2018 Acura RDX

Single engine across the 2018 RDX lineup (final year of the second generation before the 2019 redesign): 3.5L SOHC i-VTEC V6.

Peak torque for the sole 3.5L V6 offered on the 2018 RDX.

Instrumented test result for an AWD Technology Package 2018 RDX; representative of the volume AWD configuration.

The naturally aspirated V6 delivers smooth, predictable power with no turbo lag, but reviewers considered it adequate rather than strong for the segment and unremarkable next to rivals' turbocharged fours.

The 6-speed automatic shifts smoothly in normal driving and was praised by some reviewers as flawless, but it trails segment rivals already on 8- and 9-speed units, and 2017-2018 models carry a factory-extended warranty (10yr/150k mi) for a torque-converter lock-up shudder (DTC P0741).

Acura does not publish a tow package for the RDX; 1,500 lbs is the unbraked-trailer figure common to this unibody crossover across trims.

AWD with Acura's Intelligent Control System is offered across the trim range as an upgrade from standard FWD, but it is a basic on-demand torque-split system without the torque-vectoring sophistication of the SH-AWD system introduced on the next generation.

Pavement-oriented crossover with modest 8.1 in. unladen ground clearance, no low-range, locking differential, skid plates or off-road-tuned trim.

Single powertrain for 2018 — the 3.5L V6 paired with a 6-speed automatic, offered only with FWD or AWD drivetrain choices. No turbo, hybrid, or electrified variant existed until the following generation's Sport Hybrid.

AWD is the volume configuration for the RDX in this segment; FWD scores one MPG better across the board.

EPA city figure for the AWD volume trim.

EPA highway figure for the AWD volume trim.

EPA-derived range on a full tank for the AWD volume trim.

EPA estimate at 15,000 mi/yr; pushed toward the high end of the segment band by the combination of premium fuel and 22 MPG combined.

The 3.5L V6 requires premium unleaded (91 octane) across every 2018 trim, adding real ongoing cost versus regular-fuel segment rivals.

NHTSA's full 5-star suite for the 2018 RDX, carried over unchanged from the 2016 facelift generation; only the rollover sub-score misses the top mark.

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 2018 Top Safety Pick — but not TSP+, since that tier requires Good headlights and the RDX's LED projector units rated only Acceptable, and the award applies only when the optional front crash prevention (CMBS) is fitted.

AcuraWatch Plus (ACC, CMBS/AEB, FCW, LDW, LKAS) is not standard on any trim except the range-topping Advance Package — it is a standalone option on the base model and on the volume Technology Package, and blind-spot monitoring/RCTA require stepping up to Technology Package or higher. A buyer of the mainstream RDX trim gets none of this suite without paying extra.

When the optional Collision Mitigation Braking System is fitted, IIHS rated front crash prevention Superior, cutting impact speed by 11 mph from a 12 mph test and 16 mph from a 25 mph test — the top tier of IIHS's scale. Score reflects the system's measured capability; availability is already penalized separately under 3.2.1.

Blind Spot Information and rear cross-traffic alert are alert-only (no steering or braking intervention) and locked out of the base trim, becoming available starting with the Technology Package — roughly the middle and up of the five-trim range, not standard and not universal.

LKAS functions as a lane-keeping nudge rather than true centering, and owner/reviewer feedback is mixed — some found it steady on straight highway stretches, others reported it 'ping-ponging' between lane edges and lacking confidence.

AcuraWatch's ACC includes Low-Speed Follow, capable of bringing the RDX to a full stop and resuming in traffic, operating up to 90 mph when tracking a lead vehicle — functionally complete, but reviewers noted it trails rival ACC systems in smoothness and confidence.

No hands-free highway driving system existed on the RDX or anywhere in Acura's 2018 lineup; AcuraWatch required hands on the wheel at all times.

IIHS rated the standard LED projector headlights Acceptable across every 2018 RDX trim — no configuration reaches Good, which is also why the RDX fell short of Top Safety Pick+.

Direct sightlines through the windows and mirrors are good and a multiview rear camera is standard, but the 2016 facelift grew the C/D pillars and shrank glass area, creating a known rear-quarter blind spot that reviewers flagged.

IIHS's LATCH evaluation was mixed by configuration — Acceptable overall on the base trim but Marginal overall on the AcuraWatch Plus-equipped configuration — reflecting inconsistent anchor geometry and ease of use depending on trim rather than a uniformly good or bad result.

Two-row-only compact crossover across all 2018 RDX trims.

Consistent across all 2018 RDX trims (no moonroof deduction published separately).

Front legroom for the 2018 RDX, single body configuration.

