Comfy

I just want to know how is the RDX holding up against the newcomer Lexus NX in the sales department. I already know that NX is slightly better quality but overall small and pricier, but has it hammered the RDX in sales ...yet...? Any hard data?

Nexx

rdx 2015 sales 51k, nx 2015 sales 43k. not sure about better quality but it does feel a bit more upscale on the interior. ill take the 3.5 over the turbo 4 any day. nx is fugly imho. love the 2016 rdx appearance.

RDX10

Though we all obviously are entitled to our own opinions, I would like to point out that the NX really IS much higher quality than the rdx, like MUCH better. Not that the rdx is "bad" just that the NX is really "good".

I see 10 rdx's per nx here. I think the nx looks too intimidating for most, and also the size, it really is very very small. Though I heard it has nearly the same interior dimensions as the outgoing rx. I hate it and love it. Would I buy one? Tough to say, I also really really like the new mkc with the sweet 2.3 turbo.

mrgold35

It would seem the NX is made for a different crowd compared to someone looking at a RX? Lexus is really trying to get them early with styling and performance. They still have the +50 yr old crowd locked in with the RX, GX and LX.

I'm would like to see if the RX sales will/will not suffer while the NX sales improve. That might say Lexus NX sales are stealing new buyers away from Acura, Infiniti, BMW, Audi & M-B.

If I was looking for a replacement for my turbo RDX, I would walk pass the RX to take the NX for a test drive.

ceb

The design of the NX is a bit too polarizing for many. The NX will steal few sales from the RX and a local Lexus dealer told me that he has seen multiple RX owners turn their noses up at the NX and went shopping for a MB.

The NX may be a fine vehicle but the appearance doesn't cross-shop well.

SlowLane

I was cross-shopping small SUVs last year. I am a little person and the NX felt cramped. I also recall thinking that rear visibility was terrible. The interior quality was very good.

I agree with CEB. The NX didn't cross-shop well compared to the RDX, Q5, or XC60. I liked all three of those vehicles better.

Comfy

In getting the impression that NX simply created a niche segment for itself without eating much into others pie. In other words the SUV market expanded and NX filled the gap nicely. Kudos for the Lexus planners that they foresaw the demand so many years ago (which Acura didn't realize). Acura still seems to be toying with the idea of a smaller crossover SUV. Lexus seems to be toying with the 3 row crossover now.

ThermonMermon

The RDX has more usability, space wise, than the new RX, let alone the NX. The NX has like 17 cubic feet of cargo, which is good for a couple golf bags; and the cockpit is claustrophobic. If you really needed an SUV for a small family, and scouted out the NX, you would walk out of the dealership laughing.

Strange that Lexus is moving in this direction. I agree that the CUV segment has grown dramatically. Lexus seems to have positioned themselves away from the rest by offering more polarizing designs. If you want a boring, boxy car with good interior use, youll be lost in a sea of offerings. For those empty nesters or millennials that want design over function, go to your Lexus dealer.

The NX was a pretty good idea to pick up sales in a new niche. But I wouldnt compare it to something more conventional, or get hung up on the sales vs the RDX.

ThermonMermon

VS





If anything, this is stealing sales from sedans, or the IS AWD.

Kaputnik

Other qualities aside, is it just me, or does the NX look kinda cheap-ish on the outside?

I'm not a fan of it's styling at all. But I must say I love the torque rush of a good 4 cyl turbo, although I have yet to drive an NX.

BLEXV6

I like the NX, but I am a big guy and as such would never consider it. The NX has better interior quality for sure.

mrgold35

I haven't seen a lot of NXs in the wild; but, the ones I've seen around town are mostly driven by older women (are or soon to be empty nesters). Maybe they are the only ones to afford the full asking price for now since it is so new?

When we drove past one the other day my wife said "that is pretty looking car" compared to me "its to small for cargo", "not enough power for the $$$", "doesn't handle as well", "awd drive system isn't as good as sh-awd", "slower to 0-60", etc...

