The ADX has 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Shopping for a small luxury SUV can be tough and the options keep growing with contenders like the all-new Acura ADX. While it faces stiff competition from rivals such as the Lexus UX, Audi Q3, Cadillac XT4 and BMW X1, its styling, tech-rich cabin and price might give it an edge.
As the baby in the Acura SUV family, it’s available in three all-wheel-drive trims: ADX, ADX A-Spec and the ADX Platinum Elite A-Spec, the latter of which was my test vehicle.
The base model starts at $44,980, plus $2,595 for freight and pre-delivery inspection. Even that version comes with a long list of standard features including a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, a panoramic moonroof, a power tailgate with walk away close and adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow. It costs a little less than its rivals. The BMW X1, for example, starts at $48,300, plus $2,555 for freight and PDI, the Lincoln Corsair starts at $47,795 plus $2,395 for freight and PDI and the Volvo XC40 is $46,900 plus $2,770 for freight and PDI.
The ADX has an elegant interior with nice touches, including bold red perforated Ultrasuede and leatherette seats, which are an option.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
My top-of-the-line tester starts at $51,480 – all in it is $57,076.50 including options, fees, freight and PDI, which still isn’t bad considering the average price of a new car is around $66,000. At that price point, you get more convenience goodies and safety features such as bigger 19-inch gloss black alloy wheels (versus the base 18-inch pewter grey metallic alloys), front and rear parking sensors, a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium sound system and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
Some might think the Acura ADX is just a gussied-up Honda HR-V, but it’s not. It has a more powerful turbocharged engine and elegant cabin appointments. One engine is offered: a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 190 horsepower and 179 lb-ft of torque. (The HR-V only has a 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine). The ADX engine is similar to the engine in the Acura Integra sports car, but it’s tuned differently. Unfortunately, there’s no hybrid or electric powertrain option in the ADX, unlike some direct competitors such as the Lexus UX, which is a conventional hybrid and the Lincoln Corsair, which has a plug-in hybrid option.
The rear seats on the Acura ADX.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
While it’s not the fastest out the gate, taking a bit of time to get up to cruising speeds when merging onto a highway, the ADX has pleasant, smooth and confident road manners when driving around town. It also absorbs degradations in the road well. My tester has five driving modes – Snow, Comfort, Normal, Sport and Individual, a customizable mode that allows drivers to adjust the throttle response, transmission mapping and steering feel to your preference. Sport mode is my favourite. The steering is stiffer and the ride is more dynamic than normal or comfort settings. The all-wheel-drive system also worked well. The system can send up to 50 per cent of engine torque to the rear wheels, which came in handy, improving traction on wet-slicked roads during typical April showers and unusual snowfalls. The noise level from the wind, road and continuously variable transmission isn’t too bad in the cabin thanks to noise-absorbing features such as acoustical spray foam insulation, sound-absorbing fender liners, sound-insulating carpet, and active noise control. While the average fuel economy using premium is rated at 8.5 litres per 100 kilometres for combined city and highway driving, I averaged nine litres over my week-long test.
The centre screen is small and outdated compared to some rivals.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Inside, there’s plenty of intuitive technology such as a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, a nine-inch colour touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a Wi-Fi Hotspot, a Qi-compatible 15W wireless smartphone charger and USB-C ports. My tester also had built-in Google search. It works well, taking voice instructions and understanding natural language easily. Simply ask, “Hey Google, take me to the closest gym in my neighbourhood” and within seconds, it finds the gym, sets the destination in Google maps and begins navigating so there’s no need to fiddle with buttons or waste time inputting addresses into the screen.
The 2025 Acura ADX is manufactured in Mexico at Honda’s plant in Celaya, Guanajuato and is already in Canadian dealerships.
There is up to 690 litres behind the rear seats, which expands to up to 1,560 litres when the 60-40-split rear seats are folded down.Petrina Gentile/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2025 Acura ADX
- Base price: $44,980 – $51,480 (plus $2,595 for freight and pre-delivery inspection)
- Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder
- Horsepower / torque (lb-ft): 190 / 179
- Transmission / drive: continuously variable transmission / all-wheel-drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 9.1 (city), 7.7 (highway), 8.5 (combined)
- Alternatives: Cadillac XT4, BMW X1, MB GLA-Class, Volvo XC40, Audi Q3, Lexus UX, Lincoln Corsair, Infiniti QX50
Looks
On the outside, you’ll recognize Acura’s familiar face – the ADX shares the same bold diamond pentagon grille and sharp front-end design as its siblings. There are six colours available including an exclusive shade dubbed Adriatic Sea Blue Metallic. In photos, it looks more vibrant than my $900 platinum white pearl paint.
Interior
Elegant interior with nice touches in my tester including bold red perforated Ultrasuede and leatherette seats. The heated and ventilated 12-way power driver’s seat with four-way power lumber support is comfy as are the rear seats. The centre screen looks a bit small and outdated compared to some rivals.
Performance
Fuel efficient with smooth driving dynamics. Too bad it doesn’t come with a hybrid option, too. The continuously variable transmission is a bit noisy when pushed.
Technology
Tech-rich cabin with Acura Watch, a suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies which includes blind spot information, lane Keep assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, traffic jam assist, traffic sign recognition and rear-cross traffic monitor.
Cargo
Up to 690 litres behind the rear seats, which expands to up to 1,560 litres when the 60-40-split rear seats are folded down. A low lift-over height of 695 millimetres also makes loading large or heavy items easier.
The verdict
The Acura ADX isn’t just a tarted-up Honda HR-V. It’s a refined ride with a more powerful turbocharged engine, elegant cabin appointments and a better price proposition than some of its European rivals.
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