Current model shown
Acura is angling to steal the spotlight from the indigenous companies at this year’s Detroit auto show. The Japanese company is introducing the Honda Civic–based ILX, an NSX concept, and this nearly production-ready RDX crossover. While the company hit the big, big time with the three-row MDX, the smaller RDX never found its stride. Originally aimed at the mythical active young professional man, an Armani-wearing kayaker with a permanent three-day beard, its typical buyers turned out to be childless couples and empty nesters. Oops.
So the second RDX will be tailored to better serve the people who actually own it. According to Acura’s research, for many people in the baby boomer demographic, four cylinders means econobox, not luxury. The most significant change, then, is the new standard engine, a V-6. Acura is quiet on details, but we don’t see why any mill but the corporate 3.5-liter should be expected. Output should be in the neighborhood of 300 ponies. Despite the switch from a turbo four, fuel economy is expected to improve by a huge factor in the new RDX. The old four, which was powerful but gruff, sucked down fuel with vigor. The new one, Acura promises, will offer economy figures similar to the best in the segment.
We got just a glimpse at some pictures of the new RDX, but its looks are roughly what you’d expect of a smallish, five-seat Acura crossover. It’s an awful lot like a slightly smaller, slightly better-proportioned MDX. The platform underneath is new, too, sharing much of its basic structure with the new Honda CR-V. This time around, the RDX will skip the heavy, expensive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. A lighter, simpler setup will be offered, probably similar to the all-wheel drive used in the Pilot and CR-V. After the RDX bows at Detroit, it will hit dealerships in the spring.
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