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Comparison test: 2019 Acura RDX vs. compact luxury SUV competitors

Truth be told, if we were to compare the all-new 2019 Acura RDX with those compact luxury crossover SUVs it would most likely be cross-shopped against, you'd be looking at a different list. Even Acura admits that Lexus and Infiniti are the most likely bogies, but with the 2019 RDX, Honda's luxury brand is attempting to attract those customers who think as much with their hearts as with their heads. And for the most part, those folks have been buying from German brands: the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. So, to show how the new RDX compares to them, Acura actually provided examples of each during the recent press drive along with a Volvo XC60. All were determined to have greater emotional appeal than the last RDX, and we would certainly agree. For, as much as the previous-generation RDX made sense on paper, it was really hard to get excited about it. And when you're paying extra for a luxury vehicle, shouldn't you get a little excited? Well, as luck would have it, Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and I were on hand in Whistler, British Columbia, for the press launch. We didn't have an abundance of time in each RDX competitor, but in conjunction with our usual comparison chart, our impressions should provide a good first taste of how the new RDX compares. Performance and fuel economy Contributing Editor James Riswick: On paper at least, the RDX is gutsier than its comparably powered European rivals. It also weighs the same or less, which logically should mean it'll be the quickest in a straight line. During my brief drives, though, I'm not sure it really stood taller than the three Germans. It at least matches them for smoothness, which is something that can't be said about the Volvo. Fuel economy is lower than them all when you consider all but the Mercedes come standard with all-wheel drive. It's also worth noting that all the competitors are available with engine upgrades, and unless Acura's forthcoming resurrection of Type S models includes the RDX, it should stay that way. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: Line 'em all up in a drag race, and I have a feeling the Acura would squirt away to victory. A good bit of that, though, would be due to its 10-speed automatic transmission, which offers a huge spread of ratios and fires off extremely quick shifts. In the real world, I'd guess fuel economy will be similar across the board, so I'm willing to call that category a draw.

Audi on Demand pilot program launches in San Francisco

Customers eager to drive a new Audi but unwilling or unable to plunk down the purchase price for one will be intrigued by the launch of the new Audi on Demand program. Initially being rolled out in San Francisco, Audi on Demand is based around an iPhone app that allows clients to order up a new Audi of their choosing on a day-by-day basis for up to 28 days in a row. Order an Audi through the app and a "personal concierge" will deliver the car anywhere in the city – curbside, driveway, parking lot, office building... pretty much anywhere the customer chooses. The concierge will even help set up the audio and navigation systems to the customer's preferences. And if the customer isn't there to receive the vehicle in person, he or she can simply unlock it through the app, start it up and drive off. The service is being made available on a broad range of Audi models, from the A4 all the way up to the R8. Customers can even specify a child seat or (on an Allroad or Q5) a ski or bike rack, and are guaranteed that the vehicle they select will be the one they get, right down to the color and trim. Though being launched at first only in San Francisco, Audi says it will roll out the program in other American cities "in the coming years." In announcing the program, Audi also revealed that it's planning to launch Audi at Home as well, a "micro-sharing" service that will allow residents of select condo complexes to share a fleet of Audis as well. These, of course, are just the latest smartphone-enabled conveniences being introduced by the German automaker, following its collaboration with Amazon and DHL for in-trunk delivery. Related Video: Audi launches innovative mobility program: Audi on demand April 27, 2015 | SAN FRANCISCO, California - Audi on demand launches beta program in San Francisco - Innovative premium service allows customers to choose their preferred Audi model via iPhone app - Personal concierge delivers vehicle to a San Francisco location of customer's choosing Audi today introduced Audi on demand, an innovative mobility program that gives customers a new way to experience the Audi brand and its range of vehicles at the touch of a button. With Audi on demand, customers can reserve an Audi by the day for up to 28 days. The premium service is currently available in San Francisco as part of a beta program and will be rolled out across additional U.S. cities in the coming years.

Jaguar I-Pace named World Car of the Year

NEW YORK — The Jaguar I-Pace has been named World Car of the Year, an award meant to honor the most significant new car introduction and conferred by an international jury of automotive journalist judges. The group announced the winners of additional awards at the New York Auto Show, with the Audi A7 named World Luxury Car of the Year, the McLaren 720S recognized as World Performance Car of the Year, and the Suzuki Jimny named World Urban Car. The I-Pace additionally took home two other awards: World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car of the Year. The WCOTY team of 86 jurors hail from 24 countries, and the organization is independent and not tied to any publication. This is the 15th year for the awards. For this year's World Car of the Year award the top three finalists were the I-Pace, the Audi E-Tron, and the Volvo S60/V60. Previous WCOTY winners were the Volvo XC60 in 2018 and the Jaguar F-Pace in 2017. View 74 Photos