wallmike

I am current owner of 2014 RDX with 288,000 miles. It is time to get a new one. I am considering RDX with Advance Package.
My current RDX has been very reliable. No major repairs.
I hate the dealers I dealt with. YMMV. Mainly because how expensive it is to service the car in dealerships. I actually complained to Acura in their customer surveys and the dealer won't work on my car anymore. So I take it to local Acura shop that does great job for a bit less.
Would like to start doing Oil changes, etc myself but didn't feel comfortable doing that with the current car considering where the nut is to drain oil. Didn't want to jack up the car, etc. Is it easier to gain access to it in the 2021 models?
Another pet peeve of mine is lack of adequate 12v outlets. There are only 2 in my car. None in the back. Did Acura add anymore in 2021 models?
These might seem nitpicking but just my experience.
I am also open to other brands. What are comparable size SUV is other brands? I am thinking Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, Volvo XC60, etc. How does RDX compare with those? Is any of them much better?
Thanks.

hans471

I have a 2019 Advanced SH-AWD RDX, Its been a good car without some of the dire issues some report. The other customers I meet at the dealership also agree they like the car and don't seem to have any serious issues.
I don't give much thought to how many 12V outlets the car has as it has lots of USB outlets that power up/charge my phones and my wife's GPS. Yes, she has her own Garmin on long trips as she cross checks nav and such just for something to keep her busy! Besides, its easy and cheap to buy splitter cords for additional 12V outlets if you need them. The car comes with a 12V outlet in the front as well as several USB outlets in the front as well as two more for the rear seat. We have no shortage of power supplies.
As for service, I have a good dealer who is actually cheaper than the Honda shop down the road. Its a smaller dealer and you get to know all the main folks. As for changing my own oil, I have mostly given that up as its not so much to have them do it and I am getting older and don't find that task so interesting any more. ( I must have done thousands of oil changes in my working career and it quit being very interesting). Besides, with the warranty being so long on the vehicle I just let the dealer service it so there is a clear record of care.
I do note some on here seem to be getting taken to the cleaners by their dealers. I see people spending hundreds of dollars to change the brake fluid on cars only a year or two old. Three years is plenty soon enough and it shouldn't cost $300! My non-mechanical wife knows the routine as she helps when I do it. She was shocked to hear what some dealers charge for service.
As for other cars to look at, there are many. As I often say, cars are a personal thing and one needs to find the car they "connect" with. I looked at most of the competition and found that the other cars I liked were much more expensive than the RDX both to buy and service. No car is perfect but my RDX Advance for me seemed to be the best option.The Mazda CX-5 has been mentioned as well as the BMW X-3, the Audi, Volvo and more. Its all about what suits your needs and desires and of course your budget.

SG103

I went from 2013 RDX to 2021 RDX and regret it. Put gas shocks in the rear on yours and improve the ride greatly. The fantastic 6 cylinder and transmission you now have is much better than the four banger you would get in my opinion. Changing the oil on the 6 cylinder is so easy, all you need to do is remove the passenger side front wheel and you can easily access the drain plug and filter. I used to change mine when I came home for lunch. On this new four cylinder there is a pan to remove and you need to get under the car.
The new RDX is not a bad car, but not an improvement over the old generation, again in my opinion.
By the way if you can swing it the Audi SQ5 is nice, I was looking at it but chose the RDX because of the price. (bad decision).

russianDude

DIY oil change is extremely easy. You will need either ramps or a floor jack with stands.
no one changes oil in my car but me, too many stupid techs or they simply dont care: over torque drain bolt & overfill oil

edu8rdo

At the end of the day, it's like anything else - a compromise. I like my RDX, I don't love it (I really really f*&king hate the dash) - but when it came to shopping for a non-family focused luxury CUV, the RDX was a solid value that offered the thing I wanted the most - a car-like driving experience with a capable AWD system.

The Audi SQ5 or the Porsche Macan are great options - just not value options from what I know of them. However, if you think Acura repairs and maintenance are expensive - not sure what you're expecting when you take your Audi or Porsche in for any of their milestone services. They will certainly be a lot higher. Further, if you're still going to be putting 48,000 miles a year on the next vehicle - you're going to be challenging the reliability of the Audi and Porsche every month. A Lexus RX or NX, or the Infiniti QX50 might be better options to consider instead of those.

