From behind the wheel the V6 has a deep, mellifluous exhaust note and a pleasantly responsive nature, and it’ll haul the 1,749-kg (3,855-lb) RDX from 0 to 100 km/h in just under seven seconds. The automatic transmission shifts crisply and smoothly, favouring higher gears for better efficiency when in Drive, and offering a Sport mode if you prefer more aggressive shift timing. There are also paddle shifters for when you want to take active control. In manual mode the transmission is sporty enough during downshifts (it makes nice rev-matched gear changes), but it auto upshifts from first to second whether you want it to or not, and there’s a bit of lag between when you click the shift paddle and when the shift executes (maybe a half-second, so not bad, but definitely noticeable).

Thanks to the AWD with Intelligent Control system and Acura’s Variable Cylinder Management (which can shut down three of the engine’s cylinders during low load operation to conserve fuel), fuel economy is reasonable, with the 2015 RDX rated at 12.1/8.7 L/100 km in city/highway driving using the new five-cycle test process. I averaged somewhat worse than the rated city number, using 13.5 L/100 km in purely city driving, but I should point out that this was mostly in the cold and rain while either stuck in stop-and-go traffic or fording spontaneous pop-up rivers. My colleagues have reported getting much better mixed fuel economy averages of around 9 or 10 L/100 km under more reasonable circumstances. I should also mention that the cylinder deactivation operates seamlessly in the background, and you really don’t notice it doing its thing.

The suspension (MacPherson struts up front and multilink in rear) provides a ride that’s taut but not harsh, with decent handling for this segment. Likely helping in this regard is the RDX’s low centre of gravity compared to most crossovers, and its Amplitude Reactive Dampers. These feature two piston valves per shock absorber rather than just one, with the primary piston absorbing minor road irregularities and the stiffer secondary piston reining in larger suspension motion. So you get a soft response if the wheel encounters a small, sharp bump, and a firmer, more controlled response if the wheel is moving through a larger range of motion such as when negotiating an undulating corner.

Inside, there’s soft touch material on every surface you might expect, including the front and rear door uppers, armrests and dash top, with rigid plastics making up the lower dash and door lowers as expected. One thing that could use an upgrade would be the A-pillars, which are hard plastic but would create a more premium feel if they were cloth-wrapped.

Trim choices are limited to the base RDX (starting at $43,385 including the $1,995 destination fee) or the RDX Tech (starting at $46,385 destination in). At this price point the RDX sits several thousand dollars below the Mercedes-Benz GLK (which starts at $50,675 delivered with the diesel engine) and a few hundred dollars below the Audi Q5 (which starts at $43,895 with destination provided you’re okay with black or white paint, and $890 more if you want a metallic colour).

2015 Acura RDX Tech seating, cargo area. Click image to enlarge

Standard features with the base RDX include dual-zone automatic climate control, power sunroof, power locks with proximity entry, push-button start, power windows, leather upholstered seating with heated power-adjustable front seats, 60/40 split folding rear seats, leather-wrapped tilt and telescoping steering wheel, interior ambient lighting, active noise cancellation, cruise control, rear-view camera, auto-dimming mirror, universal garage door opener, automatic HID headlights, fog lights, 18-inch alloy wheels, and a seven-speaker AM/FM/XM/MP3 audio infotainment system with 5-inch display, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Bluetooth audio streaming, auxiliary input and USB port.

The Tech package adds an upgraded 10-speaker audio system with 8-inch display, navigation with voice recognition, GPS-linked solar-sensing climate control system, and power tailgate.