2019 Acura RDX Prototype Debuts With Evocative Styling (Photos)

• Most extensive Acura redesign in more than a decade signals the beginning of a new era for the luxury automaker
• Perennial top-selling, 5-passenger luxury SUV to launch this year as quickest, best-handling RDX ever
• Powerful 2.0L DOHC VTEC Turbo engine, segment-first 10-speed automatic transmission and return of torque vectoring Super-Handling All Wheel Drive™
• Intuitive new True Touchpad Interface, panoramic roof and authentic, premium materials create a versatile cabin built for drivers
• New A-Spec variant available at launch

The 2019 Acura RDX Prototype made its world debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show, providing a first look at the bold new design, advanced technology and luxury features of the luxury, five-passenger SUV, launching later this year.

The all-new, third generation RDX has been reengineered on a new, Acura-exclusive platform featuring a lighter and dramatically stiffened body, a sophisticated new chassis and an all-new powertrain – a powerful, yet fuel-efficient 2.0-liter DOHC VTEC® Turbo engine mated to a segment-first 10-speed automatic transmission. The 2019 model also will mark the return of Acura Super-Handling All Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD to RDX).

The 2019 Acura RDX Prototype also debuts a completely new, Acura True Touchpad Interface, designed from a clean slate, combining the best elements of a touchscreen and remote interface in one powerful system.

“The all-new RDX delivers a powerful statement about who we are and where we are headed as a brand,” said Jon Ikeda, vice president and general manager of Acura. “For our customers, the new RDX is a quantum leap forward in design, style and performance, with luxury features and technology that will elevate their ownership experience.”

The new design flows outward from Acura’s signature diamond pentagon grille, with RDX being the first model designed from the ground-up around the brand’s bold new face. The distinctive front fascia is married to a sharply sculpted body with sharp and dynamic character lines and all-LED exterior lighting featuring the next-generation of Acura Jewel Eye LED headlights.  

The RDX takes power from a new 2.0 liter, 16-valve DOHC direct-injected engine with a low-inertia mono-scroll turbo and DOHC VTEC valvetrain and Dual Variable Timing Cam (Dual VTC), delivering 40 percent more low-end torque than the outgoing RDX. The new engine is mated up to a segment-first 10-speed automatic transmission (10AT) that responds quickly to the will of the driver, with crisp and refined shifts that capitalize on the 2.0-liter engine’s flat torque curve.

The RDX heralds the launch of Acura’s all-new, True Touchpad Interface, which features an Android-based operating system projected onto a dual-zone, 10.2-inch full-HD display mounted high atop the center console close to the driver’s natural line of sight, and an available interactive head-up display (HUD).

Stand-out Features and Technology
The 2019 RDX Prototype uses four ultra-thin, ceiling-mounted speakers to add a new dimension of sound and fidelity to the audio experience. The 16-channel, 710-watt Acura ELS Studio 3D system was developed by Panasonic and tuned by Grammy-winning music producer and longtime Acura partner, Elliot Scheiner.

All 2019 RDX models will come equipped with the AcuraWatch™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies. Additional available connected-car and driver-assistive features include next-generation AcuraLink with 4G LTE Wi-Fi, Hill Start Assist, Surround-View Camera System, front and rear parking sensors, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor and Blind Spot Information system.

Is it a major improvement from the current generation Acura RDX?