Compare the2022 Infiniti QX50VS 2022 Acura RDX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Acura RDX doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX50 has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The RDX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the QX50 and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the Acura RDX:

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

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The RDX’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

The QX50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the RDX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

The RDX’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The QX50 has a 6000 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 21st in initial quality. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is ranked 26th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 17 places higher in reliability than Acura.

As tested in Motor Trend the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the Acura RDX:

The QX50 has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The RDX doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better stopping power the QX50’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the RDX:

The QX50’s standard 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 QX50 stops much shorter than the RDX:

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The RDX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the QX50’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the RDX (110.2 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

The QX50 Essential AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the RDX AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The QX50 Essential AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the RDX AWD (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the RDX’s (36.4 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (8.6 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The QX50 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear legroom, 3.9 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the RDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the QX50’s rear seats recline. The RDX’s rear seats don’t recline.

The QX50 has a larger cargo volume than the RDX with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 31.1 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Acura RDX is limited to 1500 pounds. The QX50 AWD offers up to a 3000 lbs. towing capacity.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Acura. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti third in service department satisfaction. With a 20% lower rating, Acura is ranked 6th.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the QX50 Sensory/Autograph has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The RDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX50 is less expensive to operate than the RDX because it costs $318 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the QX50 than the RDX, including $245 less for front brake pads and $35 less for a fuel pump.