Competition in the SUV segment is getting tighter, and the 2022 Acura RDX’s A-Spec luxury trim just turned up the intensity. We wouldn’t consider it a top-tier deluxe, but it makes a perfect SUV for someone looking for top luxury features without spending German luxury car money. Simply put, the 2022 RDX is more for less.
Jakub and Yuri of the StraightPipes daily-drove the A-Spec RDX to determine if it's worth the bargain price.
Acura put a lot of attention into the cabin of the new RDX. It’s a complete redesign with much inspiration from its bigger sibling, the MDX. That doesn’t mean it’s not striking on the exterior. I’d call it the perfect balance between sporty and luxurious.
The A-Spec RDX faces a lot of competition from its segment, including the Lexus RX350, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Mercedes GLC, and Lincoln Corsair, among others.
Jakub and Yuri’s unit had a red interior, sued-like material on the dash, minimal gloss-black, and a cool-patterned door trim. Unlike its competition, the 2022 Acura RDX A-Spec doesn’t have a touch screen infotainment system. Instead, you get a trackpad with authentic touch.
Additional luxury perks on the A-Spec included heated and cooled seats and steering wheel, remote start (without a subscription), and a 360 reverse camera. Since it’s a two-row SUV, there’s enough cargo space to fit a baby high chair and still have room for more.
Under the hood, the RDX packs a turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder engine making 272 HP and 379 Nm of torque. The torquey engine pairs to a 10-speed automatic transmission on a Super Handling all-wheel-drive (SH-AWD) setup.
Behind the wheel, the 2022 Acura RDX A-Spec offers athletic handling. The lane-assist feature works perfectly on the RDX but falls short in lane centering. It rips hard off the line (for a car in its class) and is aggressive on winding roads.
Jakub and Yuri’s A-Spec Acura RDX costs $53,645, which is perfect considering the generosity of its features. There’s a bit of a learning curve using the trackpad and shifter on the 2022 model, and for those with toddlers, it doesn’t feature a baby shade.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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