The 4 cylinder gets a bad rep. I too went into it dreading that the 4 wasn't going to be enough to move the RDX gracefully, but then after a week of owning it I found myself driving over 90 mph with little effort. Since then, I now keep the HUD on all the time and for the first time ever for me - I installed a radar detector on a SUV/CUV. With previous SUV/CUV I've owned (5) it was not necessary because in those I never felt comfortable getting that far up there. That has not been the case at all with the RDX. Also, 4 cylinder turbos, along side electric - like it or not - is our future. Avoiding it now means little since it'll likely be the majority of what we have in the next 5-6 years.

I often find myself checking out what's out there right now - and I don't see anything out there within the price range that makes me regret going with the RDX. There are things I don't like about it (f*&k that dash!!), but at the end of the day when I pull into my garage and I look back at the RDX, I don't feel like I made the wrong choice. That's just my opinion - today. It might change tomorrow or next year, but that's what it is right now.

markAZ

We went from a 2014 Tech to a 2021 Advance. There are some minor (to us) things that we liked better in the 2014 but overall we're pleased with the 2021. I was a bit skeptical about the four cylinder but it's fine, just a little turbo lag sometimes but it seems to be just as quick as the 2014. I think the 2021 handles a little better but it's AWD. All the tech stuff takes a bit to figure out & get used to and some of the stuff I was a bit skeptical of (e.g. the HUD, for one) I've found that I like...not impressed with the touch pad, tho. The navigation is OK but could definitely be improved. The ventilated seats are nice. So far the gas mileage is a bit lower that I'd like...a couple mpg less that the 2014...but we really haven't driven it that much yet (900 miles since mid October).

We also test drove a Lexus RX350 but for us there was no contest...the RDX won hands down.

Our Acura dealer is OK...we bought the 2021 from the same salesman as the 2014...but we only had the 2014 in the shop twice all the time we had it...one was for the airbag recall and the other was for an A/C recharge shortly before we bought the 2021 (we made the mistake of taking a test drive while they were working on the A/C ). I do most of my own maintenance so there was no need to use the dealer, no issues with it at all except the A/C after seven years.

I think for the money, you won't find anything as good, quality- or feature- or price-wise.

We passed the 2014 on to our daughter & SIL so it's still in the family.

Our experience, anyway...as always, YMMV...

wallmike

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Will test drive and see what happens. Not doing SQ5. Too rich for me. Will test drive the Q5.
I got my current car in 2013 as 2014 model. So, not quite 48K miles/year. Even then the gas money I spent makes me wanna cry.
I fuc***g hate the dealers I dealt with. That is the one reason I am even considering other brands but I have no prior history with them.

SlowLane

I am not sure the current gen Volvo XC60 is worth the extra cost. I had a 2018. If you do decide to test drive one, then I would recommend the supercharged and turbocharged engine (T6). The XC60 interior is nice and the seats are very comfortable. Contrary to what some auto reviewers say, the touch screen interface is easy to use. The touch screen could be a little slow at times and would occasionally freeze up and reboot. I am assuming the processor was weak. I have a 2020 XC40 and the touch screen interface is much more responsive, so Volvo must have figured out the problem and fixed the issues. Maybe upgraded the processor or other hardware?

The negatives for me were the steering, handling, ride quality, and engine. The T6 engine felt strong but power delivery could be a little uneven at times. I was always a few mpg short of the Volvo/EPA estimates for fuel economy and I don't drive hard. The ride was a little firm and the XC60 didn't absorb bumps in the road as well as other vehicles I've been in, such as the Q5. The steering felt too disconnected and vague. I am hoping Volvo fixes these issue on the 2nd version of the SPA architecture XC60.

I wouldn't consider an XC60 with the the current version of the T5 engine. I periodically had loaners with the T5 engine and and it always felt underpowered.

flames9

if ur in the USA...1 is better to go the T8 route.....Federal tax incentive of over $5000 and many states give tax savings as well. Much better gas mpg too than the T6 (even when not on battery) If ur looking for a cushiony ride....the volvo doesnt have that....I dont have the Air suspension....but I had a loaner T8 that did for over a week....and it didnt do much.....but I love a firmer ride

JB in AZ

How is the road noise on the XC40? I test drove one, as well as the XC60 before deciding on the '19 RDX Advance. It seemed to me that the XC40 had more road noise than either the XC60 and the RDX. I know it is hard to evaluate this, but if you could compare, it would be appreciated. I know the XC40 probably plays in a different comparison group, as it is smaller..

