Acura RDX or Honda Passport: which five-seat SUV is worth it for South Jersey drivers?
For most Philadelphia drivers who live in South Jersey, the Acura RDX is the five-seat SUV worth buying. The Honda Passport earns its place only for a buyer who tows more than 1,500 lbs, because it is rated for 5,000 lbs.
Three things decide it for a Philadelphia commuter: how many miles you drive in traffic, what you pull behind you on a weekend, and what the first four years of ownership cost. We walk through each below, with the manufacturer and EPA figures for the 2026 model year.
Keep reading below, then schedule a test drive in Maple Shade. Bringing your own numbers to the lot settles this faster than any spec sheet.
The daily drive into Philadelphia favors the RDX at 23 mpg combined
If you drive into Philadelphia most weekdays, the RDX is the better fit. Its EPA combined rating is 23 mpg (EPA certification), and the Passport’s AWD trims are certified at 21 and 20 combined for the AWD and the AWD TrailSport.
That gap matters because the Philadelphia PA-NJ-DE-MD urban area is a slow place to drive.
The Passport does have a power edge. In stop-and-go traffic on Route 73 and the bridge approaches, though, 13 more horsepower is a number you rarely feel, and a better mpg figure shows up every week at the pump.
Both vehicles seat 5. Nobody gives up a seat to choose either one, so the daily-drive question comes down to fuel and fit, and the RDX leads on fuel.
A weekend trailer from Maple Shade points to the Honda Passport
If you tow anything heavier than 1,500 lbs, buy the Passport. The Passport RTL and the Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout are each rated for 5,000 lbs, per Honda.
That is a wide gap, and it settles the question for a specific kind of buyer. A small utility trailer, a pair of bikes on a hitch rack, or a light cargo box sits comfortably inside the RDX’s rating. A boat for the shore, a camper, or a loaded landscaping trailer does not. If that describes your weekends, the Passport is the vehicle built for it.
Most five-seat SUV buyers in Burlington and Camden counties tow rarely or never. Paying for capacity you use twice a year makes less sense than saving at the pump every day. Towing above 1,500 lbs is the one reason to pick the Passport over the RDX.
Maple Shade winters are colder than Philadelphia’s, and the RDX is built for them
AWD does not replace winter tires or slower driving. It does give you traction when you pull away from a stop sign on a cold morning, and the RDX offers it on every trim, so you never have to hunt for the right configuration. You choose a trim for its equipment and the AWD comes with it.
Family of five gets 38 in legroom and 29.5 cu ft cargo in the RDX
For a family that tops out at five people, the RDX has the room. Its second row gives 38 in of legroom, and 29.5 cu ft of cargo sits behind that row with the seats up.
That cargo space handles a week of groceries, a folded stroller, and a couple of backpacks without folding anything down. The 38 in of legroom gives a growing teenager space behind a tall driver, which matters on the trip to a grandparent’s house in the city.
The Passport is the larger vehicle, and a buyer who wants the biggest possible cargo hold may lean its way. For a five-seat household in Philadelphia that parks on a narrow city block, the RDX’s footprint and its second-row space are easier to live with.
What the numbers say side by side
On the figures Acura and Honda publish, the RDX takes fuel economy and warranty coverage, and the Passport takes horsepower and towing. Price lands close, with a $150 gap at the entry trim.
What an RDX or Passport costs a Philadelphia buyer who registers in New Jersey
We never quote a price here, because the price on a specific vehicle comes from the vehicle in front of you.
New Jersey adds a few charges on top. Sales tax is 6.625%, the rate the Division of Taxation publishes as current (New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2026). On a vehicle in the $45,100 to $54,850 range, that is a real line on the bill, and it applies to the Passport the same way.
The state also adds a one-time 0.4% Luxury and Fuel-Inefficient Vehicle Surcharge on new passenger automobiles priced at $45,000 or more, or rated under 19 miles per gallon (New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2026). Every RDX trim starts above that $45,000 line at MSRP, and the Passport TrailSport Elite Blackout does too. The Passport RTL sits $50 below it at $44,950. If you are comparing entry trims, ask about the surcharge before you sign.
