CTC Review: 2007 Acura RDX

[CD_Editor]

Picture Gallery:  2007 Acura RDX


Day 1:

Click Image to Enlarge

This week I get to test out the new Acura RDX.  Almost exactly one year ago at the North American International Autoshow in Detroit, I was front row, anxiously awaiting what was to be revealed by Acura.  Rumours had it there was an all-new vehicle to be revealed or possibly the new MDX, and I believe there were rumours of a turbocharged engine at the time.  Those rumours came to fruition and here we have it, the new 2007 Acura RDX. More ...

[Demosthenes X]

To be clear, this is Honda's first turbocharged vehicle in North America.  They've been using turbos in Japan for years. 

[wing]

Yes perhaps I should be more clear on that.  Thanks.

[quadzilla]

Tough couple of weeks you have had 

I like the looks of this and at the same price of the LGT is should make an interesting comparison. 

Can you measure the rear with seats down for me?  Did you do this for the LGT or did I miss it?

I also can't wait to see what gas mileage you get out of this.

EDIT: Is Acura still using a timing belt?

[TMack]

Hi everyone,

Anybody have any idea when/if the LGT will get
VDC (#1)
memory seats
HID

The LGT will have a hard time competing with the RDX, unless it gets stability control at least optional, if not standard, for the currrent asking price.

TMack

[mdxtasy]

I see a lot of these little critters around these days.  I haven't driven one extensively yet so I'm looking forward to your opinions.

[coldcase]

Right now the RDX is not meeting the sales expectations for Acura.  They sold like a third of what they should have sold already.  I'm interested in this car and I'm part of a lot of Acura forums and so far things are not looking great sales wise.  Here's what seems to be the problems:

- Acura wasn't moving from the MSRP price.  This month, dealers in the US have started letting them go near invoice because the were piling up on their lots.  Don't know what dealers in Canada are doing though.

- Acura is also targeting BMW X3 customers.  BMW customers tend to lease a lot and BMW have more aggressive lease rates.  Acura? 7.5% this month after being 8% last month    ....That's really high.

- Mazda is aggressive and selling below MSRP with better rates with the CX-7.  You can get a loaded CX-7 much cheaper on a lease than a RDX right now.

So I feel is that the RDX is kind of stuck between the CX-7 that attracts customers looking for the best bang for the buck and BMW X3 that attracts customers that want to pay a bit more to get the "prestige".  BMW also has free maintenance for 4 years so when all is added up, you can get an X3 for about the same or just a little more on a decent lease deal.  Want a great handling CUV but don't want to pay the premium of luxury brands and people go with the CX-7.

If Acura really wants to move them they will have to offer aggressive rates like their competitors...otherwise, the RDX will kind of fall in the "too expensive" class or "I prefer getting a BMW for the money" kind of situation.

I'm in the market right now and I can tell you there's no way I'm paying MSRP or near MSRP at high rates when I can get a loaded CX-7 for less or an X3 for a little more with free maintenance.

I know that for people that buy it might actually be a better deal but for people that lease, Acura is not making it attractive right now.

That's just my opinion BTW

[coldcase]

Hi everyone,

Anybody have any idea when/if the LGT will get
VDC (#1)
memory seats
HID

The LGT will have a hard time competing with the RDX, unless it gets stability control at least optional, if not standard, for the currrent asking price.

TMack

I know that the 2008 Legacy and outback are supposed to get a little refresh and that include HID for North America.

[G0dspd]

I saw a white one driving around in the East end of Ottawa.  It's a lot smaller than I imagined ... I thought it was some tall wagon before I realized what it was (the MDX is not that big to start with)  I'm assuming that they're the same size as the new Honda CR-V?

- Acura wasn't moving from the MSRP price.  This month, dealers in the US have started letting them go near invoice because the were piling up on their lots.  Don't know what dealers in Canada are doing though.

- Acura is also targeting BMW X3 customers.  BMW customers tend to lease a lot and BMW have more aggressive lease rates.  Acura? 7.5% this month after being 8% last month   ....That's really high.

- Mazda is aggressive and selling below MSRP with better rates with the CX-7.  You can get a loaded CX-7 much cheaper on a lease than a RDX right now.

I'm in the market right now and I can tell you there's no way I'm paying MSRP or near MSRP at high rates when I can get a loaded CX-7 for less or an X3 for a little more with free maintenance.

The static elevated MSRPs and the high rates are typically Honda.  The problem with Acura is that they don't have the products (aka fancy Hondas) or the reputation to go after ze Germans and now they're piling up at the dealers ... anybody remembers the RL with the "cool" AWD system.

I would also get the CX-7.  It's better looking and the price is more reasonnable.

PS: How was the War Museum?  

[Loudpedal]

I like the looks of this and at the same price of the LGT is should make an interesting comparison. 

