2019 Acura RDX

Pros: Athletic handling; comfortable ride; generous interior room

Cons: Infotainment controls require acclimation; lack of stand-alone options means RDX isn’t as customizable as some of its rivals

CG Says: Acura’s compact SUV kicks off its third generation for 2019 with a redesigned model featuring fresh styling, a new powertrain, and several new technology features. The 2019 Acura RDX is 2.4 inches longer and 1.1 inches wider than the outgoing model. The previous 279-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine has been replaced by a 272-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, and a 10-speed automatic transmission replaces the previous 6-speed automatic. Although the new engine is down slightly in horsepower, torque output increases from 252 pound-feet to 280 lb.-ft. Front-wheel drive or Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) are offered; the SH-AWD system can send up to 70 percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels, and up to 100 percent of that torque can be directed either the left- or right rear wheels. Newly available features include a sporty A-Spec appearance package; a 16-channel, 710-watt Acura ELS Studio 3D premium audio system; a customizable full-color head-up display; natural-language voice-recognition system; and Acura’s new True Touchpad infotainment interface, which uses a console-mounted touchpad that Acura says is more precise and easy to use than other systems. Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with a low-speed follow feature. A blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic monitor, and surround-view camera system are available. The Acura RDX’s pricing creeps up with its excellent redesign for 2019, but it is still one of the better values in the premium compact SUV segment. The new True Touchpad control interface might be off-putting to some buyers, but we acclimated to it rather quickly. The new RDX offers more of pretty much everything shoppers in this class are looking for—interior room, fuel economy, luxury ambiance, sporty handling, engaging styling, and all-around refinement.