Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

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MDfan
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Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2016 7:32 am

Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by MDfan »

Need to buy a new car and I am strongly considering the Acura TLX or a small SUV like the RDX. I have never "splurged" on a car, but I feel like it's time. We keep our cars for a long time so I'm going to buy something a little more upscale this time. Also looking at the Lexus (ES or the NX SUV). Any thoughts/insights on these cars? At least according to Consumer Reports, Acura's reliability is not great but we have friends with Acuras who say they've had very few issues.
FootballFan5548
Posts: 380
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by FootballFan5548 »

I can't speak to anything recent.... but my wife had an Acura TL, ( I believe it was a 2006) that she loved. It got totaled during Hurricane Sandy, and we bought a new 2013 Acura RDX that we still have today, and I'm the primary driver of. It's got about 75,000 miles on it, but has been absolutely fine and actually pretty fun to drive... pretty nice pep.

We do the basic maintenance, oil/tires/brakes, and have not had any issues. I believe we bought it new for $38k or 40k in late 2012, and i'm going to start trying to sell it soon to buy a truck. The current blue book listing is roughly $14k.

Overall, I've been very happy with the RDX, and I think the new models look very nice also.
redmaw
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by redmaw »

Compare the luxury brand reliability to the base brand reliability i.e. compare acura to honda, lexus to toyota, infiniti to nissan, ect. You will notice the luxury versions generally have lower reliability even when they are essentially identical mechanically. I beieve there are 2 reasons for this, 1st, the luxury brands have more complicated infotainment systems, that are more prone to issues. To me this is a different level of problem to your car not starting, but consumer's considers every complaint on any system in those rankings pretty much the same (the have a serious and minor category, but thats the only differentiation). Occasionally they will come right out and say that is the reason for a specific brand doing poorly in the ratings. 2nd, consumers relies on self reported data, the guy buying a base honda civic may be more tolerant of minor problems than the guy who buys an expensive suv and expects everything to be perfect at that price point.

So my point? Take consumer's ratings with a grain of salt. Mechanically there is no reason to expect an acura to be any less reliable than a honda.

My insight on these cars particularly is to look at the used market. The premium brands lose value much more quickly, a 3 year old acura normally (not sure with covid effects) costs only slightly more than the equivalent honda.
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orcycle
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by orcycle »

We bought a used RDX two years ago, 2016 model I think. The only negative is that the transmission is very jumpy in the lower gears, meaning that from a stop, if you step on the accelerator, the engine will shift hard from 1st to 2nd, and maybe 3rd. I've learned to feather the accelerator but my kids refuse to drive it and my parents don't like it (it's an extra car used by my parents when they're visiting). It's bad enough to the point that I am looking to replace it (with a Porsche Macan, maybe!).

So if you can test drive them, I would recommend you do so. Otherwise, it's a fine car and I love its size, AWD, and peppiness for highway/uphill passing.
Barsoom
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Barsoom »

I just bought an Acura RDX about a month ago for my wife.

We looked at the Toyota RAV4, Lexus NX/RX, BMW X3, and were going to see the Subaru Ascent when we found the RDX (same dealer, different side of the lot). It was in the color that my wife wanted and had the Advanced package trim.

My wife thought that the Lexus had lost its swagger. The RX/NX didn't feel any different that the RAV4 to her. It was cramped inside and didn't "feel" luxury to her. She expected more than she thought the car was giving.

I liked the BMW, but it was the first car we saw and my wife was overwhelmed by the features (she's stepping up from a 2001 Toyota RAV4). BMW definitely offers white glove treatment. They cover a lot of things in the first years of ownership.

Finally, I used the TrueCar purchase program from my former employer's employee recreational benefits program, and got 11% off of the MSRP for the Acura RDX (from $51k to $41k before taxes and dealer add-ons). Out the door price was $51k: my wife added running boards, underside lights, plastic edge guards, the rear compartment cover, and 3-year pre-paid service.

One other note: Acura told us that they shifted their incentives to the financing plan. Even if you want to pay outright for the car, they say the most deals are when you finance. They require a minimum of two payments, so we went with their financing, paid the first month, and will pay the whole balance on the next payment.

-B
jack.bauer
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by jack.bauer »

Got the wife rdx 2021 a spec awd recently. Upgraded from mazda 6 2010. She absolutely loves it. I like it too when I have to drive it. Its got plenty of pep for public roads.