From what I can find on the internet, NX sales are about 43,000 for 2015. It took Acura a little under 3 yrs to equal those sales with the 1st Gen RDX. We (guys mostly) might be thinking too much with our head(s) instead of our heart with the NX.

jimihaha

We looked at the NX when we were crossover hunting for my wife May last year. Interior quality is typical Lexus which is top notch. I find the exterior too aggressive for a Lexus and it looked a bit cheap when they put black plastic trims around the wheel wells (same with the new RX).


Interior space is cramped. Definitely not for a family with small kids still in car seats (our situation). Although it is nice that the rear seats recline. Infotainment console is not as user friendly as the 2015 RDXs. I drove my friend's NX and it's not intuitive especially the audio controls and nav. And the whole dashboard looks really busy but they are all covered in nice leather.


In the end, we bought the 2015 Base RDX. It's cheaper and has more standard features. The comparably equipped NX we looked at stickers for $44k and it's not the top of the line. We can't justify the $12k+ difference just to have nicer leather and navigation. And also the RDX has the better engine than the NX.

mindanalyzer

I owned a RDX tech for 20 months so I know what it is. In the last Miami Auto international show I had the opportunity to seat in a NX 200t (I had considered going this route a year ago) and to tell you the truth I was not wowed at all. The NX feels extremely crampy, predator fugly from the front [specially with the F-sport] and out of proportions from the side. I did not feel the luxury that many people talk about . I still like that it has a Toyota-made turbo 4 and hopefully the toyota/lexus excellent reliability but it is just too ugly for my taste.

It was a pity that my RDX had some stupid problems (VCM vibration, jerky tranny in stop/go city traffic, and su-par suspension) because I think that apart from that, this is a good vehicle. The RDX just look much better than the NX; but it needs an all-time V6 or turbo 4, different driving modes, visible exhausts and maybe better electronics (updated NAV, better camera, etc).

In this auto show I really liked the Lincoln MKC and the Ford Edge sport (both fully loaded with the 2.3 ecoboost)

BTW My dream vehicle would be a X3 with the 35i (3.0 turbo) engine, M-sport pkg, premium pkg, Tech pkg with HUD, Driver Assist pkg, Dynamic Handling pkg (adaptive suspension), Harman kardon, Red exterior, Leather mocha interior. $58K including destination. I am strongly considering going this route.

CybrRdr

As mentioned in past posts, we had a 2014 RDX Tech but replaced it with a 2015 NX F Sport. My wife really liked the RDX but she absolutely loves the NX F Sport.

The design of the NX is aggressive and they used that same design language with the new 2016 RX. My wife loves it and it has grown on me too.

As far as exterior dimensions, the NX it is about the same size as our neighbor's Audi Q5.

Rekstrom

I just did something similar, traded my 14 RDX AWD Tech for a BMW 335i Sport line, with most of the M Sport items added on (M sport adaptive suspension, sport exhaust, increased top speed, sport seats, sport steer wheel, etc), and lux and tech packages, red sport seats and red interior accents. It is gorgeous and a great car so far. I do miss the room of the RDX and the utility, and truthfully it was a great car. I had the vibration fixed and the rear shocks replaced, tranny was always smooth on mine. I would consider getting another one.

Kaputnik

Curious how the F Sport drives and handles? I'm really holding on to my 1st Gen RDX because I enjoy the sporty side as opposed to a cushy V6-powered CRV (although it's exactly what my wife would like...grrrr).

RDX10

I expect the next gen rdx to come back with some form of enhanced awd (probably not shawd though) and possibly a turbo. Maybe hold on just a little longer! There is also a new vw tiguan coming out, should be REALLY nice.

skabei

Alright I'll chime in here.

I traded in my 2012 TL for a NX200T F-Sport in October.

I was very close to getting an RDX. I actually was about to go in and get one because I was familiar with the dealer where I got my TL and I was able to get invoice pricing. They also gave me a good value on my TL for trade-in. I liked the 2016 RDX a lot. It drove nicely, had very good power for a crossover SUV, and on paper the fuel economy looked decent.

