2022 Lexus NX vs. 2022 Acura RDX: fully loaded
November 22 2021,
If there's one segment that's gaining momentum these days, it's the compact luxury SUV segment. Initially, these vehicles offered well-made environments, but as you climbed the ranks, you noticed a significant difference. That's no longer the case, and the two models we're putting face to face here are proof of that.
On the Acura side, the RDX, which is the bread and butter of this company, has been completely redesigned for 2019 and it has never been so well built. Its interior is rich and equipped with premium materials. However, despite all the good work that has been done with it, it falls short when compared to the new 2022 Lexus NX.
In fact, Lexus has surpassed itself with the renewal of its product, so that it becomes THE solution to choose in this category. Here's what makes it so.
Lexus 4 Acura 1
Under the hood of our two belligerents, the score is not close. Acura relies on a single engine to power its SUV, a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder that suggests a capacity of 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.
That's good, but how can it compete with the NX, which offers consumers four options?
Four!
First, there's a base version (250) with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. Power: 203 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Affordable simplicity for access to a luxury vehicle. Next, a new 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine offers 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. This is the RDX's direct rival, with more capability.
And the offer doesn't stop there. A 2.5-litre 4-cylinder Atkinson cycle engine is available in hybrid (239 hp) and plug-in hybrid (302 hp) configurations. We're talking about the 350 h and 450 h+ models.
450 h+
In this case, we have something that is not offered anywhere else by Acura, namely a model with electric range. Specifically, the NX 450h+ can travel 61 kilometers without using a drop of gas when fully charged. This simple argument makes for an uneven playing field with the RDX.
Multimedia system
Until last year, Lexus and Acura each offered a multimedia system that was, shall we say, complex to access. At the heart of each approach was a touchpad whose main characteristic was imprecision.
This year, Lexus has completely revised its approach with its new multimedia system. The result is spectacular; we've never enjoyed such user-friendly access to the functions offered. At Acura, we still have to deal with the touchpad, which is, to put it mildly, a pain in the ass. It ruins the driving experience, no less.
With a new NX on the market, the competition will have to rethink their proposals, because a new benchmark has just been thought up. Acura will have to go back to the drawing board.
