Acura’s RDX is company’s first true compact/crossover SUV. Yes, we know that Acura made the MDX but after it outgrew its segment, the only heir was the RDX, and thankfully it is now being prepared for the 2019 MY. It is now in its second gen face lift and it is expected that the 2019 MY will represent third gen of the RDX which will have some major changes which will be revolutionary, for the lack of a better word.

2019 Acura RDX Changes

The focus of the design change will be the RDX’s new grille up front, but the company will not forget the interior, which should get a nice reworking as well. Company is definitely planning something huge for the 2019 Acura RDX, and we know that for a fact because the competitors in this segment are not to be taken lightly. With names like the Audi Q5, the BMW X3,Land Rover Evoque, and the Mercedes GLC, Acura is up for a huge fight for its place in the segment, but knowing just how they operate, it will not be that difficult.

Exterior

Since we are on the topic of the design let’s start from the outside. The 2019 Acura RDX has been spied heavily these past months but it is always under a hefty amount of camo so there is not much to pick out here, but one thing is for sure, the company has ditched that ugly nose and in the gen three we will have a possibly MDX-like nose with similarly shaped grille to complete the look. Headlights slightly resemble the Acura’s Jewel-Eye units, but we presume that they will be heavily revised for the 2019 Acura RDX, and will have unique sleek look and LED strips. The front bumper will be graced with a larger corner vents and long LED fog lights. Between them will be housed a wide mouth air dam that will have a task of forcing cold air to the transmission and the radiator.

The side profile will get changed as well and in the 3rd gen we will see some muscular wheel wells up front, but the back ones will be a lot flush with the body. The below the belt lines will be subtle and rounded and will not give off any particular aggressive look, they are basically there to keep things interesting.

At the back of the vehicle the taillights are mounted high and they have an angle that kind of resembles a pair of angry eyebrows. They will probably get a unique matrix with LED technology (at least the top trims will), and they will most likely wrap around rear quarters. Below the rear bumper there is a pair of exhaust tips divided by the middle by what seems to by a spare tire.

Interior

The interior changes will probably blow you away since the company has decided to revamp the entire inside of the car. We expect a lot of changes inside starting with the integration of their dual display setup to a single, larger, tablet-like display that will most likely integrate the HVAC controls into it as well which will offer a lot cleaner and sleeker dash with few buttons and more style. Acura should also consider using more upscale materials, because those on the previous generations looked a lot cheaper and they definitely will not be able to stack against names like BMW, Range Rover or Mercedes. This does not mean a whole bunch of leather all around instantly but top dash and parts of the door trim are OK to expect, while the top trims might offer leather upholstery throughout. If Acura decides to follow on current trends we should also recommend to expect a redesigned shifter, new center console, new steering wheel, and an updated instrument cluster.

Engine and specs

The engine choices are going to get rather interesting. So far, the RDX was powered by a 3.5 L V6 (in all trim levels) which offered 279 HP at 6.200 rpm and 252 lb-ft of torque at 4.900 rpm. The speculations are that the 2019 Acura RDX might utilize the Type R’s 2.0 L turbo engine, but not the 310 HP beast, but a detuned variant that is used in the new Accord that’s got a linear torque curve. Since this unit is set up for the FWD only we presume that, if it makes to the engine department of the RDX, a new transmission will be in order (with more than six speeds most likely) since the RDX will be and AWD vehicle. The suspension on the other hand will not suffer a lot of changes, especially if the RDX is set to stay around the $40.000 price mark. The only possibility here is that some of the upper trim models might get some sort of active suspension setup but that is as far as it will go.

Release date and price

Since we mentioned the price, we should remind you that the entry level 2018 RDX was priced around $35,800 and it wouldn’t be out of the question if the 2019 MY starts at $38.000-$39.000 especially if the Acura goes with the finer things from now on. The price of the upper trims might very likely reach the $41.000-$42.000 price range and it would still be OK since the competitors like X3 currently start at around $40,000 and the Q5 comes in above $41,000, which gives the company some maneuvering space. Expect to see new 2019 RDX prototype in January at the Detroit Auto Show.

Read more on this site. http://www.motortrend.com/cars/acura/rdx/2019/2019-acura-rdx-prototype-first-look-review/

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