2010 Acura RDX

• Overall
• Prices
• Performance
• Exterior
• Interior
• Safety
• Reliability
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Performance - What the Auto Press Says

Most reviewers enjoy driving the Acura RDX, which is adept at handling corners and ideal for in-town driving. While test drivers praise its turbocharged engine, several of them also complain about turbo lag. Reviewers haven't yet had a chance to test the new FWD model, so make sure to test drive one yourself to see how it might make a difference in driving experience and fuel economy.

• "Quick and agile, it's the perfect cute ute for a land of glass-smooth roads (Germany, in other words)." -- Car and Driver
• "The RDX uses a turbocharged, four-cylinder that provides strong acceleration, but lacks the refinement of a six-cylinder. Handling is agile and secure, but the ride is stiff." -- MSN
• "The pewter, dark metallic gray, test truck was handsome enough, and it drove fairly well. It comes with what Acura calls Super Handling-All-Wheel Drive, SH-AWD for short." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• "Other journalists have opined that the vehicle handles like a sports sedan, and I agree. It drives like a sports sedan or hatchback -- that's been lifted six inches. That's not a good thing, however. The omnipresent rollover warnings, including one particularly worrying note on the driver's sun-visor discourage truly vigorous driving." -- Motor Authority
• "In road tests, we've found that the Acura RDX drives like a sport sedan. It's quick and extremely nimble through corners." -- Edmunds

Acceleration and Power

The 2010 RDX comes with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. While test drivers find the engine plenty powerful, several complain about turbo lag. The new FWD model reduces curb weight, which could result in even speedier performance from the engine. According to the EPA, the all-wheel-drive models achieve 17/22 mpg city/highway, while the new FWD model achieves a slightly improved 19/24 mpg.

• "Acceleration isn't neck snapping but is more than adequate in most situations, especially once the turbo kicks in. A test RDX did 6.8 seconds 0-60 mph. Throttle response suffers from some turbo lag." -- Consumer Guide
• "The turbocharged engine is a thrill and makes the RDX exciting to drive, providing 0-60-mph times in the high-6-second range. On the downside, the RDX's EPA fuel estimates are barely average for this segment, and the turbocharged engine requires 91-octane fuel." -- Edmunds
• "I thought the RDX's acceleration was pretty strong but nothing special for a V-6-powered crossover, then I remembered that under the hood resided a 'puffed' four cylinder." -- Chicago Sun-Times
• "Power is good from the 240-horsepower, 2.3-liter, turbo 4-cylinder engine. There is a slight turbo lag when you gun it, and a bit of hesitation when you coast and try to accelerate again." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• "Turbo lag is noticeable, and kills off-the-line acceleration until about 3,000rpm when driving in automatic mode. Once it spools, the power surge makes for jerky driving, which you have to compensate for with your foot, especially if it hits mid-turn." -- Motor Authority

Handling and Braking

The 2010 RDX receives considerable praise for its handling, which is sporty and sedan-like. For 2010, Acura retuned the brakes to improve pedal feel and performance.

• "Acura has also made some changes to the brake actuation hardware with a new pedal ratio, vacuum booster and servo. The front brakes are unchanged and we didn't notice any significant difference in feel. The stoppers apply smoothly and were easy to modulate during our brief drive, although the changes should be more apparent when the CUV is driven hard and temperatures rise." -- Autoblog
• "Steering was fairly quick and there was only modest lean in tight turns. Yet the steering was heavy and the truck felt heavier than its 3,942 pounds." -- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
• "The ride was very good gliding through the air at highway speeds. The around town ride was uneventful, well-dampened and the body stays inline with the chassis during unplanned emergency avoidance maneuvers and brisk cornering." -- Chicago Sun-Times
• "Firm-ride suspension makes for an agile little SUV. ... Body lean is modest in fast turns. Steering has solid road feel, but some testers find effort too heavy at low speeds." -- Consumer Guide