2009 Acura RDX User Reviews

Pros

excellent handling, comfort and amenities

Cons

nothing I can think of

Purchased As New

We have put over 5000 miles on this car since a Jan 09 purchase including three long trips. We had gone to the Acura store to buy a used RL but left with a new RDX instead. One big seller was the ease of entry for my wife. We were most impressed with the handling, acceleration and stability from the start. The tech package is a bit overwhelming at first but with time we have made friends with most of the features. We paid to extend the XM radio as that has been a nice feature and not too expensive. The front seats are comfortable on long trips for our 50+ backsides and fold down easily to make more cargo room.
Gas mileage varies between about 18 around town to mid 20's on the road. We seldom drive slower than about 75 or 80 on the freeways so that seems respectable to me.
Fit and finish is typical Acura, that is excellent. This is our third Acura and I wouldn't hesitate to buy another. My son and his wife just picked up their second Acura so they too see the value....read morehide

Pros

Powerful, quick, great handling, practical, fun, reliable

Cons

Stiff ride

Purchased As Used

Love this smaller SUV. Replaced an Infinity FX and I've never looked back. Handles like a sports vehicle, great sound system, quick, solid ride, wonderful visibility, bluetooth, practical, stylish but not splashy, good highway gas mileage. Ride is tight and firm not plushy. Love this vehicle. Always gets great user and expert reviews but never see it on any "Best of" lists and not sure why...
This is what I was looking for initially with the FX and finally found with the RDX....read morehide

Pros

Mid Range Acceleration. Drivers Seat. Road feel. Service. Stereo. Versatility

Cons

Ride and Road Noise on Highway. Gas Mileage. Turning Radius

Purchased As Used

Have had mine for 2 years and no regrets. Of course ride is rough but so is a Cayenne but you get used to it as time goes by, Not too mention you dont have to spend a weeks pay for an oil change.. Even though it would lose in a "Fast and Furious" situation, car gives you enough of a feeling of confidence which can reduce a chances of an accident. Overall a great car thats built in the USA....read morehide

Pros

Sports car feel in a small SUV. SH-AWD is the best thing since sliced bread!

Cons

I really have no cons for this car (SUV) other than stiff ride, but, it's a very small sacrifice!

Purchased As New

I love my RDX! I thought I would miss the car like feel by going to a SUV but not true with the RDX. It literally feels like a sports car behind the wheel. Very agile for a 4000 lbs vehicle! SH-AWD is AWESOME on both dry pavement and snow/ice. I just loved driving it in the snow this past winter. I purposely took the back roads unpaved by the plows just for the fun of it. Couldn't get this thing stuck in the snow if I tried. Great AWD!!! The build quality and amenities are great. I only got the base model as I couldn't justify the extra $3K for GPS basically. The base premium stereo is awesome "as is" and is one of the best stereos I've ever heard in a car. Don't need the DVD-A as with the tech package. I love the look of the RDX. Looks refreshing and sporty from any angle. Paint quality is perfection. The 18 inch base rims and tires are just right. Big but not too big. Gives the RDX a strong athletic appearance. The 2.3 liter 4-cylinder turbo is a marval. Great engine to power the SH-AWD. Granted it's only a five speed tranny the gears are well picked and work well with this SUV. Performance is quite good all considering 4000 lbs. Matter of fact this SUV feels so agile and nimble it's easy to forget you're throwing around 4000 lbs! The turbo really gives a good punch as needed. Gas mileage is mediocore but hey, can't have your cake and eat it to!? I bought my RDX back in June 2008. Other than the passenger power window switch dieing, realibitly has been perfect. Dealer replaced switch. Simple fix. I've owned/driven Acura vehicles since 1993 and love them. I must say I think the RDX is my favorite Acura to date. I could have gone with the MDX but it seemed just too big for my needs. The RDX fits the bill perfectly for a small SUV without giving up sports car like driveability! Oh, seats and driver position feel perfect and very comfortable and I'm 6' 2"....read morehide

Pros

Speed, acceleration, passing power, cornering, handling, amenities, interior layout, good value

Cons

Very, very stiff ride.

Purchased As New

Very fast for an SUV. Very good passing power using paddle shifters. Handles and corners like a performance car. No understeer. There is a turbo lag but once turbo power kicks in at 3000 rpm, it goes like a rocket. SH-AWD is excellent in the snow and rain. Interior amenities are excellent for the price of $31K with leather, memory seats/mirrors, compass, temp gauge, 6-CD, XM, moonroof, daytime running lights, smart storage bins.

The worst part is the very, very stiff ride. I have owned pickups, sports coupes, sedans, and SUVs and the RDX has the worst ride of all. Every imperfection on the road is magnified and reverberates up the driver seat, and sometimes on the stirring wheel. No defects with the struts and suspension. It was simply designed to be firm for better cornering. After the excitement over speed and handling subsides, you'll feel banged-up with the ride. Small cargo room is as expected with a small SUV. 17mpg is borderline ok. Premium gas may be a concern when gas prices go up again.

If you want speed and handling and AWD with very good interior, then this an excellent choice. If you are looking for a comfortable ride, look somewhere else....read morehide

Pros

Excellent Handling

Cons

None Yet

This is an excellent SUV w/ plenty of cargo room. You gotta love the turbo charge. Nothing beats turbo! Test drive one today at your local dealer.

Pros

The Tech package is great. Good power.

Cons

Suspension is too firm. OK gas mileage. Poor quality on the rear seat latch.

This was the first SUV I have owned. The suspension is very stiff. I have had a rattle in the latch that holds the rear seat back. Surprised at the poor manufacturing quality that too coming from a reputable car maker like Honda/Acura. Having owned two Honda Accords before this, I found the quality rather short. Buying this car was one of the two biggest mistakes I have made in my life....read morehide