2026 Acura RDX: St. Louis Buyers Guide

Quick Answer: The 2026 Acura RDX at a Glance

The 2026 Acura RDX is a compact luxury crossover sold in five trims: Base ($45,100 MSRP), Technology ($47,700), A-Spec ($50,700), Advance ($52,850), and A-Spec Advance ($54,850), each before Acura’s $1,450 destination charge and Missouri tax. Every trim shares the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 272 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque, a 10-speed automatic, and Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). There is no front-wheel-drive RDX to step down into. EPA rates it 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg on Base, Technology, and Advance, and 21 city / 26 highway / 23 combined on the A-Spec and A-Spec Advance’s sportier wheel-and-tire package. A 10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic moonroof, heated front seats, and the full AcuraWatch safety suite come standard on every trim, including Base. Frank Leta Acura, 11777 Tesson Ferry Road in St. Louis, has been the area’s Acura store since 1986 and carries the RDX lineup on its new-vehicle lot.

2026 Acura RDX compact luxury crossover, front view on a bridge at dusk
The 2026 Acura RDX. Image: Acura.

One nameplate, one powertrain, five ways to spec it

Acura doesn’t make an RDX buyer choose between engines or drivetrains the way some competitors do. Every 2026 RDX, from the $45,100 Base trim to the loaded A-Spec Advance at $54,850, runs the same 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo four-cylinder making 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, routed through a 10-speed automatic with steering-wheel paddle shifters and Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive standard across the board. That’s a real point of difference from rivals that hold all-wheel drive back as a paid option on their entry trim. What actually separates a Base RDX from an A-Spec Advance is equipment and styling, not what’s under the hood, and Acura built the RDX that way on purpose, so the decision comes down to how much luxury content and sport-appearance styling a buyer wants layered on top of a powertrain that’s identical no matter which key fob they walk out with.

Because every trim shares the same drivetrain, the walk from Base to Technology to A-Spec to Advance to A-Spec Advance is a straight climb in standard equipment rather than a series of different cars wearing the same badge. Base already includes the 10.2-inch center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic moonroof, heated front seats, and Acura’s full AcuraWatch driver-assist suite — none of that is locked behind an upgrade. Technology and Advance build out the luxury and comfort side of the car; A-Spec and A-Spec Advance layer on sport-appearance styling, unique wheels, and black exterior trim, with A-Spec Advance combining both directions into the single fully-loaded RDX. One trap worth knowing before cross-shopping trims by fuel economy: the A-Spec’s wider wheel-and-tire package costs it 1 mpg on the highway number (26 vs. 27) compared to Base, Technology, and Advance, even though every trim shares the identical combined rating of 23 mpg.

RDX Base

from $45,100 MSRP
The full RDX experience at the lowest entry point: SH-AWD, the 10.2-inch touchscreen, and AcuraWatch, no options needed.

RDX Technology

from $47,700 MSRP
Adds Acura’s Technology-package content on top of the Base equipment list.

RDX A-Spec

from $50,700 MSRP
Sport-appearance wheels, black exterior accents, and sport seating layered on the shared 272-hp powertrain.

RDX Advance

from $52,850 MSRP
Acura’s top luxury and comfort tier, built on the Technology trim’s foundation.

RDX A-Spec Advance

from $54,850 MSRP
The fully-loaded RDX — A-Spec’s sport styling combined with Advance’s luxury equipment.

What buyers say about Frank Leta Acura

Frank Leta Acura carries a 4.69-star average across more than 3,600 Google reviews, and a good number of those are written by RDX buyers specifically, not generic dealership praise. “Two weeks ago I purchased a 2026 Acura RDX from this dealership. The experience was an excellent one, from start to finish. Jamie (Crank), the person who helped me navigate the different models and specs was completely awesome. Personable and knowledgeable,” one buyer wrote (Saskia N.). Another, comparing the RDX’s cabin against other SUVs while shopping with sales consultant Edwin Sekic, put it this way: “My wife and I recently purchased an Acura RDX from Frank Leta Acura and the experience was honestly outstanding from start to finish thanks to Edwin. … I even mentioned that I liked how the interior felt more upscale than a lot of other SUVs we had looked at” (Jared M.). A repeat customer summed up the pattern that shows up across dozens of these reviews: “Worked with Jamie and bought an RDX last week, our third Acura from Frank Leta. … I can’t imagine buying anything but Acura. We will definitely go back for #4!” (Susie P.)

Owning one in St. Louis

Two more guides pick up where this one leaves off. The service & repair guide covers how Acura’s Maintenance Minder works, what St. Louis County’s vehicle inspection and Gateway emissions rules actually require on a new RDX, and what Frank Leta Acura’s service department offers on top of factory coverage. The pricing & leasing guide breaks down how Missouri’s sales tax stacks on top of MSRP and destination, and whether leasing or buying makes more sense on a five-trim lineup where the powertrain never changes.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 Acura RDX being discontinued?

No. The current RDX, with its 2.0-liter turbo engine and SH-AWD, remains in production and on sale for 2026 across all five trims. Early 2026 coverage of a next-generation RDX concept described a future move toward a hybrid-electric powertrain, but that’s a later redesign, not a change to the gas-turbo RDX sitting on the lot today.

What’s the difference between RDX trims besides price?

Nothing mechanical changes trim to trim. Every trim gets the identical 272-hp turbo engine, 10-speed automatic, and SH-AWD. The climb from Base through A-Spec Advance is entirely about equipment and styling: luxury content on Technology and Advance, sport-appearance styling on A-Spec, and both combined on A-Spec Advance.

Does every 2026 RDX have all-wheel drive?

Yes. SH-AWD is standard on every trim; Acura doesn’t offer a lower-priced front-wheel-drive RDX in the US.

Is the RDX considered a luxury vehicle?

Yes, it’s Acura’s compact luxury crossover, competing against vehicles like the Lexus NX, Audi Q5, and BMW X3, positioned above mainstream compact SUVs on standard equipment, cabin materials, and badge.

Does Frank Leta Acura have RDX inventory on the lot?

Availability shifts by trim and color week to week. Sales consultants at Frank Leta Acura can confirm what’s physically on the Tesson Ferry Road lot versus what’s still in transit for a specific trim and color combination.

See the lineup in person

Five trims sharing one powertrain makes the RDX an easier car to shop than most, but the equipment differences, especially between A-Spec’s sport-tuned cabin and Advance’s luxury-focused one, are the kind of thing worth feeling in person rather than reading off a spec sheet. Frank Leta Acura’s new-vehicle lot at 11777 Tesson Ferry Road is the place to start, and the service and pricing guides linked above cover what it actually costs to own and keep one running in St. Louis.

All 2026 Acura RDX guides

MSRP figures exclude Acura’s $1,450 destination charge, taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed accessories; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov; real-world mileage varies. Equipment and availability can change with production timing; confirm current specifications and allocation with Frank Leta Acura. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Frank Leta Acura describing buyers’ general purchase experience at the dealership.