2016
New 2020
Used 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Acura RDX Change Vehicle

The RDX doesn't push the envelope in styling, handling or interior quality, but it's benign, comfortable, and easy to live with. One high point is its smooth, powerful V6, which, combined with its six-speed automatic transmission, manages a very respectable 22 mpg overall. Handling is sound but not especially agile and the ride is a little stiff.
Alerts
There are 2 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.
2016
New 2020
Used 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007

Acura RDX

Reliability
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Owner Satisfaction
See All
Crash and Rollover Tests
IIHS Front Moderate Overlap Good
IIHS Front Small Overlap, Driver Good
IIHS Side Crash Good
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Driver
NHTSA Frontal-Crash, Passenger
See All

Road Test Results

Performance
Acceleration Acceleration Acceleration tests are conducted on a smooth, flat pavement straightaway at the track. Time, speed, and distance measurements are taken with a precise GPS-based device that’s hooked to a data-logging computer.
0 to 60 mph 0 to 60 mph (sec.) The time in seconds that a vehicle takes to reach 60 mph from a standstill with the engine idling.
Transmission Transmission Transmission performance is determined by shifting smoothness, response, shifter action, and clutch actuation for manual transmissions.
Fuel Economy Fuel Economy We perform our own fuel-economy tests, independent of the government's often-quoted EPA figures and the manufacturers' claims. Using a precise fuel-flow measuring device spliced into the fuel line, we run two separate circuits to represent city and highway consumption.
CR's Overall Mileage CR's Overall Mileage CR's overall mileage is a composite of measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course and highway cruising; and CR's 150-mile test trip of mixed driving, if tested. In recent road tests, we've discontinued the 150-mile trip test.
CR's City Mileage CR's City Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed city course.
CR's Highway Mileage CR's Highway Mileage Measured fuel usage on a prescribed highway cruising.
Annual Fuel Cost Annual Fuel Cost The cost and amount of fuel used in 12,000 miles and is calculated from CR's overall mileage.
Braking Braking The braking rating is a composite of wet and dry stopping distances and pedal feel. Braking distance is from 60 mph, with no wheels locked.
Emergency Handling Emergency Handling Several factors go into the rating, including the avoidance maneuver speed and confidence, as well as how the vehicle behaves when pushed to its limit,
Comfort / Convenience
Ride Ride Our expert judgment of how well the suspension isolates and absorbs road imperfections and how steady it keeps the body on various road surfaces.
Noise Noise Our expert judgment of the vehicle's interior noise level in everyday driving.
Front Seat Comfort Front Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the front seat is for drivers of various heights.
Rear Seat Comfort Rear Seat Comfort Our judgment of how comfortable the rear seat is for two passengers to sit across.
Interior Fit and Finish Interior Fit and Finish An expert evaluation of the interior quality and craftsmanship.
Trunk/Cargo Area Trunk/Cargo Area Our rating is based on the amount of luggage or cargo space that a vehicle has in the trunk or cargo area.

Owner Reports

Worse Better
Reliability History Reliability History The reliability charts are based on responses on hundreds of thousands of vehicles from our latest Annual Auto Survey. Consumer Reports subscribers reported on any serious problems they had with their vehicles during the past 12 months that they considered serious because of cost, failure, safety, or downtime, in any of the trouble spots included in the table below. The results are presented relative to the average model that year. Extra weight is given to the more serious areas such as major engine or transmission problems. Based on this data and further analysis, we predict reliability for the latest year. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
NA
2009
NA
2010
2011
2012
NA
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Reliability Trouble Spots
Engine Major Engine Major Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.
NA
Engine Minor Engine Minor Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.
NA
Engine Cooling Engine Cooling Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.
NA
Transmission Major Transmission Major Transmission rebuild or replacement, torque converter, clutch replacement.
NA
View all Reliability
Owner Satisfaction Owner Satisfaction To learn about satisfaction, CR has collected survey data from our annual survey on more than half a million vehicles. Our subscribers provide great insights into their satisfaction by answering one simple question: If they had it to do all over again, would they definitely buy or lease the same model? In addition, respondents also rate their cars in six categories: driving experience, comfort, value, styling, audio, and climate systems. N/A indicates that we did not receive a large enough sample size to provide data for a specific year. An X indicates that the vehicle was not manufactured for a specific year.
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
NA
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
Driving Experience Driving Experience Includes acceleration and handling
Comfort Comfort Includes seats, climate control, noise, and ride
Value Value Did you get what you wanted relative to the price you paid?
Styling Styling How it looks inside and out
View all Owner Satisfaction
Safety Equipment
ABS and ESC standard. Side and head protection air bags standard.
Road Test

The RDX doesn't push the envelope in styling, handling or interior quality, but it's benign, comfortable, and easy to live with. One high point is its smooth, powerful V6, which, combined with its six-speed automatic transmission, manages a very respectable 22 mpg overall. Handling is sound but not especially agile and the ride is a little stiff. Controls are unusually simple but interior ambiance is rather plain-Jane for a supposedly luxury-class vehicle and not many upscale comfort and technology features are available. Nevertheless, the RDX proved competent all around, and it comes well equipped for the money. A freshened 2016 model adds high-tech safety equipment as well as an unintuitive dual-screen infotainment system.

