Acura is on a new-product rampage, and there has never been a better time to keep your eye on your local Acura dealership. With a focus on quality, value and advanced style and technology, the automaker will be releasing a series of new models designed to help comprise the best Acura lineup yet.
"Over the next 24 months, the Acura brand will unleash a series of new models that will remake our product lineup and shake up the luxury market," said Jeff Conrad, vice president and general manager of Acura. "Acura will once again defy conventional wisdom to become one of the top luxury brands by creating luxury vehicles based on our own unique values."
Those values include efficient performance, premium design and affordability, all of which can be found in one of the new models that Conrad mentions, the popular RDX Crossover SUV.
The compact crossover competes primarily with the Mercedes Benz GLK 350 and Audi Q5. With that in mind, Acura has upgraded the RDX for the 2013 model year to make it an even more appealing alternative than ever to its pricey European competitors.
Engineers tackled the new RDX with an eye for boosting efficiency and performance. The result is a new six-speed automatic transmission, a new lock-up torque converter and a new engine. Replacing the turbocharged four-cylinder unit found in the outgoing RDX will be a standard 3.5-litre V6 that generates 273 horsepower, or some 33 percent more than the powerplant it replaces. Fuel economy has also improved thanks in part to a new, lighter All Wheel Drive (AWD) system. The new RDX will be available in both front- and all-wheel drive.
Designers worked to create a more formal and upscale body which features better aerodynamics, a sculpted new hood and a higher level of elegance and sophistication. The RDX rides a longer wheelbase and wider track for 2013, and incorporates a new Amplitude Reactive Damper system for improved ride and handling characteristics. A new motion-adaptive power steering system is also on board.
Inside, look for a sweeping new dash and door panels, in combination with a generous use of leather, improved sound deadening qualities and larger door openings. Passenger and cargo volume have also been increased, and a new power tailgate makes the RDX even more flexible and convenient than ever.
With technology as a key focus of the Acura brand’s promise to Canadian shoppers, a full suite of infotainment features will also be available. The Acura GPS-linked Navigation System, featuring a full-colour, real-time on-screen map, helps guide drivers to their selected destination. Text messaging integration, a smart-key access system with push-button start, real-time weather and a hard-drive audio storage system will also be available.
The new RDX will be produced at the East Liberty, Ohio plant of Honda of America Manufacturing, which is home to one of the four top assembly lines in North America as rated by the J.D. Power and Associates' 2011 Initial Quality Study (IQS). After all, quality is key at Acura, and it starts in the factory. As a result, owners can expect the same long-term performance, reliability and residual values that have helped the brand experience one of their best years yet.
For more information on the 2013 Acura RDX, be sure to visit your local dealership in the near future. The first units are set to arrive this spring.
