{"id":22425,"date":"2018-06-12T17:24:57","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T21:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=22425"},"modified":"2018-06-12T17:29:36","modified_gmt":"2018-06-12T21:29:36","slug":"2-payne-acura-reboots-with-x-cellent-rdx-ute","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2018\/06\/2-payne-acura-reboots-with-x-cellent-rdx-ute","title":{"rendered":"2 Payne: Acura reboots with X-cellent RDX ute"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"636631312628438989-acura-fr-farm.JPG\"<\/p>\n

Three years ago, Honda got sick of criticism that its cars had gone soft.<\/p>\n

So its product team rebooted the brand\u00a0with the sensational Civic compact sedan<\/a>. Benchmarked\u00a0to the Audi A3, for goodness sake, Civic carved its own segment benchmark with best-in-class everything. Not content with that high bar,\u00a0the Hoosier-built hottie<\/a>\u00a0then went about spawning whiz kids\u00a0like the Sport, Si\u00a0and Type-R<\/a>that sent speed junkies running \u2014 nay, sprinting \u2014 to dealerships to get their fixes.<\/p>\n

But wait, there\u2019s more. So no one missed the message, Honda invested in Formula One, IndyCar racing\u00a0and\u00a0Pirelli World Challenge<\/a>\u00a0to taunt its competitors on-track as well as on-road. When the new Honda Accord arrived last year, it was no longer enough to be best in mainstream sedans, the fast-back four-door\u2019s content rivaled luxury sedans.<\/p>\n

Jeez, we get it, Honda. You\u2019re back. Now get ready for the Great Awakening, Part II: Acura Gets Ticked.<\/p>\n

Like Honda, the Acura brand had lost its way in the last decade as it strayed from its fun Integra and Type-S roots. It grew ponderous. Sprouted a chrome beak that looked like it should be opening bottles rather than gracing the front of a premium vehicle. Weird.<\/p>\n

Acura listened, put designer and F1 fanboy Jon Ikeda at the helm, and got serious.<\/p>\n

This being the Age of Ute, Acura chose to re-introduce itself with a compact SUV. Motorhead that I am, I might have preferred the ILX sedan (Civic\u2019s luxury sibling), but utes are where it\u2019s at these days.<\/p>\n

With its stylish RDX, Acura has dropped the mic.<\/p>\n

Benchmarked to class valedictorian BMW X3, RDX lays down some impressive class bests of its own. Best-in-class horsepower (not including niche players like Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, Alfa Stelvio). Best front passenger room. Best rear passenger room. Best cargo room. Best console room.<\/p>\n

(Pause while I take a drink of water)<\/p>\n

Best head-up display. First-in-class 10-speed transmission. Best torque-vectoring, twin-clutch-pack, off-road-shredding all-wheel drive (not shy, Honda calls this system Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. Or SH-AWD, for short).<\/p>\n

Dude, Acura is back.<\/p>\n

You knew it was coming. And not just because Roger Penske\u2019s Acura prototype racers ran the competition outta\u00a0town at Mid-Ohio raceway this month (yeah, Acura is doing the racing thing just like Honda). Acura methodically laid the groundwork for its RDX resurgence with\u00a0the halo Acura NSX supercar<\/a>, Precision Design Concept (2016 Detroit auto show) and Precision Interior Concept (2016 LA Auto Show).<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t believe in trickle-down? Acura concept innovations are all over the RDX from the \u201cdiamond pentagon grille\u201d outside to the sci-fi\u00a0\u201ctrigger\u201d transmission inside. But the real tell is when you get behind the wheel.<\/div>\n

This ute\u2019s got NSX soul.<\/p>\n

Barreling over the roller-coaster roads of Whistler, British Columbia ski country, the RDX\u2019s only peers are the BMW and\u00a0premium-wannabe Mazda CX-5<\/a>. The latter\u2019s buzzy, 187-horse drivetrain can\u2019t play in the\u00a0luxury class, so Bimmer ‘n\u2019 RDX walk away when the road straightens out. Credit, too, the Acura\u2019s buttery 10-speed tranny and NSX-inspired Sport Plus\u00a0mode.<\/p>\n

Push the\u00a0 trigger tranny\u2019s center button and the little ute quivers with anticipation. The steering tightens. The exhaust rasps. Floor me now!<\/p>\n

This eagerness is especially noticeable in the A-Spec model I tested. Like cheek paint on Tom Brady, A-Spec\u2019s black trim means it\u2019s game-ready. It also telegraphs a future Type-S model, the earth-pawing Acura equivalent to Honda\u2019s insane, track-ready Type-R. Don\u2019t expect a garish Type-R rear wing \u2014 but count on a new turbo V-6 for the S to hunt down the X3\u2019s M-performance variant.<\/p>\n

