2017 Acura RDX

Single-powertrain lineup for the 2nd-generation (2016 facelift carryover) RDX: 3.5L SOHC i-VTEC V6, same output across every trim.

Carried over unchanged from the 2016 facelift's revised V6 tune.

AWD is the volume configuration; figure is an instrumented test, not a factory claim.

Naturally aspirated V6 delivers smooth, lag-free power with no turbo or hybrid-transition behavior to manage, but output tapers at higher revs and reviewers called it adequate rather than exciting for the segment.

6-speed automatic (unchanged since the 1st generation) shifts smoothly in normal driving but was already behind class rivals moving to 8-9 speed units by 2017, and can hunt under part-throttle hill driving.

Acura's own spec sheet does not publish a tow rating for the RDX; third-party sources consistently cite a 1,500 lb max with an aftermarket/accessory hitch.

AWD is optional (not standard) and is a basic single-clutch on-demand system with no low-range, locking diff, or selectable terrain modes — well short of the sophisticated torque-vectoring systems on some luxury rivals.

8.1 in ground clearance and no skid plates, locking differential, or off-road-tuned trim; strictly a pavement-oriented crossover.

Single 3.5L V6 gas engine across the entire 2017 lineup — no turbo, hybrid, or electrified option, unlike the 1st-generation RDX's turbo-4 or the eventual 3rd-gen's turbo-4/hybrid plans.

EPA-rated 3.5L V6 SH-AWD, the volume configuration for the RDX in this generation; FWD is marginally more efficient but AWD is the representative trim.

EPA city figure for the AWD volume trim.

EPA highway figure for the AWD volume trim.

Computed from the published 16.0-gallon fuel tank capacity and EPA combined MPG; not a figure EPA publishes directly.

EPA standard assumption of 15,000 mi/yr, 55% city/45% highway, at the time of the 2017 rating; requires premium fuel which raises the estimate versus a regular-fuel peer at the same MPG.

Acura recommends 91-octane premium for the 3.5L V6 but does not mandate it — regular 87 octane can be used with a minor performance/knock tradeoff rather than a hard requirement, consistent with fueleconomy.gov's "Premium Gasoline" EPA-test label.

NHTSA's full test battery on the 2017 RDX (2nd-generation, carry-over from the 2016 facelift) produced a 5-star overall rating with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side, and 4 stars rollover — the ceiling of the suv normalization band.

All five IIHS crashworthiness tests (small overlap front driver-side, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraints & seats) came back Good, and the RDX earned 2017 Top Safety Pick+ — but that award relied on the optional Collision Mitigation Braking System (bundled only with the Advance package or the AcuraWatch Plus option) and an Acceptable headlight rating rather than Good, a weaker path to TSP+ than a car earning it on standard equipment.

Nothing in the AcuraWatch suite (forward collision warning/AEB, adaptive cruise, lane departure warning/LKAS) is standard on the base RDX — it is a separate AcuraWatch Plus option package (+$1,300), and blind-spot/rear-cross-traffic monitoring requires stacking the Technology package plus AcuraWatch on top of that (+$5,000 over base). Only the range-topping Advance package includes the full suite standard.

IIHS rated the optional Collision Mitigation Braking System Superior for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention (12 mph test: 11 mph speed reduction; 25 mph test: 16 mph reduction), but IIHS did not run a pedestrian AEB test on this generation, so there's no night/pedestrian data to corroborate a top-tier score, and the system is optional rather than standard.

Blind Spot Information and Rear Cross Traffic Monitor require the Technology package stacked with AcuraWatch — effectively a top-two-trim-only option on the volume RDX — and both are alert-only with no active braking intervention.

AcuraWatch Plus's Lane Keeping Assist on this generation nudges the car back toward lane center reactively rather than holding a smooth continuous line, typical of first-generation LKAS systems of this era, and it is optional rather than standard.

AcuraWatch Plus's Adaptive Cruise Control includes Low-Speed Follow, giving true full-speed-range operation down to a stop in traffic, but there is no combined 'highway assist' mode pairing ACC with lane centering, and the feature remains an optional package rather than standard.

No hands-free highway driving system existed on any 2017 Acura product; AcuraWatch in this era is a hands-on driver-assist suite only.

IIHS rated the RDX's standard LED projector headlights (low and high beam) Acceptable rather than Good, with no curve-adaptive or automatic high-beam capability offered on any trim.

