2015 Acura RDX

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

72/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 409 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Acura RDX, and it carries 3 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Exterior lighting	321	78%
Air bags	30	7%
Exterior lighting	13	3%
Structure	7	2%
Electrical system	6	1%
Visibility/wiper	4	1%
Unknown or other	4	1%
Fuel/propulsion system	3	1%
Visibility	2	0%
Structure	2	0%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

Reflectors on low beam headlights have completely failed. Provides almost no illumination and is very dangerous to drive at night. Changing bulbs, cleaning outer lens makes no difference, the entire housing needs to be r
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

The HID low beam headlamps are not putting out enough light to drive the vehicle at night. This is dangerous, and I drive home from work at night. The inner low beam lens has degraded and become hazy. This would require
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

There is a defect in my headlights, too dim to drive at night, have to engage high beams to see. This is a safety hazard. I believe this should be repaired by the manufacturer
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Headlight reflector assemblies have delaminated causing headlight output to be very dim to the point that driving at night is not safe.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Low beam headlights are very dim after installing new bulbs. It appears the reflective capsule is not working properly. My car headlights have not been damaged in the past.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Headlights are so dim and cannot operate at night driving thru the mountains. It seems like a repetitive issue that affects many owners.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Headlights are so dim that it is a safety risk. Literally cannot see to drive at night. I see reports online from many Acura owners that say this is a known defect yet to be recalled by Acura. There were no warning sig
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Low Beam head lamp assembly is defective and no longer focuses light forward. Delamination of reflector material is a common issue according to internet searches.
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2015 Acura RDX. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module 19V182000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV

Risk: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or dea

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer servic

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module 19V500000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped wi

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module 16V061000

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 CR-Z, 2010-2014 FCX, and Insight, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013-2014 Fit EV, 2007-2014 Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX, 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2007-2016 RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL, and 2010-20

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 2017. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this re

The seven scores

Reliability raw	69	good
Longevity est.	76	good
Maintenance	84	excellent
Depreciation	67	good
Performance	67	good
Efficiency	39	below average
Safety	93	excellent

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 32% of SUVs
Longevity: better than 60% of SUVs
Running costs: better than 89% of SUVs
Value retention: better than 69% of SUVs

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 69: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 76: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 2015 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 84: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety 93: NHTSA crash testing blended with IIHS awards.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 2015 Acura RDX?

Owners have filed 409 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and exterior lighting is the most reported area with 321 of them (78%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 2015 Acura RDX reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 69/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 2015 Acura RDX last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 76/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2015 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 2015 Acura RDX?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.