Acura aimed to make the RDX more responsive and comfortable.
The third-generation Acura RX saw the automaker redesign the model and create a new platform in 2019 for the model year. These solid bones will be the basis for the model’s 2022 mid-cycle refresh. Acura has improved the SUV’s sleek design and refined interior comfort and quietness.
Acura was inspired by the larger MDX The RDX gets a Diamond Pentagon grille, which the company pairs with a thinner surround. The RDX borrows from the MDX’s larger vertical intakes that are pushed towards the bumper’s edges. Acura restructures the rear fascia of the RDX while adding new rectangular dual exhaust finishers.
Many of the RDX’s improvements are hidden under its restyled sheet steel, which was designed to make it more comfortable for passengers. Acura, for example, reduced the cold idle speed of its engine from 1,000 rpm down to 950. It also added a front fender liner as well as an Active Sound Control system that enhances the interior experience. Acura also adopted a lower torque rod to reduce engine vibrations on two-wheel-drive models.
Technology Package models get thicker carpeting, new sound insulation for the front doors, acoustic glasses, and much more. Acura claims that Advance Package models have the RDX’s most quiet cabin. The ceiling, dash and drivetrain tunnel are also equipped with sound insulators. Rear door insulators and acoustic glasses are also available for AP models. The rear cargo bins as well as the rear hatch get even more sound deadening material.
The 2022 RDX has more standard tech than its predecessor, including wireless Apple CarPlay integration and Android Auto integration. The Technology Package models will include wireless charging and Acura IconicDrive ambient lighting, which allows owners to choose from 27 different ambient colors. The top-tier Advance Package models come with power-folding side-mirrors and a 12-volt power outlet in cargo. Remote engine start is also enhanced.
The 2022 RDX A-Spec is available in two packages: the Technology Package and the range-topping Advance Package. It features a unique appearance, such as the gloss-black surround to the grille, gunmetal-finished grille, fog-light trim and gloss-black grille surround. A gloss-black taillight trim is added to the rear and an aggressive fascia. The Advance Package includes A-Spec models that come with the 15-spoke 20 inch wheels in Shark Gray.
Acura’s A-Spec comes with an Advance pack with Orchid Leather as an exclusive option. The standard RDX has a flat-bottom steering wheel, but there aren’t any interior changes.
Acura will launch the limited-production, hand-crafted RDX PMC Edition with the 2022 model. It will produce only 200 of these special crossovers and it will be available exclusively in Long Beach Blue Pearl paint. Acura will match it with the Orchid interior featuring blue contrast stitching. A body-color grille that surrounds a gloss-black Diamond Pentagon grille is a unique styling feature. The door handles, roof and outside mirrors are finished in gloss-black. The Advance Package adds to the package’s feature-set. This will be Acura’s most exclusive PCM model.
The 2022 model will also get new wheel styles as well as three new exterior colors (Liquid Carbon metallic, Phantom Violet Pearl, Long Beach Blue Pearl). The 2021 RDX is priced at $38,400. Official pricing information will be available closer to the crossover’s launch date. This should occur at Acura dealers by early November.