Front and side sightlines are good with a commanding seating position, but this generation's small rear-quarter window is a recurring complaint in owner reports and Consumer Reports' review, creating a real driver's-side-rear blind zone that the optional blind-spot system (not standard) is needed to cover.

The RDX seats 5, so this item applies. LATCH lower anchors sit fairly deep in the seat bight but have little surrounding material to impede access, making connection fairly easy; the center-seat tether anchor is roof-mounted and blocks the rearview mirror when in use, a real but minor compromise for this generation.

Standard two-row, five-passenger configuration across all 2017 RDX trims; no three-row option is offered on this generation.

Manufacturer interior dimension for the volume trim, consistent across data sources.

Manufacturer-published front legroom figure for the 2017 RDX, unchanged since the 2013 second-generation redesign.

Second-row headroom for the volume trim; matches the published interior dimension range (38.1-38.7 in, min being rear).

Second-row legroom for the volume trim, a competitive figure for a compact luxury SUV of this generation.

The 2017 RDX is a strict two-row crossover with no third-row option at any trim level, so there is no seating to evaluate beyond rows one and two.

Cargo volume behind the rear seats for the volume trim, on the smaller end for the compact luxury SUV segment's full normalization range (which includes much larger three-row SUVs).

Maximum cargo volume with the 60/40-split second row folded flat.

Conventional but competitive console bin, door pockets, and a covered center console; no standout storage innovations for the class.

Reviewers generally praised the front seats as supportive and well-cushioned for long stints, with the optional Advance package adding heated/ventilated seats; rear bench is comfortable for two but tighter for three.

Soft damping tuned for comfort gives a calm, smooth ride over most surfaces, a consistent theme across contemporary reviews, though body control is unremarkable rather than class-leading.

Reviewers consistently noted a quiet, hushed cabin at speed as one of the RDX's strengths for the class, with some wind noise around the mirrors at highway speed.

Heated front seats are available from the Technology package up, with heated AND ventilated front seats plus a heated steering wheel added on the top Advance package; no rear-seat climate controls or remote pre-conditioning via AcuraLink were offered for 2017.

Entry FWD trim with destination charge included, per Acura's official 2017 pricing release.

AWD with the Technology Package was the volume configuration for the 2017 RDX, pairing the most popular drivetrain with the most-ordered option package.

Edmunds' True Cost to Own projects five-year scheduled maintenance plus repairs well below the compact-luxury-SUV segment norm, consistent with the RDX's Honda-derived mechanicals.

Industry residual estimates for the RDX cluster in the high-50s to low-60s percent range at 5 years, reflecting the model's historically strong resale among compact luxury SUVs; sources disagree by several points so the figure is averaged.

Standard Acura new-vehicle limited warranty for the 2017 model year.

Standard Acura powertrain warranty for the 2017 model year, longer than the bumper-to-bumper term but short of the 10-year terms offered by Hyundai/Kia/Genesis.

Acura did not bundle complimentary scheduled maintenance with a new 2017 RDX (unlike some European and Genesis/Hyundai rivals); coverage is limited to roadside assistance for the duration of the new-vehicle warranty, placing it in the basic-roadside-only band.

$41,865 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (58% retained, or about $24,282) leaves about $17,583 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,252 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $20,835 in total.

Sources corroborate but disagree on magnitude: J.D. Power rates the 2017 RDX a strong 82/100 Quality & Reliability ("Great"), while Consumer Reports' owner survey places it at about average for the model year, citing 12V power-plug electrical faults, alarm/security-system glitches, and some rough-shifting transmission complaints.

Acura has a long-standing reputation as one of the more dependable brands sold in the US, consistently landing in the upper tier of both Consumer Reports' brand reliability rankings and J.D. Power's dependability studies (above the industry average), a standing that predates and continues past this model year.

NHTSA shows just one recall for the 2017 RDX (campaign 17V256000), a minor certification-label printing defect (ink could be wiped off with alcohol solvent) remedied with a free label replacement — not a mechanical, powertrain, or safety-system issue.

The J35 3.5L SOHC V6 (carried into the 2016 facelift at 279 hp) is a long-proven Honda family with a strong high-mileage track record, but it uses Variable Cylinder Management and inherits the VCM oil-consumption/rear-bank spark-plug-fouling pattern documented across Honda's V6 fleet; AWD models also need regular rear-differential fluid changes to avoid groaning/shuddering in low-speed turns after ~60k miles.

