Looking at the 2011 Acura RDX

Things remained pretty much the same after the 2011 Acura RDX after its 2010 freshening.

The compact SUV can seat up to five passengers and has a single trim level, either with front or all-wheel drive systems. It runs on a 240 hp 2.3 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine together with a 5 speed automatic transmission. Its max towing capacity is 1,500 pounds.

Available safety features include traction control, ABS, front and curtain-side airbags, and an antiskid system. It also has leather upholstery, wireless cell phone link, heated front seats, and a rearview camera standard.

A Technology package is available as a separate model. It comprises of a navigation system that’s voice activated, with real time traffic and weather information as well as a premium sound system with 10 speakers.

While the average premium compact vehicle would normally rate a 59.2, the Acura RDX gets a total score of 62, which is significantly larger.

They described the vehicle’s acceleration as “snappy”, but this is after the turbo the turbo has kicked in, which takes a while for it to happen. The transmission, however, runs smoothly and is very responsive. Acceleration is rated 7.

You’re going to need premium-grade gas for the RDX. In terms of fuel economy, the 4-cylinder compact SUV is best kept for driving mostly within the city and along the highways. Fuel economy is rated 4.

Testers also notice that the vehicle tends to jiggle and buck when running on cracked or otherwise not smooth road surfaces, so its ride quality gets a rating of 4.

Thanks to its firm-ride suspension, the RDX turns out to be quite an agile SUV. It’s got a strong grip on both wet and dry surfaces and its lean body makes it great for making fast turns. Steering feels a bit heavy when the vehicle is running too slowly, but it gives a solid road feel overall. Its brakes also give a great stopping control. Thus, steering, handling, and braking get a rating of 6.

The smooth movement of this SUV generally makes it a quiet vehicle, but there were instances where the testers heard a turbo whine when accelerating. So in terms of quietness, the RDX gets a 6.

Controls are large enough and are generally easily accessible, so they are rated a 6.

Considering the vehicle’s price level, the RDX seems to have lacked in terms of coherence in the use of colors and texture, so it gets a 5 in details.

The front row and drivers seats are quite comfortable, with lots of legroom. The seats are also firm. However, the back row seats tend to have less legroom because the front takes most of it. The front row comfort factor gets a 7 while the back row seating gets a 5.

There’s good cargo room at the back of the car with a nicely flattened floor. Thanks to the large door pockets and door armrest bins, there’s so much room for keeping stuff inside the car. Thus, cargo gets an 8.