A-Spec and Advance Std. features!!
There are four lights!
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 509
Likes: 215
From: Calgary, Canada
Yeah, I never owned a vehicle with a HUD before, so I guess I will never know what I'm missing out! I do listen to lots of music and if I'd have to choose between the two, I'd take the nicer audio system.
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 210
Likes: 69
That's the exact same fuel economy as the TLX. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymo...cura_TLX.shtml. What document is that from?
You can find them here:
https://www.acuratrainingguide.com/training-guide
Pro
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 580
Likes: 56
From: Charlotte, NC
FWD
22/28/24
22/27/24 (A-spec)
4WD
21/27/23
21/26/23 (A-spec)
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 118
So...these numbers are somewhat disappointing but not wholly terrible I guess. Some competitive numbers:
BMW X3: 22/29/25
Q5: 23/27/25
RDX FWD: 22/28/24
XC60 T5: 22/28/24
GLC300 4MATIC: 21/28/24
F-PACE: 22/27/24
RDX SHAWD: 21/27/23
XC60 T6: 21/27/23
Lexus RX350AWD: 19/26/22
Cadillac XT5 AWD: 18/25/21
BMW X3: 22/29/25
Q5: 23/27/25
RDX FWD: 22/28/24
XC60 T5: 22/28/24
GLC300 4MATIC: 21/28/24
F-PACE: 22/27/24
RDX SHAWD: 21/27/23
XC60 T6: 21/27/23
Lexus RX350AWD: 19/26/22
Cadillac XT5 AWD: 18/25/21
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 3,001
Likes: 1,026
From: New Yorkie, Hudson Valley
I was at a BMW drivers event, and was able to drive an X3 on the road on a pre-programmed nav route with waypoints. I was surprised that there was no HUD on a loaded demonstration car, then it hit me that I have polarized sunglasses on. So I took them off, and there was the HUD. It was way bigger than earlier HUDs I have seen, and it was both distracting and helpful. It still took my focus off the traffic in front of me, but it was less distracting than looking over at the screen. It gave good info, but I saw a learning curve ahead of me to make sure I didn’t stare at the thing. I dunno, maybe that’s why you need automatic emergency braking.
”I tell ya, it’s not easy bein’ me.”
Last edited by Madd Dog; May 22, 2018 at 04:57 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 849
Likes: 341
I'm a little surprised that the A-Spec has different ratings. As I understand the rule, the EPA wouldn't require different ratings since all trims are mechanically the same. I'm guessing Acura voluntarily lowered the rating to avoid disappointing A-Spec owners who are likely to feel the impact of the wider, grippier tires.
Advanced
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 88
Likes: 45
I'm a little surprised that the A-Spec has different ratings. As I understand the rule, the EPA wouldn't require different ratings since all trims are mechanically the same. I'm guessing Acura voluntarily lowered the rating to avoid disappointing A-Spec owners who are likely to feel the impact of the wider, grippier tires.
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 152
Likes: 16
From: America
EPA odd topic but true story..
On a side note, many regulating parts of the Clean Air Act were authored by an outright fraud, a now convicted felon in the most horrible government rip off stories ever told. John Beale was the highest paid person at EPA while pretending to be a CIA spy. Yes, true story. He plead guilty and was fined $1,000,000. (He wrote a check on the spot which tells you all you need to know).
https://www.washingtonian.com/2014/0...ooked-the-epa/
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 849
Likes: 341
Way off subject but EPA comment reminds me of a terrible true story. I had a great chuckle as I was taking EPA comment completely out of context in my recollection. I imagine VW shareholders (-$31,000,000,000 and rising) and some executives headed for prison would disagree that the EPA is not strict.
On a side note, many regulating parts of the Clean Air Act were authored by an outright fraud, a now convicted felon in the most horrible government rip off stories ever told. John Beale was the highest paid person at EPA while pretending to be a CIA spy. Yes, true story. He plead guilty and was fined $1,000,000. (He wrote a check on the spot which tells you all you need to know).
https://www.washingtonian.com/2014/0...ooked-the-epa/
On a side note, many regulating parts of the Clean Air Act were authored by an outright fraud, a now convicted felon in the most horrible government rip off stories ever told. John Beale was the highest paid person at EPA while pretending to be a CIA spy. Yes, true story. He plead guilty and was fined $1,000,000. (He wrote a check on the spot which tells you all you need to know).
https://www.washingtonian.com/2014/0...ooked-the-epa/
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 371
Likes: 53
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 371
Likes: 53
Like many others, I hope the RDX is the start of Acura's climb back to the top for dependability and value for luxury cars.