Can you measure the rear with seats down for me?  Did you do this for the LGT or did I miss it?

I also can't wait to see what gas mileage you get out of this.

EDIT: Is Acura still using a timing belt?

This should be a very interesting comparison indeed.  The LGT may have the edge in towing capacity (2700 lbs I believe, vs. 1500 or so for the RDX).

This series of Honda engines uses a timing chain, unless I'm mistaken. 

I'm predicting a draw on fuel economy. 

[tortoise]

Is it me, or are the new honda (and acura) steering wheels really ugly?  It sounds petty, but you're always staring at the wheel when you're driving.  I'm talking about peripheral vision by the way. 

I think the RDX is a great looking vehicle, inside and out.  Well, steering wheel notwithstanding.   But I agree with the above post that when you start factoring in the competition (CX-7) it doesn't seem to stand out as much.  The one area where the RDX may have the edge is in fuel economy.  Mazda's DSI 4 isn't a known fuel sipper and this may become its achilles heal as gas prices increase.

[curls]

James... care to take me for a spin this week?  I'm not too far from where you work, and have been dying to sit/test an RDX but haven't had the time to get to the dealer to drool over... err... look at one.

The RDX looks great on paper, and I honestly can't wait until that powertrain + some more HP and Tq numbers, get into the 2008 TSX.  I'll be first in line.

[wing]

curls, you have PM

[ohms]

I'm seriously looking into the RDX as daily driver, it's been a while since I bought a new car. I'm looking for a CUV, the cargo space is nice and i like the high up driving position (as I get older!).  No kids yet, so the space is enough for my wife and I and a couple of car seats before we need to upgrade.

My concern is that at 45K (i NEED the tech package), even fully loaded, I can save about 7-8 thousand (and the taxes on that amount) by going with a fully loaded V6 Toyota Rav4, which is stylistically the same for me, has a great buttery smooth V6, and similar dimensions.  

Also, curls is right.... my mouth is watering at the possibility of a turbo charged 6 spd TSX... is rear wheel drive too much to hope for? ;-)

[Loudpedal]

James, in one of the instrument cluster shots the trip meter economy readings are 14.1 and 18.2 l/100km.  Am I reading that correctly?  

[Mitlov]

Here in the States, Acura had an ad campaign for a while claiming that the RDX's turbocharged engine gave the fuel economy of a four-cylinder with the power of a V6.  Problem was, when the EPA rated the RDX, it was no more fuel efficient than Acura's own MDX.  Oops.

Since I like Acuras and I like turbos, I want to like this vehicle.  But I can't.  Problem is, it's center of gravity is too high to give genuinely sportwagon-like handling...yet it still doesn't have more ground clearance (and thus utility) than a typical car.  It's the worst of both worlds, not the best.  And I hate it when people make a "sporty" vehicle with no manual transmission.  I know Acura's not the only one who does it, but what did our mothers tell us?  "If everyone else was jumping off of a cliff, would you?"

[wing]

James, in one of the instrument cluster shots the trip meter economy readings are 14.1 and 18.2 l/100km.  Am I reading that correctly?   

It reads 14.1L/100km average over 18.2Km right after I picked it up and reset the meter, I wouldn't judge yet based on that.

[AVToller]

James, in one of the instrument cluster shots the trip meter economy readings are 14.1 and 18.2 l/100km.  Am I reading that correctly?   

It reads 14.1L/100km average over 18.2Km right after I picked it up and reset the meter, I wouldn't judge yet based on that.

I wouldn't judge REAL fuel economy by the meter until it had been confirmed, several times, by ACTUAL fuel use measurement. 

[sirAQUAMAN64]

In October the RDX sold in respectable numbers (261 RDX's, 380 MDX's / 154 X3's which is similar to last year, 202 X5's). Less than CX-7 (461) but that's to be expected as it's priced lower - the lower-priced still more mainstream CR-V sold 1,350). Therefore, I'd say at least initially the RDX is doing well by outselling the X3 by about 170%.

I suspect sales will cool a bit, perhaps when word gets out on fuel economy numbers if they're low, but as of now across the country as a whole they look good.

I think the real concern for luxury manufacturers will be when they all have more compact entry level SUVs. Once this happens, I think the $55 - 75G SUVs today (ML/X5/RX/XC90) will really suffer a drop in sales (and profits) to the manufacturer, since they aren't large SUVs for a purpose - just essentially mid sizers with the desired luxury badge and luxury content which could be packaged into smaller models buyers are likely to gravitate to.

[DoubleClutch]

Like many others I too am interested in the RDX. And I'm glad James noted the fact that the LGT tested last week is more similar to the RDX than most people think. What I'm really interested in is a sport wagon such as an A4 avant. But man those things are pricey. And the LGT would be great but it too seems a little over priced. The lack of sport wagons have me looking at other alternatives such as the RDX and CX-7.