Reviewers call the cabin competent but unexciting for the luxury-compact class: leather and brushed-metal trim feel acceptable and the available heated/cooled seats are a plus, but multiple outlets flag noticeable hard plastic and a "plain-Jane" ambiance that falls short of rivals like the Audi Q5.

Assembly quality is consistently described as solid — reviewers cite "great build quality" with no pattern of rattles or panel-gap complaints, consistent with its Honda/CR-V-shared platform and manufacturing.

Acura's US dealer network is smaller than mainstream-brand networks and has historically placed mid-pack among luxury brands in J.D. Power's Customer Service Index (4th among luxury brands in the 2013 CSI study, behind Lexus, Cadillac, and Jaguar) — adequate coverage with a respectable but not class-leading service reputation.

RepairPal rates the RDX 4.5/5 for reliability, ranked 1st of 11 luxury compact SUVs, with average annual repair cost of $497 (lower than the segment average) and below-average unscheduled shop visits (0.4/year); heavy parts-sharing with the mainstream Honda CR-V/Accord lineup keeps parts common and aftermarket support strong relative to import luxury rivals.

The second-generation RDX's AcuraLink dual-screen system pairs an 8-inch upper information display (controlled via the console dial, not touch) with a 7-inch touch-capable lower screen for phone, audio and climate functions.

The dual-screen setup splits functions awkwardly between two displays and a console dial/touchpad, and contemporary reviews frequently singled it out as confusing and slow to navigate relative to simpler single-screen rivals.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not offered on any 2017 RDX trim; factory support did not arrive until the third-generation 2019 redesign. Only aftermarket retrofit modules add it after the fact.

The Technology/Advance packages add Acura Navigation System with voice recognition and AcuraLink real-time traffic, but period reviewers describe the voice command set as rigid and the touch/dial-based navigation entry as fussy compared to contemporary rivals.

A 7-speaker Acura Premium Sound System is standard, stepping up to a 10-speaker ELS Studio premium system on the Technology package and above — a genuine step up in clarity, though not the later 3D/16-speaker ELS systems of newer Acuras.

The 2017 RDX uses traditional analog gauges with a small monochrome multi-information display between them; no configurable full-digital cluster was offered on any trim.

The 2017 RDX's infotainment system predates meaningful over-the-air update capability; map and system updates required dealer visits or SD-card/USB updates, not wireless delivery.

The AcuraLink Remote Package (subscription, with a free trial period) provides remote start/stop, lock/unlock, geofence and speed alerts, stolen-vehicle locator, and find-my-car — solid core remote functions, though gated behind a paid subscription after the trial.

Device charging is limited to legacy USB-A and a 12V accessory outlet; no USB-C, no wireless charging pad, and no household-style AC outlet were offered on the 2017 RDX.

Keyless Access System with proximity entry and pushbutton ignition is standard across all 2017 RDX trims, plus optional remote start via the AcuraLink app.

A Multi-View rear camera with guidelines is standard on all trims; front/rear parking sensors are available on the Advance package, but no 360-degree surround-view system was offered.

No head-up display was offered on the second-generation (2013-2018) RDX at any trim level; the feature did not arrive on RDX until later generations with the Advance package.

Wide rear door openings and a 38.3 in rear legroom figure make car-seat installation and daily loading manageable, with standard LATCH anchors on the outboard rear seats; the modest 26.1 cu ft cargo area behind the second row is a limiting factor for stroller-plus-gear duty.

AcuraWatch (forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise) is only standard on the top Advance package — on the base and Technology-package trims families are more likely to buy, it is a paid AcuraWatch Plus option ($1,300), leaving a real safety-feature gap at affordable trims.

A quiet, smooth-riding cabin suits multi-hour trips for four occupants, but rear-seat amenities are thin (no rear climate vents/controls standard, no rear entertainment option) and cargo space behind a loaded second row is on the small side for the segment.

Light, precise steering, a calm ride, and composed low-speed manners make the RDX an easy, low-fatigue daily driver, one of the car's consistently praised traits in period reviews.

The naturally-aspirated 3.5L V6 returns roughly 20/28/23 mpg city/highway/combined (FWD) — average-to-below-average for the segment at a time when turbocharged four-cylinder rivals were already posting better combined economy.

A compact footprint and a 38.9 ft curb-to-curb turning diameter make the RDX easy to place in city driving and parking garages, aided by a standard rear camera with guidelines.

Towing is capped at a modest 1,500 lbs with a 150 lb max tongue weight, well below truck-based or tow-oriented SUV rivals, and there is no bed or heavy-duty cargo floor — the RDX is not meaningfully work-capable.