9th Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
just a correction
1 BMW X3
2 Porsche Macan S
3 Lexus NX 300
4 Audi Q5
5 Lexus NX 300h
6 Acura RDX
All of which show a predicted reliability of "above average" and receive the designation "recommended". Dead last is Land Rover, 2nd to last is Jaguar F-Pace and 3rd from last is the Alfa Stelvio.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,533
Likes: 959
Question - I use Shell 95%+ of the time because I do their Fuel Rewards thing to earn gas discounts. I've usually been getting a nickel off a gallon for their V-Power 91 octane premium gas. Is that cleansing additive Shell puts in the gas a demonstrably good thing for the engine or just a gimmick?
https://www.toptiergas.com/licensedbrands/
Look at this page I stumbled upon, it’s posted by Acura Canada and talks about top tier gas and how they recommend it for Acura vehicles. Super ironic lol.
https://www.acura.ca/owners/top-tier-gas
So looks like the numbers I read about were accurate unfortunately. As much as I like the new RDX it’s starting to have a lot of things that bother me about it. On the plus side there are SO MANY crossovers to look at right now so I’m sure I’ll find something I really like.
You'll Never Walk Alone
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 9,529
Likes: 852
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Exactly why they should have gone with the DI 3.5. Would have been a lot better setup. 2.0T's are going to be highly stressed when they are used in the manner folks are used to with the "archaic" 3.5l in the current gen RDX. Gas mileage will be abysmal. Mark my words, folks will be complaining like mad over the crappy MPG once the new RDX hits the streets.
2.0T experiment. You may tire of my 2.0T observations but since I drive one everyday, I have some credibility I hope. Today since my Accord Sport is broken in so to speak, my 25 mile commute was made a little fun. Mix of highway (70 mph) and a few expressways (50 mph).
Last week when I drove like a more mature person it yielded 41 mpg on said commute. Today no surprisingly I yielded 31 mpg. EPA rates 32 highway which seems to be the trend for current testing methods. My trip computer has shown one of the better when I calculate at the pump (within 1 mpg)
The 2.0T has a lot of potential in AWD mode. I loose traction at 25 mph in 10 Speed Sport) due to impressive torque curve. AWD will harness this engine fully and SH-AWD had better made it fun-at a cost of course.
What would mpg be in RDX on same commute? 41 careful (Accord) , 31 spirited (Accord) could be around 31 Careful and 22 Spirited with RDX. If highway steady could be around 30 mpg in real life I would be happy with new RDX.
Last week when I drove like a more mature person it yielded 41 mpg on said commute. Today no surprisingly I yielded 31 mpg. EPA rates 32 highway which seems to be the trend for current testing methods. My trip computer has shown one of the better when I calculate at the pump (within 1 mpg)
The 2.0T has a lot of potential in AWD mode. I loose traction at 25 mph in 10 Speed Sport) due to impressive torque curve. AWD will harness this engine fully and SH-AWD had better made it fun-at a cost of course.
What would mpg be in RDX on same commute? 41 careful (Accord) , 31 spirited (Accord) could be around 31 Careful and 22 Spirited with RDX. If highway steady could be around 30 mpg in real life I would be happy with new RDX.
Regarding gas mileage of the new RDX, Honda/Acura products very often exceed their EPA numbers in real life, as shown above. My wife's 2.4 6MT Accord (9th Gen) is rated at 34 highway. But in non-winter weather, it's as easy as falling off a log to get that car into the 40s on the freeway. Not sure how that will work with the 2.0T, but early indications seem to suggest that 2.0 Accord owners are not having difficulty surpassing the EPA number for that car/engine.
My understanding is that a lot of it has to do with the dual screen system used in recent Acura models. It's laggy and hard to learn. The way some of these surveys are setup mean infotainment "issues" are counted as reliability issues.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 38
Interesting footnote for the gas mileage.
