What is the RDX?
The RDX is a two-row compact luxury SUV from Honda's premium brand, offering better materials and an upgraded driving experience than a more mainstream vehicle. Its price point, though, sits a bit below luxury rivals. It's a bit of a tweener in that regard, but we don't mean that negatively. The RDX's popularity and sales speak for themselves, as does its striking exterior styling. Two years removed from an extensive refresh, the RDX is likely to soldier on into 2024 without major changes. Last year's updates included added complimentary service visits and three years of AcuraLink remote services, giving the ute even greater value.
The RDX uses turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission and your choice of front- or all-wheel drive. That engine produces a peppy 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, more than enough power to get the RDX up to speed quickly for an SUV. Our wish list for the RDX would include a hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain of some kind to give it some added efficiency.
The interior is lovely, with a clean design that doesn't try too hard and offers comfortable seating in both rows. The multimedia system isn't our favorite, though. Inputs take place through a touchpad between the front seats as the 10.2-inch center display is not a touchscreen. The setup adds an unneeded layer of complexity to what are simple operations in other vehicles.
We rank the current RDX highly and it competes with a variety of SUVs, from the Mercedes-Benz GLC and BMW X3 at the top end to similarly priced offerings like the Lincoln Corsair and Infiniti QX50.