There are lots of options in the small luxury SUV segment, but we can easily say that the 2022 Acura RDX is one of the best. It has a great combination of sportiness and luxury, all at an easy to swallow price. The current generation RDX debuted for the 2019 model year, so for 2022, the RDX gets a host of updates.
On the outside the RDX has received a small nip and tuck with new front and rear bumpers. At the front it gets a more aggressive face with side air intakes and the grille now has a thinner chrome surround. At the rear there are new rectangular dual exhaust finishers, although the A-Spec trim level keeps the former round units. Overall the RDX has aged well, so Acura didn’t really need to do much to keep its small SUV fresh.
Inside, Acura made several changes to give the 2022 RDX a quieter interior. This includes a new front fender liner and an updated Active Sound Control system. The Technology package adds thicker carpet padding, a sound insulator in the front doors, acoustic glass, a noise insulation pad in the dashboard and an insulator in the D-pillar. The Advance Package goes for an even quieter cabin with an additional sound insulator in the ceiling and more sound insulation added to the dashboard.
Acura also updated the tech features with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a USB-C charging port, and Amazon Alexa. The Technology package now includes wireless charging, LED ambient lighting, while the Advance package adds power-folding side mirrors and a remote engine start system.
On the safety front, the RDX now comes standard with blind spot warning, the automatic emergency braking system can now detect pedestrians and the chassis gets a few updates to improve the RDX’s crash performance.
Under the hood, the RDX is only available with one engine and it’s a good one. The RDX is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, that’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, but there’s also the optional torque vectoring all-wheel drive system (SH-AWD). The front-wheel drive RDX is rated at 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 24 combined, while the all-wheel drive is rated at 21/27/23 mpg.
On the road, the RDX comes alive with an extra dose of sportiness than some of its rivals. Mash the pedal to the floor and the engine comes to life, making it a fun to drive companion. Around town the engine’s low end torque makes the RDX feel athletic, but the 10-speed automatic does sometimes react a bit slower than we’d like. The SH-AWD system does an excellent job by sending the power to the ideal wheel, which comes in handy when you’re carving up a back country road. We do wish that Acura would introduce a Type S version for buyers that want to have even more fun, which would make it the perfect rival to other sporty small SUVs, like the Audi SQ5 and BMW X3 M40i.
Acura made some updates to the damper tuning, which stiffens up the suspension a bit more in “Sport mode, but the RDX isn’t as sporty as the Porsche Macan, something that a RDX Type S could fix.
Inside the RDX’s interior feels and looks upscale, although it does look a bit busy with all the buttons and large rotary drive selector. The RDX’s 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system is operated via a touchpad that takes a bit to master. We also wish the RDX’s interior felt a bit more luxurious.
The pricing for the 2022 Acura RDX starts at $41,145, while the top spec A-Spec Advance version starts at $53,145.
At the end of the day the 2022 Acura RDX is a sporty compact luxury SUV, which can hold its own against its German rivals. We do wish the interior felt a bit more luxurious and that a sportier Type S version was on the options list, but you can’t go wrong with the RDX.
