Test Driving The 2025 Acura ADX Subcompact SUV

Forbes

2 days ago

The all new 2025 Acura ADX SUV is the latest model added to the Acura luxury brand's line up. It slots below the compact RDX and the midsize, three-row MDX SUV. As Acura's smallest SUV it's no surprise to learn it shares a fair amount of its mechanicals with Acura's smallest sedan, the Integra. For instance, both vehicles are powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 190 hp and 179 pound feet torque in the Acura ADX. This engine is attached to a continuously variable transmission, or CVT.
Employing a CVT is an unusual decision by Acura, because car savvy consumers will question the wisdom of a brand with the tagline 'Precision Crafted Performance" for using a CVT. These transmissions are known for their droning, lifeless acceleration, which kills any driver enjoyment. To Acura's credit, it equipped the ADX with paddle shifters on the steering wheel while giving the transmission simulated 'shifting' characteristics accessible via those paddles. This was all done in an attempt to counteract the CVT's lack of personality during aggressive acceleration.
Acura ADX Pricing Starts at $36,350
The 2025 Acura ADX provides several premium features on the base trim, including LED front and rear exterior lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a sunroof, heated front seats with synthetic leather, a power liftgate, and 18-inch wheels. It's an impressive list of equipment for $36,350. The mid-grade ADX A-Spec adds 19-inch wheels, ventilated front seats, a larger sunroof, and suede seat inserts for $39,350. The top trim ADX A-Spec Advance adds leather upholstery, a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, a heated steering wheel, and driver's seat memory for $43,350.
Our test car was a top-trim ADX A-Spec Advance with the 19-inch Berlina Black wheels and a compelling shade of Urban Gray paint. Inside, the plush white leather seats (with contrasting blue suede insets) gave the cabin a luxurious look and feel. Those leather-and-suede seats might have proven hot and sweaty on a 90-degree Southern California summer day, but their ventilation system effectively cooled them off as we drove the Acura ADX through South Orange County.
Acura ADX Offers Impressive Interior Space
The ADX's interior not only delivers on its luxury promise but also provides plenty of space for adults in both the first and second row. My 6-foot frame was fully coddled in the driver's seat, while also fitting behind the driver's seat when adjusted for me. Not every subcompact SUV can carry four 6-foot adults in comfort, but the ADX can. And behind the second row seat there's 24 cubic feet of cargo space. And if you fold those second row seats down you get 55 cubic feet of space. Very impressive given the Acura ADX's small exterior footprint.
And like every modern luxury SUV you can open and close the ADX's power liftgate using a button on the rear hatch, or a button on the key fob. But Acura adds a bit of sophistication, with an ability to automatically close the liftgate when you walk away from the rear of the ADX. The assumption being that if you have to wrap your arms around all the items in the cargo area, you won't have a free hand to close the liftgate. So when you hit the 'close' button on the liftgate it will wait until you walk away, giving you time to grab your items and leave without needing a free hand to close the hatch.
Acura ADX's Transmission Limits Performance
So the ADX looks good, offers a long list of luxury features, and provides a surprising amount of interior space. But does it deliver on Acura's promise? Does it provide the 'precision crafted performance' the brand touts in its ads? Well, it's certainly equipped with what you'd expect from a performance-oriented luxury model. The ADX rides on an independent front and rear suspension, and its electric-assist power steering lives up to Acura's legacy of delivering exceptional feel and feedback. Put it in 'Sport' mode and the ADX's lack of body roll and capable brakes make it confident on twisty roads.
However, when it's time to gather speed, either from a stop or when exiting a corner, the Acura ADX's CVT does what every CVT does – mutes throttle response while delivering lackluster, droning acceleration. The little SUV's performance pedigree, which includes a flat-bottom steering wheel, racy graphics in the 10.2-inch gauge cluster, and an optional $2,000 all-wheel-drive system (that can deliver up to 50 percent of power to the rear wheels), feel out of place, and honestly wasted, when paired with a drivetrain that takes nearly 9 seconds to reach 60 mph.
The Acura ADX Remains Appealing
This is truly unfortunate, because everything else about the Acura ADX works well. The plush interior materials, the dedicated climate controls below the intuitive 9-inch central touchscreen, the traditional volume knob (far too many modern vehicles have lost that simple-yet-perfect feature), the quiet cabin at highway speeds and confident handling around corners. Acura's effort to give drivers some 'shifting' control with the ADX's steering wheel paddles is commendable, but ultimately the automaker can't alter the inherent nature of a CVT.
It's worth noting the ADX's mixed EPA rating of 27 mpg. That number is higher than most competitors, and the CVT undoubtedly contributes to it. If fuel efficiency is more important to you than 0-60 times or driver engagement, the 2025 Acura ADX may be your ideal choice in the subcompact luxury SUV category.