The warranty is part of the cost story. The RDX carries a 4-year / 50,000-mile basic warranty and a 6-year / 70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Those extra years and miles come with the vehicle, and they cover the years when a commuter builds the most miles.
What Elite Acura offers a buyer weighing the RDX against the Passport
We are the Acura store on Route 73 in Maple Shade, part of Group 1 Automotive, with new, used, and certified pre-owned Acura in one place. We have a selection of new Acuras and pre-owned cars, trucks, and SUVs, so you can see the RDX in person before you decide.
Money questions get answered in the same building. We offer new Acura finance, Acura leases, and pre-owned car loans. Our Get Pre-Approved link at acceleride.eliteacura.com/financing lets you start before you visit. If you want a number on your current car, the make-and-model option gives only a general estimate based on historical data, which may change, so treat it as a starting point and not a quote.
Ownership continues after the sale, and our parts center stocks genuine Acura OEM parts and accessories and orders any part it does not have in stock. Each certified pre-owned vehicle comes with a complimentary vehicle history report.
Owners tell the story better than we can. In a September 2026 Google review of Elite Acura, Albert H. wrote: “Went in to look at the new 2020 RDX. Met Joe Inglima and he made the whole experience painless. Walked out with a car.”
Deyanna D. left a July 2026 Google review of Elite Acura and wrote: “Always a great experience every visit! I purchased my RDX from elite Acura back in 2022 along with servicing my car and everything from the cleanliness to the service has been great!”
A July 2026 Google review of Elite Acura from Carol W. said: “Elite Acura Service Department is the Best. Always a pleasure to bring my RDX in for service. Professional, clean, always done right and everyone is always to nice and helpful. Ryan their Service specialist is the best.”
How the Acura RDX and Honda Passport engines compare for South Jersey driving
The 2026 Acura RDX makes 272 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, according to Acura’s published 2026 specifications. Every RDX SH-AWD trim carries those same figures, from the base SH-AWD through the A-Spec Advance Package, so the trim you pick does not change how the engine pulls. Every 2026 Honda Passport trim makes 285 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque, according to Honda’s published 2026 specifications.
Torque is the number you feel pulling away from a stop, merging onto a busy road, or crawling through traffic. The RDX makes 280 lb-ft on every trim, which means the commute feels the same whichever version you choose.
Acura RDX and Honda Passport length and width for tight South Jersey parking
The RDX measures 187.4 inches long and 74.8 inches wide, according to Acura’s published 2026 specifications. Those figures apply to the whole RDX line, so the footprint is the same on every version. Every 2026 Passport trim measures 191.5 inches long and 79.4 inches wide, according to Honda’s published 2026 specifications.
Width decides most tight parking jobs, and a few inches separate a clean fit from a scraped door. The RDX stands 65.7 inches tall on a 108.3-inch wheelbase. Measure your garage and your driveway against those numbers before you shop.
How much passenger room do the RDX and Passport give a South Jersey family?
The RDX seats five on every trim, according to Acura’s published 2026 specifications. Front-row legroom measures 42 inches, and second-row legroom measures 38 inches. The Passport also seats five, with 41.1 inches of front-row legroom and 40.9 inches in the second row, according to Honda’s published 2026 specifications.
The second row is where a family feels the difference. In the RDX, two rear passengers get 38 inches of legroom, which is the room a child seat, a teenager, or an adult on a long ride notices first. The driver and front passenger get 42 inches.
How much cargo space and ground clearance do the RDX and Passport have?
Behind the second row, the RDX offers 29.5 cubic feet of cargo space, according to Acura’s published 2026 specifications. A stroller, a cooler, or a weekend bag fits there while the rear seats stay up for the people riding in them.
Cargo is the number a family uses most on a weekend trip. Measure what you actually load against 29.5 cubic feet before you decide.
