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2022 Acura RDX gets fresh styling, Long Beach Blue PMC Edition

More tech features and an updated chassis round out the hot-selling SUV's changes.

Daniel Golson Former social media editor
3 min read
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Long Beach Blue looks good on everything.

Daniel Golson/Roadshow

Acura's best-selling vehicle for the past few years has been the crossover, with over half a million sold since it first launched in 2006. The third-generation model is getting a round of updates for 2022 to better align it with the recently redesigned SUV, with an awesome special edition thrown in for good measure.

The 2022 RDX's styling changes are minimal but effective. The grille surround is thinner, the headlights have new internal finishes, the thin air intakes have been pushed further outward and the redesigned rear bumper has rectangular exhaust tips. (Sporty A-Spec trims keep the round exhaust tips, though.) There are new wheel designs that range from 19 to 20 inches, A-Spec and Advance trims get new LED foglights and the color palette gains new Liquid Carbon Metallic and Phantom Violet Pearl shades.

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Styling tweaks for the 2022 RDX are minor.

Daniel Golson/Roadshow

On the inside things look pretty much the same, aside from a few new trim options like bronze-shaded aluminum and a flat-bottom steering wheel on the A-Spec. But Acura's engineers worked a lot harder to make the RDX's cabin quieter than before, starting with a new fender lining, a lower cold idle speed for the engine and a retuned Active Sound Control system. Models with the Technology package have a new noise insulator pad in the dashboard; acoustic glass and new sound insulators in the front doors; and thicker carpets and D-pillar trim. The Advance package builds off that with insulators and acoustic glass in the rear doors, a sound insulator in the roof and additional insulation in the dash, over the transmission tunnel, in the cargo area and under the hood. In addition to making the 2022 RDX a lot quieter, Acura also retuned the SUV's suspension for a smoother ride and tweaked its four drive modes to provide more distinct characters. 

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is now standard on every RDX, as is Amazon Alexa capability, a digital speedometer readout and a USB-C port. The Technology pack now adds 27-color ambient interior lighting, a wireless charging pad, a backup camera washer. Upgrading to the Advance model nets you new features like a 12-volt outlet in the cargo area, power-folding mirrors and remote engine start. Every RDX also now gets blind-spot monitoring with lane-change assist, an updated traffic sign recognition system, pedestrian automated emergency braking and a seatbelt reminder for the rear seats.

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The interior has some new standard tech features.

Acura

But the most exciting news is the return of the PMC Edition. Acura first introduced this limited-run special edition on the previous-gen MDX and TLX, with the RDX also receiving the treatment last year. Each PMC Edition is hand-assembled at the same factory in Ohio that builds the  and each gets unique paint colors and trimmings. For 2022 the RDX PMC Edition is painted Long Beach Blue, the same new color that debuted on the NSX last fall. The new RDX PMC also gets lots of blacked-out exterior trim and a creamy Orchid Milano leather interior with black Alcantara accents and blue stitching. While the PMC Edition was previously the only way to get the appearance of the A-Spec with the features of the Advance package, the regular 2022 RDX is now available in A-Spec Advance form -- that means part of the PMC's appeal is slightly gone, but at just 200 units the 2022 RDX will be the rarest PMC Edition yet.

Acura says the new RDX will reach dealerships in early November. Don't expect a massive price bump over the 2021 model's $39,445 starting price, with the PMC Edition likely to cost around $55,000.

The 2022 Acura RDX looks amazing in Long Beach Blue

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