CentralARguy

If you’re concerned about maintenance and dealer experience I advise you to avoid a german brand. I had a previous gen RDX (2013), and then bought a 2018 Q5 Premium Plus. Needless to say I’m now in a 2020 RDX Tech. I was very unhappy with the Q5 for a couple of reasons (driver seat noise they could not fix until replacing entire seat frame and adding oil between oil changes), but overall it was a nice vehicle.

I came VERY close to getting an XC60 T6 but I was not a fan of their infotainment compared to Acura...the touchpad gets easier with continued use! The Macan is in a league of its own, its a awesome ride but very cramped as far as interior space.

The RDX is not a perfect vehicle, but it is one of the more fun to drive offerings in the class and the stereo is second to none. I’ve seen some owners complain of road noise, and while its not a bank vault, I would not call it noisy. The 4cyl turbo is a great engine and the 10 speed is very smooth and responsive. Passing power is where this powertrain shines.

Acura is in a rebirth period for their product line and I have full confidence they will become a true competitor for premium/performance. For that reason, I think it is worth buying another RDX

SlowLane

You are right. There is a little more road noise in the XC40, but I don't notice a big difference compared to my XC60. The engine noise in the XC40 is different compared to the XC60. The XC60 T6 engine sounded more whiny, like a vacuum cleaner. The XC40 T5 engine sounds a little louder, but not as whiny.

I was surprised that the ride quality is better on the XC40 compared to my XC60. I have the optional 19 inch wheels/tires on my XC40. The underlying architecture, CMA, is different in the XC40. I think Volvo did a better job making the XC40 ride quality a little sporty while still being able to soak up bumps in the road. I test drove a 2020 V60 Cross Country and its suspension and ride quality were better compared to my XC60. Not as good as some Audi's I've test driven in the past, but Volvo seems to be moving in the right direction.

Here are my last four vehicles ranked with respect to road noise:

2012 Acura TSX Wagon/most road noise
2015.5 Volvo XC60/noticeably less road noise compared to the TSX
2020 Volvo XC40/noticeably less road noise compared to the 2015.5 XC60
2018 Volvo XC60/a little less road noise compared to the XC40

izjamest

I took would like to hear more opinions. I have been reading a lot and all this limp mode, build quality issues in the 2019 and ?early 2020 are scaring me.
My honda civic lease is about to expire and I wanted to treat myself so have opted for a 2021 AWD Tech Package (looked at Audi Q3, BMW X1, Volvo XC40 and got priced out, not worth the money to me).
On the other hand, I have a CX-5 Turbo from 2019 that I really love, and has had 0 issues over the last year and a half, I just want to make sure the 2021 RDX is that way, I don't have time to be driving down to the dealer often.
Planning to buy at about the end of the month.
Thank you for your thoughts!

JB in AZ

I have a 2019 Advance FWD with ~28,000 miles, It was an early "first year" model and I have had only very minor issues... all were resolved by TSBs issued by Acura. No limp mode, no squeaky brakes ...well I was taking it in for oil change service, and I casually mentioned I heard squeaky brakes (because I had read here that Acura was replacing pads and rotors) and sure enough, they replaced all pads and front rotors. Initially, Android Auto was not included, and we were promised it would be coming. It did get here and I had connection issues that were thought to be bad cables, but turned out to be a bad USB C port on my OLD phone, A new phone and now it works 100% of the time.
I love this RDX, it is the best car I have owned, and I have owned MANY! Best in car radio I have ever heard (Advance model) Most comfortable seats.. I COULD go on...LOL

oblio98

I had a 2014 RDX, which was my favorite RDX. I replaced it with a 2017 and did not like it as much. Then I got one of the first 19 RDX A-Spec's. I lived through all of the software bugs and glitches, and as of now the thing has been great. I have almost 50K miles on it without a major issue. I replaced the tires when I bought it with Michelen Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires and have since replaced those, but that was my only expense on the car other than self installed dash-cam and radar detector.

There are a lot of scary posts about limp-mode and other issues, and I do not doubt any of them, but so far, it hasn't happened to me. Still, drive it and see if you like it. It's up to you to determine if it's worth the expense.

