gadgetfreak

I would like to introduce myself to the community. I am from Long Island, NY, and about to return a (loaded) 2019 QX50 after a 39-month lease with 10k miles on it. Well, actually, I am working with a car guy to arrange to buy it off lease and flip it for a profit. The Acura dealer didn't want to take it. I hope I got a good deal on a 36-month lease of the 2022 RDX Advance in Liquid Carbon with Espresso. I took the car he had on the lot, but it was probably my top choice anyway.



I am more a fan of ride comfort and tech than "performance" and "handling." Last week, I actually spent a day test driving the 2022s of RDX, Q5, QX50, RX350, XT4, XT5, and XC60. My goal was to find the smoothest/quietest cabin with the most tech. I will give you a brief comparison of all these cars but will ultimately want to explain why I had immediate regrets when I drove the RDX home the 2.5 miles from the dealer yesterday. Spoiler Alert: I am keeping the RDX anyway 😊.



Except for the RX350, I felt all the other cars had similar engine and road noise – even the Q5. None were completely silent and smooth. Perhaps I have an unrealistic expectation of what the interior should feel like in cars of this class, but, except for the RX350, I didn't see one as significant "better." At least that was my impression for the short time I test drove.



So then it came down to interior comfort, tech, and pricing. It is a lease, so long-term reliability is not a big deal, but I also didn't want my car in the shop all the time (a ding to Volvo where I have heard from friends they had problems).



The Q5 had a digital dashboard but no remote starter. The seats weren't particularly comfortable (I am 6'2"), and, if I recall correctly, the tech wasn't that fantastic.



The new QX50 has amazing tech (though missing a few key things), but more on this below.



The RX350 seems to be in the Stone Age. An old-fashioned shifter and still a CD player. I didn't even bother asking, but I am sure the price was significantly higher. It was the smoothest/quietest ride, but I would miss the tech.



The XT4 and XT5 were no better than the other cars. Price was a bit less, but the chip shortage seemed to be affecting the American brands more. I don't remember what they took out, but there were some important things (maybe HUD, heating steering?).



The Volvo might have been my second choice, but I was concerned about the tech. No Android Auto as it has Google built-in. But you couldn't use Waze. The seats also didn't go back when you turned off the car (easy entry), and, again, I was concerned about the reliability. Also, no keyfob remote start – only via app (which takes longer).



So I was really down to 3 choices: The XC60 (but I had my concerns), a new QX50 Autograph, or an RDX Advance. As I drove off the lot yesterday, I had immediate regrets because I LOVE my QX50. Here is my comparison of the RDX as it compares to my current 2019 QX50 and what I think I would have gotten in the 2022 QX50:



Cons

• Only one mirror goes down at a time in reverse. Does anyone know why that is???
• The map doesn't come on automatically when starting the car. The QX50 has a separate screen for the GPS, and I love being able always to have it on when even just driving around my neighborhood.
• As a 6'2" guy, I thought the thigh support would be helpful. I remember a Maxima that had a pull-out one. The seat is equally as comfortable as the QX50 for me. No better – no worse.
• Engine noise is no quieter than QX50. Dare I say it might be a bit louder – even in Comfort.
• The steering on the QX50 gets much looser at speeds under 7 mph to make maneuvering into parking spots easier. If the RDX has it, it is not as pronounced.
• Lane Keep Assistant only at speeds >45 mph. The QX50 has a much lower threshold.
• The wireless charger is not high speed. That is the challenge with built-in tech. I wonder if my use of wireless Android Auto will exceed the power needed from the wireless charger, and I will need to buy a high-speed charger anyway.
• Smaller center storage console
• No moving headlights. The QX50's lights would swivel with the steering wheel. I know the RDX headlights are phenomenal, but that was a "cool" feature that I actually found useful.
• Only one screen. As mentioned above, I know others faulted Infiniti for the second screen, but I actually liked it.
• No power-adjustable steering wheel. This also means the easy entry/exit feature only moves the seat.

Pros

• Bigger trunk and rear storage.
• Higher seat position when driving.
• Wireless Android Auto.
• Quieter wind noise. I am not sure if the newer QX50 is much worse, but you definitely don't hear the wind in the RDX. I suspect that when driving on the highway and the engine noise is minimal, the lack of wind noise will make me very happy. Sadly, most of my driving is not on the highway.
• Side bolsters on the driver's seat (maybe that will be nicer for me – I never thought the QX50 was uncomfortable).
• More controls are available in HUD. Very cool what can be accessed on the HUD screen.
• Keyfob remote start works much further and has LED confirmation. I subscribe to the phone app but use the keyfob often so this is nice.
• Headlights on with wipers. The 2019 QX50 doesn't have this, and I actually got pulled over with a warning in NJ last year. I am not sure if the 2022 QX50 got it added.

