Team Acura Parts Blog

Acura is right on top of the SUV-inspired bandwagon with its release of the RDX model this 2007. As it is, manufacturers of luxury cars seem to be united in engineering the ideal high-end sports utility vehicle. Pioneering this trend was BMW X3 and Land Rover’s Freelander last 2004, then followed by the Acura this year. Sources say that the Audi Q5 and Land Rover LR2 are also trying to beat their respective deadlines sometime this year.

When asked on the growing automaker interest and market popularity for luxury car brands to design their own Sports-utility model, Lonnie Miller, Senior Analyst at R.L. Polk & Co., has this to say: “Automakers pursue customers for this type of body style because it offers what is fundamentally sought from an SUV.”

“They certainly provide a nice touch with their design cues, interior styling and, more importantly, the reputation of the core brand,” Miller continued.

Further reiterating the advantage is Ryan Robinson, an automotive analyst at PricewaterhouseCoopers: “It offers you an opportunity to get into an Acura or a Lexus without having to go full bore into their core luxury products.”

SUVs are now a trend in the automotive world, with every car companies releasing new and innovative vehicles. There family value and modern gizmos make them a prime candidate for soccer moms, nature lovers and gadget geek. Acura also jumped in the bandwagon as in release its sporty RDX.

It has a great turbocharged engine with 240 horsepower and a considerable 260 foot-pounds of torque available. According to one automobile critic, “the RDX engine is sewing-machine-like smooth.”

All Acura RDX comes with all-wheel drive. Although it is great for outdoor driving, “the RDX is no off-road wonder despite its all-wheel-drive system.” The SUV lacks the low gearing and protective underbody hardware for rock-crawling. Nor does it have anything like a typical truck-based SUV’s towing capacity, as said by the critic.

The SUV has great handling as well; there are no problems with taking on curves. There’s minimal body roll and the steering is reasonably quick. The five-speed automatic transmission also comes with paddle-shifters on the steering wheel so you can manually upshift or downshift the gears.

Acura’s ride quality might have been affected by the sport-tuned suspension and the big 18-inch tires. Inside, it is also very spacious. “The RDX leather- and aluminum-trimmed interior is just as you’d expect of a premium vehicle: handsome, upscale and beautifully put together,” says the critic.

One optional upgrade is the $3,500 “Technology Package” includes an upgraded audio system; a navigation system, rearview camera, Bluetooth hands-free phone interface and real-time traffic info displayed on the navigation screen.

The RDX is a great crossover, with abase price of $33,665.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced that the Acura RDX and MDX both scored the top rating of ‘GOOD’ for their rear-end collision protection.

According to the IIHS, rear-end collisions are very common, and often result in neck injuries. The Acura MDX and RDX are both equipped with standard active front head restraints which help minimize the potential for the driver or front passenger to suffer a neck injury during a rear-end collision. During in a crash test, head restraints are measured as to how much protection they can give in a rear-end collisions.

“In stop and go commuter traffic, you’re more likely to get in a rear-end collision than any other crash type,” says David Zuby, senior vice president of the Institute’s Vehicle Research Center.

Passenger safety is definitely one of the features that the RDX and MDX boast about. By being equipped with an array of standard safety technologies for protection in a variety of crashes, both vehicles also received the top IIHS rating in both the frontal offset and side impact tests. The RDX and MDX are the ‘TOP SAFETY PICKS’ of IIHS after garnering ‘GOOD’ ratings in each of the IIHS safety tests. Also, the two Acura vehicles have received five-stars, the highest possible rating, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in both frontal and side impact crash tests through the government’s New Car Assessment Program.

Safety equipments and features installed in both RDX and MDX are the dual stage front airbags, front side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS), side curtain airbags for front and rear outboard seats, ABS and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA).