2017 Acura RDX best seller in Honda premium brand lineup

For April, Acura’s premium 2-row crossover RDX set yet another year over year sales record. This compact crossover continues to surprise. For 2016, RDX is Honda’s best selling premium crossover.

Based on North America’s all-time best selling SUV Honda CR-V, the premium compact darling of the Acura crowd continues to break sales records -- surpassing MDX and the Acura TLX premium sport sedan. For Torque News this no surprise. 2017 Acura RDX is priced right, fun to drive and comfortable. You may catch our latest Acura RDX drive review here.

Back to basics, well sort of

2017 Acura RDX is not as “in your face,” technically speaking as big brother MDX. Nor will you find Acura’s stellar torque vectoring rear differential under this rig. And yet, while driving RDX in the city, on the highway or in the dirt, one gains a sense of confident road control, engine power and comfort, generally reserved for larger SUVs with an MSRP well north of $50,000.
Acura RDX is a driver’s crossover with midsize performance tendency

Powered by Acura’s stellar 3.5 Liter V6 port injected SOHC 24 valve i-VTEC gas, RDX comes to market with a stated 279 horsepower@6200 rpm/ 252 lb-ft torque@4900 -- with stated EPA fuel economy of 19/27/22 in AWD ( all -wheel-drive) + 1 mpg for FWD ( front wheel drive. Transferring torque to the ground is accomplished via a very good 6 speed automatic transmission with wheel mounted sequential paddle shifting and grade logic.

RDX sales up 3,000 units and 18% year to date

Although primary front wheel drive, RDX buyers may option for AWD with Acura’s Intelligent Control System ™ standard on both AWD and FWD. Check out Acura’s extensive specifications list here.

2 inches shorter than this car, RDX is surprisingly posh and spacious for a compact crossover. What’s surprising here for me is how spacious and comfortable 2017 Acura RDX rides. Thanks to very decent power adjusted and heated seats, electronic assisted steering, Macpherson struts, multi link rear suspension, and Acura’s patented reactive amplitude dampening, this compact crossover presents an exceptionally civic drive and ride experience.
MSRP and trim availability

This downsized MDX is priced from $35,370 (RDX FWD standard) to $43,520 for the fully loaded 2017 Acura RDX AWD with Advance package. I recommend this crossover to anyone that doesn’t require third row seating, prefers V6 power over a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, and appreciates a higher truck-like driver’s view perspective.

What we would change

Not much! I believe that the RDX is an exceptional value package. I like the power to weight ratio, decent fuel economy, as well as the basic, always transparent RDX trim packaging. The Germans can’t beat it, and the balance of the Asian makers, while close, tend to dance around this segment.