I originally made the decision to go with the RDX because the price was a bit less. It (supposedly) had a quieter interior, wireless charging and wireless Android Auto. But, most importantly, it was something "different." After all, that is one of the luxuries of leasing cars. I am keeping the car because I am not sure I could return it anyway, and I will learn to appreciate its pros and discount its cons. But, most of all, it is a 3-year commitment to try a different brand.



I hope this post is helpful to others and if anyone has comments that may make me feel even better about my decision, bring it on 😊.

Texasrdx21

You should have looked at the new 2022 Lexus NX 450 F-sport Hybrid. Looks sweet, got good reviews and much more sportier than the old Lexus RX 350. RDX is a super great vehicle and the SHawd is a tractor in inferior conditions (rain and snow).

gadgetfreak

Dealer said I wouldn't even be able to find an NX so I didn't try. Plus it looked smaller than the others.

And, since I can't edit my above post, I need to add another con - the cameras on the RDX are much worse in 3 ways:

1) Resolution
2) Unused portion of screen
3) Limited view options. You can only activate the back camera while on reverse.

The QX50 had many more available views.

Texasrdx21

The camera on the RDX could be better - but they work well enough for me. Lexus is getting hammered with parts shortages - very similar to Acura. Maybe you just need more time to get use to something completely different than your Infiniti.

gadgetfreak

I hope you are right. I don't think I will be "miserable" for the next 3 years but there are definitely many "cons" that I need to get used to. My wife reminded me that I had second thoughts when I brought home the QX50 too. Any therapists on this group ?

Texasrdx21

Time - everything has its pro and cons. With crazy car values right now - you could always switch out in a few month if you don't like it.

JB in AZ

This is what I am planning on doing. Bought a '22 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum Dec 26, 2021. I don't like it, except for the 35-38 MPG. But fuel economy is nothing is you hate (hate is such a strong word, let me rephrase this to "don't like") the car every time you drive it. I have a Red '22 RDX Advance with my name and deposit on it due to arrive at the dealer mid March. KBB indicates the trade-in value is within $500 of what I paid for the Highlander, Dealer selling me the RDX at MSRP. We'll see how it goes. Arizona is a state where we only pay sales tax on the difference between trade-in and new car prices.

ross7777

I considered the QX50 but that infotainment setup has been around since the Q50 sedan. It’s very dated although they added CarPlay recently. I thought it was odd they used the same setup when the QX50 first came out.

gadgetfreak

I really never had a problem with it. Certainly not as bad as the RX350 with the CD player. People complained that the screen resolutions were different. Weird but not terrible. The rotary knob and buttons near the cup holders to control the top screen were helpful. And I liked always having a map showing on a screen - even when not navigating. It was also weird that the steering wheel heater button was on the touch screen - but I got used to it. Hopefully that is the same with the RDX.

But, to restate - does anyone know WHY only one mirror can go down at a time in reverse? There must be a reason for it.

ross7777

No not terrible but seemed lazy of them to not update it for a new model. The new QX60 has an updated infotainment system.

ESHBG

Nice writeup! The QX50 is a nice looking vehicle but the thought of the CVT has deterred me. What are your thoughts on how the CVT performed over the years?

I actually like having CD players because the thought of transferring all of my music seems daunting RE: the mirror it's one of those odd Acura things and has been around for as long as I can remember. My guess is that they view it as a safety item, as one mirror will always be focused straight backwards (and if the tilt down would happen to get stuck it will only effect one mirror).

gadgetfreak

I have never been concerned about the engine and the drive - just the comfort and the tech. So I didn't really care one way or the other about the CVT. In fact, my cars before the QX50 were Murano, Maxima, Murano, Maxima. I might have always had a CVT.

gadgetfreak

Just to update everyone (and I posted this in some other threads as well), I took my new RDX on a 100 mile round trip yesterday for the first time. Most of my initial reservations disipated. The car ran smoother on the highways and then, miraculously, ran smoother locally too (maybe it needed to be "broken in"?). The lane keep technology worked very well. I am used to the touchpad already. I didn't lose any power on my phone while wireless charging and using waze through AA (though I didn't gain any charge either - which I would have in a faster charger). All in all, I was very happy with my trip and am now happy with purchase (though I likely used >25% of my tank ).

mathnerd88

If I were you I would’ve waited for that next gen Lexus RX that’s coming out later this year with better fuel economy than the RDX. Better yet, I would’ve looked at the new 2022 QX60 since that would’ve been direct competition to the RX. That car looks slick and has all the newest tech.