She didnt really cross shop and she liked the looks of RDX more... and it is basically the cheapest of all luxury brands.
Topic Author
MDfan
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by MDfan »

Barsoom wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:06 pm I just bought an Acura RDX about a month ago for my wife.

We looked at the Toyota RAV4, Lexus NX/RX, BMW X3, and were going to see the Subaru Ascent when we found the RDX (same dealer, different side of the lot). It was in the color that my wife wanted and had the Advanced package trim.

My wife thought that the Lexus had lost its swagger. The RX/NX didn't feel any different that the RAV4 to her. It was cramped inside and didn't "feel" luxury to her. She expected more than she thought the car was giving.

I liked the BMW, but it was the first car we saw and my wife was overwhelmed by the features (she's stepping up from a 2001 Toyota RAV4). BMW definitely offers white glove treatment. They cover a lot of things in the first years of ownership.

Finally, I used the TrueCar purchase program from my former employer's employee recreational benefits program, and got 11% off of the MSRP for the Acura RDX (from $51k to $41k before taxes and dealer add-ons). Out the door price was $51k: my wife added running boards, underside lights, plastic edge guards, the rear compartment cover, and 3-year pre-paid service.

One other note: Acura told us that they shifted their incentives to the financing plan. Even if you want to pay outright for the car, they say the most deals are when you finance. They require a minimum of two payments, so we went with their financing, paid the first month, and will pay the whole balance on the next payment.

-B
Thanks. What "must have" extras come with the Advanced package? Looks like there's a Technology package, an Advanced package and an "A-Spec" package.

Also, is that different from the True Car purchase service available to everyone?
dsmclone
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by dsmclone »

We had a 2013 RDX and it was a really great car. The engine was a V6 that was smooth, fast, quiet, and used in a lot of Honda's. Since I think 2019 when they redesigned it, they've moved to the turbo 4. I've driven about 3 vehicles that have went from 6 cylinders to turbo 4's and I've disliked all 3. I was seriously considering an RDX when I bought a Kia Telluride but the size was actually worse than my wife's VW Tiguan(Another turbo 4 I hate) and we didn't want two vehicles the same size. We've never had reliability issues with any Honda/Acura that we've bought. The only other complaint I've heard about the RDX is the touchpad, which a lot of people seem to hate.

The packaging is also weird with the the RDX and MDX.
Barsoom
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Barsoom »

MDfan wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:15 pm
Thanks. What "must have" extras come with the Advanced package? Looks like there's a Technology package, an Advanced package and an "A-Spec" package.

Also, is that different from the True Car purchase service available to everyone?
There is no difference in the safety features, just the comfort features.

The A-Spec package is the Technology Package with exterior sport trim (tire rims, etc.) and different seat materials, but with the heated/cooled front seats from the Advanced Package. We didn't consider it.

The Advanced Package adds a HUD display (projects things like MPH onto the windshield), more adjustable front seats, air-conditioned front seats, hands-free rear lift gate, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and wood-grain interior trim (plastic fake wood).

RE: TrueCar, probably not. I only knew about it through the BenefitHub link. Just be prepared for an onslaught of phone calls after signing up for a deal.

-B
Rex66
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Rex66 »

Had tl, rdx, and mdx

Some years the suv versions have had hard early no smooth shifts as noted above but not in newer versions

I’d give it a thumbs up
Barsoom
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Barsoom »

dsmclone wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:44 pmThe only other complaint I've heard about the RDX is the touchpad, which a lot of people seem to hate.
The touchpad does take a bit of getting used to.

It's not a true PC touchpad where it's basically a mouse. The touchpad is relative to the display screen. Touching the upper left corner "touches" the button in the upper left corner of the screen. So it's really like a touchscreen on a computer except that the touch part is on the console between the seats. It also has some buttons: the top left/right buttons are back and okay, and the two on the side control the split screen.

Also, the "mouse wheels" on the left/right side of the steering wheel also toggle left/right, which duplicates some of the button functionality by the touchpad.

-B
Bryzzo2016
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Bryzzo2016 »

I'm also super interested in the new TLX type S. It's more performance oriented and will compete with audi S4 & BMW m340i. Sorry this is zero help to your question though.
Barsoom
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Barsoom »

Rex66 wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:53 pm Some years the suv versions have had hard early no smooth shifts as noted above but not in newer versions
The RDX is a 10-gear automatic. It has a button to switch between Drive and "Sport" mode. In Sport mode, there are paddles behind the left and right sides of the steering wheel to let you manually upshift and downshift.

