The 2025 Acura ADX Proves ‘Good Enough’ Can Work: First Drive Review

Asking the wrong question will always lead you to the wrong answer. So if you ask me which subcompact luxury crossover to buy, I’d say you’re already off the mark. Whether you look at the underwhelming Mercedes-Benz GLA, the middling BMW X1, or the forgettable Audi Q3, it seems as though no one can get it right. Most of these companies don’t do cheap SUVs well.

Honda, though, does do cheap SUVs well, which means Acura’s entry into the segment deserves a second look. The Acura ADX is based on the same bones as the Civic, the best affordable car in America for my money. Acura already proved the Civic formula could translate to the premium sector with the charming Integra, so in a segment that’s only produced losers thus far, can the ADX break the mold?

There’s a reason why the subcompact luxury mission brief is so hard to satisfy. The tidy wheelbases of subcompact crossovers make them ride worse than many mainstream compact SUVs, and their lower price points mean sacrificing refinement. There’s no reason BMW can sell you a nicer car for $40,000 than Toyota can; The company has worse economies of scale, and most of the luxury trimmings are a direct result of its higher price point.

Acura has a few tricks up its sleeve, though. The ADX benefits from Honda’s packaging wizardry. Its 37.7 inches of rear legroom and 24.4 cubic feet of storage behind the seats are on the high side of the class, and the ADX benefits from plenty of storage cubbies throughout the cabin to make real-world living easier. Acura notes that it has eight cupholders capable of accommodating your 32-ounce water bottle. Plus, with the seats folded, the ADX has far more cargo space than most competitors—55.1 cubic feet.

Then there’s the price: $36,350 to start, with the range topping out at around $45,350 for an all-wheel drive A-Spec with the Advance Package. That solves the other key issue in this segment: Many of the German options require you to spend around $50,000 for a reasonably optioned model. Even Acura’s nicest trim costs less than that.

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Pros: Solid Value, Good Ride, Great Stereo

It’s not all good news, though. Honda’s influence means the ADX comes solely with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, the same unit in the Civic, HR-V and Integra. It’s not a smooth engine, and it works best with a manual transmission—which you can’t get in the ADX. The ADX is paired exclusively to the continuously variable transmission.

In Sport mode, the CVT tends to keep the mill gnashing along at a buzzier frequency. There’s so much extra noise dampening in the cabin that you don’t hear it much, thankfully, but since Acura’s whole pitch is “Precision Crafted Performance,” it still feels too unrefined. The 2.0-liter turbo in any bottom-shelf BMW blows this thing away, by comparison.

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Still, with 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque available at 1,700 RPM, the ADX has enough low-end punch. People probably won’t choose the ADX for its performance—or lack thereof—but it is perfectly adequate. Left to its default setting, the CVT and turbo combine for a slightly dawdling experience. Sport sharpens the engine’s response and makes it feel far more connected, but it’ll hold 3,000 RPM just humming along, so expect a big efficiency hit.

Over the test, my average mpg hovered in the low-20s. Drive like an Environmental Protection Agency employee and the all-wheel-drive ADX will provide 25 mpg around town and 30 mpg on the highway. The other option is front-wheel-drive, good for 1 more mpg across the board. Acura could have improved both power and efficiency by fitting the ADX with the same phenomenal hybrid powertrain offered in the Accord, Civic, and CR-V. Unfortunately, the brand opted to “skip” its hybrid era in favor of pure EVs.

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Cons: Doesn’t Feel Like A Luxury Car, Middling Powertrain, Awkward Styling

If you are looking for a performance product, stop reading here. None of these subcompacts offer an engaging drive; the BMW is the clear leader. Yet, if you want something comfy that won’t flail in a corner, the ADX handles well enough.

The ADX strikes a good balance between comfort and handling, with excellent body control. The suspension is fixed but tuned well—I’ll take it over an endlessly configurable adaptive system any day. Acura also claims the all-wheel-drive system will send more than 50 percent of torque to the rear wheels, and you can feel it shuffle power backwards at times. But based on the torque distribution graphics, the ADX is still heavily front-biased.

On the highway, the ADX is quiet and comfortable. Unfortunately, Acura’s driver assistance suite leaves a lot to be desired. The ADX gets points for standard radar cruise control and lane keeping, but the company switched from a stereoscopic (dual) camera setup to a single-camera unit. This one-sensor strategy for the frontal area is far less smooth and confidence-inspiring than most advanced driver assistance systems offered by luxury carmakers, and even many mainstream ones.

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

Photo by: Mack Hogan / Motor1

The interior, too, won’t blow you away on first impression. The seats are lovely and available in a cool white hue with blue accents. Beyond that, the ADX can’t hide its Civic underpinnings. Even with a standard 9.0-inch touchscreen, the unit looks dinky. Most buttons are just dull gray plastic, and the nicer ones are the knurled rotating knobs similar to what’s in the Civic.

Look beyond the surfaces, though, and there is more to love. The 15-speaker Bang & Olufssen sound system on the top-end models is awesome. So is the inclusion of Google Maps in the car’s factory navigation system (Google Maps is included for three years, after which you will need a data plan to use the car’s internal maps). Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

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Mack Hogan / Motor1

While it may not be the flashiest car in its segment, the ADX is certainly a solid value play, which seems to be Acura’s main goal. At $45,350 for a loaded example, the ADX is $4,000 dearer than the top-flight Honda CR-V Hybrid. The CR-V has more space, similar tech, a better powertrain, and better gas mileage, but it doesn’t have the same prestige.

Alternatively, you could get a cheaper version of the ADX, but then you’d be losing out on any real luxury pretensions. If you really don’t need or want the space of a CR-V, the best HR-V you can buy is $32,395. It may not be a true luxury vehicle, but I’d argue no subcompact crossover really is.

This isn’t an Acura problem, though. Every car in this segment suffers from the same fate. If you really want an Audi, you’re better off with a Q5. If you need a BMW, go for an X3. But if you’re dead-set on a premium subcompact crossover, the Acura ADX is probably your best bet. Just don’t go into it expecting a true luxury SUV experience for under $45,000. You’re not going to find it here.