2025 Acura RDX First Look

Acura's compact luxury crossover sees styling and tech tweaks.

Andrew Ganz | 

Aug 14, 2024 | 3 min read

Acura

The RDX has been a staple of Acura's lineup for the better part of two decades. The compact SUV is built on the same chassis as the Honda CR-V, but it gets a more powerful engine and an advanced all-wheel-drive system designed to provide cornering thrills. It's the brand's second-most popular model, behind the larger MDX.

For the 2025 model year, the RDX gets a mid-cycle update to help it compete with offerings such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Cadillac XT5, and Lexus NX. There are a host of changes inside and out. Here's what you need to know about the 2025 RDX.

Acura

The 2025 RDX Gets a New Grille Outside and an Updated Dash Inside

Up front, the RDX has a new grille, which does away with the chrome-like "frame" seen on last year's model. The center of the grille also has a new mesh-style pattern. This cleaner look extends to gloss-black trim around the side windows and is complemented by the dark finish of the standard 19-inch alloy wheels.

The sporty-looking A-Spec version now comes with redesigned 10-spoke 20-inch wheels finished in gray, while the available Advance Package features similarly styled wheels with a black finish. Acura has also added three new exterior colors to the palette: Solar Silver Metallic, Canyon River Blue, and Urban Gray Pearl.

Notable changes arrive inside, too, where the center console has been revamped with bigger cupholders and what Acura says is improved access to the optional wireless device charging pad. Models with the available Advance Package now have more ambient lighting, including bulbs hidden behind the silver-finish door speaker covers, and additional areas with leather upholstery.

Acura

The Touchpad Remains, With Full-Screen Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

While last year's RDX infotainment system used only part of the screen for smartphone projection, the standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto system now renders them across the full display.

Otherwise, the RDX's infotainment system sticks with a 10.2-inch screen largely controlled by a center console-mounted, laptop computer-style touchpad.

The RDX can be dressed up inside with leather upholstery, open-pore wood trim, and a 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D audio system. All models come with the AcuraWatch suite of crash-avoidance and driver-assistance tech, including forward-collision warning, front automated emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control.

Acura

The Latest RDX Sticks With All-Wheel Drive and Turbo Power

The RDX comes with a single powertrain setup: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It's teamed with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a rather sporty, rear-biased all-wheel-drive system with torque vectoring.

That means, the RDX can send up to 70% of the engine's torque to the rear axle and 100% to a single rear wheel in hard cornering. The RDX also includes a Snow drive mode for when the roads are covered with white stuff.

The Ohio-built 2025 RDX is set to hit dealers by the end of August 2024, though the automaker has not announced how much the revised model will cost. Including the $1,350 destination charge, the current model starts at around $46,000.

Andrew Ganz

Andrew Ganz has had cars in his blood ever since he gnawed the paint off of a diecast model as a toddler. After growing up in Dallas, Texas, he earned a journalism degree, worked in public relations for two manufacturers, and served as an editor for a luxury-lifestyle print publication and several well-known automotive websites. In his free time, Andrew loves exploring the Rocky Mountains' best back roads—when he’s not browsing ads for his next car purchase.