2006 Acura RL
by Jim Prueter - 05/06

All-wheel-drive luxury sedan

Small crossover utilities like Toyota’s RAV4 and Honda’s CRV are all the rage. Possessing many of the desirable features of a traditional sport ute — and all of the cache of one — crossovers are beginning to outpace SUVs in terms of sales. And while the luxury market has its share of big SUVs (think Navigator or Escalade), small upscale crossovers are few and far between. The BMW X3 and new Land Rover LR2 come to mind.

Acura noticed the gap in the segment and designed the RDX to fill it. It is available in one superbly equipped all-wheel drive model; notable options include the Technology Package with a navigation system, Bluetooth capability and premium audio system.

The interior look is decidedly upscale, and passenger room is typical of a small SUV, but the RDX really lags behind in terms of cargo space. Its maxiumum 61 cubic feet is at least 10 less than X3’s, RAV4’s and CRV’s.
RDX is powered by turbocharged four-cylinder engine capable of 240 horsepower. It’s comfortable enough to drive around town and powerful enough to weather modest canyon or mountain roads. It handles admirably and has a five-star safety rating (four stars for rollovers) from the NHTSA.

Overall, the RDX is a decent vehicle. But given its price, I’d take a look at the V-6 editions of the RAV4 or CRV before buying. Both are comparable in terms of drive quality and offer more in the way of cargo room.