-B
keanoz
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by keanoz »

Just bought a 2018 TLX this weekend. I really like the car. It has a smooth ride, nice tech features and is overall fun to drive. I came from a 2011 Honda insight so this car is a huge step up.
CascadiaSoonish
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by CascadiaSoonish »

I bought a used 2007 RDX a few years ago for commuting and errands and general around-town driving. It's now got 160K+ miles on it. Requires a few hundred $ a year in maintenance and repairs each year but has otherwise been rock solid. Only reason I'm looking at replacing it is to get an electric -- the RDX gets pretty terrible city MPG. If I sell private party I'll probably be looking at under $1K / year depreciation. Not bad at all for a daily driver.
Topic Author
MDfan
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by MDfan »

Barsoom wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:50 pm
MDfan wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:15 pm
Thanks. What "must have" extras come with the Advanced package? Looks like there's a Technology package, an Advanced package and an "A-Spec" package.

Also, is that different from the True Car purchase service available to everyone?
There is no difference in the safety features, just the comfort features.

The A-Spec package is the Technology Package with exterior sport trim (tire rims, etc.) and different seat materials, but with the heated/cooled front seats from the Advanced Package. We didn't consider it.

The Advanced Package adds a HUD display (projects things like MPH onto the windshield), more adjustable front seats, air-conditioned front seats, hands-free rear lift gate, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, and wood-grain interior trim (plastic fake wood).

RE: TrueCar, probably not. I only knew about it through the BenefitHub link. Just be prepared for an onslaught of phone calls after signing up for a deal.

-B
Thanks. As for True Car, I never give my real phone number. Only email.
carolc
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Location: New Hampshire seacoast

Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by carolc »

I had a 2018 TLX. Loved it but decided I needed an SUV so I test drove the 2021 RDX and a Lexus NX 300. While the RDX had a lot more cargo space, the Lexus won, hands down, in comfort. So I’m now the happy owner of the NX. (Drove it to FL and back this winter.)

carolc
Rex66
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Rex66 »

Barsoom wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:58 pm
Rex66 wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:53 pm Some years the suv versions have had hard early no smooth shifts as noted above but not in newer versions
The RDX is a 10-gear automatic. It has a button to switch between Drive and "Sport" mode. In Sport mode, there are paddles behind the left and right sides of the steering wheel to let you manually upshift and downshift.

-B
Yes I’m familiar

Out of the cars we have had, the 2017 version which was an mdx shifted the hardest on its own while in comfort mode. It’s an issue for just a few versions. Haven’t noticed it in 2019 rdx or 2022 mdx.
DS03
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by DS03 »

We own a 2017 RDX (& I had a TL prior to this). Good car, good reviews, and my wife loves it. More recent TLX/RDX models have had lower Consumer Reports scores (transmission I believe) so I'd check into this before deciding on what year(s) to target.
schachtw
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by schachtw »

My wife and I each have an Acura 2012 TLX. Low mileage cars ~57K on each, 9 years old with scheduled maintenance only (excluding new tires, and battery replacement).

No other problems to speak of. We really like them, and hope they last another 9 years.
MrsO
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by MrsO »

We have a 2017 RDX and a 2018 TLX. We’ve had Acuras for years and have found them to be comfortable and reliable.

They are both great cars, but it depends on your needs and if you prefer to drive a sedan or an SUV. Personally I’ve gotten used to driving the RDX and really don’t like being so low to the ground when driving the TLX. But that’s just me.

One thing I will say is that I cannot stand the gear shift in the newer models I’ve driven as loaners. It’s almost bad enough that it would prevent me from getting a new Acura! It’s a shame, because otherwise we’ve found that Acuras check all the boxes that are important to us. And we are like you - prefer to buy practical cars and then keep them for years. The Acura is a bit of a splurge, but within reason.
NYGiantsFan
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by NYGiantsFan »

Wife owns 2017 RDX AWD.
Plus points
-Great SUV. Very quiet and handles snow well.
-Great seats and Hight. We do 4 hours long distance travel quite frequently and we don't feel tired after the ride.
-Decent engine and pick up speed. Need it when trying to pass trucks doing 70 on the highway.

