Used car safety, rank #9 of 181
Acura RDX 4WD Safety Rating (2019-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2019-20 Acura RDX 4WD, a midsize luxury SUV, compared with its class and with the current model.
Safest PickThe 2019-20 Acura RDX 4WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 6 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize luxury SUVs average of 10.9, which is 45% below the class average. That places it #9 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 93.6/100, earning our Safest Pick designation, and it typically sells used for $22,000 to $34,000.
What the Acura RDX death rate means
At 6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Acura RDX 4WD beats the midsize luxury SUVs average of 10.9 by 45%. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 18, so the upper end of the range overlaps the class average and the advantage is not certain.
The other-driver death rate of 40 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Acura RDX. It is higher than the Acura RDX's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury SUVs
The safest midsize luxury SUVs in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Acura RDX 4WD highlighted. It ranks 9 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the BMW X3 4WD at a death rate of 0.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X3 4WD | 2019-20 | 0 (0 to 29) | 98.6 | 2.5/5 | $22,000 to $36,000 |
| Audi Q5 4WD | 2018-20 | 2 (0 to 6) | 97.1 | 3.0/5 | $23,000 to $38,000 |
| Volvo XC90 4WD | 2018-20 | 4 (0 to 13) | 96.3 | 3.5/5 | $26,000 to $42,000 |
| Volvo XC60 4WD | 2018-20 | 5 (0 to 16) | 95.5 | 4.0/5 | $23,000 to $36,000 |
| Lexus RX 350 4WD | 2017-20 | 5 (0 to 10) | 95.5 | 4.0/5 | $26,000 to $40,000 |
| BMW X5 4WD | 2019-20 | 6 (0 to 19) | 93.6 | 2.0/5 | $28,000 to $48,000 |
| Porsche Macan | 2017-20 | 6 (0 to 14) | 93.6 | 1.5/5 | $32,000 to $52,000 |
| Acura MDX 4WD | 2017-20 | 6 (0 to 16) | 93.6 | 4.0/5 | $24,000 to $36,000 |
| Acura RDX 4WD (this page) | 2019-20 | 6 (0 to 18) | 93.6 | 4.5/5 | $22,000 to $34,000 |
Class average for midsize luxury SUVs: 10.9 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
The new Acura RDX
Death rates lag the market by several years. For the current Acura RDX we score IIHS crash tests instead; here is how the latest model years rate on our new-car scale.
| Model year | Model | IIHS award | New-car score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Acura RDX | No award | 90.7 (provisional) |
New-car scores use a different scale (crash tests, not death rates) and are not directly comparable with the 93.6 used-car score above.
Reliability and cost of ownership
Reliability: 4.5 out of 5
RepairPal rates the Acura RDX 4.5/5, 1st out of 11 in its category. Owners spend about $497 a year on repairs and maintenance, visiting the shop 0.4 times a year for unscheduled work, and 6% of those repairs are severe.
RepairPal detailsUsed price: $22,000 to $34,000
Typical asking prices for 2019-20 Acura RDX 4WD listings. For a model with a death rate of 6, that buys more real-world protection per dollar than most alternatives in the midsize luxury SUVs class.
Safety recalls for the Acura RDX 4WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
5 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline, seat belts.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024.
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Seat belts: front, buckle assembly
Risk: An unlatched seat belt cannot properly restrain the seat occupant during a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver and front passenger seat belt buckle release buttons or the buckle assemblies as necessary, free of charge.
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Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Acura RDX 4WD: Common Questions
Is the Acura RDX 4WD a safe car?
Yes, by the measure that matters most. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 6 per million registered vehicle years for the 2019-20 Acura RDX 4WD, 45% below the class average (10.9 for midsize luxury SUVs). That earns a used-car safety score of 93.6 out of 100 and rank #9 of 181 used vehicles, with a Safest Pick designation.
What is the Acura RDX 4WD driver death rate?
6 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 18. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Acura RDX died at a rate of 40 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2019-20 models.
How does the Acura RDX 4WD compare with other midsize luxury SUVs?
The midsize luxury SUVs class averages 10.9 driver deaths per million; the Acura RDX 4WD sits at 6. Among the 9 midsize luxury SUVs compared above it ranks 9 by safety score; the top of that group is the BMW X3 4WD with a death rate of 0.