The compact 2024 Acura RDX crossover ute passes the condo parking test.
鈥淲hat, that鈥檚 your opening line on this premium sport ute?鈥� you wonder.
Well, yeah, I figure it should be the ultimate measure for those of us occupying condo buildings with what have become standard tight parking spaces. Getting it right will save hundreds of dollars in fixing bodily encounters with concrete pillars and door damage to your neighbour鈥檚 cars.
I review utes every year that just get fatter and often longer. This tester just fitted in both of my spaces, with enough room to back in and open doors without denting my other machine.
Do you remember when we used to wax lyrical about a car鈥檚 performance and looks? Today, it seems to me a key purchase game changer, besides my quirky parking obsession, is more likely a measure of how functional a cabin space is. So, let鈥檚 take a look inside.
The tester was a 2024 Platinum Elite A-Spec version: loaded with standard features. The cabin improvements from the previous model addressed some of my other demands. A more functional centre console provides more storage and larger spots for your outsized-Java mugs. And slapping down your smart phone on the wireless charger is so much easier than before.
The hi-def 10-inch centre display now has a widescreen mode, which is better for Apple Car Play and Android Auto app users. My one quibble is that the display is controlled by a touchpad on the centre console.
It鈥檚 fussily sensitive to the slightest hand/finger slip, which is not great in a moving objects! That said, practice makes perfect, they say, so perhaps a week in the car is not enough to perfect technique. I think touch screen operation would be preferred.
The A-Spec comes with full leather upholstery; classy, but I鈥檓 not sure it would cause me to part with an extra few grand to get it. The 12-way adjustment of the driver鈥檚 seat is a blessing. Both rows of seats offer a comfy ride and rear passengers get heated seats.
There鈥檚 881 litres of cargo capacity available behind the second row, plus some underfloor storage. That鈥檚 300 litres more than offered by most of its competitors.
If you dump the kids and fold their seats you can max out the space at 2,260 litres. That鈥檚 a lot of wine. Whoops! My grandson just read that over my shoulder and wasn鈥檛 impressed; not the wine bit.
A panoramic moonroof is a bonus, although I must say I don鈥檛 stare out of such additions, especially while driving. Appreciate the extra light offered on summer days.
Before you drive off with granny, reassure her by telling her about the standard safety systems which include blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, traffic sign recognition, front and rear low speed emergency braking, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with pedestrian detection. Her eyes might glaze over.
Time to press start, after a little peek under the hood. All RDX models are powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine, that pumps out 272 horsepower. A 10-speed automatic transmission and standard SH-AWD (super handling all-wheel drive) is designed for the messy conditions one can encounter in our winters.
Didn鈥檛 find any seriously messy conditions on my long drive but did play in the mud on one off road area. It was on short incline that twisted right at the top - 60 metres or so. It kept a grip mainly, with a little wheel slip on the last couple of metres. Enough off-road prowess for most prospective owners, I suspect.
Road-wise it offers a pleasing and responsive drive. A sudden crash avoidance manoeuvre I had to execute on the freeway, when some twit cut in on me, failed to wake the two bairns in the back. Shopping, stopping and parking in town was no challenge to this stylish, versatile auto.
Gas consumption promised is 11/8.6 L/100 km (City/Hwy). In my combined city, freeway use over a week recorded consumption of around 10 L/100 km.
There are three trim levels starting at around $54,000 (before freight and taxes) ramping up to a little above $57,000 for the A-Spec and $62,600 for the Elite A-Spec. The 2025 is on the way so there could be deals to be had on the 24s.
keithrmorgan@hotmail.com
