2016 Acura RDX: First Look

Competes with: BMW X3, Volvo XC60 and Cadillac SRX

Looks like: Designers took an angle grinder to the front and rear bumpers

Drivetrain: 279-hp, 3.5-liter V-6; six-speed automatic transmission; front- or all-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: Spring 2015

Acura’s compact luxury crossover is coming off its best year of sales since being introduced for 2007. The RDX hasn’t been updated since 2013, and for 2016 it gains a number of updates that should keep Acura’s second-best seller fresh.

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The RDX gets new front and rear styling, a slightly more efficient and powerful engine plus a new optional multimedia system. A line-topping Advance Package is also available for the first time; it slots above the Technology Package and offers newly available features as well as a suite of advanced safety options.

Exterior

Acura’s signature Jewel Eye LED headlights as seen on the RLX and TLX sedans as well as the MDX SUV make their way to the 2016 RDX. The headlights sit in a restyled front end showing off a more chiseled, dimensional face. Together with a restyled grille, Acura has brought the RDX in line with the rest of its lineup in terms of styling. Out back, the RDX has similar design updates with a more angular bumper featuring LED taillights.

Interior

New silver and black trim pieces have been added to the familiar-looking interior, though the notable updates for 2016 are in feature availability. The RDX now includes standard rear climate vents; they join high-tech optional equipment like Acura’s dual-screen multimedia system, also new for the RDX this year.

RDXs with the Technology Package include a new eight-way adjustable power passenger seat, the aforementioned dual-screen multimedia system with a touch-screen and center controller knob, plus a blind spot monitoring system and rear cross-traffic alert.

Take the next step up to the new Advance Package and rain-sensing wipers, remote start, front and rear parking sensors, and Acura’s AcuraWatch suite of advanced safety features are included; navigation is optional in both Technology and Advance packages.

Under the Hood

A new 3.5-liter V-6 makes 6 more horsepower and 1 more pound-feet of torque for a total of 279 hp and 252 pounds-feet of torque, but Acura says a broader torque curve provides more immediate acceleration response. Fuel economy is also improved slightly with a 1 mpg increase in highway ratings. All-wheel-drive models are now rated at 19/28 mpg city/highway and front-wheel-drive versions at 20/29 mpg. For 2016, the RDX’s all-wheel-drive system is also tuned with more rear torque bias; Acura says dynamics should improve as a result.

Safety

The 2015 Acura RDX isn’t currently an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick. Acura hopes to change that with the safety additions to the 2016 model, which include an improved body structure expected to provide better front collision performance, as well as the addition of AcuraWatch on Advance Package models that includes advanced safety technology like forward collision warning with collision mitigation, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist.