The third-generation Acura RDX saw the automaker give the model a complete redesign and a new platform for the 2019 model year. Those solid bones are the foundation for the model’s mid-cycle refresh that will arrive for 2022. Acura has tweaked the SUV’s elegant design while further refining interior comfort and quietness.

Acura took inspiration from the larger MDX when redesigning the RDX, which receives a Diamond Pentagon grille that the company pairs with a thinner chrome surround. The RDX also borrows the MDX’s larger vertical air intakes, which are pushed to the front bumper’s edges. At the rear, Acura reshapes the RDX’s fascia while offering new rectangular dual exhaust finishers.

Many of the RDX’s updates hide under its restyled sheet metal, designed to provide a more comfortable cabin for passengers. For example, Acura reduced the engine’s cold idle speed from 1,000 rpm to 950 while adding a new front fender liner and enhancing its Active Sound Control system for a more premium interior experience. Acura even adopted a new lower torque rod to quell engine vibrations in two-wheel-drive models.

Models with the Technology Package receive new, thicker carpeting, a new sound insulator for the front doors, acoustic glass, and more. Acura claims Advance Package models feature the RDX’s quietest cabin ever. Additional sound insulators are added to the ceiling, dash, drivetrain tunnel, and under the hood. AP models also receive rear door insulators and acoustic glass, while the rear cargo bins and rear hatch receive even more sound deadening material.

The 2022 RDX also receives more standard tech than the outgoing model, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Models with the Technology Package will also offer wireless charging and Acura’s IconicDrive ambient lighting system, which allows owners to select from 27 distinct ambient color combinations. Top-tier Advance Package models sport power-folding side mirrors, a 12-volt power outlet in the cargo area, and remote engine start with enhanced functionality.

The 2022 RDX A-Spec, which is now available with either the Technology Package or the range-topping Advance Package, comes with several unique appearance touches, like the gunmetal-finished grille and fog-light trim, the gloss-black grille surround, and more. The rear also receives gloss-black taillight trim and a more aggressive fascia. A-Spec models with the Advance Package get unique 15-spoke 20-inch wheels finished in Shark Gray.

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Inside, Acura offers the A-Spec with the Advance pack with Orchid leather as an exclusive option. A flat-bottom steering wheel is also standard, though there aren’t any other significant interior changes for the regular RDX.

Acura will offer the hand-crafted, limited-production RDX PMC Edition at the launch of the 2022 model. The company plans to produce just 200 examples, and it will offer the special crossover exclusively in Long Beach Blue Pearl paint. Acura will pair it with the new Orchid interior with blue contrast stitching. Unique styling features include a body-color grille surround corralling a gloss-black Diamond Pentagon grille. Gloss-black accents adorn the door handles, roof, outside mirrors, and some of the badging, while the Advance Package fleshes out its feature-set. It’ll be Acura’s most exclusive PCM model yet.

The RDX’s mid-cycle refresh leaves the model’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder unchanged. It produces the same 276 horsepower (205 kilowatts) while delivering similar fuel economy ratings for its various trims. The RDX’s Integrated Dynamics Systems was also improved, allowing drivers to better customize the driving experience. Advance Package models get an updated Adaptive Damper System, too.

The 2022 model also receives new wheel styles and three new exterior colors (Liquid Carbon Metallic, Phantom Violet Pearl, and Long Beach Blue Pearl). There’s no pricing information yet, but the 2021 RDX starts at $38,400. We expect official pricing information closer to the crossover’s on-sale date, which should begin arriving at Acura dealers in early November.

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