The downside to this commitment to agility is a slighter firmer ride than other, more luxury-focused competitors. If you travel over lots of rough roads, or those filled with major potholes, this could be an issue.

Cabin Comforts
That's not to say that RDX is lacking in creature comforts. As befitting its premium price points ($41,400 for the standard RDX, $45,100 for RDX Technology), there is a full slate of standard features on board. Notable among them are power moonroof, ambient lighting, information display, loud stereo with auxiliary input jack, 8-way power driver's seat, seat warmers, and leather trim.

Our tester sported the Technology package, so also offered a nav system with voice recognition and Bluetooth, rearview camera, real-time traffic info, and steering wheel mounted controls for pretty much everything. Also part of the Tech package is an even louder stereo (this time in surround sound).

Everything worked as advertised, and wasn't too difficult to figure out. But again, the impression one gets from the abundance of switches, edgy contours, and the black and faux-aluminum trim, is that RDX assumes you're a certain personality type -- one who is comfortable with a high-tech looking interface. Not everybody is.

As befitting its premium price points, there is a full slate of standard features on board.

One of my favorite cabin items is the huge centre consul storage area, which could swallow a small Terrier.

My only nit pick would be the info screen, which was often hard to read when sun flooded into the cabin.

The driver's perch affords great outward visibility, and combined with the RDX's fairly high ride height, you get a great command-of-the-road feel and, on the road, you don't feel that much smaller than full-size SUVs.

The rear seating area is ample for two adults, less so for three, and that middle seat would not be popular on road trips. (Note also that a rear-seat DVD player is not on the option list).

Rear seat cushions fold forward easily and quickly, so the seat backs can fold flat, to open up a large and nicely, finished cargo area.

Safety stuff
The RDX has a very comprehensive safety package, including Honda's ACE body structure, VSA with traction control, side and side curtain air bags, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist, etc.

The verdict
So is this thing for you? Well, if you like your small crossover spicy with technology and modern edgy looks, and like to be fully engaged with your vehicle the majority of the time, then this would be your ride. This thing is definitely state of the art.

But if you crave specific things, like a super comfy ride, or a super silky powertrain, or even more fuel efficiency than 12.5/9.3 (city/hwy L/100 km), you might not be a RDX buyer. But that's probably okay with actual RDX buyers; I would think they would be a secure, confident lot, and would take pride in the fact that this is not everyman's idea of a crossover.


Photo Credit : Mike Goetz