Seating
2 front, 3 rear
Drive Wheels
AWD , Front
Warranty

In most cases, automotive warranties are based on the vehicle identification number (VIN), and the warranty will be valid regardless of ownership. The dealership can tell you exactly how much warranty is left.

Read more about extended warranties
Body Styles
4-door SUV
Transmissions Available
  • 6-speed Automatic
Engines Available
  • 3.5-liter V6 (279 hp)

Owner Reported Trouble Spots

The Reliability score is based on our latest subscriber survey of 2016 Acura RDX owners. The owner comments describe problems respondents experienced with this vehicle.

In-car Electronics

CD or DVD players, radio, speakers, GPS, communication system (e.g., OnStar), display screen freezes or goes blank, phone pairing (e.g. Bluetooth), voice control commands, steering wheel controls, portable music device interface (e.g., iPod/MP3 player), backup or other camera/sensors.

What Owners Say

"Auto collision avoidance system went wonky.. Simple dealer fix . All is ok now"

Chris G., TX (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Front Sensor is inconsistent. Alarm goes off when no objects present or fails to signal when object present"

Frederick S., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Display screen difficult to see

"In beige color, screen can't be brightened to see choices"

Frederick S., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Numbers and letters on display screen were jumbled and not readable. Received prompt and corrective action from ACURA dealer"

Robert K., AR (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Display screen freezes up

"The screen would freeze and or show jibberish"

Anonymous, CA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"The pre-set channels came up blank, wrong, or late. The dealer replaced the unit and it works ok now"

Counseling C., ID (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Display screen goes blank

"I've taken the RDX in numerous times, but nothing has been done to stop the issue. I provided photos and a video of the screen going black. The bottom line is this- planning on trading it"

Anonymous, FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"I had some issues continuing the SIRIUS XM on the car past the free period. It also loses my speed dials and contacts"

Anonymous, VA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Interface with iPhone does not work - requires a Pandora app that doesn't work. USB regularly cuts out with iphone and disconnects. Blue tooth is very slow reaction"

Dennis Q., VA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Pandora connection is very poor. Interface does not sync consistently with current selection"

Anonymous, VA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
In-dash navigation system (GPS)

"Nav has numerous errors such as incorrect street names, exit names and numbers"

Anonymous, NY (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"You need to learn Acura language, it is totally useless when driving using voice commands and not much better when stopped and using on screen controls. Only way I can even begin to use it without wasting time is through Acura Link which I can then forward to the vehicle, then it works. In contrast I rented a 2017 Ford Escape, that took me 30 seconds to learn, it understood my voice commands even when I wasn't very clear!"

Gerry S., SK (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Nav system does not work with toll roads even though there is an option for it"

Anonymous, VA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Most of the time having trouble with incoming and out going phone calls"

Anonymous, IL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Android phones keep dropping and reconnecting on conversations"

Bart C., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Occasionally I have to pair my phone to the Bluetooth. It should stay paired al the time. not worth going back to dealer for"

Harvey S., MA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Radio

"Sometimes radio would show information in what looked like Japanese characters versus English"

Anonymous, SC (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Screen displayed unknown characters/symbols instead of the station call numbers, i.e. 92.9 FM etc"

Anonymous, AB (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Voice control commands

"Same issue as Navigation system, needing to use Acura language - useless!"

Gerry S., SK (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
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Body Integrity

Squeaks, rattles, wind noises, loose or cracked seals and/or weather-stripping, air and water leaks.

What Owners Say

Air or water leaks

"AC condenser water caused gurgling noise in vents. Dealership mechanics trying to fix left inside hose open which leaked. Issue was that water pipe from condenser had a crimp near back of vehicle from factory and water could not drain fast enough"

Rosanne L., NY (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Squeaks or rattles

"There was a rattle in the dash. It was eventually fixed at the dealership the 3rd time we took it in"

Jay P., NC (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"There is a loud squeak in the Dash for the past 30 days. I have not had the vehicle serviced yet to see if Acura can diagnose the issue"

Segaul F., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Squeak around the dashboard"

Anonymous, VA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Wind noise

"car is noisy going down the road. hear noise from tires to body"

William D., TX (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"This has been consistent since purchase. Outside wind noise at certain speed"

William L., AB (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
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Climate System

Blower (fan) motor, A/C compressor, condenser, evaporator, heater system, automatic climate control, refrigerant leakage, electrical failure.