Here are my push and pull factors with the RDX and NX.

Push: (Away from RDX)
The things that pushed me away from it and start looking at competitors was that the wheels on the 2016 are ugly as hell. I’ve started a thread about this and the general consensus is that they’re terribly designed wheels (all trims). Yes, they definitely look better in person than they appear in pictures, but compared with any other SUV (even non-luxury), they’re ugly. I would probably buy aftermarket wheels just so I can bare to look at them, but I rather not because it’s supposed to be my utility vehicle.

I’m also a bit concerned with Acura’s quality that has dropped in the recent years. I had a few rattles in my TL (rear hat shelf – 2 TSBs) plus a few other miscellaneous ones that were fixed under warranty. These rattles still came up from time to time and it drove me nuts when it did. Proving these rattles to get the right thing fixed was a tremendous feat. I also had the Torque Converter issue that has plagued Acura for years. Mine wasn’t easy to reproduce so I never brought it in because I’ve so far found Acura’s service to be terribly uncompromising. My past Acuras have been more solid. But the service has never been great.

I did several test drives and each time I became less and less content with the interior. It was very noticeably worse than the 4G TL interior despite being newer. I felt the road noise was very loud for a “luxury” SUV. It didn’t feel far enough from the newer Honda interiors. I really like Honda’s new interiors, but I expect more from an Acura.

Finally there’s size. I wanted a smaller SUV because it’s just my fiancée and I who will be using the car most of the time. The RDX felt a tad too big. We actually like the size of the first gen RDX. The newer RDX feels like the size of the old MDX (not quite).

Pull: (Towards NX)

What got me immediately about the NX was the size - smaller than the RDX, but still big enough to carry two sets of skis, two sets of snowboards, ski-boot bag, and all of our other equipment. Then I looked at the exterior. I don’t like the non F-Sport look (in NA only) because it has a chunk missing from the front bumper. Lexus did this to increase the approach angle so that the NX technically qualifies as a light truck. A technically for Lexus’s weight CAFÉ. But I really like the look of the F-Sport bumper. I find it sleek and aggressive, and the upgraded headlights are very nice (I didn’t realize these headlights until after I bought the car, but I was glad that the F-Sport in Canada includes it automatically).

The interior of the car is also very impressive. I like it more than the interior for the Q5 and the X3. It’s comfortable, looks and feels very premium, and the noise isolation is way better than the RDX.

After test-driving, I was a little upset with the speed because the RDX is definitely faster. But it’s still decently fast for an SUV, at least fast enough for me.

This is my first Lexus and nobody in my family has owned a Lexus before so I’m unfamiliar with the quality first hand, but I know they’re known for making the most solid cars. With a new model, I had no clue but I decided that Lexus probably has quality down better than Acura, especially given their manufacturing methods (TPS). I also looked at known issues for both cars. I found several with the RDX that are covered in TSBs and from internet searches (rear suspension squeak). With the NX, after a year on the market I wasn’t able to find anything common. I looked at the most popular Lexus forums but there wasn’t too much that was widely known. There are some, but nothing that remotely makes me regret my purchase so far.

While shopping for the NX, I noticed that the service at Lexus felt far better. They seemed accommodating and more flexible. I did some research and found that Lexus is known for generally better service at dealers (in North America at least) and this is important to me because I want them to work seriously with me when I bring my car in for issues, no matter how trivial they may be to the dealer (such as squeaks and rattles). Acura gave me way too much trouble each time I brought my car in.

