fiatlux

Hell I don't even want to buy an Acura and take it to my local Acura dealerships anymore with the subpar experience I've had the last couple of times. People tend to really underestimate just how important the soft-product is when it comes to products that target more affluent customers.

The funny thing about Genesis here is that you can't even buy one locally if you live in the wealthier areas. If you live in an area where you could probably afford a Genesis, you have to drive up to an hour to an area where people generally can't/shouldn't buy a Genesis. The three richest counties (Marin, SF, San Mateo) have a grand total of zero Hyundai dealerships.

JB in AZ

I have no plans to even remotely consider a Genesis any time soon, but aren't they supposedly trying to establish their own unique Genesis dealers? The Hyundai dealer where I live is the worst dealer I have ever dealt with, both sales and service. There is NO WAY I would buy anything from them again.

A Genesis buyer would expect excellence at the dealership level, and if they don't get this, the brand will not survive, IMHO. I live in Tucson (metro population 1 million +) The closest Genesis dealers seem to be in the Phoenix metro area 100 miles away...apparently there are three/four there. And one in Flagstaff! On closer inspection, they may be Hyundai/Genesis dealers. What does it say about the Hyundai dealer in Tucson if they are not listed as selling Genesis?

wuffy

Personally, I am going to continue to monitor/research the GV70 but as stated above, without a convenient and well-rated dealership near me, I cannot go with that brand. I wish a bunch of the internal designs/electronics of the GV70 were in the RDX though.

RickRDX

I do, don't know about your experience with Hyundai dealers but I had a Santa Fe and had experience with 3 different Hyundai dealers and I can't say anything bad about them. The experience I had with a Lexus dealer where I was with my wife's RX350 is only marginally better but much more expensive. On the other hand I don't understand why people give so much importance to " dealer experience". They want champagne and cigar when waiting for their car serviced??? Since I have my RDX one year ago I never went back to the dealer, no need to. I will go to the dealer only for warranty related works, and a Genesis certified technician is good enough for me if I ever need it even in a Hyundai dealer.

leomio2.0

100% agree. My last couple times for service at my local Acura dealer were very unpleasant. Honestly, when I brought my Honda in for a couple recalls, they were far better to deal with. I liken my experience with this Acura dealer with my dealings with GM ... which is why I'll never buy a GM product that isn't a "toy". I went a couple towns over to test drive the Type-S, and if I do purchase the car, I'll probably be buying it from that same dealer. I don't care if it's literally 31mins away compared to 5mins (according to Google), I'll never spend another dime at that dealer.

RickRDX

To each his own, for me dealership would be the last in my list of things to consider when buying a car. If I have to go to the dealer so often for fixing the car I would probably be done with that brand, never come back regardless of the " dealer experience" I would have.

fiatlux

Godspeed on any future Acura purchases then. I guess you also don't use the complimentary scheduled maintenance?

RickRDX

I don't, that is one of the schemes the dealer use to make money

JB in AZ

And this is what I experienced. It is POSSIBLE that 1/2 of the dealer visits I had might have been eliminated if the dealer and their staff were competent... and not deceitful.

JB in AZ

My RDX came with complimentary maintenance? Who knew?

fiatlux

It comes and goes with Acura. Some years they offer it, some years they don’t.

leomio2.0

Our 2020, they offered the first oil change for free. Then you're on your own. I enjoy the therapeutic process of getting oil all over my driveway, getting bitten by mosquitos and the eventual next-day neck strain from doing the work myself.

RickRDX

Why didn't you go to another dealer at the first doubt? just to get second opinion. You could also write to Hyundai USA if you think the dealer treats you badly and ask them their opinion about your problem. Dealers are not manufacturer, they are manufacturer's contractors

JB in AZ

There isn't another dealer anywhere close.

My first warranty visit was the 2nd day of ownership. The audio system and the related safety system audible warnings totally quit. It took four visits over three weeks to got it resolved. Another issue was A/C that would not keep the car cool. It took several visits and many lies from the dealership about what needed to be done. It ultimately took a fix I found on the Hyundai forum, that I told the dealer, which fixed it. They were denying it would work. Besides this, they always claimed my oil change interval was 5,000 miles, when the manual SPECIFICALLY said 3,000 miles due to the Turbo. Even after I showed them, they continued to say 5,000. They were so incompetent that they didn't realize the Turbo cars had a different interval than the NA cars. AND the Biggy, the DCT (double clutch transmission) was a huge safety issue. It was so bad I wouldn't let my wife drive it. After several attempts to fix it via software updates. This ultimately convinced me to trade the vehicle at a very large loss for a '18 CR-V. Strongly enough, I later happened to read about a class action against Hyundai due to the DCT. I filled out the paper work, as a lark. Two years later, I received over $8,000 as repayment for diminished resale value.

It was my first Hyundai. I had figured that they had come up to being almost equal to the established Asian brands. Ironically, this dealer also sells Mazda. My son had similar issues with the same dealer with his Mazda 3, a couple of years prior. I should have know better!