While Acura has followed the Civic playbook, the premium class is a different animal. Here, brand rules.<\/p>\n

BMW, Audi, Mercedes\u00a0and Volvo have earned their status with decades of consistent product. In turn, customers save for decades so they can afford, say, the coveted BMW kidneys.<\/p>\n

Having matched (and exceeded) the competition in performance, Acura will have to consistently execute its signature jewel-eye headlights, grille and dragon\u2019s tail-lights to stir the same passion in buyers.<\/p>\n

Until that happens, Acura has other cards to play. Like value.<\/p>\n

Acura\u00a0takes top honors in the Kelley Blue Book Cost of Ownership Awards<\/a>\u00a0in a premium class where customers often pay through the nose for maintenance. A loaded $48,000 RDX Advance trim is $8,000 cheaper than equivalent BMW X3 or Audi Q5. At just $38,000, the base model gets a $4,000 jump on the competition with standard \u2014 standard!\u00a0\u2014\u00a0panoramic sun-roof, 19-inch wheels, 10-speed tranny\u00a0and a suite of safety systems including adaptive cruise and auto braking. It\u2019s like Fleming\u2019s merged with Cracker Barrel and served you filet mignon with a complimentary soup, salad\u00a0and two sides.<\/p>\n

RDX also aims to play with the big boys with its own, unique infotainment system. This is the price of entry in luxe and it\u2019s Acura\u2019s biggest gamble.<\/p>\n

BMW debuted its iDrive, remote screen controller and perfected it only after years of struggle. Cadillac and Lexus have not been so successful, their unique CUE and touchpad systems causing customers to run from their cars screaming.<\/p>\n

Acura\u2019s Precision Touch system won\u2019t cause any emotional breakdowns (I think Lexus’ touchpad phobia is actually a thing) but it requires patience. To keep the driver\u2019s attention to the road, the screen is\u00a0high on the dash and operated with a remote touchpad. I found it cumbersome, my finger hopping with the vehicle in motion. In an age when automakers are trying to be an extension of smartphones (Alexa, smartphone connectivity, etc.) I prefer the phone\u2019s tried-and-true touchscreen.<\/p>\n

Indeed, with its unique touchpad approach, Acura loses Android Auto capability \u2014 which Honda Corp. pioneered in its vehicles \u2014 because it\u2019s still in development for touchpads (Acura says its coming, and Apple CarPlay is available now).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a reminder that every luxury-maker has its quirks. BMW\u2019s monostable shifter vexes many buyers. The over-engineered Audi Q5 console leaves no room for cubby storage. Cadillac still hasn\u2019t perfected CUE. And so on.<\/p>\n

Touchpad aside, RDX ergonomics are excellent. Screen icons can be personalized like a smartphone and voice commands are direct (Example: Take me to the nearest Starbucks). The trigger tyranny opens up a cavern of sub-console space for purse\/tablet\/Kleenex\/whatever storage.<\/p>\n

Made right down the road in East Liberty, Ohio, the RDX is the total package, pushing Acura to the head of the class. And the tail. Check out the thoughtful, deep, three-cubby storage under the rear cargo hold. It\u2019s right above the A-Spec\u2019s massive twin tailpipes.<\/p>\n

Yup. Acura is back.<\/p>\n

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch \u201cCar Radio with Henry Payne\u201d from noon-2 p.m. Saturdays on 910 AM Superstation.<\/p>\n

2019 Acura RDX<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- and all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV<\/p>\n

Price: $38,325 base ($46,495 A-Spec trim and $48,395 Advance\u00a0trim as tested)<\/p>\n

Powerplant:\u00a02.0-liter, turbocharged inline-4 cylinder<\/p>\n

Power: 272 horsepower, 280\u00a0pound-feet\u00a0torque<\/p>\n

Transmission: 10-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph, NA; towing, 1,500 pounds<\/p>\n

Weight: 4,015 pounds (AWD A-Spec as tested)<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA fuel economy:\u00a021 city\/27\u00a0highway\/23\u00a0combined (AWD A-Spec)<\/p>\n

Report card<\/strong><\/p>\n

Highs: Spacious, comfortable utility; a ute that’s fun to drive<\/p>\n

Lows: MPG trails competitors; inconsistent touchpad controller<\/p>\n

Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three years ago, Honda got sick of criticism that its cars had gone soft. So its product team rebooted the brand\u00a0with the sensational Civic compact sedan. Benchmarked\u00a0to the Audi A3, for goodness sake, Civic carved its own segment benchmark with best-in-class everything. Not content with that high bar,\u00a0the Hoosier-built hottie\u00a0then went about spawning whiz kids\u00a0like […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22425"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22425"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22425\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22433,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22425\/revisions\/22433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}