WHEELS

By The Car Chick

 

Shine on, Silver Moon: 2013 ACURA RDX AWD TECH

I admit it. I’m developing a taste for small luxury crossover SUVs, especially when they give me a feeling of style backed by nimble, car-like handling and performance…the sport part… while still providing the things we like about the SUV, like options for cargo and people hauling and sitting up a bit higher…the utility part. Of course, I’ve always loved anything with luxury.

My taste for small luxury crossover SUVs was certainly sharpened during my very pleasant week with a silver moon-hued Acura RDX with the AWD and Tech packages.

First impression: sleek, laid back, with a lean-forward hint of fun. The lines are smooth, and that blocky front grill of years past has been streamlined to good effect. The flowing lines of the exterior are picked up inside, where the soft touch of the surfaces is accented by a nickel finish. Seats are comfortable, in black leather, with ample legroom in back.

My model came loaded, with a total delivered price tag of $40,315, up from a $34,320 MSRP for the base RDX model, so I enjoyed all the latest in luxury, technology and safety features, including a jazzed-up back-up camera that turns out to be standard issue on all packages. The sound system is sensational: 10 speakers and 15 GB of storage space waiting to be filled with your fave tunes. It’s easy to use, as are the communications and navigation systems.

This year’s Acura RDX is available in two trim levels, basic and Tech, and both feature either front-or-all-wheel-drive. One really nice feature of the Tech package, especially for somebody who always seems to carrying an armful of things, is the power liftgate.

As we glide away from curbside and into traffic, the six-speed transmission smoothly handles the 3.5-liter V6 (with 273 hp and 251 pound-feet of torque), and acceleration is quick enough for routine driving conditions. I like the precise feel of the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and the generally agile handling. It doesn’t exactly hug curves, and may be a bit stiff for some, but for the price it seems pretty much within the range you’d expect. With decent mileage (19 city, 27 highway) added to the mix, helped by automatic cylinder de-activation I could not even notice at work, and this is a car I could live with.

Twilight Blue Saga:2013 SUBARU LEGACY 2.5i Limited

If I could live with the Acura, I could only occasionally date this midsize family sedan. There’s nothing special to criticize, or praise here. My twilight blue metallic model was pleasant enough, a roomy, well-equipped vehicle with a moderate MSRP of $25,895, a price tag then boosted with a $4,000 option package. The options added a power moonroof, nav, rear vision camera, and many of the usual luxury features most of us enjoy. One forward-looking (you should pardon the pun) option is a new EyeSight Driver Assist System, which takes signals from two cameras on the windshield to let you know if you’re wandering out of the lane, or even apply some braking if suddenly needed.

The all-wheel drive remains a plus for this car, although not enough to overcome my own lack of excitement over the 4-cylinder, DOHC boxer 2.5 L engine. It will get you where you’re going, but with 173 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque, it definitely lets you know how hard it sometimes has to work to do what you ask of it along the way. My car came with the optional Continually Variable Transmission, which, while convenient, did not allow me the chance to check out the “hill-holder” feature available on their six-speed manual transmission which comes on the base 2.

There are plenty of V-6s around which can provide more vigorous acceleration while doing as well as this Legacy’s combined 27 mpg. Subaru knows this, of course, and they’re offering buyers the option of a 3.6-L 6-cylinder version, but it offers underwhelming mileage. On the plus side, Subaru doesn’t skimp on its safety features, with such items as anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control, front seat-side airbags and side curtain airbags all standard.

This is a family car, but it still looks sporty enough so it’s not quite the vehicular equivalent of a pair of mom or dad jeans. In fact, the 2013 seems sportier than previous models with a sharp new grille, headlights and front bumper. Inside, it’s a mix of practical surfaces and a glossy wood grain. I drove the top-of-the-line Limited edition and the options included an audio system far superior to the standard rig, along with nice leather upholstery.

GT? Gee whiz! 2013 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER 3.0 GT S-AWC

This is a three row crossover SUV, not the usual place one might expect to see the GT label. I mean, it’s kind of a truck, after all. And when you’re looking to haul seven passengers or a lot of cargo, are you really looking for the road adventure the Grand Touring image conjures up? Probably not. And, truth be told, there’s not a lot of adventure to be found here. But, again, this is a three row truck meant to haul seven people and/or a lot of stuff from place A to place B, and get you there in comfort and safety. (Comfort, if two of the seven are pretty small people, or children, it should be noted.) It will do that, to be sure, so maybe this GT stands for Get There.

And how’s the trip, you may ask. Well, there’s nothing exceptional about it. No real issues, but no special pleasures, either. It’s as if Mitsubishi decided some time back they’e gone as far as they want to with this model and more less froze the design and features in place. The outside isn’t bad for a three- row, a little too big to seem sporty, but not overbearing. My son doesn’t like the huge, oddly shaped trapezoidal grille, however; he says it makes the vehicle “look mad.”

Little effort seems to have been made to make the interior a warmer, more luxurious setting. It’s all hard surfaces and no subtlety. My model, cool silver metallic in hue outside, and black leather inside, had a $4,500 “touring package” added to the $28,595 MSRP, so it had some nice touches, like the leather, a premium sound system, and upgraded rear camera and communications.

You know how I am about steering; I like it tight and precise and here is where I was surprised. Not GT-level surprised, but pleased, nevertheless, that I found the handling to be rather agile. The 3.0L SOHC V-6, and “Sportronic” 6-speed automatic transmission meshed smoothly, and the ride is not bad, much less “trucky” than might be expected. The S-AWC in the name stands for Super All-Wheel Control, designed to provide super control and traction, and to enhance handling around corners. As noted above, it seems to do that rather well.

So this is a vehicle which might fit your needs in terms of price and size and intended use. That’s cool. But don’t let that GT in the name either attract you or send you away. If anything, think of it as Gentle Truck.