The last thing that got me was the price. The NX + F-Sport is selling very well in the Toronto area. The average price paid for 2015 F-Sport was close to MSRP which puts it out of my budget. But I managed to get one at invoice when dealers were clearing the last of their 2015 inventory to make room for the 2016 and for the new RX. This put the cost only $2k above what I could have gotten the RDX Tech for close to invoice. The Lexus dealer that I purchased at also gave me a very reasonable offer on my TL. Another small addition is that all the Lexus dealers that I visited throw in the rubber mats, cargo net, cargo tray, and a first aid kit with all their vehicles. Acura doesn’t do this here and I would have had to bargain for them. This just made me feel that Lexus is more premium.

And so the NX was really a car that fit me better than the RDX. I still really like the RDX. But for the RDX to win me over again I would need to see a better looking wheels, better interior, and SH-AWD would strongly help.

There are some things that I do really wish the NX had that the RDX has.
In Canada, the RDX Tech has power folding mirrors which the NX does not. The RDX also has lane-departure warning and Acura Link on the Tech, but I would have had to get the fully loaded top trim on the NX to get those. The NX does give me blind-spot monitor and cross-traffic warnings on the F-Sport 1 which the RDX doesn’t have – so that’s nice.

As I’m re-reading this post it sounds a bit like I’m totally shitting on the RDX. I’m really just going through my whole thought process of deciding between the two cars at the time of purchase which wasn’t too long ago.

This is a long post. Please feel free to ask more questions.

mrgold35

Thanks for the first hand insight!

I always felt Acura SUVs interior design for the RDX and MDX looked 1 or 2 levels down compared to the TLX or RLX (way down to Lexus and Infiniti). Road noise has always been an issue with any Honda/Acura I've owned since 1990. I love my Acura; but, it always felt like a more expensive Honda trim level like Chevy/GMC/Caddy compared to being its own luxury brand separate from its parent company like Lexus. The "Sportiness" across all brands and higher standard tech is what kept an Acura in my garage for the last 10 yrs.

The new +13 RDX sales has stomped all over the 1st Gen. I'm just thinking the folks that prefer 2nd Gen lean more toward "Utility" while 1st Gen RDX folks leaned more toward "Sport". When I think about a replacement for my RDX, I always thinking Audi Q3/Q5, Range Rover Evoque, Lexus NX, BMW X3, Jaguar F-
pace, or Porsche Macan all because of the turbo performance first and utility second. Doesn't make sense to me to be worried about 2-4 mpg difference when you are paying $35,000 to $55,000 for a vehicle (that is what a CR-V or Rav4 are for).

If Acura doesn't inject more "Sport" or the aftermarket support for the +2019 3rd Gen RDX doesn't improve to atleast 1st Gen levels; I might have to jump ship for the first time in 25 yrs.

CrimsonElan

We drove to local Lexus dealer try to get a test drive of NX, my wife refused to step into NX because it was too ugly. The only Lexus car we can tolerate the look is GS (non-fugly-sport version)

skabei

I've noticed that there are a lot of people who either really like Lexus's new styling or really dislike it.

When I first saw the 2013 IS I thought it was very ugly and I couldn't believe that Lexus would design something like that. After a while it started growing on me. Eventually I thought it looked great. Now with the new NX, RX, RCF, and GSF I'm really liking the design. It's working better than Acura's new design language. The huge shield on the 09-11 TL and ZDX backfired hard but even with the more reserved shield on newer models I notice most people my age don't particularly like the general look. The jewel headlights are working but not the shield. Likewise the new chrome unibrow on the 2016 Civic/Accord is horrendous. It might start to grow on my as well but I was never able to fully get over the shield on my 2012 TL.

skabei

I actually really wanted the first gen RDX because it looks very sporty, rugged, fun, and it has a cool modding community. The interior features are just too old for me and while I never got to test drive one, I don't think I can tolerate the turbo lag on the engine. The SH-AWD is very compelling though.

I feel like the NX is like a next-iteration first-gen RDX. It was one of the few affordable luxury SUVs that gave me that look and feel. Others that I was interested in are the Macan (too expensive and it has quality issues), QX50 (Infiniti is having A LOT of quality issues, they've dropped to the bottom 5 in quality on CR's 2015 reliability ranking), and the Evoque (also serious quality issues). So for me, I was considering the RDX for overall practicality and utility or the NX which is sportier but less practical. I'm still young so I want to enjoy a more impractical car before I have kids.

