Our Opinion - 2026 Acura RDX Review The 2026 Acura RDX is a great choice if you want a small SUV that won’t break the bank. It doesn’t have as nice an interior as the Mercedes-Benz GLC-class or the BMW X3, but it’s still a fun ride and costs a lot less to buy than those SUVs. It comes with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 272 horsepower. The handling is quick, but we don’t like how soft the stop pedal feels. The cabin has enough space for everyone in both rows of seats, and it features many useful, high-tech features, such as a 10.2-inch infotainment screen that can be controlled via a touchpad on the center armrest or used as a touchscreen. The RDX is a high-end SUV that doesn’t cost a lot if you don’t mind how plain it looks. What's New? The RDX got a small hood makeover last year, but for 2026, there won’t be any big changes. Pros and Cons Pros It looks high-end and sporty. Very good handle. High marks for safety. Cons Hard to use a touchscreen touchpad. It takes a long time to leave the line. Where can you find the hybrid? Engine, Transmission, and Performance The RDX has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 272 horsepower. It comes with an automatic transmission with 10 speeds and all-wheel drive, or “SH-AWD” in Acura speak. Most drivers find it easy to get the RDX to move away from stoplights at low speeds. In some cars, the transmission can downshift faster when the driver uses the paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The RDX’s turbocharged engine makes a high-pitched growl when accelerating quickly, just like the NSX, which is no longer being made. Many of those sounds, though, come from the audio system and are sent into the cabin through the speakers. The RDX we tried came with 20-inch wheels and adaptive dampers, which let you change how the car rides. Our test car was never unpleasant or noisy, but on the roughest roads, it couldn’t protect the inside from major impacts. Along with precise-feeling handling, the torque-vectoring SH-AWD technology enabled the RDX to change direction quickly. The RDX we tried is very well balanced. The uneven firmness and sensitivity of the stop pedal made the ride less enjoyable. Safety Different types of driver-assistance technology come standard on all cars, but the Technology package adds extras. Some of these include blind-spot recognition, rear cross-traffic alert, and front- and rear-parking sensors. Visit the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) websites to learn more about the RDX’s crash test findings. The following are important safety features: Automatic emergency braking along with a standard forward collision alert. Standard lane exit warning and help staying in your lane It comes with adaptive speed control. Internal and External Cargo Capacity There are a lot of buttons, a touchpad, and a big rotary drive mode selection in the middle of the center stack. The model we looked at had flashy red seats and other style cues exclusive to the A-Spec. The RDX doesn’t look too fancy, even though it’s well-built and comes with nice basic features. While driving the Honda CR-V is more relaxed, the Acura is more exciting. The seat is low enough for drivers to be comfortable and high enough for SUV fans to be happy. The cabin doesn’t feel tacky or cheap. The second row can be removed from the back of the cargo hold, and the back row can be folded flat using handles on each side of the back seats. We could fit eight carry-on bags in the back of the RDX with the seats up. For 22 bags, we could fold the seats down. Fuel Economy and Actual MPG The 2025 model got up to 21 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg overall, but the EPA hasn’t yet released information on how fuel-efficient the 2026 RDX will be. As part of our thorough testing process, we put an RDX A-Spec through our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route. It got 26 mpg, which matches the EPA’s estimate. Visit the EPA website to learn more about the RDX’s fuel efficiency. Infotainment and Connectivity A 10.2-inch touchscreen is placed high on the dashboard of every RDX. A touchpad on the center panel can also be used to control it. We needed some time to adjust to it. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are all built into the RDX. The Technology package, which is extra, comes with an ELS Studio music system with 12 speakers, USB ports in the back seats, and navigation built right in. Range, Charging, and Battery Life The A-Spec model got to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds on our test track, which is about average for small luxury SUVs. Towing and Payload Capacity Other cars, like the BMW X3, can tow more than 4,000 pounds, while the RDX can only tow 1,500 pounds. Price and How to Choose Acura’s RDX could cost between $46,450 and $56,200 in 2026, depending on the model and options. We suggest the Technology model instead, which has a better sound system, GPS, more luxurious leather-trimmed seats, and other features. The A-Spec model, on the other hand, is expensive and doesn’t offer any significant performance gains. People who want adjustable dampers and a head-up display will have to pay more for the Advance grade, which significantly increases the price.