Second-row headroom, applicable since the RDX seats 5.

Second-row legroom, a competitive figure for the compact luxury SUV class.

The RDX has never offered a third row in any generation; the 2018 model is strictly a 5-seat two-row crossover, so this is scored at the bottom of the band per the 'no third row' rule.

Cargo volume behind the second row, a small figure for the segment and one of the RDX's acknowledged weak points versus newer rivals.

Maximum cargo with the 60/40 rear seatback folded; Acura/Honda News publishes both a standard SAE figure (61.3) and a larger alternate measurement (76.9) — the SAE figure is used for cross-fleet comparability.

Conventional console storage, door pockets, rear-seat pockets and rear door pockets are present, plus rear-seat heater ducts/vents, but nothing distinctive versus segment rivals — no giga-console or standout innovation.

Reviewers of the 2016-2018 facelift RDX consistently praised supportive, comfortable front seats with 8-way power adjustment and available heating; rear bench is adequate but not segment-leading.

The Amplitude Reactive Dampers give a well-tuned suspension that soaks up bumps without being floaty; reviewers describe it as straddling comfort and athleticism competently, though it no longer has the sharper Super-Handling AWD-era dynamics of the first-generation RDX.

Acoustic glass is not called out on the spec sheet and the platform dates to 2013; contemporary reviews note the cabin as reasonably composed at highway speed but not class-leading for quietness versus newer German rivals.

Heated front seats are standard on every trim; the Technology Package adds heated second-row seats and GPS-linked dual-zone automatic climate, and the top Advance/Elite package adds ventilated front seats — a solid but not best-in-class spread.

2018 is the final year of the facelifted second-generation RDX, a pure carryover from 2017 with no pricing structure changes. Entry price is the single FWD base trim before any of the four option packages.

The RDX is sold as a single trim with stackable packages rather than named trims. The Technology + AcuraWatch Plus combination (navigation, ELS audio, adaptive cruise and the full AcuraWatch driver-assist suite) on AWD is the configuration most closely matching what became the de facto volume trim on later generations; most buyers in this segment choose AWD.

Inexpensive to keep for a luxury compact SUV — the proven, naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 and 6-speed automatic are simple, well-worn Honda/Acura mechanicals with no turbo or dual-clutch complexity, and RepairPal's annual figure runs well under the segment average.

Above-average residuals for compact luxury — Acura's reliability reputation and steady demand (2018 was a record sales year for the nameplate) keep depreciation under the segment norm, consistent across RDX generations given the similar ownership profile.

Acura's standard 4-year/50,000-mile new-vehicle limited warranty, unchanged across this generation — par for luxury brands, matching the German three and trailing Genesis/Hyundai/Kia.

6 years/70,000 miles beats the German 4/50 standard but sits near the bottom of the framework's 5–10 year band, well short of Hyundai/Kia/Genesis's 10/100.

No complimentary factory-scheduled maintenance program existed yet for the RDX — that was introduced in MY2023. 2018 buyers get only the standard 4-year/50,000-mile Acura Care roadside assistance bundled with the new-vehicle warranty and a complimentary trial of AcuraLink connected services (collision notification, find-my-car) — real but thin next to rivals bundling multi-year maintenance.

$43,495 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (56% retained, or about $24,357) leaves about $19,138 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,252 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $22,390 in total.

Consumer Reports rated the 2018 RDX below average among its 2018 peers, with owner-reported trouble spots in the climate system (AC compressor and refrigerant leaks). Third-party aggregated scoring puts it mid-pack rather than top-tier for the generation's final year.

Acura has historically scored above the industry average in J.D. Power's U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study, generally mid-pack rather than top-5, with the brand's well-documented ZF 9-speed transmission problems (MDX/TLX V6) during this era hurting its overall standing even though the RDX itself used a conventional 6-speed and wasn't directly affected.

The 2013-2018 (second-generation, pre-facelift and 2016-facelift) RDX carries one significant NHTSA campaign specific to this model year: a fuel pump impeller recall (stall risk) issued in late 2023 as part of a broad Honda/Acura fuel-pump campaign spanning 2013-2023 production. It's a real safety recall (engine stall risk) but a known, well-understood fix shared across the Honda/Acura lineup rather than an RDX-specific systemic defect.

The 2018 RDX uses Honda/Acura's SOHC 3.5L J35 V6 (279 hp after the 2016 facelift) with Variable Cylinder Management and a conventional 6-speed automatic -- a long-proven, high-mileage powertrain family with a strong reputation for durability, distinct from the problem-prone ZF 9-speed used elsewhere in the lineup. The main known wear issue is VCM-related oil consumption/spark plug fouling on neglected maintenance intervals, not a structural defect.

