2013 Acura ILX and RDX at the Chicago Auto Show

There won't be too many surprises from Acura at this year's Chicago Auto Show. The automaker's new-for-2013 ILX sedan and refreshed RDX SUV were already unveiled in near-production prototype form at the 2012 Detroit auto show. Acura plans to take the wraps off of the actual production versions in Chicago.

From the Detroit prototype, it looks like Acura's second-generation RDX compact SUV doesn't change a lot for 2013. It's a bit longer and has sleeker-looking exterior styling. Under the hood, the RDX swaps its former turbocharged four-cylinder for a new 3.5-liter V-6 for 2013. We expect the new RDX to go on sale this spring.

The 2013 ILX is a compact, Civic-based sedan and Acura's first hybrid vehicle. It'll slot below the TSX in Acura's lineup and will come with three engine options: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 1.5-liter hybrid powertrain. We'll know more at the Chicago auto show, but in Detroit, Acura said the ILX will start "well below $30,000" when it goes on sale this summer.

Both vehicles will be unveiled at Acura's press conference on Feb. 8. Check back with us then for more from the 2012 Chicago Auto Show.

2013 Acura RDX: Photo Gallery

Acura pulled a page from the Lexus RX's book when redesigning the Acura RDX. It elongated the model and ditched the four-cylinder powertrain, opting instead for a V-6 motor.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

Even with the V-6 engine, gas mileage improves to 20/28 mpg city/highway, which currently equates to the best fuel-economy rating of any luxury SUV, according to Acura.

2013 Acura RDX Prototype: Up Close

The 2013 Acura RDX at the auto show was called a prototype, but in Honda parlance that means it's essentially done. (Most of its concepts are almost done.) For a complete redesign, it doesn't deliver much change.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

In terms of its styling, I just had déjà vu. The Acura RDX five-seat crossover is similar to the BMW 3 Series I reported on earlier: It's a model from a company whose designs have gone astray, but the RDX itself hadn't seen the worst of it (that would be the Acura TL sedan until its redo for 2012). The RDX had gotten the silver shield grille but otherwise retained a handsome, sporty look.

2013 Acura RDX at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show

• Competes with: Infiniti EX35, Land Rover LR2, Volvo XC60
• Looks like: A sleeker, more wagon-like RDX with a longer hood and more raked windshield 
• Drivetrain: 273-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6; six-speed automatic 
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2012  

The RDX grows up for model-year 2013, trading its sporty exterior styling cues and turbo four-cylinder for a more polished profile and a new V-6 engine.

More 2012 Detroit Auto Show Coverage

The second generation of the automaker’s compact SUV rides on a longer wheelbase than the previous version. At 183.5 inches long and 64.2 inches high, it’s about 1 inch longer than the previous version, but loses an inch in height. It also gets a sleeker look outside and more leather inside.

Acura Bringing Three New Vehicles to 2012 Detroit Auto Show

A redesigned Acura RDX. A new compact sports sedan. A concept for an all-new NSX supercar.

That's all Acura is bringing to Detroit come Jan. 9 on the first media day of the 2012 North American International Auto Show.

The three reveals are a significant statement for the brand.

The biggest will be the ILX Concept. It will be a "styling study" of the smallest Acura sedan in the lineup and will be offered with a gas-powered engine and a hybrid.

Acura doesn't come out and say it, but we're expecting/praying that the ILX will feature new design language to replace the "shield"-focused designs of the past few years.

The company says the ILX will be launched in spring 2012, so this concept follows in the tradition of past Honda and Acura showcars that look nearly identical to their production versions.

2011 Infiniti EX35 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

The 2011 Infiniti EX35 was named a Top Safety Pick in the midsize luxury SUV category from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety today. The 2011 Acura RDX was also tested, but it did not receive the top honor.

The EX35 has won the award in previous years, when the title was given to vehicles earning the agency’s top rating of Good in front, side and rear crash tests, and had electronic stability control. This was before IIHS added its roof-strength test, which made it harder for new cars to be named Top Safety Picks. To pass the test, a vehicle’s roof must be able to withstand the force of four times the vehicle’s weight.

The EX35 was able to withstand exactly four times its weight. The RDX, previously a Top Safety Pick, did not earn the designation because it scored a Marginal rating in the roof-strength test. The luxury crossover could withstand only 2.9 times its own weight.

Neither car has been fully crash-tested using the updated evaluations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Reader Review of the Week: 2010 Acura RDX

“Auto Aficionado” from New Jersey is on his second Acura RDX, and he finds the 2010 model to be a “vast improvement” over his 2007. For a variety of reasons, Acura has stepped up its game and vaulted into the top ranks of luxury crossovers, he says. Read his full review to find out why the RDX impressed him so much, but also where Acura could still benefit from making a few improvements. Once you’re done with that, write a review of your own car by heading here.

2010 Acura RDX Video

What’s new on the 2010 Acura RDX? Though the design remains mostly the same, a polarizing switch to the grille is the jumping-off point for Cars.com reviewer David Thomas. Depending on your feelings about the front end, you may want to stick around to hear about all the features that come standard on the RDX, as well as its turbocharged engine and innovative cargo room design. Check out the video to get the full rundown.

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Acura RDX

When Acura first rolled out the RDX, it hit a juicy vein in the compact luxury SUV segment that had yet to be overexploited. These days, nearly every luxury automaker has an entry-level crossover with a relatively low price tag. Does the RDX manage to distinguish itself even though the competition has caught on? For the answer, check out the full review of the 2010 RDX by Cars.com reviewer David Thomas.

2010 Acura RDX Review

2010|Acura|RDX

2010 Acura RDX Gets New Grille, Price, Front-Wheel Drive

Acura’s new company face, a big shield fixed into the grille, has landed on the RDX for 2010. It was the last model in the lineup to get it, and we have to say, it could have been left alone. Other design tweaks to the lower bumper and headlights are more welcome and add a beefier look overall. The backside gets some work, too, but it’s harder to see the changes there. The dual exhaust pipes are now hexagonal instead of circular, and the license plate frame is slightly smaller.

Inside, hardly anything gets touched, and the engine is the same 240-hp, turbocharged four-cylinder. The biggest changes come in terms of trim levels. The RDX now comes in a base, front-wheel-drive model in addition to the previous all-wheel-drive version. There are technology packages available for both. Pricing for the front-wheel-drive model is $32,520, with all-wheel drive starting at $34,520. The 2009 RDX with all-wheel drive started at $33,895. What do you get for the extra $600 and change besides the new grille?