So my new to me Civic had to go back to the dealer to repair the items that were supposed to have already been done. I received the "white glove treatment" since I called them out on their bs. The only loaner available was the RDX. So I decided to try it for 2 days and see what's new in the world of premium cars in the last 10-15 years. I am a dinosaur in today's modern car world, but that said, I'm 29. So I'm not a literal dinosaur.
Well, the RDX is the perfect storm of EVERYTHING I can't stand in a vehicle. DI, turbo, new to the hate list: 10-speed transmission (CVTs also hated), start-stop/idle stop, overly obnoxious and hard to use interior tech, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, push button start, push button gear selector... the list goes on.
My thoughts? The 10-speed is absolutely horrendous. It is impossible to take off gently and steadily. It can't stay in a gear for more than 1 full second when taking off from a stop. I feel like I'm sitting sideways in a canoe. It constantly rocks forward and backward. The power output is decent, although the fake engine sound coming from the speakers is facepalm worthy. It's hilarious knowing that feature is something included in the price tag. Start-stop is atrocious, the motor feels like it's going to break free from the mounts every time it restarts. Thankfully the one thing they did right was install a disable button for it, but it has to be pressed every time you get in the car. It took me 20 minutes to figure out how to change the radio station, and not before the owner's manual came out of the glove box. That's criminal for someone under 30, I'd hate to see an elderly person try to figure it out. It constantly flashes "BRAKE" in bumper-to-bumper traffic at 2mph, hinting that I'm going to collide with the person in front of me. And the number of buttons in the driver compartment is mind-boggling
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Long story short, you couldn't give me the RDX for free and expect me to keep it. I'd have to sell it immediately, and would be happy selling it half-price just to not look at it for more than a few hours. I don't understand why people willingly pay for all of this garbage. And the tech will be broken, outdated, or obsolete in just a couple of years. It doesn't make sense. I just think the manufacturers know they are trash... literally disposable, and that's why they build them. They know you'll be back in a few years to get screwed out of countless thousands again. Oh, and that's after they've taken additional thousands in repairs for that transmission, turbo, and other stupid mechanical choices. Yet they wonder why new car sales are in the toilet...
I guess I'll be the lunatic driving my Elantra and Civic around with 600,000 miles in 2064 on the ground taking 10 hours to drive 500 miles while everyone else isflying being flown around in their disposable drone pods getting 500 miles per watt per second while listening to K-pop. Of course I'm being overly dramatic, but seriously, what happened to simple? What happened to cars that start, drive, and don't have complicated, idiotic nonsense to drive up the price tag? I understand the EPA has a huge role in the engine tech, but some of this is truly getting out of hand. When will a manufacturer be our knight in shining armor and make cars that are 100% customizable (not just a few packages), and are built to last and have simple, proven, reliable technology, at a simple cheap price? Heck, forget the cheap price. I'd pay a premium if done correctly. My two 1.8s are about as simple as I could find for their age group. But they both have junk I would have rather left out.
I can't wait to get my Civic back tomorrow. Rant over. My apologies.
Well, the RDX is the perfect storm of EVERYTHING I can't stand in a vehicle. DI, turbo, new to the hate list: 10-speed transmission (CVTs also hated), start-stop/idle stop, overly obnoxious and hard to use interior tech, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, push button start, push button gear selector... the list goes on.
My thoughts? The 10-speed is absolutely horrendous. It is impossible to take off gently and steadily. It can't stay in a gear for more than 1 full second when taking off from a stop. I feel like I'm sitting sideways in a canoe. It constantly rocks forward and backward. The power output is decent, although the fake engine sound coming from the speakers is facepalm worthy. It's hilarious knowing that feature is something included in the price tag. Start-stop is atrocious, the motor feels like it's going to break free from the mounts every time it restarts. Thankfully the one thing they did right was install a disable button for it, but it has to be pressed every time you get in the car. It took me 20 minutes to figure out how to change the radio station, and not before the owner's manual came out of the glove box. That's criminal for someone under 30, I'd hate to see an elderly person try to figure it out. It constantly flashes "BRAKE" in bumper-to-bumper traffic at 2mph, hinting that I'm going to collide with the person in front of me. And the number of buttons in the driver compartment is mind-boggling
Long story short, you couldn't give me the RDX for free and expect me to keep it. I'd have to sell it immediately, and would be happy selling it half-price just to not look at it for more than a few hours. I don't understand why people willingly pay for all of this garbage. And the tech will be broken, outdated, or obsolete in just a couple of years. It doesn't make sense. I just think the manufacturers know they are trash... literally disposable, and that's why they build them. They know you'll be back in a few years to get screwed out of countless thousands again. Oh, and that's after they've taken additional thousands in repairs for that transmission, turbo, and other stupid mechanical choices. Yet they wonder why new car sales are in the toilet...
I guess I'll be the lunatic driving my Elantra and Civic around with 600,000 miles in 2064 on the ground taking 10 hours to drive 500 miles while everyone else is
I can't wait to get my Civic back tomorrow. Rant over. My apologies.
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