Reviewers of the facelifted second-generation RDX credited improved materials and standard/available leather over the first generation, but criticized painted silver plastic trim and an overall cabin ambiance described as plain for a luxury-badged vehicle -- competitive but not class-leading for the price.

As the final model year of a mature, unchanged-since-2016-facelift platform, the 2018 RDX benefits from a settled assembly process with no widely reported rattle, panel-gap, or initial-quality complaints specific to this year -- solid but unremarkable.

Acura's roughly 270-dealer US network is thinner than the German luxury rivals and even some domestic-adjacent competitors, and the brand's 2018 J.D. Power Customer Service Index standing was weak -- ranked near the bottom of the study with most categories scoring 2 out of 5.

Sharing its platform and much of its mechanical hardware with the high-volume Honda CR-V/Civic family keeps parts reasonably available and repair costs below the luxury-SUV norm, though Acura-specific trim and electronics parts still carry a dealer-network premium rather than true mass-market pricing.

The 2018 RDX uses Acura's second-generation dual-screen AcuraLink system rather than a single touchscreen; the 8-in upper display (Technology Package and up) is the figure most commonly used for cross-vehicle comparison, though it is operated via a control pad rather than direct touch.

The dual-screen setup, controlled by two adjacent input pads rather than direct touch, was widely criticized as unintuitive and a step behind simpler single-touchscreen rivals; the system persisted largely unchanged from 2013 through this final 2018 model year.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were not offered on any 2018 RDX trim, factory-wired or wireless; the feature only arrived with the redesigned third-generation RDX for model year 2019.

The Technology Package's Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition and 3D View, plus Siri Eyes Free, is functional but period-typical rather than a natural-language assistant; base trims have no navigation at all.

A 360-watt, 7-speaker premium system is standard on every trim, stepping up to a 410-watt, 10-speaker ELS Studio Premium system with hard-disk media storage on Technology Package and above — a strong spread for the era.

The 2018 RDX retains conventional analog gauges with only a small supplemental colour TFT multi-info display between them, not a reconfigurable full-digital cluster.

AcuraLink (Technology Package and up) provides cloud-connected remote services, but 2018-era AcuraLink had no whole-vehicle or infotainment-map OTA software update capability — connected telematics, not software delivery.

The AcuraLink app (Technology Package and up, subscription after a 1-year trial) offers remote start, lock/unlock, vehicle locate, geofencing and concierge services — solid core functionality for the era but subscription-gated and not available on the base trim.

Only two 12-volt outlets and a single USB device connector plus an auxiliary jack are offered — no USB-C, no wireless charging pad, and no rear-row device power, sparse even by 2018 standards.

Smart entry with push-button start is standard across the lineup, and the Technology Package adds a bi-directional remote engine starter plus the AcuraLink app for remote lock/unlock — comprehensive for the segment, though app-based remote start requires the Technology trim and a subscription.

A multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines is standard, and the Technology Package adds Cross Traffic Monitor, but front/rear parking sensors are reserved for the top Advance (Elite) package and no 360-degree surround-view camera is offered on any trim.

No head-up display was offered on any 2018 RDX trim; Acura introduced the RDX's first HUD with the redesigned 2019 model year on the Advance Package.

LATCH anchors are provided in the second row and rear door openings are reasonably sized for a compact crossover, but the modest 38.3 in rear legroom and narrow cargo area behind the second row (26.1 cu ft) make car-seat installs and stroller loading merely adequate rather than a segment benchmark.

AcuraWatch driver-assist features (Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist) are standard equipment across every 2018 RDX trim including the base model, a strong family-safety proposition that doesn't require upgrading to the priciest trim.

Rear-seat vents and heater ducts and a comfortable second-row bench support moderate-length family trips, but limited cargo space (26.1 cu ft behind the second row) constrains luggage capacity once the row is occupied.

The naturally aspirated V6 and conventional 6-speed automatic deliver smooth, predictable low-speed manners without the lag or jerkiness of some turbocharged or dual-clutch rivals, and the RDX's compact-SUV footprint keeps it easy to live with in traffic.

EPA combined economy of 22-23 mpg trails many rivals, and the engine recommends premium unleaded fuel, pushing real per-mile commuting costs above segment norms.

A 38.9-ft curb-to-curb turning circle and compact-crossover dimensions with a standard rearview camera make the RDX manageable in urban settings, though it lacks the 360-degree camera or front sensors of pricier rivals on lower trims.

A 1,500 lb maximum towing capacity (unbraked-trailer territory) and no payload or cargo-area work features make the RDX a poor fit for towing or hauling work loads.

