Acura Keeps Things Quiet Inside Refreshed ’22 RDX

Acura refreshes its RDX midsize CUV for 2022 with sporty exterior restyling and a quieter and more premium interior.  

Arriving at dealers nationwide beginning Nov. 2, the 5-passenger RDX also features a retuned suspension and standard technology including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and built-in Amazon Alexa.

An expanded color palette adds Phantom Violet Pearl, Liquid Carbon Metallic and Long Beach Blue Pearl, the latter available exclusively on the limited-production PMC Edition.

Also new for 2022 are a dynamic exterior design inspired by the MDX flagship CUV; an enhanced Active Sound Control system designed to reduce road noise and increase cabin quietness on all models; and Acura IconicDrive, part of the Technology Package trim, offering 27 unique interior lighting color combinations including 24 inspired by iconic driving destinations around the world.

Genuine aluminum trim on the doors, dash and center console is standard on the refreshed RDX. New for 2022 is an upscale bronze finish applied to the aluminum, available on RDX models equipped with the Saddle Brown interior. Advance Package models feature open-pore real wood trim in these areas.

Acura focused on making the cabin of the ’22 RDX (pictured, below) quieter. A new front fender liner reduces road noise and the Active Sound Control system has been enhanced to further cancel exterior sounds. The engine’s cold idle speed has been reduced from 1,100 rpm to 950 rpm.

Included with the Technology Package is a new, thicker carpet padding. The front doors and D-pillar receive new sound insulators, plus acoustic glass to further reduce road and wind noise. A new and thicker noise insulation pad in the dash reduces engine noise further.

Acura RDX_2022 interior

Advance Package models feature the quietest cabin in RDX history, Acura says. This is achieved with an additional sound insulator in the ceiling, and even more sound insulation added to the dash, under the hood and over the drivetrain tunnel. The rear doors also receive an insulator and acoustic glass. In the cargo area, the cargo bins now feature sound insulation, and the rear hatch inner covering has additional sound deadening materials.

For 2022, a blindspot information driver-assist system is standard on RDX and adds a Lane Change Assist feature. The new system’s detection range extends to nearly 100 ft. (29.5 m) behind the vehicle, more than four times as far as before.

Standard parking sensors on RDX with Technology Package integrate a new front and rear low-speed braking system. When the vehicle is driving forward or reversing between 1 and 6 mph, (1.6-9.6 km), the system can detect objects in front of or behind the vehicle and assess if there is danger of a collision. If an object is detected, the system provides visual and audible alerts, and applies throttle control and braking.

Standard on every RDX, the AcuraWatch suite of safety and driver assistance technologies also get an update. A new traffic sign recognition system uses a camera, rather than GPS location, for more accurate speed limit information displayed on the 7-in. (18-cm) digital instrument screen and on the head-up display on Advance Package models. The Collision Mitigation Braking System with forward collision warning (FCW) has been updated with pedestrian AEB, which operates at speeds above 6 mph.

The RDX is powered by a 272-hp 2.0L turbo-4, which Acura claims is one of the most powerful standard engines in its class. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic with standard Sequential SportShift paddle shifters.

Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive with true torque vectoring is available on all RDX grades and is standard on the Advance Package and PMC Edition.

The base front-wheel-drive RDX and RDX with Technology Package are rated by the EPA at 22 mpg (10.7 L/100 km) city, 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) highway and 24 mpg (9.8 L/100 km) combined. The RDX, RDX with Technology Package and RDX with Advance Package, all with Super-Handling AWD, are rated at 21 mpg (11.2 L/100 km), 27 mpg (8.7 L/100 km) highway and 23 mpg (10.2 L/100 km) combined.

A hand-crafted RDX PMC Edition, with production limited to just 200 units, will be available at launch. Each PMC Edition will be adorned exclusively in Long Beach Blue Pearl paint with Orchid Milano leather interior, both colors shared with the electrified 600-hp NSX Type S supercar.

Acura has not yet released pricing information for the ’22 RDX.

Acura RDX_22 rear