Compare the2022 Ford ExplorerVS 2022 Acura RDX

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Ford Explorer have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Acura RDX doesn’t offer pretensioners for the middle seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Explorer are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The RDX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Explorer (except Base/XLT/Limited/Timberline) offers an optional Reverse Brake Assist that use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The RDX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Explorer’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The RDX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Explorer and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Explorer is safer than the Acura RDX:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 11 times as many Ford dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The RDX doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 14th in initial quality. With 38 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 26th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 6 places higher in reliability than Acura.

The Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (300 vs. 272) and 30 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Explorer’s optional 3.3 DOHC V6 hybrid produces 46 more horsepower (318 vs. 272) and 42 lbs.-ft. more torque (322 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Explorer ST/Platinum/King Ranch/Timberline’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 128 more horsepower (400 vs. 272) and 135 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Explorer turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Acura RDX:

On the EPA test cycle the Explorer gets better mileage than the RDX:

Regenerative brakes improve the Explorer Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The RDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Explorer V6 Turbo’s standard fuel tank has 3.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the RDX (20.2 vs. 17.1 gallons).

For better stopping power the Explorer’s brake rotors are larger than those on the RDX:

The Explorer ST’s optional front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the RDX are solid, not vented.

The Explorer stops much shorter than the RDX:

For better traction, the Explorer has larger standard tires than the RDX (255/65R18 vs. 235/55R19). The Explorer’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RDX (275/45R21 vs. 255/40R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Explorer offers optional 21-inch wheels. The RDX’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The RDX doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The RDX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Explorer’s wheelbase is 10.8 inches longer than on the RDX (119.1 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Explorer is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the RDX.

The Explorer’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the RDX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Explorer more stable handling and braking.

The Explorer ST 4WD handles at .86 G’s, while the RDX A-Spec AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer ST 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the RDX AWD (26.4 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Explorer Timberline has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (8.7 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Explorer to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Explorer uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The RDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Explorer has standard seating for 7 passengers; the RDX can only carry 5.

The Explorer has 48.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RDX (152.7 vs. 104).

The Explorer has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 4.2 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2.2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom, 9.2 inches more rear hip room and 5.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the RDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Explorer’s middle row seats recline. The RDX’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Explorer’s cargo area provides more volume than the RDX.

The Explorer’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RDX’s (3000 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura RDX is only 1500 pounds. The Explorer offers up to a 5600 lbs. towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Explorer uses the AdvanceTrac® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The RDX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the Explorer is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RDX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. The RDX doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its AcuraLink can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Explorer Platinum has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The RDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Explorer ST/Platinum offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RDX.

The Explorer (except Base/XLT) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The RDX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Explorer’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The RDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Explorer is less expensive to operate than the RDX because typical repairs cost much less on the Explorer than the RDX, including $259 less for front brake pads, $332 less for a starter, $58 less for fuel injection, $71 less for a fuel pump, $128 less for front struts and $180 less for a power steering pump.

The Ford Explorer outsold the Acura RDX by almost four to one during the 2021 model year.