One thing about the NX that got me excited was the modding community for it. People have done a lot of cool mods to it like painting the wheel well or neat body kits. There's more going on with the NX than the RDX so I feel more connected.

CrimsonElan

Why not lease a BMW X3 28i if you can still find 2015 model you like in stock somewhere, you could get a pretty good deal.

Macan is way to expensive if fully loaded,
QX50 has CVT and less interior space than a Honda Fit,
Evoque is a FWD based fancy version of Ford Escape with EcoBoost, (as RDX to CR-V, but at least RDX get a much powerful engine)

skabei

I don't like the X3 look. It looks old and boring especially when I compared it to the X5. Also I was looking for a vehicle to own since I've flipped cars too many times since I finished school. I bought one each year since I graduated so I want a car that I will just stick with for a long time and I don't feel comfortable doing that with a German car. That's why I was really comparing the RDX and NX when purchasing.

Danny Boy

I have the Elite Package. The NDX Tech Package has both the blind-spot monitor and cross-traffic warnings. No big deal…

The overall functionality of the Elite is very comparable to the NX Executive. From my list of requirements, RDX offers remote engine start, power fold/tilt mirrors and heated back seats while the NX has heated steering wheel and HUD.

RDX is a “premium” vehicle, not a luxury car like Lexus, Mercedes… I like the design and overall quality/workmanship of the NX over the RDX. From the test drive they are about the same - each with some strong points and weak points. You could be correct about the more professional service at the Lexus dealership but I suspect the cost is higher as well. I come from the Infiniti family of cars and the services are very good and costly.

To date, I have not noticed any wind noise in the RDX that everyone was complaining about. It is just as quiet as my Infiniti cars.

The RDX Elite offers exceptional value over the vehicles with comparable options:
RDX Elite $47K, NX Exec $54K, Q5 $57K, Q3 >$60K. Prices are MSRP plus PDI less any known factory rebates.

At the end of the day, you make the decision base on your requirements and what you are willing to pay. Now that I have driven my RDX for 4+ weeks, I am happy with the purchase.

mindanalyzer

Taste is very personal, and that is very important in a vehicle purchase; but let me tell you about my experience because we sometimes have future plans but the reality turns out different. When I bought my 2013 RDX I had exactly the same idea as you. I was switching cars every couple of years, spending too much $ in the process so I decided that an intelligent decision was to buy a luxury Japanese compact SUV (supposedly excellent reliability and low cost of maintenance) and own it for 10 years. I even drove like 50 miles to a dealer in South Florida (Rick Case Acura) that includes in all their sales a [nationwide] extended power train warranty to 10 years or 100k miles.

Now what happened in reality was that, after a year of so with the RDX, I could not stand the VCM-induced vibrations at low and highway speeds ('normal specs' according to Acura), the jerky tranny in stop/go city traffic, the sub-par/noisy suspension in the winter, the noisy brakes [pads], the terrible backup camera and slow/unreliable/low-resolution NAV. I was feeling miserable with this vehicle, so after a while I told myself, f... it, happiness is more important than saving a few bucks and went and bought me a ride that I am enjoying.

skabei

One of the biggest things for going against the RDX was that I couldn't get myself to like it enough in terms of how I felt when I looked at it. I think the 2016 looks pretty good when I look at it on its own. But if I look at an MDX and then look back, it doesn't look as good anymore.

I really like the NX spindle grill and each time I look at it I really appreciate the looks. It was something that I wanted to imagine myself driving. That was a big factor when deciding which one I wanted. So even though the NX was a bit more than the RDX, it felt justified to me despite the fact that I was above my intended budget.

Kaputnik

How about the NX ride and handling relative to the 2016 RDX?

skabei

Since I've driven the NX a lot more than the RDX at this point, I'll just relay the thoughts that I had about the drive when purchasing. Keep in mind that I am only comparing the AWD models of each car because those are the only variants we have available in Canada. FWD models of either are not sold here.