So, as you mentioned up thread, I am done with this brand/dealer, and until another Hyundai dealer opens nearby, I am done with Hyundai.

RickRDX

I totally understand and I am sorry for your experience. I heard about the problem with the DCT of the 2014-2017 Tucson. From 2018 they stopped using the DCT in the Tucson and changed for the 2.4 with 6 speed AT. At least Hyundai does something to compensate people. I had a Santa Fe 2014 for 6 years and it was pretty good, beside replacing balls joint, stabilizer bars link all under guarantee nothing else. Its comfortable and drives nicely too, not as nice as the RDX but not far.

JB in AZ

I think it was the '16 and '17s that had the DCT in question. The '16 was the first year of the new generation.

It wasn't Hyundai that decided to compensate people, it was the lawyers and the courts. I expected maybe $50! LOL

briny319

The MDX is at the top of the list. But it's a waste. My wife has a 2019 MDX, so we really don't need two. I had this issue in 2012. I wanted a TL but it didn't fill every need, the RDX fit those needs but lacked in other areas. Enter my 2012 MDX which was great except for the 16mpg.

briny319

I am waiting to see the NX in person. The plug in hybrid with a tax credit looks like a great option on paper. By that time I'll see what changes come to the RDX and maybe the MDX's will start getting some discounts. Every way I slice it, I need to wait until fall.

hans471

The dealership means little if a car never needs service. However, a good dealership is worth a LOT! I spent my career in the industry plus served three years on a State Lemon Law board and saw many hundreds of cases. In 95+% of the cases the dealership was the big difference in how things went. I had to put dealerships under a microscope so to speak and really dig into how they handled problems. I can say with 100% confidence that a good dealer is a blessing and a bad one is, well, a curse. Good dealers will handle problems even if it comes out of their own profits while bad ones will brush you off or do half-assed work and could care less. True stories:

Example one: Young gal buys her first new car. Hears a really bad noise in the front going over bumps driving it home from the dealership. Calls the dealer and they tell her they can't get her in for three weeks! (on a brand new car with a potentially major safety related issue that never should have passed PDI and been released. It went down hill from there...

Example two: Buyer has multiple issues with new car. Dealer tells him to bring it back and works out a trade on a different vehicle where the customer loses nothing. (all handled "in house" without Lemon Law).

I look closely at any dealer I am going to do business with as one never knows what may happen with the car. I have had cars fixed free outside the normal warranty period because the dealer went to bat for me with the manufacturer's rep and got a "customer satisfaction" repair paid for by the company. Yes, the dealer can make a big difference. Oh, and BTW, my Acura dealer is like five miles away and is one of the good dealers who really seems to take care of their customers.

Jim7707

Any suggestions on how to go about doing this?

jcross1231

Same thing here. I was getting ready to trade in my '16 and then realized I might be annoyed in just a few months in missing the update, no matter how minor it is. Nothing changed on the '16-'18 RDX's. It's been 3 years now on the 3G models. Time for something to happen. I haven't seen anything definitive other than spy shots of test models with a lot of stuff covered up.

tabs31

I was told today by my dealer here on Long Island that the ‘22’s would be arriving in October. Not sure if it’s true, but figured I’d pass it on.

wuffy

I was guessing around that time as well but hopefully info about the 22's will be known before then.

FlopMeister

I asked my salesman last Friday. He said don’t expect anything until September and don’t expect much in the way of updates. He said the chip shortage is causing them to scale back changes.

Funz51

I cannot get over that God awful grill!
really?

Acurafangrl

Have you seen the new NX interior? Blows the rdx out of the water. Simply amazing, that car is awesome. Acura will need to step it up.

jcross1231

Yeah...the proboscis front end. Pretty awful all right.

JB in AZ

Eh, it is just a car. Doesn't bother me. I don't see the grill while driving. The interior look, feel and infotainment system performance is more important to me.

Too2ilent

I'll have to agree as of now. It's a huge improvement, took care of the dated interior just like that. Touchscreen, big screen. And extra cargo space? Still waiting on the official specs of the cargo space, because that was a deal breaker for me for the old NX's. Plus the seats look like a new form, looks less cramped in the car.
I'm in the market for the end of this year to switch out of my honda crv 2008. So this might be a big win over the RDX, their refresh better announce soon with some improvements.
Hoping for some good stuff from both ends in the next month or so. All in all, need to see which one is the best bang for the buck.

mlody

We recently test drove several SUVs, including RDX. We had a chance to drive Model Y, Q5, XC60, X3, QX50, and we both really like X3. The RDX was also nice car, but the biggest dislike was the interface and the trackpad - my wife hated it. Like every car, X3 has its shortcomings, but overall, it is a nice car, and it is priced well in our opinion as the Executive model (loaded) is $53170, compared to Advanced RDX $49745. That is less than $3500 difference at MSRP, and since no one is discounting the cars now, the difference in the transaction might be similar.
I am willing to give up cooled seats in RDX (not available in X3) for a car that has top-notch technology that works. I could see us using cooled seats like 1-2 times a year compared to the technology we would be using daily, so the decision is clear. We will be waiting on 2022 models (both RDX and X3 get mild refreshes) and re-compare both X3 and RDX. We will also look at the transaction prices to see the actual price difference. If we needed to buy one today, the X3 would be in our garage, not RDX. We will see if 2022 models will sway us.

