2020 Acura RDX vs 2021 Lexus RX

The 2020 Acura RDX retained its striking design from the previous year, featuring a beamy, imposing grille and rakish headlights. The large logo within the grille, though comical in size, worked well within the overall design. The upper character line swooped from the windshield to the rear hatch, intersected by another line that gave the appearance of a large spoiler. Inside, the RDX boasted sharp, precise styling with eye-catching red leather upholstery, creating a strong red-and-black interior aesthetic. Standard features included synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, a power moonroof, and a 10.2-inch infotainment screen. The A-Spec model added unique 20-inch wheels, larger exhaust outlets, and a diamond pattern grille, while the Advance Package offered rain-sensing wipers, heated rear seats, and natural Olive Ash wood trim.

The 2021 Lexus RX showcased the modern design aesthetic of Lexus with a large grille, angular headlamps, and a floating roof. The RX was available in five variants, including the RX F Sport and RX Hybrid. The 2020 design updates, such as elongated headlights and a refined front end, carried over to 2021. Standard exterior features included 18-inch aluminum wheels, LED lights, and rear privacy glass. The F Sport Appearance package added 20-inch wheels and unique fascia. Inside, the RX offered a well-appointed cabin with standard NuLuxe-trimmed seats, power-adjustable front seats, and a reclining second row. Available upgrades included semi-aniline leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, and a power-folding third row.

The 2020 Acura RDX was powered by a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine provided solid acceleration and a great engine note. Power was managed by a 10-speed automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive or available Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive (SH-AWD). The Integrated Dynamics System offered Comfort, Snow, Sport, and Sport-Plus drive modes, adjusting throttle response, shift patterns, and steering feel. The RDX A-Spec with SH-AWD returned an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city, 27 highway, and 24 combined. The RDX excelled in both acceleration and handling, offering a comfortable yet dynamic driving experience.

The 2021 Lexus RX, RXL, and RX F-Sport were equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine delivering 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive RX 350 achieved 20 mpg city, 27 highway, and 23 combined, while the all-wheel-drive and RXL variants had slightly lower fuel economy. The RX Hybrid models combined a 3.5-liter V6 with three electric motors, producing 308 horsepower and achieving up to 31 mpg city and 28 highway. The RX offered a comfortable ride with targeted steering, though it exhibited some body roll at higher speeds. The F Sport Handling package added adaptive variable suspension and sportier features, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2020 Acura RDX offered a spacious cabin with comfortable and supportive front seats, ample head- and legroom, and a well-designed second row. The front row featured large water bottle holders and a pass-through cargo tray with a USB port. The second row had a fold-down center console with cup holders. The RDX provided 29.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, expanding to 58.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The cargo area was easily accessible, with a helpful cubby and a hidden cargo area under the load floor.

The 2021 Lexus RX was highly functional, seating five in the two-row models and up to seven in the three-row RXL variants. Front and second-row seats offered plenty of space, while the third row was tight. The RX had 18.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 56.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. The three-row RXL provided 7.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 23 cubic feet behind the second, and 58.5 cubic feet with both rows folded. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free option available.

The 2020 Acura RDX featured a vivid widescreen infotainment system operated via a touchpad, known as the True Touchpad Interface. This system was less intuitive than competitors, requiring constant attention to ensure correct selections. Standard tech included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a WiFi hot spot, and a 9-speaker audio system. The Technology Package added navigation and the ELS premium audio system, while the A-Spec model featured the ELS Studio 3D system with 16 speakers. The Advance Package included a 10.5-inch head-up display.

The 2021 Lexus RX came standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, voice recognition, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, satellite radio, HD Radio, a WiFi hot spot, six USB ports, and a nine-speaker sound system. Upgrades included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, additional USB ports, a moonroof, wireless charging, navigation, and a 15-speaker Mark Levinson system. The touch aspect of the infotainment screen worked well, though the system was not the most user-friendly. The Remote Touch controller was less refined than Acura's touchpad system and occupied valuable console space.

The 2020 Acura RDX came standard with front- and side-impact airbags, LATCH child-seat systems, a tire pressure monitoring system, hill-start assist, and a rear-view camera. It also included lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, road-departure mitigation, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. The Technology Package added parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic monitoring. The Advance Package featured a 360-degree camera and a rear-view camera washer. The 2019 RDX, mechanically identical to the 2020 model, received a 5-star overall safety rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS.

The 2021 Lexus RX earned a Top Safety Pick designation from IIHS, with Good marks on crashworthiness tests. The NHTSA rated the RX 350, RX 350L, and RX 450h with four out of five stars overall and five stars for side-impact crashworthiness. Standard safety features included a rearview camera, 10 airbags, enhanced vehicle stability control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. The Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 suite included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-trace assist, and road sign assist. The RX had two complete sets of LATCH connectors in the rear outboard seats.