Could be that it's simply a canned statement that they copy/paste across all models. That, or maybe Acura has a hybrid model ready to go, and will release it in the coming years 
24. Based on 2019 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary, depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, battery pack age/condition (hybrid only) and other factors.
AZ Community Team
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,588
Likes: 1,654
From: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
I have a copy of the 2018 Consumer Reports car guide in front of me, and the rankings for Luxury Compact SUV are
1 BMW X3
2 Porsche Macan S
3 Lexus NX 300
4 Audi Q5
5 Lexus NX 300h
6 Acura RDX
All of which show a predicted reliability of "above average" and receive the designation "recommended". Dead last is Land Rover, 2nd to last is Jaguar F-Pace and 3rd from last is the Alfa Stelvio.
1 BMW X3
2 Porsche Macan S
3 Lexus NX 300
4 Audi Q5
5 Lexus NX 300h
6 Acura RDX
All of which show a predicted reliability of "above average" and receive the designation "recommended". Dead last is Land Rover, 2nd to last is Jaguar F-Pace and 3rd from last is the Alfa Stelvio.
This is useful. I wanted exactly this ranking. I hope with the new RDX, it moves up!
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 210
Likes: 69
Unless Consumer Reports hates the new RDX infotainment system, it should bring the brand up. Personally I think it's silly to group infotainment into the reliability category. When I think reliability I think power train, brakes, et cetera. One's preference on infotainment is subjective and shouldn't bring a brand's overall ratings down.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 176
Likes: 61
From: Big State of Texas
Allot depends on how much weight you give to the results too. Here is US news top 15 in the 2018 Luxury SUV lineup, and guess where Acura is? Tied for the #1 spot with Audi. I like to look at a number of sources for how a vehicle sizes up. Purchased a Camry when they first came out based on Consumer Reports recommendation and it was the worst car I’ve ever owned.
https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/...y-compact-suvs
https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/...y-compact-suvs
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 118
I'm actually surprised the numbers aren't more different given the difference in the Accord's ratings - maybe the tire difference isn't as big.
Hello World
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 80
Likes: 10
From: Quebec
False. Octane has nothing to do with gasoline cleanliness. It does however have to do with the gasolines resitance to ignition under compression, hence why many turboed cars and premium cars with performance engines require premium. Some companies (shell) do put extra cleaning additives into their premium gasoline, but that’s an additive and has nothing to do with the inherent octane rating.
VW and Audi are infamous for their carbon buildup in the 2.0T engine. If Octane was a precursor of cleanliness that wouldn’t be the case since that engine requires premium.
VW and Audi are infamous for their carbon buildup in the 2.0T engine. If Octane was a precursor of cleanliness that wouldn’t be the case since that engine requires premium.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 339
Likes: 118
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 329
Likes: 111
From: Ontario
I watch a TV show every week (RPM, in Quebec) and the three automotive journalists always say that Premium fuel is more refined and will cause less carbon deposits in the combustion chamber. I just did a quick search on internet and a lot of sources says it's not cleaner. I'm quite surprised.
9th Gear
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 9
Likes: 1
Regarding polarized lenses and HUDs, I have a car with a HUD that I was driving this morning, and with my polarized sunglasses there is an angle at which I can make the HUD nearly fade away, however it is just as easy to make it fully visible with a tiny head shift. It is really a non-issue for me, at least, if I cannot see the HUD clearly I just turn my head ever so slightly. I wouldn't let it concern you.
There are four lights!
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 509
Likes: 215
From: Calgary, Canada
I am super super disappointed. I was soooo hoping we’d get an A-Spec Elite. What’s even more annoying is they really cut out some things I would have loved to have on the A-Spec like the adaptive shocks, 16-way seats, and HUD. I would probably wait a little bit, I have a feeling something good is coming after the first year (reshuffling of trims) and even more for the MMC.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,533
Likes: 959
Unless Consumer Reports hates the new RDX infotainment system, it should bring the brand up. Personally I think it's silly to group infotainment into the reliability category. When I think reliability I think power train, brakes, et cetera. One's preference on infotainment is subjective and shouldn't bring a brand's overall ratings down.
I watch a TV show every week (RPM, in Quebec) and the three automotive journalists always say that Premium fuel is more refined and will cause less carbon deposits in the combustion chamber. I just did a quick search on internet and a lot of sources says it's not cleaner. I'm quite surprised.
