SUV FINALISTS

Acura RDX

WE LIKE Winding road handling, excellent packaging WE DON'T LIKE Vague brakes, infotainment interface

Acura has stepped up its game with the new RDX, but it’s reaching in trying to be all things to all buyers.

There is confusion about what the RDX is trying to be. “It’s torn between luxurious like a Lincoln, sporty like an Alfa, or techy like an Audi; those can cancel each other out,” Christian Seabaugh said.

With a powerful engine derived from the Civic Type R’s, the RDX sends power to all four wheels via Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. We enjoyed it on winding roads in Sport+ mode, but it lacked the emotion we expected.

Overall, “the drive, the package, and the cargo space at the price Acura is asking make this a fairly compelling prospect,” Frank Markus said.

However, there was one unanimous complaint: the RDX’s vague brake feel and response. Slowing down precisely was frustrating for many. “Trying to make a stop sign is much harder than it needs to be,” Scott Evans said.

The exterior design is a step forward for Acura, but its busy lines and massive grille and logo kept it from winning our hearts. Inside, there’s a steep learning curve to control the infotainment system via its touchpad, which Angus MacKenzie called “distractingly difficult to use on the road.”

We also highlighted its active safety tech, like the accurate lane keeping software and the adaptive cruise control, which maintained a set speed on steep downhills.

“I was