(And yes, I too hate that dealer maintenance scam they have with their $500 checkups and such, just to rotate the tires and change some fluids. What a scam)

flames9

keep in mind....and this goes for most cars.....they all run great as advertised......Many people only join car forums 1) check on prices when buying and 2) report an issue with their car and try and find a solution...so it can seem like their is a zillion issues, but in reality, there is not. Buy the car that works for you and puts a smile on ur face.

Vince D

In my humble opinion, the RDX is worth it. I know you don't like messing with dealers and I get it...I test drove many of the vehicles you mentioned but the RDX checked many of the boxes including the price tag.

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g.../#post16664175

jmhumr

Truer words have never been posted.

hans471

Back when I was still going to work every day I use to hear the techs come into class and bitch about how a certain model was all screwed up as "all of them" would have a certain problem. I had the factory data ( I did work for the company after all!) and could see that certain problem they swore was on every car would be on less than 5% of the vehicles. Often the issue was a simple fix, if it was diagnosed and repaired properly. Then later when I spent three years as a technical consultant for a state Lemon Law board I saw hundreds (if not thousands) of "Lemon" cars and again the vast majority of those cases were due to a poor dealership service department who's techs had not properly diagnosed or repaired a problem the first time. Dealer techs, many of whom are paid by the job, didn't like warranty work and would rush through it and not do as good a job as they should. Sad data, but it is what it is.

All of that said, my 2019 Advance (end of model year sample so many early issues not there) has been a fine car. Great handling, very quiet body with zero noise from rattles or suspension. Never more than maybe a small temporary glitch with the info system that healed itself with a restart. A beautiful transmission and lots of power. Great handling and drive experience and a most wonderful sound system. Love the SH-AWD system, great brakes and more. I would not hesitate to buy this car again. I looked at the competition and when all factors, like cost and value, cost of upkeep and resale value were factored in this car won hands down. Two years after buying it, thousands of miles later and a couple of trips cross this country and she purrs along. No regrets....

sonyfever

You need to test drive those candidates then decide for yourself what is best for you within your budget. All of these cars are good on their own. For example, I thought about splurge and thus checked out Macan, only to find out it was too small for me.

I bought RDX so I could keep my other car. Therefore, I don't need it to excel at anything. I liked it but did not love it at first, however, I am now borderline on loving it because of the good overall balance - sporty enough, comfort enough, very spacious, looks decent, priced well, and easy to maintain. There are some bad reputations, but most issues are well understood by now;

1. Infotainment: 1.5.1 is a huge step in quality/stability. Before, the UX can feel inconsistent when the system is stressed, now the UX feels much more polished than ever. I don't have any consistent infotainment issue and I only use AA(CarPlay has been more problematic for this car prior to 1.5.1), so the system feels liveable from the get go. Or I just pretend most of the money went into the great audio system.
2. Engine: If you do care about engine response, get KTuner/Hondata. The engine may not be as refined as V6, but is generally on par with rivals and ultimately has plenty of power for normal people. With Hondata, I can reach 3-digit speed easily if I don't look down during WOT passing. Fuel economy... if you need to think about this, you would be better off getting a hybrid or EV to be honest.
3. Noise: My car had the squeaky LCA bushing during 2019-2020 winter, but the issue went away afterwards, coincidentally after I started cornering the car harder. My car also had the infamous brake noise. Since I had the TSB done about two months ago, the brake has been quiet.
4. Driver-assist: This has to be the weak spot of RDX. The auto-steering quits easily for sharper turns/missing lane lines, and the ACC is not smooth in some scenarios. But if you really want you can add comma.ai system to the car, which gives you Tesla-like driver-assist, or you can wait for 2022 which should get the newer system that is on TLX that gives you smoother ACC and TJA.

izjamest

Still planning to get a RDX 2021 next week.
Anyone think the 2022 RDX will have the Virtual Cockpit of the MDX and I should just wait it out?

izjamest

Still planning to get a RDX 2021 next week.
Anyone think the 2022 RDX will have the Virtual Cockpit of the MDX and I should just wait it out?

russianDude

Doubt it.

anoop

Alex on Autos top 3 picks in this segment are:
RDX (value)
GLC300 (fun)
XC60 (best overall)
(The GLC300 is the newest so it has his latest views for this segment.)