Negative points
-Requires premium gas. Being bogleheads, it gets tough to get used to paying premium.
-We didn't take technology package that means GPS wasn't included in 40k+ car!. Also, lane detection wasn't there in that model also. I felt that Acura scrimped (or try to take advantage of customers) in this regards (when you consider basic 20k Nissan/Hyundai have this by default).
-We twice noticed frozen defrost lines when outside temperature is below 0F (around -5 to -10F). We thought that it may have to do with antifreeze first time last year but experienced same this year. Keeping eye on it.
JimmyK
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by JimmyK »

I own a 4 cylinder 2015 TLX, so far, a great car. However, I would not pay more than $30k+ for a newer 6 cylinder. I believe there are better sedans at that price point. Perhaps a newer, heavily discounted RDX, but is that better than a loaded Subaru Forester?
gizzard
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by gizzard »

We bought a 2019 RDX Tech SH-AWD in July 2018. At the time, we cross shopped a 2018 BMW X3 and 2018 Volvo XC60. We came from a Honda. Financially, we're comfortable enough to "splurge" as you say, and in retrospect it was worth it for us. We'll probably consider a German for the next vehicle actually.

The SH-AWD models have great handling on throttle, thanks to a torque-vectoring differential in the back. However, a complex mechanical AWD system like this leads to lots of parasitic loss in stop-and-go traffic. There is also turbo lag and the transmission is not as smooth as the 8 speeds in the European models. We live and drive in a big city, and get ~16 mpg (EPA estimate for 2019 model year is 21 city as I recall). Overall, I think Honda / Acura lags a little behind BMW / Audi / Toyo-Lexus in making small, turbocharged engines efficient, powerful, and smooth.

Some people hate the infotainment. I think the touchpad is fine, but I also greatly prefer switches and knobs over touch-based controls. My humble opinion, BMW's I-Drive is superior to this one, which is superior to what Volvo (and Tesla, and seemingly the entire industry) are doing. The overall speed of the interface is slow-ish, but it doesn't matter much unless you are constantly fiddling with it (I am not, I am driving!). The ELS speaker system is fantastic, particularly when playing FLAC off of USB.

We had the fuel pump changed under a recall and the dealer had to fix a coolant tube that got detached causing the AC to blow ambient air. Otherwise, it's been ~19k trouble free miles.

The RDX might have a mid-cycle refresh for 2022. Might be worth waiting a few months to see what changes.
anoop
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by anoop »

This is my review of the 2019 RDX.
http://anoopsplace.blogspot.com/2019/01 ... eview.html
I've listed all the problems I have had with it. There are many.

Would I recommend it? Probably, but not a strong recommendation. If Lexus styling floats your boat, that may be a better option. Knowing what I know and if I were in the market for car in this class, I would also look at the XC60 (primarily for seat comfort) and Model Y (electric + seat comfort) and decide. RDX is the value play in this segment, so it's not a bad car, but there's no wow factor to it.
elle
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by elle »

I have a 2015 RDX (pre-redesign). It’s a great car with low maintenance costs and probably the most comfortable seats of any car I sat in (been to a lot of auto shows in my years).

I would say that if features are what you are looking for, expect to need some package or another. Their technology packages are notoriously bad. It’s better in the current RDX but doesn’t compare to a lot of non luxury car brands out there.

I have had no expenses outside of routine maintenance, so I’d consider it reliable. My last car was a Subaru Legacy. I looked at the Outback, Caddy, and Lexus when I bought too. I went for comfort, safety, cost, fun to drive, and not the same car as my parents (Lexus). Sometimes I regret the purchase due to the tech - as a person in tech and product careers, terrible UIs kill me. :).
Ykcor
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Ykcor »

I have a 2013 RDX. It is a great vehicle. My only complaint is that Acura used to have a timing chain instead of a timing belt as regular Honda have. Now they have the belt which has to be replaced at 100K miles at a cost of 800-1200 bucks.
Copper John
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Re: Any Acura TLX or RDX owners?

Post by Copper John »

I own a 2016 RDX and love it. Have had zero problems with it. I live at 5,500 feet altitude and often drive up too 10-12,000 ft and it performs well at these altitudes. It is comfortable, handles well, accelerates adequately and is quiet.

I believe 2016 was the last year a V6 engine was available in the RDX as they switched to a 4 cylinder turbo the next year. The V6 was a big reason why I bought this model. I am not sure I would go the 4 cylinder turbo when I replace it, but V6s in smaller SUVs are becoming tough to find.
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