Ah, the tricky mid-cycle refresh. A time to atone for past sins, make entirely new ones, or more likely, rationalize features across an automaker’s lineup. While these tweaks midway through a car’s lifespan have historically focused on styling, more and more automakers are using them to radically upgrade the cabin technology in existing models. Acura doesn’t appear to have hopped on this bandwagon, because it appears that weird product silo-ing appears to have resulted in the updated 2025 Acura RDX not having rectified its one and only sin. Let me explain.
For the most part, the third-generation Acura RDX is a great little premium crossover. It’s quick enough, responsive enough, has a solid all-wheel-drive system, is available with a banging stereo, and doesn’t cost as much as the German competition. However, it does have one truly thorny bit: you control the infotainment through a weird sort of trackpad.
Acura’s True Touchpad interface works in two different ways. In the native infotainment system, wherever you press on the trackpad corresponds directly to an input on the screen, and while this works fine on the big top menu tiles, it can be a bit fiddly in smaller sub-menus. However, if you’re in Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, then the trackpad works almost exactly like the trackpad on your laptop, and as you can imagine, that’s difficult to operate when going down the freeway.
The result is one of the worst infotainment input devices since Lexus decided to use a mouse in its cars, so it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s slowly disappearing from the Acura lineup. It makes sense that the Integra launched with a simple touchscreen because it’s basically a Civic, but then Acura cut the touchpad out of the MDX three-row crossover in favor of a touchscreen, so it gave some hope that the touchpad would be disappearing across the lineup. Apparently not.
In a way, it makes sense that the trackpad hasn’t disappeared in the Acura RDX yet, even if that’s disappointing. Different projects have different teams working on them, along with different budgets. It’s possible that not only was the budget not there to put a regular touchscreen in the RDX, but maybe nobody was aware of just what the MDX team was getting into. It happens.
So, if the infotainment screen isn’t new for 2025, what is? Well, a new grille simplifies the front end a touch and new wheels join the party, but the big changes lay inside. A redesigned center console features an easily accessible wireless phone charger and bigger cup holders, while the optional 16-speaker ELS Studio 3D surround sound system can be specced with illuminated door speakers on top trims. Speaking of top trims, they also get full leather upholstery, and some extra ambient lighting in the console. All trims now get widescreen wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and that’s about it.
Under the hood, you’ll still find a two-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pumping out 272 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 280 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,600 rpm to 4,500 rpm, hitched to a 10-speed automatic transmission and Acura’s trick SH-AWD all-wheel-drive system. Unusually for a transverse all-wheel-drive setup, it can send 70 percent of torque to the rear axle, and a torque vectoring rear differential can then send up to 100 percent of rear axle torque to the outside rear wheel, promoting nimble cornering. The result is one of the more driver-focused compact luxury crossovers on the market, and a tempting option for anyone who isn’t a fan of the styling on the new BMW X3.
The 2025 Acura RDX does deserve to be on your shortlist if you’re shopping in this segment, but that touchpad-controlled infotainment system really makes it a case of try-before-you-buy. With a steep learning curve and maddening Apple CarPlay and Android Auto operation, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you can get around it, the RDX should still be a good upscale crossover. Expect pricing to be announced once it goes on sale later this month, but don’t be surprised if it sticks reasonably close to the current model’s price spread.
(Photo credits: Acura)
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The post Why Didn’t The 2025 Acura RDX Ditch Its Infuriating Infotainment Trackpad? appeared first on The Autopian.
