2022 Acura RDX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

You’ll need to look closely at the model year 2022 RDX to spot the styling changes. Acura claims its larger MDX model inspired the modifications to the RDX's grille surround and front and rear bumper styling, and Acura also updated the SUV's wheel designs and paint colours. The limited-production, hand-built RDX PMC Edition also returns in exclusive Long Beach Blue Pearl paint with an Orchid white interior.

Acura names the PMC Edition after Honda’s Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, where the company builds the NSX sports car. The PMC Edition tops a 2022 Acura RDX lineup that includes the base model and grades named Technology, A-Spec, A-Spec Platinum Elite, and the aforementioned PMC Edition. Starting prices range from $45,800 to $61,500, not including a destination charge of $2,375.

Our test vehicle had the U.S. equivalent to Canada’s new-for-2022 A-Spec Platinum Elite package, which in Canada is priced at $60,375, including the destination charge.

That’s not chump change, but the RDX A-Spec Platinum Elite does its best to justify the expense. High-quality interior materials, solid build quality, and a much quieter interior lend legitimacy to the MSRP’s ask. And though we’re not crazy about the new vertical air inlet thingamabobs bracketing the front fascia, the RDX still demonstrates more flair for style than many of its rivals.

Every 2022 Acura RDX has the same powertrain, including a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder VTEC engine producing 272 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque between 1,600 rpm and 4,500 rpm. This turbo-four doesn’t take long to spool up and deliver maximum thrust, which contributes to the RDX’s enjoyable driving character. However, if your right foot is heavy, know that the RDX will not get anywhere near its Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption rating of 10.3 litres per 100 kilometres (as tested). We averaged 11.4 L/100 km on the evaluation loop.

A 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is standard. The drivetrain behaves beautifully, though Acura’s new sound-deadening measures seem to make the paddles less enjoyable to use while driving with enthusiasm.

Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system is standard equipment in Canada (front-wheel drive (FWD) is not offered in our market). This torque-vectoring AWD system can deliver up to 70 percent of the engine’s power to a single rear wheel, and when you’re hustling on a writhing mountain road, you can feel the torque-vectoring effect as you power out of corner apexes and onto straightaways.

For 2022, Acura revised the RDX’s standard Integrated Dynamics System (IDS) to give the SUV more distinct differences between the driving modes. It also re-tuned the adaptive-damping suspension that comes standard with the A-Spec Platinum Elite trim, giving the RDX a smoother and more comfortable ride in Comfort mode and greater responsiveness in Sport mode.

The 2022 RDX also supplies a quieter ride than before, thanks to Active Sound Control enhancements, added sound-insulation measures, and road noise reductions. Based on our evaluation, the RDX is markedly hushed compared to last year’s model. This newfound cabin silence goes a long way toward making this Acura a more appealing alternative to other compact luxury SUVs.

Nevertheless, what makes the Acura RDX special is its driving dynamics. From its comfortable seats and thick steering wheel to its torquey turbocharged engine, SH-AWD, and available 20-inch wheels, the RDX is enjoyable to drive in everyday situations. Whether you’re slicing and dicing morning traffic, navigating traffic-clogged city streets, or cruising on the highway, this is a comfortable and communicative SUV.

However, it still doesn’t qualify for Acura's Type S performance badge. Though the RDX A-Spec Platinum Elite model is a competent canyon carver, its reworked adaptive dampers and IDS making it more fun to hustle than before, it still isn’t a genuine thrill ride. As a result, driving enthusiasts will want to continue cross-shopping German alternatives like the Audi SQ5, BMW X3 M40i, and Mercedes-AMG GLC 43.

Though the Acura RDX is a compact SUV, it offers plenty of room for four adults and their luggage, with everyone seated beneath a standard panoramic sunroof. Plus, the RDX exhibits a strong sense of style, emphasizing a sporty driving position and dramatic positioning of the oversized IDS driving mode knob on the centre of the dashboard.

There is a learning curve to the RDX’s control layout. From the transmission buttons and switches beneath the IDS knob to the True Touchpad Interface infotainment system control pad, the RDX’s interior is unusual. Also, the A-Spec, A-Spec Platinum Elite, and PMC Edition use metallic gauge faces with red markings that are difficult to read at a glance in low-light conditions.

Otherwise, the RDX is a pleasure to operate. The standard 12-way power-adjustable and heated front seats, which include leather seats in A-Spec trims, are comfortable and supportive and offer available ventilation. Similarly, the thick-rimmed, flat-bottom steering wheel that's new for 2022 is good to hold in your hands and has a heated rim, as does the standard steering wheel. Dual-zone automatic climate control is also standard on every 2022 RDX, and the company's Iconic Drive ambient lighting is now available in all but the base trim level.

Unfortunately, the back seat is not as comfortable despite the moonroof. It feels flat and lacks support, presumably to ensure that when you fold it down, the resulting cargo load floor is as flat as possible. Your kids are unlikely to complain, but grown-ups who know better will wish for more thigh support and a more natural backrest angle. Heated rear seat cushions are available on the top trim.

