2019 Acura RDX: America's Best-Selling Compact Luxury SUV Earns Highest Possible 2018 Safety Award from IIHS

TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2019 Acura RDX has earned the highest possible award and safety ratings of any vehicle in its class from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2019 RDX qualified for TOP SAFETY PICK+ thanks to a top rating of "GOOD" in all crashworthiness tests, standard AcuraWatch™ active safety technology that earns a superior rating, and available good-rated headlights. The all-new RDX went on-sale June 1, recording back-to-back monthly sales records in June and July to take the lead as America's #1 retail-selling compact luxury SUV for 2018¹. 

According to the IIHS, "The 2019 Acura RDX excelled in our six crashworthiness evaluations, including the roof strength test. Our testing apparatus applied over 21,000 lbs of force to the RDX's roof before it crushed 5 inches. That's more than 5 times the weight of the vehicle."

"The 2019 Acura RDX offers the highest level of standard safety and driver-assistance features in its class, so earning class-leading safety ratings is a strong proof point of the technology and design innovation we're bringing to the game," said Jon Ikeda, Acura vice president & general manager.

Developed by the company's U.S. R&D team, the 2019 RDX has the newest generation of Acura's Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure, new high-strength steel door stiffener rings, and for the first time, eight airbags, including new driver and front-passenger knee airbags. 

Furthermore, RDX features the AcuraWatch suite of safety and driver-assisitive technologies as standard equipment, including Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, and Road Departure Mitigation. RDX also features Acura JewelEye™ LED headlights to help achieve its best-in-class ratings.

To earn the 2018 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and an acceptable or good rating in the passenger-side small overlap test. It also needs available front crash prevention that earns an advanced or superior rating and available good-rated headlights. The RDX's base headlights are rated good. The curve-adaptive headlights equipped with the Advance trim are rated acceptable.

2019 Acura RDX

Debuting the next-generation of Acura design, performance and technology, and the model's first-ever A-Spec variant, the all-new 2019 Acura RDX went on-sale June 1 at Acura dealerships nationwide with a class-leading array of premium features and technologies and a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRPⁱ) starting at $37,300 (excluding $995 destination and handling).

The 2019 RDX is built on an all-new, Acura-exclusive body and chassis architecture and incorporates a host of new premium features and technologies, including Acura's True Touchpad^® Interface (standard), an ultra-wide panoramic moonroof (standard), Acura ELS Studio 3D™ premium audio, and next-generation Acura sport seats with up to 16-way power adjustment.

The all-new RDX is powered by a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter, 16-valve powerplant with DOHC VTEC^® valvetrain mated to the segment's only 10-speed automatic transmission (10AT). Peak output of 272 horsepower (SAE net) and 280 lb.-ft. of torque (SAE net) bests RDX's key competitors and delivers 40 percent more low-end torque than the outgoing 3.5L V6 for powerful acceleration.

The 2019 Acura RDX is the first RDX to be designed and developed in America. Like its predecessor, the new RDX is manufactured in East Liberty, Ohio, using domestic and globally sourced parts, with the powertrain produced at the company's plants in Ohio and Georgia.

About Acura
Acura is a leading automotive luxury nameplate that delivers Precision Crafted Performance, representing the original values of the Acura brand – a commitment to evocative styling, high performance and innovative engineering, all built on a foundation of quality and reliability.

The Acura lineup features six distinctive models – the RLX premium, luxury sedan, the TLX performance luxury sedan, the ILX sport sedan, the 5-passenger RDX luxury crossover SUV, the seven-passenger Acura MDX, America's all-time best-selling three-row luxury SUV and the next-generation, electrified NSX supercar as a new and pinnacle expression of Acura Precision Crafted Performance.

Five of the six models in the Acura lineup are made exclusively in central Ohio using domestic and globally sourced parts, including the ILX and TLX luxury sports sedans (Marysville Auto Plant), the RDX and MDX luxury SUVs (East Liberty Auto Plant) and the Acura NSX supercar, which is built to order at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio.

For More Information 
Additional media information including pricing, features and high-resolution photography is available at AcuraNews.com. Consumer information is available at Acura.com. Follow Acura on social media at Acura.us/SocialChannels.

¹ Based on Urban Science retail sales data 2018CYTD July.

ⁱ Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) excluding tax, license, registration, $995 destination charge and options. Dealer prices may vary.

SOURCE Acura

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