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2023 Acura RDX

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaintsnone reporting a crash, fire or injury 24

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 24 mpg

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Acura RDX is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the RDX FWD, is EPA-rated at 24 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 24 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Acura RDX — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Acura RDX · Photo: Kevauto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
RDX FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	28	24	$3,400
RDX FWD A-SPEC	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	27	24	$3,400
RDX AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	27	23	$3,550
RDX AWD A-SPEC	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	26	23	$3,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46062, 46063, 46069, 46070.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
RDX AWD, RDX FWD, RDX FWD A-SPEC	6 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 / California LEV-III ULEV50	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
RDX AWD A-SPEC	6 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV50 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 50	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors	5
GVWR class	Class 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	4
Displacement	2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Engine Output

Horsepower

272 hp

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Transmission

Drivetrain	4x2
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	10

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking, Rear cross-traffic alert

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: A-SPEC, SH-AWD, SH-AWD A-SPEC, SH-AWD A-SPEC ADVANCE). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	187.8 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	74.8 in
Height	65.7 in
Wheelbase	108.3 in
Track, front	64.2 in
Track, rear	64.6 in
Curb weight	4,034–4,090 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	57/43

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: A-Spec 4-door SUV, Base/Tech 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Air Bags

98,892 vehicles 32% reported repaired

Problem Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash. Risk Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Dealer notice PDF

NHTSA campaign 26V332000 reported May 21, 2026 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

OEJ,XEK,AEY,XEX,OEW

386 vehicles 93% reported repaired

Problem Honda (America Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Civic, Acura RDX, Acura Integra, and 2022 Honda Accord vehicles. A ball valve in the vehicle stability assist (VSA) modulator may leak brake fluid, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the brake hold feature is engaged or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel. Risk Unintended vehicle movement or an unexpected increase in brake pedal travel can increase the risk of a crash or injury. Fix Dealers will replace the VSA modulator, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 24, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are OEJ, XEK, AEY, XEX and OEW.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V430000 reported Jun 15, 2023 Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific RDX

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Acura publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Acura’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Acura RDX, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

24complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

6.6 per 10,000 built · Acura reported 36,495 RDX built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 1 · 2026: 9

Most-cited components

Electrical System 7

Visibility/Wiper 4

Unspecified 4

Engine 4

Structure 3

Forward Collision Avoidance 3

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

This is a follow-up to my earlier complaint about the same vehicle, a 2023 Acura RDX A-Spec Advance. In August 2026 the vehicle was stolen from a public street after offenders broke through the exterior driver’s door handle, reached the wiring behind it, and lowered the window to get inside.

Electrical System Oct 15, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11771373

The contact owns a 2023 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and retrieving an item from the front driver’s side door; after closing the door, the rear glass exploded without impact. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was scheduled.

Visibility/Wiper at 30,100 miles Jul 28, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11753242

Transfer case is defective and Acura is refusing to fix it under warranty. Says it’s’normal’ for the AWD system to leak causing destruction

Power Train Mar 13, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11724008

On October 31, 2024, I was nearing the end of a three hour trip. I was traveling on a rural two-lane highway with a 55 mph speed limit. I had just pulled away from a 4-way stop intersection and was following a single vehicle traveling 40 mph.

Engine Nov 13, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11624887

The contact owns a 2023 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the Forward Collision Avoidance: Emergency Automatic Braking inadvertently activated, and the vehicle stopped.

Forward Collision Avoidance at 7,888 miles Jun 4, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11592399

My issue is with the liftgate on all Acura models including my own RDX. I was sitting on the edge of the van with the liftgate fully opened taking off my spikes after golfing. I inadvertantly triggered the fob in my pocket when i leaned forward causing the liftgate to close.

Structure Jun 24, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11528693

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Acura itself: 6 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 16 per 100,000 built. Every RDX model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	15%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 2 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin B24-045A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications.
Term not in NHTSA’s summary · Acura bulletin ONL6M309172024Owner Notification Letter - A coaxial cable terminal was not manufactured to proper specifications.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Honda warranty extension (66) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 53

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-01-21

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 44 service bulletins, 8 others, 1 over-the-air update

Most often about: Visibility/Wiper, Electrical System, Equipment, Structure, Engine.