I find the RDX meh compared to other luxury brands. It’s definitely starting to show it’s age after 3.5 years. I can’t wait to get out of this car and into the EV market.

The 360 camera still sucks on the RDX. I’m not sure if it changed, but the 360 camera doesn’t take up the whole entire screen like it does on my MDX.

To me, the only redeeming quality is the way it drives and the low end torque but that’s not unique to just the RDX and the ELS sound system when it works. The other tech is still lagging behind other manufacturers.

As for the auto swivel headlight, the RDX advance models from 2019-2020 did have the passive adaptive headlight feature where one of the extra jewel leds would illuminate as you go into the curve, but they got rid of that after 2020 as it may have caused more glare on incoming drivers. It was actually near since I was able to see very far into the curve.

obeejr67

I believe dropping only one side mirror at a time in reverse is to allow the use of the other mirror to look for traffic from the rear when parallel parking.

Unobtanium

-The QX60 is dog slow and doesn't even have wireless AA. It uses a 3.5L v6 from the turn of the century thats gotten some minor updates along the way. Why on earth would you buy this over an RDX? It does literally nothing well.
-The Q5 has a dct and drives nice and has comparable features to the RDX. Its also going to be a pain to own, especially later in life, and isnt really "better" in ways that aren't opinion based.
-The X3 has 50/50 weight distribution and the accolades stop there.
-The GV70 needs the 3.5L to compete, and is thus 20% more expensive. Also, wait 2 years for the inevitable engine fire fiasco...they are sorting the defective transfer cases at current. Right out of the gate. Its a Hyundai. A $50K Hyundai.
-The GLC300 is nice. Its also stoopid expensive just to maintain even a nonAMG model. Insultingly so. It lacks some features the RDX has.
-Lexus. They have not made an inspiring SUV/CUV since the Wild Thornberrys made people lust for an overlanding rig.

So now we get to EVs. For people who don't drive much, or have a second vehicle, these are great money savers and the low end torque is fun AF. All my friends with Teslas love them. That said, sometimes they barely make it home from work, too, lol! Now imagine your power goes out and you're on 12%...oof! Just not the car for me. But for a city slicker its just the ticket.

mathnerd88

Another thing that I wished that the RDX has and that other Japanese/American luxury automakers have: Digital cockput, and Digital Rearview Mirror. Even my 2020 Toyota Rav4 Limited had it, and the new Infiniti QX60 has it. My MDX sadly, still does not have this feature. I find this feature extremely useful as a passenger's head would not block my rearview mirror.

There are plenty of things on the RDX feature set that are just mediocre compared to other manufacturers. Hyundai has really been stepping it up in terms of features. They even have a side view camera when you change lanes which I also find would be very useful. Honda used to have it on their CRV and Civic.

I really expected Acura to really step up the 2022 RDX, but they didn't really add on anything for the mid-cycle refresh, except a front bumper refresh, some more sound deadening materials, and a wireless charging pad, and some more ambient lighting which is standard on many non-luxury brands. They're playing catch up and haven't really actually caught up.

mathnerd88

QX60 is slow, but so is the Acura MDX. They both have V6 powertrains. The only reason I brought it up was because you were considering getting the RX which is similar. The next gen RX will have turbocharged engines and PHEV, and hybrid powertrains.

Unobtanium

Other stuff they added:
-Acoustic rear windows
-Changed the dynamic modes to be more meaningful
-Combined A-Spec and Advance so I could get the best of both worlds
-Wireless AA/ACP

What are they "catching up" to, one wonders? I couldn't find anything I'd rather have. The interior is comfortable and driver focused with just the right amount of tech. I say that, because you harped on those buttons...well when my ex's Ford's SYNC3 infotainment died, she couldn't even change the HVAC settings. Buttons ain't all bad. I don't want a stupid IPAD controlling everything. It sucks when it inevitably takes a dump.

So tell me...

...what other vehicles in this class/price range have torque vectoring diffs? Conventional transmissions (not belt driven CVT, etc with questionable reliability) with a good reliability track record that are easily serviced? Reliable engines/turbos known for not taking a dump on you early and expensively? Reactive suspensions with various modes? To beat the RDX you have to go to S/AMG/M class vehicles, and they're a nightmare to own past the lease/warranty/service package expiration. The GV70 looks good on paper, but the 2.5 is a dog, and the 3.5 isn't much better, and they are already suffering immobilizing QC issues (transfer cases chewing themselves to bits).