Acura/Honda mechanicals have a reputation for reliability, but the RDX is a luxury-oriented crossover with leather/leatherette trim and no fleet or commercial-duty positioning, so there is no track record of hard-use work durability.

No onboard power inverter, no tie-down or upfit ecosystem, and carpeted (not washable) cargo surfaces on all but the lowest trim — the RDX offers essentially no jobsite-oriented provisions.

A 60-litre (15.9-gal) tank and 22-23 mpg combined yield roughly 350-365 miles of highway range, and the Technology Package's Adaptive Cruise Control reduces fatigue on long stints, though ACC and navigation are not standard on the base trim.

AWD with Intelligent Control System is available (standard on many US trims), but ground clearance of just 137 mm (5.4 in) and no low-range or terrain modes limit the RDX to light gravel/unpaved use rather than genuine off-pavement capability.

A 60/40 split-fold rear seatback and a usable 61.3 cu ft maximum cargo volume (seats folded) handle normal luggage and moderate gear, though the segment-small 26.1 cu ft behind the second row is a squeeze for bulkier equipment with passengers aboard.

Reviewers describe the second-generation RDX as 'nimble by SUV standards' and well-controlled in corners, but note that it has lost the sharper, corner-carving character of the original Super-Handling AWD-equipped first-generation RDX in favor of a comfort-leaning tune.

The Motion-Adaptive Electric Power-Assisted rack-and-pinion steering is accurate enough for daily use but, typical of electric power steering systems of this era, offers little genuine road feedback.

Ventilated front/solid rear disc brakes with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist provide adequate, unremarkable stopping performance; no instrumented stopping-distance figures were found for the 2018 model specifically.

The naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 paired with a conventional 6-speed automatic (with Grade Logic Control and SportShift paddles) delivers smooth, lag-free power delivery, though the 6-speed is fewer ratios than many contemporaries' 8/9-speed or CVT setups.

The V6 has a pleasant enough note under load with the Active Sound Control system tuning cabin sound, but the SOHC V6 is not a standout for refinement versus newer turbocharged four-cylinder rivals that run quieter at cruise.

Same turning diameter across FWD and AWD configurations for the 2018 RDX.

An 8-way power driver's seat with memory and a tilt/telescoping wheel give good seating adjustability and sightlines typical of a compact crossover, but the dual-pad AcuraLink control interface complicates the center-stack ergonomics versus simpler single-touchscreen rivals.

The RDX is a competent, comfort-biased crossover rather than an enthusiast's choice; reviewers consistently frame it around ride comfort and everyday usability rather than driving enjoyment, and it lacks the sportier SH-AWD character of the original RDX.

The $36,995 base FWD trim is fairly plain by design — the AcuraWatch driver-assist suite, navigation and ELS audio are all paid add-on packages (AcuraWatch Plus, Technology) rather than standard, a generation behind the third-gen RDX that bundled AcuraWatch as standard from launch. It's in line with other 2018 luxury-compact rivals that also charged extra for driver assists, so it's competitive rather than sparse.

Good bang-for-buck: a standard 279-hp 3.5L V6 where several rivals charge more for a comparable turbo-four, and a fully-loaded Advance AWD still undercuts $45,200 while matching or beating four-cylinder German rivals on power. Marked down from the top band by the dated single-engine lineup and no hybrid option.

Ten configurations (five packages × FWD/AWD) span $36,995 to $45,195, giving real price granularity, but there are no distinct named trims — just a single base car with stackable option packages — and only one engine and transmission throughout, versus rivals offering multiple powertrains.

2018 was a record year for the nameplate even as the generation aged out — RDX was the retail best-seller in the premium midsize CUV category and the #3 retail-selling vehicle in all of luxury, up sharply over 2017.

Acura is a respected second-tier luxury brand known for reliability, engineering and value, with loyal repeat buyers, but it lacks the aspirational pull of the German three or Lexus's prestige.

As the outgoing generation ahead of the 2019 redesign, Acura ran loyalty cash (up to $2,500 for returning RDX owners) and lease specials in the $500–$595/month range — real deals existed, but record-pace retail sales meant no desperation pricing.

2018 is the final model year of the second generation (2013, facelifted 2016), with the all-new third-generation RDX already revealed in prototype form in January 2018 and entering production that May for the 2019 model year — about as imminent a replacement as this item measures.

Well reviewed for its smooth V6, strong value and cargo room, and earned IIHS Top Safety Pick plus a 5-star NHTSA overall rating, but reviewers consistently dinged the confusing dual-screen/touchpad-and-dial infotainment controls, and it never won a Car and Driver 10Best or NACTOY award.