Hey guys, heading to the dealer this weekend to test drive and hopefully order my RDX. I'm down to 2 options. 2020 RDX, Tech, ASPEC, SH-AWD...OR 2020 RDX Tech, SH-AWD. All of the reviews I seem to find on these forums about ride quality are comparing the A-SPEC and the Advance. I can't seem to find anything on the base w/ SH-AWD compared to the A-Spec. From everything I've read, it seems that the only difference between the base RDX and A-spec (ride quality wise) is the wheel/tire package. The suspension/sway bars, etc seems to be exactly the same. That said, are the 20" wheels and lower profile/wider tires really making THAT big a difference in the overall ride? I'm going to test drive both, but would love some feedback. Thanks!

 

I didn't get to drive the two models back to back but I'd say the A-Spec is definitely firmer and if you're coming from a Lexus or similar then you may find it a bit much. The heavy wheel/tire setup (67lbs) make the ride more brittle on high frequency washboard type surfaces. I don't mind it as I come from sporty cars (Miatas and a lowered TSX) but it would have been nice if Acura put more work into the dampers and used a lighter wheel/tire setup.

 

The only difference are the wheels, suspension is identical on all trims except Advance

 

If you're looking for a "nice" ride, get the Advanced or a different car. The A-Spec handles well, but the ride isn't exactly anything to write home about.

 

what are you talking about? Its a sporty and very confident drive on 20” wheels

 

I have a 2019 A-Spec and the ride/handling is definitely something to write home about. Really is terrific.

 

I would agree! Love the way my A-Spec drives and handles! I would rather drive the A-Spec than Advance, it’s too plain looking in comparison. I get a lot of compliments in mine.

 

I said it handles well. The ride quality isn't all that great. The thinner sidewalls contribute to it a bit, but even my friend's base RDX doesn't have the nicest ride either (and he agrees). Plenty of the competition rides noticeably better, even non-pseudo-luxury brands. But, the RDX handles better as well. It's generally a trade off unless you start using air suspension.

 

what is your definition of ride quality? when I test drove aspec I felt the ride was more firm and sporty vs tech model. I also felt that 20” provide better cornering and steering. I feel that aspec wheels have better handling. If you looking for some soft and quiet grandma’s ride, obviously RDX is not the car.

 

The damping is fairly brittle for what it is - Honda's tuning is good (see Civic Type R) but has never been as good as Mazda or BMW and when you lard on a 67lb wheel/tire (very heavy) combo with a moderately priced shock you're going to get a non ideal compression and rebound cycle with some surfaces. I've got my winters on right now which are 19" and 52lbs and the ride is definitely better as the damping can handle the unsprung weight better. The 20" wheels, due to their weight, actually cause the A-Spec to be the slowest of all the RDX trim's and they reduce handling as well. It's not the size, it's the weight.

re: better cornering and steering - possibly correct on one and wrong on the other. The Eagle RS-A tires are so old they actually grip WORSE than the 19" Continentals (based on lateral grip) - the Eagle RS-A is so bad that the Kia Telluride, the base X5, the Audi Q7, Mercedes GLE (all 400-800 lbs heavier) pull more lateral g's than the A-Spec. With a better tire the problem goes away though.

 

The Aspec is firm confident but loud ride.Its the best looking trim so I live with the tradeoff. The fake engine noise should be turned off in comfort mode and more sound deadening would be nice.

That's one thing I miss about Lexus. Sometimes its nice to drive in complete silence.

 

its louder than advance because there is no acoustic glass, I dont think 20” make it louder.
louder is not bad, thats what some people are looking for in a sport car, more realistic driving experience vs quiet ride. It all depends what you want in a car.

 

When I say ride quality, I'm talking about how smooth and comfortable the ride is. Basically, how well the car can handle imperfections in the road, which are bountiful in NY. When I say handling, it refers to steering and how well it takes corners. It handles well for a CUV ... but to say it objectively has a "good" ride quality is misleading to anyone interested in the vehicle who is concerned more for actual comfort over sportiness.

 

This is not, and nowhere in the same galaxy as a "sports car." It does 0-60 in 6.6secs. It gets beat handily by a goddamn Toyota Avalon ... the most vanilla of vehicles. The RDX is a soccer mom mobile that isn't completely boring to drive, that's IT. Jesus H Christ ...

 

Rdx is not a soccer mom car, what a nonsense. Whatever

 

90% of the people I see driving a 3G RDX are middle aged women or old men breathing out of their mouths. But whatever makes you feel more manly.

 

How many did you count to come up with that statistic? I hope you didn't run out of fingers, because then you would have to run to your teacher and ask her what to do next.

Brat.

 

Back to the subject at hand, the adaptive suspension on the Advance trim is a benefit.

I didn't test drive other trims, but my Advance RDX handles much more crisply than other crossovers I have owned, yet it still has a supple ride quality. I don't think this is just a matter of tires and wheel size.

I would say the handling feel of Advance RDX compares favorably to sporty cars half its weight that I installed Koni adjustable racing struts into "back in the day". 0-60 acceleration isn't the only metric of how "sporty" a car feels.

But I don't think it's all adaptive suspension. Acura engineers did a lot of work to stiffen the chassis, and that's the key to precise handling; this applies to all trims of RDX.