frescagod

obviously, the folks at the RDX side of Acurazine love their RDX and hate on the TSX, but being completely objective and taking other third party feedback into account, i have concluded that the RDX is not worth it. i have about 4 hours of seat time in the RDX so far.

the good:
- it drives like a car. it handles very well.
- the tech package is a nice thing to have...backup camera and navigation.
- when it's on boost, it's very responsive and agile.

honestly, that's about it.

the bad:
- when it's off boost, it is a complete dog. at wide open throttle from a dig, it takes like 2 full seconds for boost to kick in. i'm sure i could brake boost it but i don't feel like abusing the car. also, with A/C on, it is REALLY slow from a dig.
- the shifting is sluggish, even with the paddle shifters. it's also not smooth at all, especially if you're shifting manually and not timing it properly with the level of boost.
- handling was good, but at the cost of ride quality, which is pretty bad. it doesn't absorb any bumps at all; it merely just rides on/over them and jars you. yuck.
- the interior feels cheap compared to the TSX. i am shocked that the RDX members think their interiors are better than ours...there is no comparison whatsoever. there are multi-tiered dash pieces and crappy, cheap-feeling compartments in the doors. the feel of the dome lights and switch are really bad...like they belong in a Kia.
- the stereo is, frankly, very average. i have a base 2010 TSX and it sounds 100 times better than the RDX.
- gas mileage is very poor, at least from the computer. i reset it right before i got on the highway and drove as i usually drive in my TSX and i averaged about 22 mpg. i'd get about 29-31 mpg in the TSX. i reset it again when i got into some city driving and the display said i was averaging about 15-16 mpg. not very good.

i was never in the market for an RDX but even if i was, i would probably not consider it. i don't have much experience with turbos but i already know that i dislike the lag. i'd rather have the smooth, more linear power delivery of a naturally aspirated engine.

overall, the RDX feels cheap for its price point. can't wait to get my TSX back tomorrow afternoon!

Caliwild

Good review... I'm actually in the same boat. My TSX is in the shop getting new front brakes (at 2000 miles!) and they gave me an MDX. The MDX is big but it handles pretty well for a big car. The power is kind of addictive, but there's no way I could drive an automatic transmission. The sound system sounds a little better than the TSX (I have a tech package on the TSX too). The wood grain interior is kind of grandpa-ish. Overall, though, it's a solid car....

defconskylude

what year did you drive?

my wife has an 09 RDX and its okay. yea its cool that it has turbo but its not a big deal to me personally.

mileage on it sucks. i believe we get about 17-19 mpg

turbo is cool but its not that great

TSX interior is way better than the RDX

frescagod

it's a brand new 2010 tech without SH-AWD, and about 1,300 miles on the odometer. i like the idea of turbo but more along the lines of the BMW 135i/335i one. this super laggy turbo plus super crappy 5 speed auto tranny = overrated.

but, when it's on full boost, my butt dyno likes the RDX. it's only for half a second at a time though, and like you said, the MPG is horrible. i hear the SH-AWD ones get even worse mileage because of all four wheels being driven all the time.

defconskylude

yep my wife has the SH AWD. we get gas like once a week

LuvMyTSX

I had one as a loaner in March, 09 model I believe, SH-AWD non-tech. I never drove an SUV before, so it took some getting used to for me.

I had similar thoughts about it as well, but I thought it absorbed the bumps and crappy roads better than my 04 TSX. I think the 2G TSX is a bit softer than the 1G in this respect, so the RDX felt softer to me.

The acceleration took me a while to get used to. It smooths out after you drive it and get used to it. At first, it drove me nuts and I did not like it much, but after a day of driving it, it wasn't so bad. Gas mileage was unimpressive, but you have to remember, this is an SUV, not a car. It sits higher up and it's heavier, so don't expect the same mpg as a car.

I was not all that impressed with the interior either, but it wasn't terrible. Still much better than a lot of other vehicles out there. However, I expect more from Honda/Acura as far as interiors go. I could live with it.

