The 2021 Acura RDX's moderate safety profile includes 2 recall campaigns and 111 owner-reported complaints. Make recall verification part of your pre-purchase checklist.

Recalls

111

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

21V9390002021-02-12

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Acura RDX and 2022 CR-V Hybrid vehicles. A component in the right or left front driveshaft may have been improperly heat-treated, which could result in driveshaft failure.

Driveshaft failure can cause a sudden loss of drive power, or cause the vehicle to roll away when parked if the parking brake is not applied. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

View at NHTSA

26V3320002026-21-05

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION:FRONT PASSENGER

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.

Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 2021 Acura RDX has accumulated 111 NHTSA complaints over 1 years, with unknown or other leading the pack. Know what to look for before you buy.

01Unknown Or Other21

02Visibility/wiper8

03Service Brakes8

04Power Train7

05Air Bags6

111 total across 1 model years (2021–2021)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Acura RDX Fuel Economy

23–24mpg combined

21-22city

26-28hwy

$3,150-$3,300/yr

With 4 configurations tested, the 2021 Acura RDX ranges from 23 to 24 MPG combined. That's a 1 MPG gap that can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs.

By Trim

RDX FWD - Automatic (S10)

24mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city28 hwy~$3,150/yr5/10 Average

RDX FWD A-SPEC - Automatic (S10)

24mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city27 hwy~$3,150/yr5/10 Average

RDX AWD - Automatic (S10)

23mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

21 city27 hwy~$3,300/yr5/10 Average

RDX AWD A-SPEC - Automatic (S10)

23mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · All-Wheel Drive

21 city26 hwy~$3,300/yr5/10 Average

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 2021 Acura RDX

34States

27%in top 3

If you're near Texas, you're in luck: 10% of listings are there. But with 34 states represented, there's likely one near you too.

TXTexas

59510%

FLFlorida

59510%

NYNew York

5098%

DCWashington DC

5038%

NJNew Jersey

3776%

ILIllinois

3466%

CACalifornia

3285%

PAPennsylvania

3245%

MDMaryland

3165%

DEDelaware

2855%

GAGeorgia

1913%

NC135

MO128

WA113

OH110

AZ107

MN103

CT92

NH91

MA86

CO76

NV71

IN62

RI60

KY60

WI59

TN57

OK56

OR48

MI46

VA45

UT36

NE34

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 2021.

2021 Acura RDX Buyer FAQ

What to know before you buy

Is the 2021 Acura RDX a good car to buy?

Here's the short version on the 2021 Acura RDX. There are 2 recalls to verify before purchase. Dig into the safety overview and pricing trends for recall-by-recall detail.

Are there recalls on the 2021 Acura RDX?

NHTSA shows 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Acura RDX. Before buying, verify all recalls are complete. The dealer must fix them at no charge. See the safety section for the full list.

What's the gas mileage of the 2021 Acura RDX?

You'll get between 23 and 24 MPG combined from the 2021 Acura RDX, depending on engine and drivetrain. That's a meaningful difference over time. The fuel economy table shows exactly which configs get what.

What are common problems with the 2021 Acura RDX?

UNKNOWN OR OTHER problems top the list with 111 total complaints filed. Not every car is affected, but it's worth asking about and inspecting. Full details in the known issues section.