Compare the2023 Infiniti QX55VS 2023 Acura RDX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX55 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 its rear seat belts.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX55 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the QX55. But it costs extra on the RDX.

Both the QX55 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, 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 and available 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 QX55 is safer than the Acura RDX:

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

The QX55 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 QX55’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the RDX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the QX55 for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the RDX (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

The RDX’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The QX55 has a 6000 RPM redline.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Infiniti higher than Acura.

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.

On the EPA test cycle the QX55 gets better mileage than the RDX:

The QX55 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 QX55’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the RDX:

The QX55’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.

For better traction, the QX55 has larger tires than the RDX (255/45R20 vs. 235/55R19).

The QX55’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RDX’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX55 has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the RDX.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the QX55 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 QX55’s wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the RDX (110.2 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better maneuverability, the QX55’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 QX55 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (8.6 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the QX55 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The QX55 has .3 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front hip room, .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 QX55’s rear seats recline. The RDX’s rear seats don’t recline.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the QX55 Essential/Sensory has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The RDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.