Overall, I liked it more as I got more used to it. I need more utility for my next car, so I'm looking at small crossovers like the RDX, in addition to the TSX wagon. I'm glad I had it has a loaner so I could get more time with it. It dives very similarly to a car, but it's not as tossable or nimble as my 04 TSX, and I will miss that if I end up with an RDX.

I have been tiring of my 04 TSX's suspension for the last year or so. The roads have gotten so bad in my area and my car is just not taking it very well at all. I had the rear upper control arm replaced in March and although there is a TSB out to address that, I think the state of the roads also contributed to the problem. I am just sick of having a rough ride all the time and want something a little more soft - not riding on cloud soft, but not as harsh as my TSX has become, either. I hope the TSX wagon's suspension absorbs potholes and bad roads better than the 1G, otherwise I might end up with a different vehicle.

Shift_Acura

When I sat in an RDX I though the interior was nicer than my TSX

pimpin-tl

I haven't been in one, but I just wanted to say the TSX vs my 07 TL-S and our 09 TL isn't as well built either. I guess that is the price difference between the two cars even my 07. When I close the doors on my 07 they are solid, but the 09 TSX as a loaner I got, they sound and feel hollow. The interior felt more cheap as well. But the TSX is a great looking car vs our 09 TL, too bad it was a bit small for our needs.

Nedmundo

I had one as a loaner last week. I liked the turbo motor, which reminded me of my old Saab 9-5 Aero, and thought the transmission was great -- for an automatic. But I generally hate automatics, so I was happy to get back into my 6MT TSX. My main gripe was with the dash, especially the center area. The confused design is just appalling, and the materials aren't much better. The seats were fine.

I was very impressed with the handling, and the utility is nice, so I understand its appeal. Give it a nice dash and a manual transmission, and I wouldn't mind one as a family hauler.

Luchin

I completely agree with everything you said. My mother in law has one and it's a pig I wouldn't buy with someone else's money.

The sad thing is the gas mileage is not much better then the MDX if at all.

A failed attempt by Honda to 'boost' their product line.

Probably why the engine hasn't found it's way into the TSX.

sj993

Having both an 08 RDX and 06 TSX I can say the tsx is better quality overall. The interior materials are definitely better in the tsx and build quality is also better in the tsx. I did have a 2nd gen tsx as a loaner once and I didn't think the interior was any better or worse than the RDX. I actually preferred the interior on my 1g tsx to the 2nd gen tsx and rdx. I do like the new HD based Nav in the 2g tsx though.

As far as the engine is concerned I like the turbo 4. Aside from the lag issue from a standing start I find it quite enjoyable. I did get the hondata reflash for it and it made much more responsive which is probably how it should have been in the first place. Gas mileage is a letdown but I expected that.

It seems as though the overall build quality with Honda/Acura has gone down in recent years from what it used to be. Just my opinion.

Pacer

Wow, that was quite a review. Let me say as an RDX owner going on 4 years now, I am a huge, huge fan of the TSX. Thinking about buying one, matter of fact; it would be a tough choice between the sedan and the upcoming wagon, and what's this about a coupe...now that gets me going! Make it a hatch and I'll be one of the first in line.

Anyway, I certainly don't "hate on the TSX" at all, never have. That "I'm unbiased" remark combined with saying we RDX owners all "hate" on the TSX...well, um, gee...you just exposed your bias. Doh! Don't take that personally. It's okay to have bias, we all do. But it's probably better not to say that you're giving an unbiased review in the same breath as a biased/incorrect statement.

I know other RDX owners who are also TSX fans, some of whom even own TSXs. And I don't recall seeing any TSX bashing on the RDX side. Hmm. Not saying it isn't there, but I think you may be a little surprised to learn how many RDX owners are actually big fans of the TSX.

The RDX is a 2-ton behemoth of a CUV. The suspension is strung tight as a drum (starting in '08, they even softened it believe it or not!) on purpose. Without it, you wouldn't get the great handling (for its class) that most enthusiasts rave about. And the SH-AWD is the coup d'grace of that. So to say it handles great and then moan about the rough ride and poor mpg, well...those statements are in conflict. Pick your poison and stick with it.