The Honda-sourced 3.5L V6 and 6-speed automatic have a strong reliability reputation (J.D. Power rated the 2017 RDX 82/100, "Great" for quality and reliability), but the vehicle is a luxury-oriented crossover rather than one proven under fleet/work abuse.

No onboard power inverter, no washable work-oriented cargo liner as standard, and no upfit/rack ecosystem is offered — this is a luxury crossover with essentially no jobsite-focused provisions.

A quiet, composed highway ride and a roughly 400+ mile tank range on the V6 support long trips, but AcuraWatch adaptive cruise/lane-keeping driver aids are optional rather than standard on the trims most buyers choose, limiting fatigue reduction out of the box.

Acura's SH-AWD system (torque vectoring, available on all but base FWD trim) handles gravel roads and light winter conditions well, but ground clearance and off-pavement features are modest for a crossover with no low-range or adventure-oriented options.

A 60/40-split folding rear seat and roof rails (standard) provide reasonable gear-hauling flexibility, though the 61.3 cu ft maximum cargo volume with seats folded is modest next to larger segment rivals.

The RDX changes direction with poise and reasonable composure for a crossover, but reviewers consistently note it becomes less settled at higher cornering speeds and trails sportier European-badged rivals in outright agility.

Steering is light and precise enough for easy daily use, but multiple reviewers specifically fault its lack of feedback, which erodes driver confidence in spirited driving.

No specific complaints about brake feel or fade surfaced in period reviews, suggesting adequate, unremarkable stopping performance typical of the segment; no instrumented stopping-distance figure was found for the 2017 model year specifically.

The 3.5L SOHC V6 paired with a conventional 6-speed automatic (revised for 2016/2017 with the 279 hp update) delivers smooth, predictable power delivery without the hybrid/EV transition concerns of electrified rivals, though the 6-speed trails newer competitors' higher gear counts in outright refinement.

The V6 is reasonably refined and unobtrusive under normal driving, consistent with the quiet-cabin reputation of this generation RDX, though it becomes more vocal (without being harsh) under hard acceleration.

Manufacturer-published curb-to-curb turning diameter for the 2017 RDX, middling within the compact/mid-size SUV normalization band where lower is better.

Seat and wheel adjustability plus good outward visibility give a comfortable driving position for most body types, though the dual-screen center stack's split touch/dial controls are widely criticized as a distracting ergonomic compromise.

Reviewers describe the RDX as a comfortable, quiet cruiser rather than an engaging driver's SUV — pleasant to drive day-to-day but forgettable next to more enthusiast-oriented rivals, with numb steering undercutting any sense of involvement.

Base 2017 RDX FWD includes leather seating, power moonroof, proximity key entry, dual-zone climate control and a 10-way power driver seat for $36,665 — solid content for the price, but AcuraWatch active-safety features and AWD both cost extra, which keeps it short of class-leading.

A standard 279-hp V6 with more interior and cargo room than turbo-four rivals (Audi Q5, BMW X3) at a lower starting price was a consistent value theme in contemporary reviews, even as the tech felt a generation behind.

Ten configurations (FWD/AWD x Base, AcuraWatch Plus, Technology, Technology+AcuraWatch Plus, Advance) span a $35,670–$43,820 range, giving buyers a reasonable spread from base to loaded without a sprawling lineup.

The RDX sold 51,295 units in the US in 2017 and was the only nameplate in the compact luxury SUV segment to clear 50,000 units annually from 2015 onward — a clear segment sales leader, even with a modest 2% YoY dip.

Acura carries a reputation for reliability and value but lacks the aspirational pull of BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi in this segment — a neutral, not negative, brand effect on desirability and resale.

Modest dealer cash ($1,000) and competitive lease money factors/residuals were available but not steep discounting, consistent with a model selling near full volume rather than needing to be pushed.

2017 is a carry-over year on the second-generation RDX (2013–2018), one year after the 2016 facelift (revised V6, LED lighting, AcuraWatch Plus option) and roughly two years from the all-new third generation that arrived for 2019 — mid-to-late in its cycle with a redesign already on the horizon.

Reviewers consistently called the 2017 RDX one of the better choices in the compact luxury SUV class for interior room, V6 power and ride comfort, but it was rarely the outright winner against BMW X3/Audi Q5 in head-to-head comparisons and collected no major award in its final facelifted year.