Acura RDX = Honda CR-V (in terms of reliability)?

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I am almost certainly going to have my Civic totaled, and wanting a bit more leg room, I have heard great things about the CR-V (in terms of reliability, probably my most important trait I'm looking for in a new to me car). Today, I was reading up on them, and came across the Acura RDX, which evidently started out as the Acura version of the CR-V, but I saw that they have a different engine. So now, I'm wondering if the RDX has carried on with the solid reliability of the CR-V, or if it should be treated as an entirely separate animal. The years I'm looking at would be roughly 2007 to 2014.
 
Friend of mine still has hers, has had it for 5-6 years at least. Last we spoke, she was still very happy with it. It is considerably more tech heavy however, I always get a bit leery when dealing with so much tech from a long term perspective.
 
My mother in-law has a 2009 CRV. It has been great. Change the transmission fluid regularly is all I can advise as the fluid turns dark rather quickly and also because it has no serviceable filter.
 
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I can't imagine it'd be much less reliable. It's a turbo-charged, smaller displacement K series motor (assuming you're looking at the first gen). A tad more maintenance-intensive than a CR-V, but I'd certainly choose the RDX if the price was right relative to the CR-V.
 
My wife has had a 2016 RDX since new. The car has over 50,000 miles and the only thing I have done to it is change the oil and ATF fluid. I take that back. I had to replace a console latch after my wife closed it on something and broke it. The V6 gets an average of 26 mpg. The only complaint I have is that there is more road noise than a luxury SUV should have. But that is true of every Honda product I have owned.
 
Originally Posted by paulri
I am almost certainly going to have my Civic totaled, and wanting a bit more leg room, I have heard great things about the CR-V (in terms of reliability, probably my most important trait I'm looking for in a new to me car). Today, I was reading up on them, and came across the Acura RDX, which evidently started out as the Acura version of the CR-V, but I saw that they have a different engine. So now, I'm wondering if the RDX has carried on with the solid reliability of the CR-V, or if it should be treated as an entirely separate animal. The years I'm looking at would be roughly 2007 to 2014.


I don't think that Acura had an equivalent model to the CR V. They had the MDX & the RDX but the RDX was bigger and more luxurious than the CRV. You're moving upscale with it. No reason to think that it will be less reliable than the CRV.
 
Originally Posted by jhs914
My wife has had a 2016 RDX since new. The car has over 50,000 miles and the only thing I have done to it is change the oil and ATF fluid. I take that back. I had to replace a console latch after my wife closed it on something and broke it. The V6 gets an average of 26 mpg. The only complaint I have is that there is more road noise than a luxury SUV should have. But that is true of every Honda product I have owned.

I have a customer with a 2016 RDX. The car has been fairly reliable and has about 80K. It does have VCM though. One of the oil pressure sensors for the VCM failed shortly outside of warranty, but Acura picked up most of the repair on a goodwill basis. No oil consumption to date, but we do service it with 0W-20 synthetic every 7K and it receives a triple trans fluid drain-and-refill every 30K.
 
Originally Posted by jhs914
The only complaint I have is that there is more road noise than a luxury SUV should have. But that is true of every Honda product I have owned.


As an owner of a 1998 Civic I can empathize, but it would have to be quieter than my soon to be former Civic.
 
The original RDX is a neat little truck. Besides the turbo, they have a TOTALLY different AWD system than the CR-V. You get SH-AWD in an RDX, and believe me it's worth it. It's just as reliable, as far as anything I've seen.

Stick with a 2012 and lower, they cheaped out on the 2nd gen.
 
That RDX is turbo, but not DI, so you should be ok in that regard. The first turbo Honda ever sold here, and they wouldn't offer another turbo until the current Civic. Probably MUCH easier to work on than a transverse V6, so you have that going for it.
 
Originally Posted by StevieC
My mother in-law has a 2009 CRV. It has been great. Change the transmission fluid regularly is all I can advise as the fluid turns dark rather quickly and also because it has no serviceable filter.

They have a trans filter. You're not the only one, many people don't know it's there. It's behind the engine side of the radiator, near the bottom, and is a bit of a PIA to change. It's the size and shape of those old fashioned, inline gasoline filters that had a flexible fuel hose on both ends.

Scott
 
Originally Posted by SLO_Town
Originally Posted by StevieC
My mother in-law has a 2009 CRV. It has been great. Change the transmission fluid regularly is all I can advise as the fluid turns dark rather quickly and also because it has no serviceable filter.

They have a trans filter. You're not the only one, many people don't know it's there. It's behind the engine side of the radiator, near the bottom, and is a bit of a PIA to change. It's the size and shape of those old fashioned, inline gasoline filters that had a flexible fuel hose on both ends.

Scott

I must have missed it... I'll have to look again. Thanks
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Wife loves her new CRV. Already got 13K on it and she got it in September. Getting 30 plus mpg. Way more room in front, and especially the back seats that the other CRV generations....we've had 3. That little 1.5 turbo really moves pretty good when you need to. Smooth, Surprisedly for being a 4 banger. One thing that I liked about it, no gas filler cap...just stick in the nozzle and presto...done. I will say this, there is a TON of electrical gadgets on it. We're still learning. Seats are the most comfortable of any that Honda has ever put out. Wish I had those in my 06 Accord. Spend the money and get the EX-L 2WD....should get one around 29-30K.
 
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