In maybe five years I think we'll start to see the best of all worlds -- speed, handling, utility and mpg in an affordable package. But we just aren't there yet.

Not saying I disagree that the mpg could be better but I can live with it for the performance trade; I feel that Honda needs to drop in a 6 or a diesel and then it will truly be "game on" for the RDX. And nope, the interior isn't as nice as maybe an X3 or Q5 --but you're gonna pay 5k-10k more for those similarly equipped, so that's another null comparison.

I recently had a '10 TSX loaner for a day and a half and liked it a LOT. I thought the interior was comparable in luxury to my RDX, but I'd give a slight edge to the TSX. Then again, that TSX is 3 years newer than my RDX, so I'd hope the interior would be better. And I'm glad it is. I'd be disappointed as hell if it wasn't.

And if you're comparing a '10 TSX interior to the '10 RDX interior, and saying the TSX is better...again, more power to ya'. There are compromises all over any vehicle and different cars in differing classes certainly don't cost the same to build. You want x? Do without y. And so on.

On the acceleration and 2-second lag, perhaps you got a hold of an RDX that wasn't tuned quite right or perhaps your unfamiliarity with the RDX led to disappointment. I have no complaints whatsoever in the speed/responsiveness of my '07's paddle shifters. Yeah, the auto takes more time than you'd want when you put the pedal down in a rushed highway passing situation. Not 2 seconds for me, but that's why the paddles are there. There is a little bit of timing that you need to get right for best results, but the RDX gets up and goes on command for me. Not as fast as my S2000, but pretty damn sweet for four thousand pounds of metal.

C&D clocked the RDX at 0-60 in 6.4. Again, nothing to scoff at for this much mass at this price.

And YES, the price point could be more palatable, maybe 3k less. But I feel this way about the entire Acura line, including the TSX. Regardless, you still get a boatload of kickass features, tech, lux and handling in a class of its own vs. the competition AT THIS PRICE. I think this is true with most if not all Acuras. But then, I'm biased.

The stereo (I have the upgraded package) I can also agree with you on; I don't love it (the DVD-A in mine is cool but not available anymore) but I can live with it; and I'd sure hope the '10 TSX has a better one than what I've got. I was pretty happy with the TSX audio on the '10 base model I drove, nice and punchy. (I might add that I think the base 4 on the TSX is pretty sweet; I am afraid the V6 would be addictive!)

In short, when you review a vehicle, in my opinion it needs to be done with an eye toward what it is (and what it's meant to be), not what it isn't. Nope, RDX is not CR-V, it's simply not going to get good mpg or have a soft ride. And vice-versa. Apples, meet oranges.

Having owned my RDX for this long, I've gone through the value equation enough to say with confidence that it truly is a good value...even if I think it comes at a 3k premium.

For what it is -- a great-looking CUV you don't see on every corner with room for a ton of family stuff, that you can drive near fearlessly in all weather (with the right rubber of course), plus slice through most curves with ease as you kill the straights -- the RDX does quite well, thanks. That said, it's really only for a certain kind of driver. Definitely not for the masses.

23109VC

I have an 07 MDX and 06 RL. I've had quite a few Acuras as loaners when my cars are in for service. In fact, as I type this I have a 2010 TSX in my driveway while my RL gets serviced..it's the third time I've had one. Also had an RDX as a loaner and took it from San diego to Vegas!! lots of seat time in that car. Also had both 3G and 4G TLs.

honestly, I really liked the RDX. I thought it was faster and more zippy than the TSX. Honestly the TSX feels like a slug to me. It has zero torque and you only get moving if you rev the living stink out of it.. the RDX on the other hand, while there is turbo lag, once it's on boost, it pulled nice. ON the freeway, it was quite quick on boost. $5 says a bone stock RDX would smoke a TSX....

I don't hate any of these cars..I really like the TSX...it's just too small for my needs. I have three kids and wew have stuck them all in the back of the TSX and they fit but it's too tight to be comfortable..... so even th ough it was a nice car and good buy, we only looked at the larger Acuras.... even though we use the MDX as our main family car, we want two cars that can each comfortably fit the whole family....

anywya, the RDX goes plenty quick.