Acura has
revealed a new version of RDX at the New York Auto Show this week, ushering in the
third generation of the compact luxury crossover. The new 2019 Acura RDX adopts a fresh design language
for the brand that leaves the controversial “shield” grille in the rear-view
mirror. The new theme stems from the Precision concept
showcased back in 2016, and is incrementally proliferating
across the lineup.
Underneath that fresh sheetmetal, the new RDX rides
on a 2.6-inch longer wheelbase that affords it more cargo space. It’s also
fitted with a 2.0-liter turbo four and Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive
system. The engine kicks out 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, up 20
horses and 28 lb-ft over the outgoing model’s larger, naturally aspirated V6.
It transmits its power to all four wheels through a ten-speed automatic
transmission – a first in this segment – to make this “the quickest and
best-handling RDX ever,” according to the manufacturer.
Up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the
rear axle, and on to either (or both) of the rear wheels. Steering is handled
by a variable electric system. And it’s all suspended on MacPherson struts at
the front and a five-link independent setup at the back, with available active
dampers.
As with the larger MDX,
there’s a sportier A-Spec model as well. More about show than go, the RDX A-Spec
features 20-inch wheels, gloss-black trim, and an available two-tone red and
black leather interior.
Even in standard spec, the compact crossover
incorporates high-end materials like brushed aluminum, open-pore wood,
ultrasuede, and leather. There’s a big panoramic glass moonroof overhead, and a
long list of tech features inside. Those include a 10.5-inch head-up display, a
10.2-inch infotainment screen (running an Android-based system), a touchpad
controller, voice recognition, a knob to switch between four drive modes, and
an available 16-channel, 710-watt audio system developed with Panasonic and
tuned by a Grammy award-winning music producer. And it packs all the latest
safety features as well.
The vehicle’s been designed in California and
engineered in Ohio, where it will also be manufactured. That
makes this a thoroughly American product, despite the parent company’s Japanese
roots. We don’t have pricing yet, but the new RDX is slated to to start
arriving at showrooms in the next few months.
When it does, it’ll face a far more
competitive market than it enjoyed when the first generation was introduced a
dozen years ago. By now the luxury compact crossover market has ballooned with
Japanese contenders like the Lexus NX and Infiniti QX50; German rivals like the
Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, and Porsche Macan; other Europeans like the Alfa
Romeo Stelvio, Jaguar F-Pace, Land Rover Discovery Sport, and Volvo XC40; and
domestic offerings like the Lincoln MKC, Buick Envision, and the new Cadillac
XT4, also introduced today in Manhattan.
