Acura (and parent company Honda) don’t regularly build turbocharged engines but rather they prefer to use VTEC variable valve timing technology that is decidedly more advanced and controlled than what essentially amounts to attaching a blow-drier to the combustion chambers. ( Note: A turbo recycles exhaust gas and blows it back into the combustion chamber thereby creating more power. You know, kind of like blowing on a camp fire to get it going?) As such, the 2011 Acura RDX is a bit of a wild child in the Acura lineup. It’s not quite as mainstream and roomy as an MDX so if you have more than two kids or coach Little League you will probably want to upsize. It also looks and drives more like a really tall VW GTI which makes it a rather rare proposition in the luxury compact SUV segment. Yes, dear readers, the 2011 Acura RDX’s main selling point is the fact that it rides and handles much like a hot hatchback like the Golf based GTI. And in case you were wondering if a turbo removed all of the glorious “Acura-ness” from the RDX’s standard 2.3 liter 4-cylinder then I will tell you that it did not. In fact, this little turbo Acura engine has more spunk and charisma in just 4 of its 16-valves than any velvety V6 used in a competing SUV. So the question is, can you handle a luxury SUV with an engine that actually makes a sporty noise or are you going to buy a Lexus? Exterior Styling While the RDX lacks a bit of the fluid grace of the MDX it is still handsome in that “they’re everywhere” SUV fashion. I will admit one preference with the RDX’s color as I didn’t think the gray exterior or interior hues of my test model flattered the design work done on this vehicle. Last year I tested a black on black RDX and that coloring really helped the chrome door handles pop and made the proportions seem chunkier. The RDX is an easier car to understand visually in a really dark color but that is, of course, just my opinion. In black I thought the RDX looked like Darth Vader’s luxury SUV. In gray I didn’t really get that feeling of ominous cool. Interior Design and Quality Now, again, I was not as big a fan of my test RDX with the gray interior in light of how stylish and elegant it looks in black. Perhaps I just think the chrome and matte gray trim that adorn the interior are best highlighted by a black backdrop. But some people just prefer to live a gray existence. I will at least say that Acura Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society
