Back in the old days, we had coupes, sedans, wagons, pickups and vans. Choosing a vehicle was pretty simple, despite having more brands to choose from and being loyal to a particular carmaker.
Today, almost everybody has access to the Internet and car shoppers are more informed than ever, ultimately throwing brand loyalty out the window. But what makes shopping for a vehicle very complicated these days is that we no longer know what we want and need; blame carmakers for creating new vehicle segments. What's a crossover, exactly?
Basically, a crossover is a car-based SUV that looks like a truck but drives like a car. The Acura RDX is just that; a vehicle for those who can't decide whether they want an SUV or a sports car.
Turbo boost
The RDX is motivated by the company's first factory turbocharged engine in North America. Displacing 2.3 liters, this blown 4-cylinder develops 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. That's quite an output, and the RDX is blessed with 0-100 km/h times of 7.3 seconds.
But while most manufacturers who produce turbo engines do their best to make the power delivery as seamless as possible, you can actually feel (and hear) the extra surge in the RDX, and a boost gauge will also show you how fast the blower is spinning. Quite amusing.
Several carmakers now have 6-speed automatics, but Honda and Acura are still hanging on to their 5-speed unit. The RDX has wheel-mounted paddle shifters to row the boat yourself. The all-wheel drive system is front-wheel biased, and sends available power down to the rear wheels as needed. This little Acura handles itself quite well, despite the high ride height.
The turbo 2.3 has an appetite for fuel, though. The RDX is swallowing 13.4 liters of premium fuel at every 100 kilometers. So, if this engine has about the same power output as the company's 3.5-liter V6, and consumes as much fuel, why didn't they just drop the V6 in the engine bay in the first place? The 3.5 certainly sounds better than the turbo four, in my opinion.
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| The Acura RDX is a vehicle for those who can't decide whether they want an SUV or a sports car. |
Today, almost everybody has access to the Internet and car shoppers are more informed than ever, ultimately throwing brand loyalty out the window. But what makes shopping for a vehicle very complicated these days is that we no longer know what we want and need; blame carmakers for creating new vehicle segments. What's a crossover, exactly?
Basically, a crossover is a car-based SUV that looks like a truck but drives like a car. The Acura RDX is just that; a vehicle for those who can't decide whether they want an SUV or a sports car.
Turbo boost
The RDX is motivated by the company's first factory turbocharged engine in North America. Displacing 2.3 liters, this blown 4-cylinder develops 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. That's quite an output, and the RDX is blessed with 0-100 km/h times of 7.3 seconds.
But while most manufacturers who produce turbo engines do their best to make the power delivery as seamless as possible, you can actually feel (and hear) the extra surge in the RDX, and a boost gauge will also show you how fast the blower is spinning. Quite amusing.
Several carmakers now have 6-speed automatics, but Honda and Acura are still hanging on to their 5-speed unit. The RDX has wheel-mounted paddle shifters to row the boat yourself. The all-wheel drive system is front-wheel biased, and sends available power down to the rear wheels as needed. This little Acura handles itself quite well, despite the high ride height.
The turbo 2.3 has an appetite for fuel, though. The RDX is swallowing 13.4 liters of premium fuel at every 100 kilometers. So, if this engine has about the same power output as the company's 3.5-liter V6, and consumes as much fuel, why didn't they just drop the V6 in the engine bay in the first place? The 3.5 certainly sounds better than the turbo four, in my opinion.
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| Displacing 2.3 liters, this blown 4-cylinder develops 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. |