RickRDX

You should try the GV70 as well.

mlody

That is our plan. When we tested all the other cars, the dealers were all next to each other - some within walking distance. The Genesis dealer was on the other side of the town and we didn't have time on that day. We are planning to test drive it in the next couple weeks when our schedules opens up

Waetherman

Executive trim looks nice though I'm not sure it compares to an Advance - the key upgrade on the Advance is the adaptive suspension which is only available on M series X3 (starting at $56k). Of course with the M series you get a much more powerful engine so at that point it's not comparable.

Executive X3 seems more like an RDX Tech equivalent. Comparing those two models it's more like a $9000 difference. Tech is the sweet spot for the RDX in my opinion, but some people only buy the "fully loaded" versions. To each their own.

mlody

The adaptive suspension in RDX is very muted and does not offer wide range of controls and for sure does not offer luxurious drive for RDX. I played with the settings on the test drive and could not tell a real difference between the modes. The X3 with run-flats felt more composed and luxurious. On the other hand, Acura forces you to get Advance package to get basic things like rear heated seats, or heated steering wheel or even heads up display - all these and others are offered on mid-tier package in X3 (Premium), so really, stepping up to Executive is not necessary. Also some things are not available on RDX like wireless CarPlay or digital cockpit etc, so, saying that Executive package is like Tech in RDX is really a stretch. Like I said before, X3 is not without compromises, but I think it is a very nice overall package and compares well with RDX. The difference between the two is much narrower then many might think and picking between the two might come down to very few specific features - in our case wireless carplay and touch screen wins are way more important for us than adaptive suspension which offers no perceived benefit.

Waetherman

Whether you like the adaptive suspension is another matter, but that really is the biggest upgrade in the Advance package. All the other things are minor and ultimately come down to personal priorities. Personally I don’t care about HUD, or care enough about heated rear seats to spend the extra money. BTW Acura doesn’t advertise it much but there are dealer options for some of those items if you really want them, so you can get a tech trim with only some things from the Advance package, if they’re really important to you.

At the end of the day if you (or your wife) don’t like the infotainment system and that’s a deal breaker for you, and the BMW doesn’t have any deal breakers, that’s what you go with. I’m not trying to argue that the BMW isn’t a better car in some ways, but for me it came down to a combination of features, power and handling, and yes price including relatability and TCO since I own (don’t lease) and keep my cars for longer than most.

Too2ilent

So apparently someone on reddit said a rep at a dealership says mid Sept - October for the release. It may come out with the MDX interior. Obviously don't trust any news till any official words from Acura themselves or other sneak peeks. Take it with a grain of salt. Link below.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Acura/comme...l_hit_lots_in/

Waetherman

I’d believe most of that. A completely redesigned dash and interior seems like a lot for mid cycle refresh but I can see the 2022 getting some of the features of the MDX. And Sept/Oct seems right, but also I would have expected news about it by now…

Jim7707

I could see them updating the interior, especially if they don't do much to the exterior (which I like the way it is). Digital cluster would be nice as well as wireless CP/AA. Hoping for different wheels on the Advance, improved resolution on the rear camera on the Advance and at least the option for folding mirrors.

WTF.Acura

Saw this in an Acura subreddit.

Rumor from Dealer: 2022 RDX will hit lots in September/October and will get the MDX interior

TLDR: In the title

I’ve been looking to buy a compact, sporty SUV so I have been torn between the Genesis GV70 and Acura RDX. Genesis is charging a big premium for their cars right now due to demand (4-8k over MSRP in my area…) so I have been leaning Acura as they have very compatible specs and options for a better (more fair imho) price. I was in a dealer today with a sales person who I am friends with and when they heard I was looking to buy new, they pulled me aside and let me know that they are expecting to get the new 2022 RDX on their lot sometime between mid-September and early-October. They said they had been shown pictures by the corporate rep so this seems legit.

It looks like they are putting the MDX interior in including: the full digital cluster, wireless phone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the redesigned arm rest area, etc. Looks like the new ambient lighting system is included too. The exterior is largely the same as most of us expected, but it looks very modern and sleek so no complaints here. No information on new paint colors.

These updates should make the RDX even more competitive in such a tough segment. With the new NX coming out and the new GV70 hype, the RDX could still be king of the value and reliability group if this update actually happens!

Too2ilent

Yep, same link posted shortly above.
I really do hope they allow for power folding mirrors. That would be a win for me. I do not like the sneak peek look they released back in March for the back of the car. Back to rectangular mufflers.... Hoping they don't go for the MDX 2022 front side holes for the RDX.