The Acura RDX debuted for the 2007 model year as Acura’s entry into the compact premium crossover segment. Previewed by a prototype in early 2006 and placed on sale that August, the five-passenger RDX combined SUV practicality with a more performance-oriented character than many contemporary crossovers. Its first generation, offered from 2007 through 2012, was historically notable for introducing Acura’s first turbocharged production engine and pairing it with the brand’s torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system. A front-wheel-drive version joined the range for 2010.
Acura redesigned the RDX for 2013. The second generation shifted toward broader luxury-crossover appeal, replacing the original turbocharged four-cylinder with a naturally aspirated V6 and emphasizing greater interior space, ride comfort and refinement. It was offered with front- or all-wheel drive and was produced in East Liberty, Ohio. This more conventional approach helped establish the RDX as a central part of Acura’s North American SUV lineup.
The third-generation RDX arrived for the 2019 model year as a clean-sheet redesign. It was the first RDX designed and engineered in the United States, using an Acura-exclusive platform and styling developed around the brand’s newer design direction. Turbocharged power returned, as did the more sophisticated SH-AWD system, reconnecting the model with the performance-focused identity of the original. The 2019 RDX also introduced an A-Spec appearance package to Acura’s SUV range. A substantial update followed for 2022, accompanied by a limited-production PMC Edition assembled at Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center alongside the NSX.
Acura continues to market the third-generation RDX for the 2026 model year. The company has announced plans to suspend 2026 RDX production later in the year while developing a fourth-generation RDX with a two-motor hybrid-electric system. Because that future generation has not yet entered production or reached dealerships, the RDX currently has one verified, continuous model-year history beginning in 2007 rather than multiple completed production periods.