2022 Lexus NX vs. 2021 Acura RDX

2022 Lexus NX 350 F Sport ・ Photo by Lexus

The 2022 Lexus NX is a five-person, luxury SUV that’s all-new this model year. Its complete redesign includes gas, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. There’s also the latest version of the Lexus infotainment system and a long list of standard safety features.

The 2021 Acura RDX is a competing five-person luxury SUV with four available trims and a single powertrain. It has ample standard safety and a fully featured infotainment system. Let’s take a closer look and see which of these luxury SUVs is the best.

A Variety of Trims to Choose From

The Lexus NX has four powertrain choices with 12 trim options. All-wheel drive is standard, but the base 250 has the option for front-wheel drive. Power for the 250 comes from a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder priced at $37,950. The 350 has a more powerful 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and starts at $39,550. The 350h hybrid is priced at $41,050 with the 450h+ plug-in hybrid topping the range at $55,560.

The 2021 Acura RDX offers front-wheel or all-wheel drive on all four trims with a single powertrain. The base trim is $38,400 while the top trim is priced at $46,200. The RDX has lower overall pricing, but far fewer choices.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

Optional Front-Wheel Drive

While all-wheel drive is a bonus for those who live where the weather gets snowy, it’s not always necessary for those who live in sunnier regions. It reduces fuel economy and increases the price of a car.

The Lexus NX offers front-wheel drive only on the base trim. The rest of the lineup is all-wheel drive only. The Acura RDX offers a choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive on all-four trims in its lineup.

: Acura RDX

Photo by Acura

Powertrain Options Galore

The 2021 Acura RDX is powered solely by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. This is paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. There are no other options, gas or hybrid.

The Lexus NX has two gas and two hybrid powertrains starting with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with 203 horsepower. Next is a 2.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with 275 horsepower. The hybrid and plug-in hybrid have a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder with electric motors with 239 horsepower for the hybrid and 302 horsepower for the plug-in. The Lexus NX wins for the availability of a hybrid and plug-in hybrid.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

Excellent Hybrid Fuel-Efficiency

The Lexus NX achieves differing fuel economy figures for each powertrain. The 2.5-liter gets an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined. This drops to 25 mpg combined with the 2.4-liter. The hybrid goes in the other direction with an increase to 39 mpg combined with the plug-in hybrid rated at 84 mpge.

The 2021 Acura RDX gets up to 24 mpg combined with front-wheel drive. Equipped with all-wheel drive, it gets 23 mpg combined. The Lexus NX has better fuel economy from its gas engines with far superior fuel economy from its hybrids.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

A Smooth and Refined Ride

A large part of what makes a luxury car feel like a luxury car is the ride quality. That requires a suspension system that smooths out surfaces and soaks up the bumps in the road, so they go unnoticed by passengers. There’s also the importance of handling, which makes the trip easier for the driver while providing a well-mannered ride that never jostles occupants.

Both the Lexus NX and Acura RDX deliver luxury experiences, but the ride quality isn’t the same. The RDX is sportier with a suspension system that doesn’t provide quite the same level of smoothness as the NX. For its truly refined, luxury ride, the NX comes out ahead.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

Room for Five Adults

The Lexus NX and Acura RDX both serve up beautiful interiors. There are high-end materials throughout with rich leathers and vibrant color options that add plenty of punch. Seating is comfortable and supportive with room for five adults, though the rear seats are better for only two.

It all comes down to that rear seat room. The RDX has 38.0 inches of rear legroom while the NX has only 36.1 inches of rear legroom. It doesn’t seem like a big difference, but for taller adults, it means being comfortable or having their knees against the backs of the front seats.

: Acura RDX

Photo by Acura

Room for all Your Cargo

The Acura RDX has plenty of room for all your cargo. There’s 29.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats with 58.9 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded. It can also tow up to 1,500 pounds when properly equipped.

The Lexus NX comes in with 22.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 46.9 cubic feet behind the front seats. Gas models can tow up to 2,000 pounds properly equipped while hybrids are not rated for towing. It simply doesn’t match up when it comes to cargo. Although the NX has a higher tow rating, we give this to the RDX for its higher interior cargo capacity since that’s used more frequently.

: Acura RDX

Photo by Acura

The Simplicity of an Infotainment Touchscreen

The Acura RDX has a 10.2-inch infotainment display screen controlled by a touchpad on the center console. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 9-speaker audio system are standard. The lack of a touchscreen interface makes the system difficult to use, especially for the front passenger.

The Lexus NX features an all-new system with a standard 9.8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. A 14.0-inch touchscreen is optional on select trims. Though it has a smaller standard screen, the optional screen is much larger and both are touchscreens making them easy to operate at any size.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

Extensive Standard Safety Features

Standard safety on the Acura RDX includes collision mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, lane keeping assist system, road departure mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and auto high beams.

The Lexus NX offers a wider range of standard safety features that includes road sign assist, pre-collision with pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorcycle detection, intelligent high beams, risk avoidance emergency steer assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, dynamic radar cruise control with curve speed management, right/left oncoming pedestrian detection and braking, and left turn oncoming vehicle detection and braking.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus

Final Thoughts

While both of these luxury SUVs have plenty to offer, they’re not equal. The Acura RDX has more room for cargo, a roomier rear seat, and a choice of front-wheel or all-wheel drive across the full lineup.

The Lexus NX comes out ahead for its variety of powertrains that include two hybrid options, better fuel efficiency, and more refined ride. It also has better infotainment with a wider range of standard safety features.

: Lexus NX

Photo by Lexus