Sidenote: That base model really is a good buy, it comes so well featured that I think it will be a volume seller.
Instructor
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 152
Likes: 16
From: America
The base is base in name only and I agree a potential higher market share than now. Sad to only get BSD and RCTA on Tech and above but you do get the Honda sensing (Acura Watch).
If Honda/Acura sensible they are trying to figure out how to transform a little Accord production into RDX production. Acura has a very small dealer footprint which limits their market penetration. Two dealers in all of Oklahoma (refrain from any OK comments).........
We have yet to see what the pleather seats look like in base RDX. With Apple car play, I really have a hard time with Tech package. With me it is base or Advance. Ventilated seats are very enticing (Oklahoma). I would expect the Advance to be $8K more than Base and $4k more than Tech all things being equal.
If Honda/Acura sensible they are trying to figure out how to transform a little Accord production into RDX production. Acura has a very small dealer footprint which limits their market penetration. Two dealers in all of Oklahoma (refrain from any OK comments).........
We have yet to see what the pleather seats look like in base RDX. With Apple car play, I really have a hard time with Tech package. With me it is base or Advance. Ventilated seats are very enticing (Oklahoma). I would expect the Advance to be $8K more than Base and $4k more than Tech all things being equal.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,533
Likes: 959
The base is base in name only and I agree a potential higher market share than now. Sad to only get BSD and RCTA on Tech and above but you do get the Honda sensing (Acura Watch).
If Honda/Acura sensible they are trying to figure out how to transform a little Accord production into RDX production. Acura has a very small dealer footprint which limits their market penetration. Two dealers in all of Oklahoma (refrain from any OK comments).........
We have yet to see what the pleather seats look like in base RDX. With Apple car play, I really have a hard time with Tech package. With me it is base or Advance. Ventilated seats are very enticing (Oklahoma). I would expect the Advance to be $8K more than Base and $4k more than Tech all things being equal.
If Honda/Acura sensible they are trying to figure out how to transform a little Accord production into RDX production. Acura has a very small dealer footprint which limits their market penetration. Two dealers in all of Oklahoma (refrain from any OK comments).........
We have yet to see what the pleather seats look like in base RDX. With Apple car play, I really have a hard time with Tech package. With me it is base or Advance. Ventilated seats are very enticing (Oklahoma). I would expect the Advance to be $8K more than Base and $4k more than Tech all things being equal.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 849
Likes: 341
Actually the EPA changed the testing procedures starting for MY2017 and wider tires do seem to have a detrimental effect (and specifically on the highway number - they changed how they deal with the "coast down" section and mechanical resistance of the tires). For example look at the Accord 2.0T Sport vs. the 2.0T EX-L ratings - the tires are all the difference there.
I'm actually surprised the numbers aren't more different given the difference in the Accord's ratings - maybe the tire difference isn't as big.
I'm actually surprised the numbers aren't more different given the difference in the Accord's ratings - maybe the tire difference isn't as big.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 371
Likes: 53
I have a copy of the 2018 Consumer Reports car guide in front of me, and the rankings for Luxury Compact SUV are
1 BMW X3
2 Porsche Macan S
3 Lexus NX 300
4 Audi Q5
5 Lexus NX 300h
6 Acura RDX
All of which show a predicted reliability of "above average" and receive the designation "recommended". Dead last is Land Rover, 2nd to last is Jaguar F-Pace and 3rd from last is the Alfa Stelvio.
1 BMW X3
2 Porsche Macan S
3 Lexus NX 300
4 Audi Q5
5 Lexus NX 300h
6 Acura RDX
All of which show a predicted reliability of "above average" and receive the designation "recommended". Dead last is Land Rover, 2nd to last is Jaguar F-Pace and 3rd from last is the Alfa Stelvio.
I drove the two Acuras that I owned for over 450,000 miles with no major problems, and almost no minor problems. I hope Acura gets back to that level of dependability. My Audi lease expires in December 2019, and I can see myself buying an RDX at that time if it is as good as I hope it is.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 698
Likes: 219
From: Maryland
Anyway, I noticed at 2:49 of this video that apparently the car has a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot.