To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the RDX. But it costs extra on the Rogue.
Both the RDX and the Rogue have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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 Acura RDX is safer than the Nissan Rogue:
|
RDX |
Rogue |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
26% |
33% |
Neck Stress |
262 lbs. |
403 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
23 lbs. |
54 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.6 inches |
.6 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
30% |
37% |
Neck Stress |
99 lbs. |
193 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
84 lbs. |
103 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Acura RDX is safer than the Nissan Rogue:
|
RDX |
Rogue |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
63 |
95 |
Hip Force |
217 lbs. |
339 lbs. |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
124 |
162 |
Hip Force |
462 lbs. |
513 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
11 inches |
13 inches |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Acura RDX is safer than the Rogue:
|
RDX |
Rogue |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Structure |
GOOD |
GOOD |
|
Driver Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
200 |
290 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
81 G’s |
Shoulder Force |
223 lbs. |
245 lbs. |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Pelvis Force |
692 lbs. |
803 lbs. |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
|
Passenger Injury Measures |
|
Head/Neck |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Injury Criterion |
206 |
455 |
Head Peak Forces |
no contact |
89 G’s |
Neck Tension |
67 lbs. |
89 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
156 lbs. |
402 lbs. |
Torso |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Shoulder Deflection |
1.18 in |
1.22 in |
Shoulder Force |
357 lbs. |
379 lbs. |
Pelvis |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Head Protection |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the RDX is 2.9% less likely to roll over than the Rogue.
For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the RDX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Rogue is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2023.