B23066 Over-the-air update
2026-01-21 · Electrical System
Over the Air System Update - System updates contain upgrades that fix operational errors and/or provide a variety of enhancements, which adds new functionality. Information about the various software releases can be found in this document.
B23-004 Service bulletin
2025-10-17 · Structure — Body
"Service Bulletin - A pop noise can occur from the rear roof area when turning into driveways, bumps, or on an incline due to, in some cases, the panoramic roof frame mounting bolts are unable to maintain the necessary clamp force. This can allow shifting, which may lead to a pop noise."
B25-049 Service bulletin
2025-09-17 · Engine
Service Bulletin - Oil leak at the cam chain tensioner inspection cover due to and insufficient sealant adhesion on the inspection cover.
B19-053 Service bulletin
2025-05-30 · Service Brakes
Service Bulletin - The front and/or rear brakes make a high-pitched squeal when the brakes are lightly applied at 24 km/h (15 mph) or less, with ambient temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
B19-053 Service bulletin
2025-05-16 · Service Brakes
Service Bulletin - The front and/or rear brakes make a high-pitched squeal when the brakes are lightly applied at 24 km/h (15 mph) or less, with ambient temperatures below 10°C (50°F).
BTI&05092025901 Other
2025-05-10 · Structure — Body
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2025 RDXs and 2022-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a pop noise in the rear sunroof area. Clients may describe a single pop noise heard while driving over a bump or turning in and out of driveways. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a
BTI&04302025902 Other
2025-04-30 · Engine
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2023 RDXs and TLXs with a client complaint of the "Emissions System Warning" Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with DTC P2101 (Electronic Throttle Control System Malfunction) stored. Client may experience the vehicle going into "limp" mode. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect t
BTI&04252025901 Other
2025-04-25 · Structure — Body
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2025 RDXs and 2022-2025 MDXs with a client complaint of a pop noise in the rear sunroof area. Clients may describe a single pop noise heard while driving over a bump or turning in and out of driveways. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P2101	The electronic throttle is not moving to where it was commanded.	Engine	4 bulletins
P0300 P0300 on Acura →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	1 bulletin · 1 owner report
P0301 P0301 on Acura →	Cylinder 1 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	1 bulletin · 1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.53%

failed emissions

2,257 initial inspections of 2,211 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 RDX	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.53%	1.6%	2,252
Failed the safety inspection	0.40%	1.1%	2,257
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.27%	0.16%	2,257
Miles driven a year	8,384	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	27,046	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

RDX by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 1 23 mpg 2025 A 1 30 23 mpg 2024 B 2 12 23 mpg 2023 this page B 2 24 24 mpg 2022 B 2 31 24 mpg 2021 C 3 117 24 mpg 2020 C 5 348 24 mpg 2019 C 5 440 24 mpg 2018 A 1 77 23 mpg 2017 A 1 80 23 mpg 2016 C 2 41 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 RDX

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2023 Acura RDX have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2023 Acura RDX. The most serious on file is 26V332000, covering Air Bags. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Acura RDX?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Acura RDX 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Acura RDX?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Acura RDX, the best EPA combined figure is 24 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2023 Acura RDX?

Transport Canada measured it at 187.8 in long, 74.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.7 in tall, on a 108.3 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,034–4,090 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Acura RDX?

Owners have filed 24 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Acura RDX, most often about electrical system, visibility/wiper, unspecified. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Acura RDX?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Acura RDX is 6 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV50, Federal Tier 3 Bin 50 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Acura RDX?

The manufacturer has filed 53 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Acura RDX, most often covering visibility/wiper, electrical system, equipment. The most recent is dated 2026-01-21. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Acura RDX do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Acura RDX failed the emissions check on 0.53% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 0.40% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	24	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	53	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	11 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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