremely impressive. And in your case, close to home. If you have not considered a Passport, perhaps this is food for thought as you make your car decision.

 

Completely agree - not one issue yet either.

The RDX SHawd is a 'full-time" system (also the reason why the mpg is not so great), where most others are not and employ the other wheels when they slip. Big difference in snow and frozen road areas. My RDX is a tractor in the snow and super ugly, slippery weather. If you live in the sunshine states, AWD/4WD is not as beneficial for day-to-day normal driving.

Biggest difference with any AWD or 4WD will be the tires you have on it in inferior weather.

 

Inconvenience? NO.

I was driving along the highway out in the mountains in rain. I went into the passing lane and put my pedal to the floor. Instead of accelerating, the engine went LIMP. I wasn't scared at the time - I just pulled off the road to the right. I was scared afterward, realizing that if this had happened on the 401 in Toronto there is a good chance I would have been rear ended. I can imagine many situations in which it could lead to a quick and fiery death. I've also never, in 20+ years of driving Hondas, had a car die on me before. Stalling your clutch is driver error, and blowing a tire is incredibly rare if you adhere to tire life guidelines. This is a patent, known defect (rain causes a faulty sensor reading) and completely different than the examples you provided. The problem is that Acura knows about this and has chosen not to issue a recall. It's a problem with a high percentage of pre-refresh RDXs. Acura's lack of action is the single biggest reason I may never buy another Honda product. I was on a road trip with my son at the time. He was in the back. If I'd been rear ended by a Semi going 120 km/h on the 401 (the nightmare version of this situation which didn't happen, but easily could have) he would have been crushed.

Aside from that, to answer the OP: I have 2 years left on my lease. After no less than 4 major repairs (in the shop for 3 days or more) and a 2-3 more "tweaks" of previous fixes (HUD rattle, Intercooler replace, Sunroof unit replacement, USB port replacement), my RDX is a pretty good daily driver. It's far more useful than an NX if you actually need the utility. The NX's cargo hold is kind of pathetic, load height is awkwardly high in the name of design. Oh, and it's AWD system is not in the same league as SHAWD, and neither is the experience of driving it. The stereo in the RDX is massively better than the upgraded system in the Lexus - more effective power, better definition/clarity, a proper soundstage (go read separate reviews - ELS is the real deal). The seats in the top model are fantastic, too.

I keep saying I won't buy any more Acuras, but it's hard to argue with their value proposition. Aside from the class leading interior and cargo space, the RDX has the "3 S's" that I look for in a car - Sporty handling, Sound system and comfortable Seating. On those criteria, you can't beat the RDX at the price. Trust me - I tried!

 

​​​​I love the last gen Passport. New design not as attractive IMO still nice though. Yes, they are fantastic vehicles.I talked my dad into buying a 2019 and he loves it and I do too. sadly my wife does not love the giant width of the passport, so she has poo poo'd any purchase of one. The size of the nx and RDX are perfect for her capabilities driving them into the garage.(her words, not mine)
This will be my Vehicle, she will want to drive it though.

Through reading everyone's responses its made me more torn. I do trust Lexus for quality more now then ever before. however it's though to not exclude the RDX for the amount of features and driving capability. If I lived in a city where the Acura dealer was close by I would most likely be driving the RDX already.

Maybe I just need to talk my wife into buying both haha.

 

One thing I can say that is very intriguing.

There are a LOT of used 2019-2020 RDX Aspecs around (largest city near by Vancouver). There are barely any NX's around. Even non-f sport.

Maybe I shouldn't read into that?

 

Who knows. Maybe they sold more RDXs? Which would lead to more used models available later.

 

Here is all the data for Canada and USA sales by year for each model.

 

Anecdotally it seems like the NX is less popular than the RX in Vancouver and thus there's more RDXs than NXs on the market (used or new). I don't see a lot of NXs in my part of town (Vancouver, North Van, Richmond, Burnaby) but I sure do see a lot of RXs.

The prices for an used A-Spec are kinda crazy - it's only $2-3k less than what I paid 3 years ago when I bought mine (I paid $50k all-in for a demo with 3,500km on it).

 

I know this forum is open and honest about the RDX’s short falls. But on the positive, I just returned from a trip to Lake Champlain NY, (from NJ) and thoroughly enjoyed driving my RDX. In the mountains and twisted rural roads, the suspension was always composed and very reassuring at higher speeds. When the RDX was in sport mode, I enjoyed using the paddle shifters to downshift before I wanted power. It gave me the same level control as in my other car with a manual transmission. In heavy highway traffic, I could also use the paddles to hold the trans in a set gear to maintain 1,900 - 2,300 rpm and avoid the trans from endlessly hunting for a gear at low rpm. My car is FWD and fuel consumption at 78-80 mph was 29 mpg. No complaints for a fully loaded SUV on non-flat roads. The return trip down Rt. 87/NJ Parkway was about 7 hours straight. The seats were amazing! No body fatigue. The info system still has it issues. Fortunately, my wife could focus on that while I kept my eyes on the road. I’m not saying the car is perfect. No car is. But even compared to cars/SUVs that cost more, the RDX is a great to drive.

 

MPG is impressive. I average 25.4mpg on a 1600 mile multi state, rolling terrain at an average 73mph. Guess that is the difference between FWD and my SHawd which adds weight and constantly on.

The RDX is not perfect - but neither is anything else on the market. She is a great comfortable road tripper with a lot of safety features.

 

If you think about fuel economy, the difference between the drivetrain in a 2.0 Accord and the drivetrain in a FWD RDX is almost zero. (By the way, I was on regular fuel for this trip. Shell 87 or Sunoco 87). The Accord Touring weighs about 3,430 lbs versus 3,780 lbs for the FWD RDX. What’s 350 lbs., the equivalent of two extra people in the Accord? If the Accord Touring gets 35 mpg highway, 30 mpg in a slightly heavier and slightly less aerodynamic FWD RDX seems reasonable. I have no desire to turn this into another poor mileage discussion, but I suspect you are correct when stating the SH-AWD gets lower fuel economy because of its extra weight and that it operates 100% of the time. The need to constantly spin the mechanism in the transfer case, a driveshaft, a rear differential and two more half-shafts consumes power.