Around back, the RDX features a standard power liftgate with available hands-free operation. It opens to reveal a generous 835 litres of cargo space, and beneath the load floor, there are sizable hidden storage compartments. Fold the back seat down to create 1,668 litres of cargo area.

The TTI infotainment system needs some explanation. It pairs a 10.2-inch display screen with a sectioned touchpad controller on the centre console. The larger section of the touchpad corresponds to the larger portion of the screen, and the smaller section of the touchpad corresponds to the smaller portion of the screen.

To operate the TTI, you place your finger on the touchpad in the location that corresponds to the spot on the screen that you wish to “touch” in order to swipe, scroll, or select a function. In other words, the system offers a direct one-to-one relationship between where you’re touching on the touchpad and the cursor’s location on the display.

We know this sounds unnecessarily complicated. And it is because a touchscreen display similar to what all of the RDX’s competitors use would eliminate the need for the two preceding paragraphs of this review. To fully understand what we’re describing here, you’ll need to experience it yourself.

In any case, both the touchscreens in other vehicles and Acura’s TTI are distracting to a driver, but we’d argue the TTI is even more so. With a touchscreen, drivers already know how to swipe, scroll, select, and even zoom in and out because they’ve been using smartphones for years. The distracting part is finding the proper function and ensuring they touch the correct part of the screen to use it.

With the TTI, the driver still needs to find the proper function and ensure they touch the correct part of the touchpad to use it, but Acura introduces the mental calisthenics of remembering to match finger location on the pad with the cursor location on the screen. Does your laptop touchpad work this way? No, it does not. So, you need to learn a different approach for use in your Acura.

We’re harping on this issue because Acura’s non-standard approach makes no sense. That’s especially true now that the 2022 RDX includes Amazon Alexa Built-in, providing fast, accurate natural voice recognition that largely eliminates a need to use the TTI (or a touchscreen) in the first place. Between Alexa Built-in, the steering wheel controls, the separate climate control panel, the stereo volume control knob, and the stereo tuning buttons, you can avoid using the TTI (or a touchscreen) the majority of the time.

Now, with all of this explanation and griping said, you will acclimate to the TTI over time. We’ve been test-driving Acuras with this technology for several years now including the recently redesigned Acura MDX, and it is more natural to use today than it was when it first came out.

Moving on, in addition to Alexa Built-in, the 2022 RDX gains new wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity to go with the Bluetooth that was already standard, and an available wireless charging pad located on the storage tray underneath the centre console. Additional standard features include satellite radio and AcuraLink connected services with access to a Wi-Fi hotspot, and starting with the Technology package, the RDX contains a navigation system.

Three premium sound systems are also available. The first is a nine-speaker setup in the base RDX. Next, the Technology package includes a 12-speaker system by ELS Studio. Finally, upgrade to any package beyond Technology, and the RDX features an impressive ELS Studio 3D surround-sound audio system with 16 speakers. With A-Spec Platinum Elite, the RDX includes a 10.5-inch head-up display.

Acura made several safety-related changes to the 2022 RDX, starting with structural upgrades to improve side-impact safety. These modifications have allowed the RDX to continue to earn a Top Safety Pick+ safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for 2022.

Additionally, new safety features include a rear seatbelt reminder system that shows when passengers are not properly buckled up. The standard AcuraWatch collection of driver-assist and collision avoidance systems also adds features for 2022, including forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with a lane-change assist function, and rear cross-traffic alert. With the Technology package and higher, the RDX has front and rear parking sensors with low-speed automatic braking.

In use, AcuraWatch's adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist systems are mostly accurate and reasonably refined, especially compared to what the automaker offered in the past. However, they still aren’t as smooth and sophisticated as what you might find in some of the RDX’s rivals.

During testing, driving into low winter sun on pavement scarred by recent construction, the lane-keeping and lane-centring systems issued numerous false warnings and made unwise attempts at unnecessary steering corrections. However, driving away from the sun on a long-established stretch of highway, these faults did not make themselves evident.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2022 RDX a five-star overall crash-test rating. The SUV gets four-star frontal-impact and rollover resistance ratings, coupled with five-star side-impact ratings.

There is appealing value to be found in the 2022 Acura RDX. More affordable to buy, arguably more stylish inside and out, and thoroughly enjoyable to drive in comparison to many of its rivals, the 2022 RDX gives several compact crossover SUVs from competing luxury brands a run for their money.

Better yet, the RDX’s added refinement for 2022 is palpable. From its overall sense of quality and quiet highway ride to its smoother and more sophisticated driving dynamics, the 2022 RDX is better to drive than last year’s model. Also, our test vehicle’s Acura RDX A-Spec Platinum Elite configuration is long overdue, if pushing the boundaries of acceptable pricing.

Within its segment, the new RDX handily dispenses with several of its competitors and, in some ways, is even more appealing to us than the redesigned Lexus NX. That leaves it to contend with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Genesis GV70, Mercedes-Benz GLC, and Volvo XC60.

That’s a tough crowd for a variety of reasons, but the changes to the 2022 RDX give it the best possible chance of surviving the fight. And in some cases, perhaps even winning the battle.

Note: Images show a US model.