What Owners Say

Automatic climate control

"Climate control system would not blow cool air but only warm air because it was sensing the outside cool temperature and over compensating"

Anonymous, AB (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Does not maintain heater tempersture"

Anonymous, NJ (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"a/c stopped working. Car was under warranty. Dealership diagnosed the problem and made the repair. Easy Peasy. They even gave me a nice loaner car to use while my car was worked on. Great Customer Service"

Donald B., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Took it to a Acura dealership and they found that the coupling was loose which caused the refrigerant to leak. Repair was completed in about 3 hrs and under factory warranty. Has been fine since then!"

Anonymous, TN (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
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Brakes

Antilock system (ABS), parking brake, master cylinder, calipers, rotors, pulsation or vibration, squeaking, brake failure or wear.

What Owners Say

Premature brake wear

"service team detected a scratching on the brake pad and replaced them at no charge"

Anonymous, ON (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Squeaking

"Made a clunking noise when braking. They replaced the pads and rotors"

George H., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"After numerous attempts by Acura to fix the squeaking problem they now say there's nothing more they can do until manufacturer comes out with a fix. This issue is annoying given this is brand new car!"

Sandy D., WA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"Approx every 5,000-7,500 the brakes start sound squeaking and grinding type noise. First time, the dealer said brakes were glazed and they resurfaced them, second time they replaced front rotors and pads, have not returned for recent noises yet"

Anonymous, CA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
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Paint/Trim

Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling), loose interior and exterior trim or moldings, rust.

What Owners Say

Loose exterior trim or moldings

"Water was entering the car due to a seal on the trim"

Anonymous, MD (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
Paint (fading, chalking, cracking, or peeling)

"White car. Bumpers faded to light-yellow"

Anonymous, MD (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"The clear coat on the front bumper (and only the front bumper) began to separate from the color coat beneath it in more than a dozen places. This was especially true around the sensors. To be fair, I should mention that the bumper also was damaged by many chips in the paint due to driving in construction areas. The dealer, with no hesitation, expertly repainted the front bumper at no cost and provided a free loaner as needed. We were positively impressed"

Dale B., IN (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"paint separating on the bumper around the sonic sencors"

Anonymous, FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)
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Electric System

Alternator, starter, hybrid battery and related systems, regular battery, battery cables, engine harness, coil, ignition switch, electronic ignition, distributor or rotor failure, spark plugs and wires failure.

What Owners Say

Tire pressure monitor

"Tire pressure varies up and down while operating the vehicle. Each tire can vary as much as 4 psi from one another"

Bart C., FL (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

"IN COLD WEATER TIRE PRESSURE LITE COME ON IN WARMER WEATHER LITE GOES OUT"

Robert T., NY (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

Engine Minor

Accessory belts and pulleys, engine computer, engine mounts, engine knock or ping, oil leaks.

What Owners Say

Oil leaks

"The gasket for the plug into the oil pan failed--so there was a leak. VERY minor problem BUT--I had to take it in and have them discover the problem and resolve it. It took an hour even though they gave me loaner car assuming it might be more serious. Basically a false alarm. No system failures. It followed an oil change"

Anonymous, WA (2016 Acura RDX None 3.5-L V6)

Suspension

Shocks or struts, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, alignment, steering linkage (includes rack and pinion), power steering (pumps and hoses, leaks), wheel balance, springs or torsion bars, bushings, electronic or air suspension.

Fuel System

Check engine light, sensors (includes O2 or oxygen sensor), emission control devices (includes EGR), engine computer, engine computer, fuel cap, fuel gauge/sender, fuel injection system, fuel pump, fuel leaks, stalling or hesitation.

Engine Major

Engine rebuild or replacement, cylinder head, head gasket, turbo or supercharger, timing chain or timing belt.

Drive System

Driveshaft or axle, CV joint, differential, transfer case, 4WD/AWD components, driveline vibration, traction control, electronic stability control (ESC), electrical failure.

Power Equipment

Cruise control, clock, warning lights, body control module, keyless entry, wiper motor or washer, tire pressure monitor, interior or exterior lights, horn, gauges, 12V power plug, remote engine start, alarm or security system

Exhaust

Muffler, pipes, catalytic converter, exhaust manifold, leaks.

Body Hardware

Power or manual windows, locks and latches, tailgate, hatch or trunk, doors or sliding doors, mirrors, seat controls, safety belts, sunroof, convertible top.

Transmission Minor

Gear selector or linkage, leaks, transmission computer, transmission sensor or solenoid, clutch adjustment, rough shifting, slipping transmission.

Engine Cooling

Radiator, cooling fan, antifreeze leaks, water pump, thermostat, overheating.

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