He rates the seats of Volvo & MB 10/10, while Acura is 9/10.

You can't go wrong with any of these, but if you're looking for value, nothing like the RDX.

I got a previous gen RDX as a loaner once, and for sure, that engine sounds a lot better than the one in the current gen RDX plus no turbo lag. But in terms of interior and exterior design I prefer the current gen.

SG103

Alex on Autos is one of the best youtube car review channels. I'm surprised about the seats, I find the seat very comfortable for me.

SlowLane

Alex on Autos is definitely thorough. I also like Savagegeese on youtube.

I am not surprised Alex gives the Volvo seats a 10/10, but I think the previous gen XC60 seats were more comfortable. I would rate the previous gen seats a 10/10 and the current gen seats an 8 or 9.

SG103

I agree, Savagegeese is very informative. Also, Autogeful with Thomas is also decent.Tthe most entertaining by far is Mat Watson on Carwow, LOL.
I do all those while doing my threadmill on my tablet.

jmhumr

I dwelled on the XC60 vs. RDX for months. In terms of seats, I wanted the R-design and those seats felt brutal to me. The cushions were fine, but the bolstering was way too aggressive and firm. The high center console also made it feel way more cramped than the RDX.

SlowLane

The previous gen XC60 seats had a little more aggressive bolstering, but it wasn't as firm as the current R-design. I should have made an office chair from those seats.

I like the high center console in the XC60. It was just the right height for me to rest my arm. I found it too high in the V60 Cross Country and it does make the driver feel more cramped. It also made it impossible for me to find a comfortable seating position.

markAZ

Absolutely...the V-6 from Gen 2 in a Gen 3 Advance would be perfect.

OTOH, the turbo 4 is pretty good but still...

acuraada

What's the alternative? All others in the same segment would cost $10k more with comparable features. Acura at the end of the day is a value brand. It continues to be as long as Acura keeps the "in the middle" pricing structure (between commodity SUV like CRX/RAV4 vs Luxury variants)

It appeals to the left brain, value seeking, bang for the buck market segments..... The only anomaly here is if you compare to the EV segment but that's entirely a different story.

Bamagirl77

I hope it all works out for you! I reached out to my salesman about getting into a 2021 ADV SH-AWD RDX and this was his reply:

"We won’t be getting an awd adv Rdx for at least 3 months. There is a microchip shortage and all our Rdx models are on hold."

Anyone heard abut this?

Vince D

Apparently true:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-chip-shortage

acuraada

Wow. Who can you blame? That’s why Tesla who chose to make their own chip rather than relying on Nvidia, who prevail.

hans471

I was working in the industry when this "JIT" stuff started. "Just in time" or lean inventory was a hyped up way to reduce overhead and increase profits. We "old guys" had concerns especially as the industry was growing so "global". And, as they used single sourcing to reduce costs the problems got worse. When there were floods in Thailand and the wiring harness makers were flooded out Honda in the US (and many others) had to stop production due to lack of parts. People don't think about this but 50% of a vehicle is built by someone other than the OEM. Bits and pieces are out sourced, sometimes to small companies and often to sources that are over seas. Conditions on the other side of the world can dramatically impact factories in the US. And, consider the fact that of the 5,000 or so individual parts in a modern vehicle that if you are missing just ONE of those parts you may have to shut down all your production or at the least produce vehicle that you can not sell due to a missing part. I have seen whole plants shuttered over a missing fifty cent part. (very rare but it does happen).

This global economy thing might look good on a balance sheet but it can easily go to hell in a hurry.

JB in AZ

From the article linked:
"...Ford, Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., VW and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV -- now a part of Stellantis NV -- are among global carmakers that have scaled back output due to a lack of chips required for a wide range of components, from brakes to windshield wipers."

Worth noting that Honda is not specifically mentioned.

russianDude

There are so many things in shortage nowadays, appliances, parts, plumbing supplies, you name it...

acuraada

yea but TSMC is operating at full capacity for OTHER OEMs, Acura just screwed up, not thinking people will buy cars so they short change themselves trying to save money.

What a joke.....

russianDude

are you sure other manufactures do not have the same problem getting chips ?

acuraada

Sure, if other planned poorly with TSMC or Samsung. Point is that you made it sound like it's manufacturing issue but it isn't with IC fab plants.