As to the MDX being slow, eh, it's not horrible. I ran one in my RAV4 Prime (same as the RX450H+) and pulled on it, but it wasn't absolutely shameful. I was kindof impressed vs. the magazine numbers, TBH. By the magazine numbers, the MDX skulldrags the QX60, btw. Like, totally different class of vehicle.

Seriously, I looked at everything. Nothing stacks up to the RDX all around. Do I wish it had more power? yes. Do I wish it were RWD based? yes. But to get that I'd have to take a major hit on long term feasibility.

ross7777

I like real buttons for HVAC. Although I pretty much leave mine on 70 and Auto. My Lexus NX300 had the heated windshield on/off buried in the menus.

My favorite on the Tesla is having to use the touchscreen to access the glove box. I like tech but sometimes it can go too far.

mathnerd88

Ehh, unless you're driving the RDX like you stole it, then torque vectoring isn't that important to most people. My RDX's screen took a dump multiple times (completely black, unusable.) I had one instance where the screen wouldn't turn off despite the car completely off, and I had to get it towed to a dealership while at work because I was afraid the battery will die off. It was the most problematic car I've ever owned, and I've owned plenty of first year models/redesigns. There was even a class action lawsuit on their infotainment systems.

Most people don't try going 60 MPH on a steep curve. When i check my SH-AWD meter, the torque vectoring rarely kicks in.

Unobtanium

Mine constantly kicks in, and I am still gently breaking it in with medium load <5k rpm, now at 400mi. Maybe 2022 got more than you realize?

gadgetfreak

Power steering column that rises when you turn off the car.
More view options for the 360 camera.
The ability to select that both mirrors go down when in reverse.
Digital instrument cluster
Electric/camera rear view mirror
LED turn signals in the back

The top 3 are the ones that I would have expected in the RDX (but are not deal breakers for me). The next two are enhancements that are just coming out and would have been great but I wouldn't expect them. The last one is just a silly pet-peeve. I really don't give a damn what happens behind me

Unobtanium

-What view do you want? It gives me grid lines, top-down, and approach camara all on the Screen. What other views are even possible?
-Why do I want my mirror to "go down" in reverse?
-What good is a digital instrument cluster? What is it going to show me that the current one does not?
-I don't want an electric RVM. That is an item that needs to stay "rock simple".
-I was unaware the turn signals were not LED. I guess I need to go look at mine.

All of these things are "doodads", but they don't really make life better for me. Ventilated seats, tq vectoring AWD, that sort of stuff is what I want.

fiatlux

So that you don't curb your wheels when you parallel park, especially in very tight spots that require you to go in at a very sharp angle.
It's nice to be able to put the map into it, and the ability to customize the gauges to your liking is a feature you don't realize just how much you enjoy until you actaully have it.
Doesn't hurt to have both a conventional mirror and the digital rear view. It's useful when the back is piled high with stuff that impedes your rear view.

All of these things are nice to haves, but this is supposed to be a "luxury" car, and luxury cars are supposed to give you the option of having the nice to haves. It's why journalists are treating the Genesis cars as a legitimate luxury competitor to the Germans, wheras Acura is not.

gadgetfreak

I agree with everything fiatlux just said. Thanks for handling the response for me . My QX50 had many more views. Front w/left, Front w/right, wide front, wide back and others. There were just more options. Same as the response about the digital cluster - you don't know how much you like it until you use it (and then lose it).

Unobtanium

I think the Genesis is basically winning a "most improved" award. I wouldn't own one. I can see them appealing to the over 50 crowd though, because their interior has that look like what people who professionally peaked in the mid 90's thinks luxury should look like,IMO.

Tesla is considered luxury, and they're junk with a big tablet. I don't really put much stock in popular opinion.

mathnerd88

The whole point of this conversation was to push Honda/Acura to do better and to push the limits of engineering, and not just reiterate what's already been around and overtaken by other manufacturers, including non-luxury brands. Otherwise, it will go the way of Infiniti over time. I would hate to see Acura go through bankruptcy.

Look at what Hyundai/Genesis did. Why do you think they're stealing so many sales from Honda/Toyota despite having a terrible reputation in the past?

