It was an unforgettable Holiday and while we look forward to welcoming a new year in, we had to send off 2023 properly. This Holiday we got to test drive the 2023 Acura RDX Platinum Elite. The gorgeous SUV retailing at $63,329 CAN is a perfect balance of class, style and purpose. Our vehicle came in a timeless Liquid Carbon Metallic. Time and again, our passengers would come in, plop themselves into the passenger’s seat, making bold statements how the RDX Platinum Elite A-SPEC was well above its actual retail value. My brother, a self-professed Auto Expert, guessed, “This has gotta be worth minimum six figures!”. Let them think what they will!
It was a year of highs and lows and we find ourselves feeling most introspective at this time of year. The RDX Platinum Elite A-SPEC was ready to take on whatever unpredictable conditions the weather was ready to throw its way as we cleared our thoughts reflecting on the happy and the sad. We saw what seemed like endless rain and clouds to snow during our test drive and the SUV was equally adept and unwavering every time no matter what. Acura continues to wow us with their recent generation of offerings and we equally were impressed by this experience.
The RDX Platinum Elite A-SPEC is powered by a 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, VTEC® turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, running at 272 horsepower. It boasts Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ and bottom line is we never felt short of power, the SUV raring to go quickly after every step of the brakes! Though the Idle Stop feature always has taken a bit of getting used to, more so than before this time it felt seamless.
Right off the bat, we noticed how incredibly fuel-efficient the RDX is. We counted exactly four days of driving to and from the City, plus a trek to Buffalo from Toronto before we had to fuel-up. It runs on a recommendation of Premium fuel. You get lots of value and run for your money.
Your daily drives are enhanced by its ELS Studio® 3D Premium Audio System with AM/FM/MP3/Windows Media® audio playback capability and a whopping 16 speakers! Connecting our phone via Bluetooth was was a breeze, enabling us to stay on-top of incoming texts and calls, while enjoying our custom Holiday playlist. Having SiriusXM always is a blessing and we can’t imagine morning drives without SiriusXM Hits 1! The RDX is stacked with charging options including wireless charging and an abundance of USB ports for you and your passengers, front and back.
Safety matters most to us and the RDX has a way of being tirelessly-focussed on both active and passive safety, without being overbearing about it. We can’t count how many test drives we’ve been on where the car is beeping at us endlessly when all we’re trying to do is reverse out of a parking spot. The RDX does the same without being over-aggressive about it.
In terms of passive safety, you get dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags (SRS); Front knee airbags; Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system; and SmartVent™ front side airbags. We see Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure offered more and more frequently on sister company Honda‘s vehicles and we get it here too. And we always get a rear seat reminder telling us not to forget sweet beanie in her PetSafe Booster Seat (sold independently). Did we mention its Immobilizer theft-deterrent system?
Speaking to active safety, the RDX gives us 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS®); Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD); Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system; Front and rear low-speed Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB); Hill Start Assist; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system; Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) with location and pressure indicators; Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with Traction Control; Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow; Blind Spot Information (BSI) system with Rear Cross Traffic Monitor system; Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS); and Traffic sign recognition even, which we confirmed worked just as well in the U.S. as in Canada.
Above this, parking and reversing are effortless with its multi-angle rear-view camera and surround view camera system. You get Keyless Entry, remote engine start and also the amazing walk-away lock which wastes no time securing your vehicle the moment you step away. Literally, this is the world we live in today where you’d actually need this.
The RDX is elegance and Acura gets all the details right. Interior accent lighting is elegance understated. Everything is at the touch of your fingertip and at the center of it all is its 10.2″ HD colour centre display with True Touchpad Interface. It comes ready with Acura’s Navigation System with Voice Recognition™ and Alexa is built-in already. Driver and passenger (the ones in the back too!) each get to customize their experience with dual-zone automatic climate control with air-filtration system, plus seat warmers and coolers. An SUV for all seasons.
The Driver and front passenger get 16-way power adjustable driver’s and front passenger’s seat, including lumbar support, thigh extension, and side bolster. The equality and love for all who choose Acura, is unparalleled. The RDX Platinum Elite A-SPEC is striking, coming with Ultrasuede™ & Leather-trimmed seating surfaces. Both front seats are programmable by memory system. Other aesthetic enhancements include metal sport pedals and a stunning moonroof.
We’re already thrilled to see what possibly Acura could do to make the 2024 rendition of the RDX even better than it already is!
A journey through our Holidays in the 2023 Acura RDX Platinum Elite A-SPEC!
Wishing you and your loved ones a safe 2024. We look forward to making more memories together with you! May all your dreams come true.
Mr. Will
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