Schomp Honda

Safety

Both the Honda CR-V and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front-wheel drive, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

Warranty

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier to get service under the CR-V's warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without their vehicle while it's being repaired. Consumer Reports predicts that the Honda CR-V's reliability will be 19% better than the RDX.

J.D. Power and Associates' surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 10th.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Honda CR-V gets better fuel mileage than the RDX:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda CR-V uses regular unleaded gasoline. The RDX requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda CR-V higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Acura RDX (5 to 6). This means the Honda CR-V produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the RDX every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The Honda CR-V stops much shorter than the RDX:

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Honda CR-V's turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the RDX's (37.8 feet vs. 39.2 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Honda CR-V has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (6.7 vs. 6.3 inches), allowing the Honda CR-V to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Honda CR-V may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Acura RDX.

The Honda CR-V is 3.2 inches shorter than the RDX, making the Honda CR-V easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Honda CR-V EX-L AWD is quieter than the RDX SH-AWD™ (43 vs. 44 dB).

Passenger Space

The Honda CR-V has 2.4 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RDX (103.8 vs. 101.4).

The Honda CR-V has 2.2 inches more front headroom, 1.5 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom, .8 inches more rear legroom and 1.6 inches more rear hip room than the RDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Honda CR-V's rear seats recline. The RDX's rear seats don't recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Honda CR-V has a much larger cargo area with its rear seat up than the RDX with its rear seat up (35.7 vs. 27.8 cubic feet). The Honda CR-V has a much larger cargo area with its rear seat folded than the RDX with its rear seat folded (72.9 vs. 60.6 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Honda CR-V easier. The Honda CR-V's cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.3 inches, while the RDX's liftover is 29 inches.

The Honda CR-V's cargo area is larger than the RDX's in almost every dimension:

Ergonomics

If the windows are left down on the Honda CR-V the driver can raise them all using the key in the outside lock cylinder; on a hot day the driver can lower the windows. The driver of the RDX can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Honda CR-V owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Honda CR-V will cost $161 to $882 less than the RDX over a five-year period.

The Honda CR-V will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. Kiplinger's estimates that the Honda CR-V will retain a greater percentage of its original price after two and four years than the RDX.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Honda CR-V is less expensive to operate than the RDX because it costs $372 less to do the manufacturer's suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Honda CR-V than the RDX, including $2 less for a water pump, $15 less for an alternator, $6 less for fuel injection, $61 less for a fuel pump and $570 less for a power steering pump.

Intellichoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Honda CR-V will be $9103 to $28292 less than for the Acura RDX.

Recommendations

The Honda CR-V has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

Strategic Vision rated the Honda CR-V fourth among small sport utilities in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner's expectations. The RDX was rated 6th in its category.

The Honda CR-V was chosen as one of Car and Driver's 'Top Five Trucks' for 2 of the last 9 years. The RDX has never been a Car and Driver 'Top Five Truck' pick.

The Honda CR-V outsold the Acura RDX by almost fourteen to one during the 2010 model year.