I used to not even consider Hyundai or even a Genesis, but my mind is slowly being changed. I keep reading raving reviews about their cars. I have not yet to read a raving review on Youtube on the RDX for the 2022 model year and was wore then the Genesis GV70. When the RDX was released in 2018, it received multiple awards and raving reviews. The RDX IMO, is considered a 'basic luxury car' not even much better than a Honda. It's become like the last generation of NX, which became dull, boring, and just having basic tech like any other manufacturer. The good thing about NX, though, is that it does have a hybrid model, but the RDX still only just has one engine and powertrain.

I mean, even a Toyota Rav4 has a rearview digital mirror, and a CIVIC has a digital cockpit. I mean, come on Acura. The MDX's digital gauge cluster IMO is also worse than the new Infiniti QX60. The MDX, however, does have traffic assist and shows the distance of the car in front, which is neat. Where is that on the RDX?

Also, it seems that Honda/Acura has been very slow to adopt EV's.

I really hope that Acura puts in that digital cockpit at least in the 2023 MY, but I highly doubt it. It's been on every Audi, BMW, MB and now even basic Toyota/Honda. There is a very nice use for them, and don't discount it just because you don't want it nor need it. If that was the attitude everyone had, then all cars would never progress, and we'd still be on analog everything.

Enjoy your RDX, but be prepared to feel eclipsed very soon by all the other cars on the road, especially as a 'luxury' automaker. I've had the RDX for 3.5 years and it already feels pretty eclipsed to other luxury manufacturers. Paying over $52k for the Acura RDX A-Spec Advance is not worth it, IMO.

Unobtanium

I heavily considered a 2017 QX50 last year. I wish they had refined it instead of dumping that powertrain. It was the bomb! Same engine as in my 370Z, and the auto wasn't horrible.

fiatlux

The popular opinion from journalists is the the Telsa does not have a luxury car interior whatsoever, nor luxury car build quality. I suppose that means you think it does?

Unobtanium

I guess I bought the RDX for its performance and functional tech. It does that better than the rest in its class, even if it's missing some of the fancier doodads. If you want fancy doodads, you can always spend $70K to get them though, so why not do that? or should Acura go ahead and price themselves out of their segment? Or should they kill off their chassis and powertrain budget to support the doodads? In the $45-55K market...choices must be made.

Unobtanium

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesl...-brand-2021-11
https://www.cars.com/articles/new-re...-brand-433324/
https://insideevs.com/news/488154/te...xury-brand-us/
https://www.autonews.com/sales/tesla...y-market-chart
https://www.tesmanian.com/blogs/tesm...ue-book-states
https://techstory.in/tesla-audi-luxury-brand/
https://www.torquenews.com/14335/tes...t-ice-vehicles

How many more you want?

mathnerd88

I highly doubt there were much more changes from 2022 than 2019 in terms of ECU mapping, but then again, I don't rev my engine to 5K rpm, so you're definitely having more of a lead foot than I am. Check your MPG's after about a couple more months and see what it is. I'm only getting 19.9ish MPG, and all my friends who've owned RDX's do not get past 20mpg combined.

mathnerd88

The general consensus is that Tesla is not a luxury brand because of its poor QC's. It is the most tech advanced vehicle out there right now as it has autopilot, but nobody I've talked to and even if you search youtube, nobody considers it a luxury vehicle on the same tier level as MB or BMW.

It's considered a 'luxury vehicle' because it costs as much as one, but people don't realize EV cars actually cost more in general. The Ford Mach E costs as much as Tesla. Do you consider Ford a 'luxury automaker?"

fiatlux

How many reviews are saying that the car is a real luxury car? The car is categorized as a luxury car because of the price tag, but most every automative journalist would agree that the car itself is not a luxury car.

Unobtanium

cruise control will take you to 4k rpm just going down a hill in Normal mode...5k is not high rpm for this engine.

Unobtanium

is a Corvette c8 a luxury car? Is a Suburban? Those cost Tesla money easy. Its not the price tag

fiatlux

Or you know, they could offer a greater spread of trims/options. Look at the XC60...it goes from the low 40s for those who are price conscious to over 80K if you want all the "doodads". Did doing so price out people wanting the cheaper option in the 45-55K market? Not really, since they still have offerings in that price segment. BMW, MB, Audi, etc. all do the same. There's something for everyone. With Acura, they offer what they think most people need, and what some people want, and that's about it. Hell for the longest time you couldn't even combine A-Spec with the Advanced package.

fiatlux

It's the brand's price tag. The brand started off with pricing in the top echelon of brands. Did Chevy? Nope.

Unobtanium

they could do that, but then you get an $80k vehicle on a $40k chassis. Honda/acura were smart enough to cut that CRV/RDX crap out. Lets not go backwards.