Ground clearance is 8.2 inches on the RDX and 8.3 inches on the Passport, according to Acura’s and Honda’s published 2026 specifications.
Frequently asked questions
Does a used RDX make sense if I want to skip the new-car surcharge?
It can. New Jersey’s 0.4% Luxury and Fuel-Inefficient Vehicle Surcharge applies to new passenger automobiles (New Jersey Division of Taxation, 2026). A pre-owned RDX is not new, so that line does not apply.
What does a certified pre-owned Acura include?
At our store, each certified pre-owned vehicle also comes with a complimentary vehicle history report.
Who handles my registration and title in New Jersey?
The dealership does. A New Jersey buyer does not queue at an agency, because the dealership handles registration and title work, and a new vehicle that has never been titled receives a four-year registration (New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, 2026).
Should I finance, lease, or pay cash for an RDX?
We offer new Acura finance, Acura leases, and pre-owned car loans, so all three paths run through our store. A lease suits a driver who wants a new RDX on a fixed schedule, and a loan suits a driver who wants to keep it past the 4-year basic warranty. Our team can walk you through terms on a specific vehicle.
Can I start the financing before I visit?
Yes. Our Get Pre-Approved link at acceleride.eliteacura.com/financing lets you begin from home. You then arrive knowing where you stand and can spend your visit on the vehicle.
How accurate is the online trade-in estimate?
It is a general estimate. The make-and-model option relies on historical data, which may change, so it tells you roughly where to start and not what a specific car is worth. We look at the actual vehicle when you bring it in.
Where do I get genuine parts for an RDX after I buy?
Our parts center stocks genuine Acura OEM parts and accessories. If it does not have a part in stock, it orders it. That keeps maintenance in one place, with the store that sold you the vehicle.
The RDX is the five-seat SUV worth buying for Philadelphia drivers, with one exception
For a commuter, a couple, or a family of five in Philadelphia or its South Jersey suburbs, the RDX is the better buy. It uses less fuel on a crowded daily drive, comes with AWD on every trim for cold Burlington County mornings, and carries four years of basic and six years of powertrain coverage. The Passport is the answer only for the buyer who tows more than 1,500 lbs, and that buyer should buy it without second-guessing. If you want the vehicle serviced where it was bought, by people who know Acura, and you want a team that walks you through finance and leasing, Elite Acura in Maple Shade is where to make this decision.
Elite Acura serves South Jersey buyers from Route 73 in Maple Shade
Elite Acura sells new, used, and certified pre-owned Acura and runs a full service, parts, financing, and leasing operation. We hold 4.8 stars across 4,825 Google reviews (Google, 2026). We are part of Group 1 Automotive, which posted record full-year revenue of $22.6 billion, up 13.2%, and sold 459,000 new and used vehicles, a company record (Group 1 Automotive, 2026).
Kevin J. wrote in a June 2026 Google review of Elite Acura: “Great service and nice waiting area. They did a great job with my vehicle, and also love the free wash.” A buyer who chooses us gets a clear path from the first look to the service visit, all in one Maple Shade store.
Elite Acura has RDX models ready for you to see, so browse our current RDX inventory.
Elite Acura answers this question against the specific vehicle in front of you rather than the model in general. Value your trade and get pre-approved online, then see us at our Maple Shade showroom, or call (856) 380-5190.
Disclaimer: Vehicle features, specifications, pricing, options, and availability may vary based on production timelines and dealership inventory; images are for illustrative purposes only. Starting MSRP figures are national and exclude destination freight charges, tax, title, license, and dealer fees. Standard and available equipment varies by trim, configuration, and model year; confirm the specification of the individual vehicle before purchase. Maximum towing and payload ratings depend on cab, bed, drivetrain, and equipment configuration; see the vehicle’s Owner’s Manual and trailering guide for limits. Electric range and charging times vary with battery, configuration, temperature, terrain, load, and driving habits. Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Financing and pre-approval are subject to credit approval. Contact Elite Acura for complete details regarding current vehicle inventory, pricing, and equipment.
