It's soupless now, but when Zach
is bringing home the liquid gold,
this is where he stashes it.“I still love the RDX’s bolder styling,
but it’s taking a while to get used to
those big blind spots.” Zach Galekeys. To pass the time in Los
Angeles rush-hour traffic, I eat
carrots. With the rollable cover
closed over the cupholders, my
bag of boredom carrots sits
conveniently on a high perch,
with my charging phone and
other small items out of sight
underneath.
Another cool touch: The
soft armrest at the back of the
center console can be moved
forward over the cupholders,
helpful if you’d rather have a
comfortable place to rest an
elbow instead of a second
cupholder. Although no one
should rush to buy the RDX
because its storage solutions
are so helpful, I appreciate
knowing I don’t have to sacri-
fice versatility when upgrading2019 Acura RDX
Service life:
4 mo/7,984 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 19.6 mpgF
ew luxury cars handle my
soup as well as our long-
term Acura RDX.
Driving performance is
incredibly important, but
entertaining daily drivers will
fall short if they can’t meet
certain everyday tests—in my
case, one is how well it handles
a to-go container of soup.
For its segment, the 2019 RDX
is one of the best in interior
space and functionality.
Whenever we visit our
favorite Mediterranean restau-
rant, I leave with a decent-
sized to-go container of
creamy chicken with leek soup.
Mmm. With the Acura, I don’t
need to force the container
into the covered storage area
between the driver and front
passenger, put it on the floor,
or use the cargo area, either.
Our long-termer holds my
soup snugly at the bottom
of the center stack’s storage
area underneath the gearshift
buttons. That open compart-
ment is also where you’ll find
a second USB outlet (rear
passengers get their own two
USB outlets), a 12-volt outlet,
and aux-in connectivity. Aside
from holding soup, a small
pizza box, or an occasional
light sweatshirt, I don’t use the
space often. Still, every time I
need somewhere to put some-
thing small, I’m glad I’m driving
an RDX.
The Acura scores more
points on my evening
commute. The adaptive cruise
control isn’t as effective or as
customizable as that of my
last long-termer (a 2017 Audi
A4), but our RDX’s cupholders
are truly versatile. Beside the
two cupholders is a slim and
open rectangular storage
area with a USB outlet where
you can charge your phone
and store a wallet or some
Avg CO2 0.99 lb/mi Energy cons 169 kW-hr/100 mi
Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $134.29 (1-oil
change, inspection, tire rotation) Normal-wear cost $0
Base price $46,895 As-tested $46,895 E PA Cit y/Hw y/Com b
Fuel Econ 21/26/23 mpg Real MPG 1 9. 4/3 0.9/2 3. 3 m p g
to a luxury crossover.
The same is true with the
RDX’s back seat. The backrest
doesn’t recline, but there’s
room under the front seats for
feet, and the floor is nearly flat,
which increases the amount
of perceived space. Sit behind
the front seat adjusted for your
driving position, and chances
are you’ll think the RDX is
spacious, more so than some
luxury crossovers in this price
range. I wish the backs of the
front seats weren’t hard, but
the back-seat package is still
mostly a strength.
Walk to the cargo area, and
the positive picture continues.
Leave the rear seats in place,
and you’ve got 31.1 cubic feet
of cargo space. It’s sizable
even before you pull one of
two cargo-area levers to fold
down the left or right side of
the rear seats. The real magic
begins once you lift up the
cargo floor, revealing a long,
hidden storage compart-
ment 6 inches deep. Lift up
the cover more, and you’ll
see another smaller storagearea (and a shallow third one).
Innovative storage solutions
don’t scream, “I’ve made
it,” but luxury car buyers
often pay a hidden tax, in
the form of interior space, by
eschewing mainstream cars.
The RDX helps minimize that
spatial sacrifice.
Where we see room for
improvement is with the RDX’s
awful rear visibility. There’s no
easy fix here—and properly
adjusted side mirrors help—but
we’d welcome any improve-
ment that doesn’t result in
the next RDX resembling the
Subaru Forester or Honda
Passport, two sensible and
spacious models with boxy
designs. In the RDX, even fold-
down rear-seat headrests (for
when they’re not in use, as in
some XC60s) or slimmer hinges
for the power liftgate would
be appreciated.
If you don’t mind the bold
2019 RDX’s subpar outward
visibility, know that the interior
functionality absolutely lives
up to the “utility” part of sport
utility vehicle.UPDATES
92 MOTORTREND.COM SEPTEMBER 2019