The RDX is noticeably faster. If you compare both AWD models, the RDX is about 0.7-0.9 seconds faster to 100km/h. I missed that when I drove the NX.

The steering and general driving - The NX feels sportier than the RDX. This is because of the bolstered seats in the F-Sport as well as the F-Sport suspension. I'm 5'9, 185lb, and the sits fit me well. They're not tight and I can fit a puffy winter jacket on the coldest days, but the seats are snug. I felt more confidence making faster turns on the NX than the RDX.

While the NX is actually heavier than the RDX, the RDX still felt bigger. It is taller and longer, and maybe that contributes to feeling like a larger SUV. I'm actually curious about this now and I feel like I should go test drive a 2016 RDX just to get a better comparison.

hand-filer

Had a déjà vu moment when I read this.

mindanalyzer

JACN

I came down to this simple conclusion:

Lexus NX: For people who really want a compact sedan but just want to be higher up, like not having headlights in their face all the time.
Acura RDX: For people who want the utility of an SUV with car-like comfort and handling and who also think a 3rd row of seating will simply be a waste.

skabei

The comparison between the NX and a sedan is exaggerated. There is definitely more room in the NX than a sedan. The back leg room is very sufficient, and the trunk space, while smaller than the RDX, is decent. It depends on how much you need. I bought the NX because a 4G TL was not enough. I was able to easily fit in 2 ski bags each with skis and poles, 2 snowboard bags, a ski boot bag with 2 pairs of ski boots, a duffle, and an assortment of other equipment. I'll be pulling the same haul in a few weeks with an additional 2-3 pairs of snowboards.

Here's a thread that talks about the NX's cargo capacity for anyone who's interested: Within Warranty Inquiries (WWI) NX Advertised Cargo Capacity - Club Lexus Forums

skabei

The measure of 17 cubic feet is only the space below the tonneau cover that is included with the car. For some unknown reason, Lexus does not include the full capacity of the trunk which is about 28 cubic feet. The RDX's volume is stated to be 26, but I'm not sure what metric they're using to measure but it should be around 10% bigger than the NX. The RDX's trunk space is definitely not 50% larger than the NX.

See the thread I linked to ClubLexus in my post just above.

JACN

The problem with the NX is the angle on the hatch. You can't fit tall items in there. I had a real problem with the USEABILITY of the cargo area. Yeah it may have 28 sq ft, but it's so oddly shaped.

My biggest beef was the cramped front seats. The RDX feels so much bigger when in reality they're close to the same size.

RDX10

This here is the problem! The 2016 loaner I drove around for a few hours felt like a boat,

skabei

This is the real issue with the space. I won't be able to fit large blocky objects. If I buy a bathtub or something bulky then I'll likely have to use my Dad's 2002 Forester which fits way more while being much smaller. For me personally, the space is sufficient. I was first looking at hatchbacks anyway.

Give the NX a test drive (F-Sport) and see how it compares to the first gen RDX. I'm curious.

Kaputnik

Me too; especially with regard to handling. That is what I really love and why I won't yet give up the 1st Gen. They are all fast enough for my taste. Tempted to go test drive an NX, but I might do something reckless if I really love it.

But.....the performance numbers of the NX appear considerably less than the turbo RDX, despite similar engine output. The old RDX is just a fraction of a second slower in the tests against the V6 version, and it's hard to tell. Might be due to the mid-range torque rush versus the much smoother power delivery of the V6.

skabei

If you're in no rush, I'd wait for the mid cycle refresh of the NX at least. They will likely upgrade the speakers and fix a few minor things. They may even give the NA non-F Sport version the full bumper like the one the rest of the world gets.

If you're itchy for a test drive though, just go for it =D What's the worst that can happen? You'll either end up with a car that you really like or you'll know how you feel about it after having tried it.