SUV Reviews - The Acura RDX 2010

Overview

Under the hood of the Acura RDX 2010 SUV is placed the power train which consists of a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine using the Acura/ Honda’s i-VTEC technology. The engine controls the timing of valves and lifts. It has a changeable flow turbocharger that has the highest pressure of 13.5psi along with a five-speed automatic which consists of manual and sport shift modes. The Acura RDX 2010’s turbocharged engine that gives out 240 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm.

This SUV asserts that it has a variable-flow turbocharger that reduces the lag, there are those who have taken a drive of the Acura RDX 2010 are certain it is not. The Acura RDX 2010 gas engine provides the required push from a stop. It is only when the engine gets to a speed of 2,500rpm does the turbo thrust itself in. This sudden boost to the engine makes the acceleration in the Acura RDX 2010 SUV unbalanced and hence causes a major snag while judging safe distances. While maneuvering the Acura RDX 2010, the uneven acceleration at the speed it is traveling combined with the late kick-in of the turbo adds fuel to fire literally. The saving grace here is that though the turbo lag is not as bad as how it is with the other SUV (Subaru WRX STI), it is unquestionably there.

The normal equation of turbo should increase the power in an SUV without having any adverse effect on the fuel economy however; the same cannot be said for the Acura RDX 2010 and the equation falls flat with a huge displacement. The Acura RDX 2010’s EPA fuel economy is at 17 mpg during city drives and on a highway it extends to 22 mpg not quite an attractive figure considering the four-cylinder engine that the Acura RDX 2010 SUV boasts of. Users have noticed that while driving the Acura RDX 2010 on mixed freeways, highways, snaky mountains and the city; one could attain and average mpg of a miniscule 18.3. The Lexus RX 350 is much bigger and has a 3.5 liter V-6 engine and this has a better fuel economy!

While still at the Lexus let us also add that this SUV has a six-speed transmission opposed to the five-speed automatic in the Acura RDX 2010 that affects the fuel economy. It would have made a remarkable difference if the Acura RDX 2010 had an added gear however; the other qualifications are definitely extraordinary. While driving during manual mode, the Acura RDX 2010 SUV shifts gears pretty fast each time the paddle shifters on the steering wheel were tugged at, without causing torque converter sluggishness that is normally with automatics. The sport mode of the Acura RDX 2010 maintained the increased engine speed although it did not downshift forcefully during braking or at steep corners.

The Acura RDX 2010 is available in both variants: with a super handling all-wheel drive system (SH-AWD) and a front wheel drive. Road grip is not a problem with this SUV and even on wet and slippery roads the system works well to give the Acura RDX 2010 SUV more road stability particularly during steep corners when more speed is applied. The center of gravity of the Acura RDX 2010 however works against it and that is one of the reasons one feels that a more compact SUV would have handled much better with this system installed. Acura RDX 2010 SH-AWD does not just transfer the torque vigorously from the front to the rear but also transfers the torque between the two rear wheels as and when required. The instrument bunch has a torque graphic and this displays the second-by-second distribution of the torque. Nevertheless, even with the graphic display one cannot monitor it when maneuvering the SUV during sharp corners or steep turns that make a huge difference and kind-of defeats the purpose to a certain extent.

A Little of Everything Else:

The Acura RDX 2010 SUV does have a plush cabin and though it does not feel like one, it is much better than the regular economic cars that we have seen before. The Acura RDX 2010 comprises of hardened plastics but comes with a perfect and smooth finish. The clutter of buttons that one finds on most Acura’s are kept to a minimum with the Acura RDX 2010 however; it still devastates the steering of the SUV.

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