![]() ![]() So while the RDX's frame was unflappable, the passengers within were jostled and bounced quite a bit. The RDX's chassis feels well sorted and didn't creak or rattle over bumps, but its suspension is quite stiff, especially over small potholes and cracked asphalt. If no one told you about it, you'd probably never know that your RDX's engine was a transformer.Īcura leaves a few mpgs on the table by not opting to equip the V-6 with direct injection or by using stop-start or anti-idling technologies. What's most notable is how smoothly and constantly it switches between these three modes depending on the needs of the engine. And when you need the power for accelerating or climbing, it can seamlessly fire up all six pots for the maximum output. When you're coasting along at the speed limit on the highway, it can shut down two cylinders at opposing corners of the V's two banks to run as a V-4. ![]() When you're poking through the toll plaza line or creeping through a parking lot, the RDX can drop down to an inline three-cylinder by shutting down one of its banks. In low-demand situations, such as when cruising at low speeds in the city or coasting along on the highway, the V-6's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system can reduced the engine's displacement by shutting down a few of its cylinders. Be sure you can live with them before you sign on the dotted line.The Acura RDX becomes a simpler, more refined SUV for the 2015 model year with a new engine and AWD system, but terrible dashboard tech hurts the bottom line. That said, it has its good points, but it definitely has its flaws. So what should you do? You’ll likely get the outgoing RDX for less than the upcoming one, and you can put it in your driveway right now without waiting. You press the button at the very bottom of the centre stack, but the icon to tell you what you’re getting is at the very top of it, which I find distracting. The climate system is simpler – simple is always good – save for the mode setting. Not the end of the world overall, but at this price point, the voice that talks back to me through the system should be able to handle the job. It also lacks some functions you’d expect: I can use voice control to bring up a previous navigation destination, but it won’t let me enter a new address that way (it must be a data thing, since U.S.-market vehicles do). It will no doubt be better in the next generation, but for now, the controller and its menus are frustratingly unintuitive. Awesome winter capability doesn’t mean much, if you can’t see where you’re going.īut overall, the infotainment system is clumsy to use. They’re rain-sensing, and like virtually all so equipped, they’re easily tricked by drizzle or light snow, and I had to keep manually turning them on to clear the windshield. The wipers park below the defroster ducts, and they subsequently freeze up while you’re driving and can’t properly clean the glass. But as weather-equipped as the bottom end is, the top end needs work. 2019 RDX shows off Acura's new True Touchpad infotainmentĮquipped with good winter tires, as my tester was, the RDX is pretty much invincible in bad weather and had no trouble handling some very deep snow drifts before my rural route was plowed.Acura’s supposed to be about sportiness, but the RDX’s suspension and handling feels more like that of a plain grocery-getter, and certainly not something that’s pushing close to fifty grand. It goes where you point it, but the steering feel is too light and vague. It bangs hard over bumps and sways from side to side whenever the road isn’t smooth, like a boat caught in another one’s wake. It’s unfortunate, then, that the rest of the RDX feels old. The six-speed automatic transmission works really well with this engine, and the whole driveline package – including the standard all-wheel drive – is a well-done and decent performer. It’s smooth, acceleration is linear, it’s a good fit for the vehicle’s size and it has variable cylinder management, which shuts off some of the cylinders for better fuel economy when full power isn’t needed. of torque, and I’m actually sorry to see it go. But I’m very fond of the current engine, a naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 that makes 279 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. Of course, not having driven it yet, I don’t know if the new RDX will be like that. “More power” is always a selling point, but frankly, I often find small turbos harsh and jumpy in larger vehicles, and thirsty when you’re hard on the throttle. The all-new RDX will be powered by a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine with more torque than the current engine, mated to a ten-speed automatic. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |