When it comes to buying an affordable used car, customers will often look to automakers such as Toyota or Honda for a great deal. This is also the case for used luxury cars, as Acura and Lexus both make some great, affordable, used luxury vehicles. In fact, one of the best used luxury compact SUVs on the market right now is a 2010 Acura RDX.

The 2010 Acura RDX is a ridiculously affordable luxury SUV

U.S. News recently created a list of some of the most affordable luxury compact SUVs that are on the market right now, and the RDX dominated that list.

In the top 20 alone, the RDX actually claimed five spots on U.S. News’ list. That’s because multiple model years of the RDX not only scored well, but were also below the $25,000 price limit. 

With that being said, the RDX beat out the competition in another way, too. Although the price limit for that list was $25,000, the 2009 to 2012 model years of the RDX all come in at an average price tag of about $10,000. The 2009 RDX in particular, which was in eighth place, had an average price tag of about $7,500.

However, in first place was the 2010 RDX. It had an average price tag that was in the $8,500 range. Not only that, but it scored so well in every other category that U.S. News ultimately gave it the top prize. 

Why the 2010 Acura RDX is a good car

With an overall score of 9.0 out of 10, according to U.S. News’ full review of the car, it’s no surprise that the 2010 RDX won the contest. Off the bat, since it was an Acura, the RDX was very reliable. Plus, Acura wanted the RDX to be a fun SUV to drive, and as such, the 2010 RDX had a pretty good engine.

The RDX was equipped with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that got 240-hp. Like U.S. News wrote, that engine allowed the RDX to accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.8 seconds. Furthermore, the RDX had “sporty and sedan-like” handling, according to U.S. News, and these factors made it an exciting SUV to drive.

For environmentally-conscious customers, the RDX’s engine was also pretty fuel-efficient. It had an estimated fuel economy of 19 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on highways. While those numbers are about average currently, U.S. News said that, at the time, the RDX’s fuel economy was at the top of its class.

Luxury SUVs can also be practical

On top of that, the Acura RDX rounded things out by being a very practical SUV. It was a compact SUV, so while it could only seat five people, Acura made sure that everyone was comfortable. That’s why the RDX came standard with leather seats, and U.S. News wrote that the RDX’s seats were “comfortable” and that its cabin was “inviting”. 

That being said, one area where the 2010 RDX fell short when compared to more modern cars had to do with its tech offerings. Obviously, cars nowadays come with more advanced tech than cars a decade ago did, and the RDX is no different.

U.S. News praised the features that the 2010 RDX came with at the time, but those features are all pretty standard for a modern car. Regardless, the 2010 RDX did come with a moonroof as standard at least.

In terms of cargo capacity, U.S. News said that the RDX was about average. With its seats folded, it had a max of 60.6 cu. ft. of cargo space. That said, Acura did make the center console storage area roomier compared to older model years, according to U.S. News.