I brought the 2020 RDX SH-AWD, Advance on 30 May 2019, and was sorely disappointed in my lack of features out the door. After enjoying my years with the fully loaded 2006 Ridgeline and 2008 Accord, i wanted something better, so I opted for 2015 TLX SH-AWD/Advance, with a remote start. My dealer convinced me to up grade to the 2018 TLX SH-AWD/Advance and it came with 2 remote starters and I purchased the Connect Acura Link package that included everything, except concierge service for a price of $159 a year. So, when upgrading to a better model Acura, why would I expect anything less... well... After buying this 2020 RDX, sight unseen, because of my past experiences, I was shocked to be shown the car but the key fobs were all wrong. They were basic fobs, with no remote start... “but I thought I had bought the advance model with all technological features; well,” it was explained to me that the remote start was now available through Acura Links new service: I had to chose the Remote package with an annual fee or I could buy the remote starters for an additional $750. Well if you read the Acura Link page it says, “Acura reserves the right to discontinue the service any time.” Without your own mechanical remote, your car would not be availed to an option you payed for, and they could discontinue the remote start key fobs as well. So, based on those factors I purchased the remote starters; for that price I thought I would get additional keys as well, NOPE, just the fobs. The remote key start should be either included with the purchase price, like my 2018 TLX, or the remote start should be part of the Basic, Acura Link package. I really hope Acura reconsiders, and I would like my $750 back....

Almost all vehicle manufacturers have a smart app to use convenience features with the car. AcuraLink has apparently had issues with the vehicle, not unlocking when remote start is initiated through this app. The only way to get the door to unlock is to either manually stop the remote start function through the app or allow it to time out. Following this, the door will unlock as expected. I don’t understand why this issue has not been addressed and corrected as I’ve seen threads on the AcuraLink forum going back all the way to 2021 with this very same issue. I have been told that the workaround is to make sure that your vehicle is locked before initiating the remote start function through the app and then the door will unlock as expected. It is quite a distressing situation until you figure this out. Some users have suggested that you not have your keys anywhere near your phone when using the AcuraLink app. This suggestion is somewhat absurd as that is not always possible. I don’t know if the app developers at AcuraLink look at any of these reviews or not, but I would also suggest (in addition to correcting this remote start bug that is clearly an issue) that they expand the ability of the app to allow for the adjustment of climate control settings such as temperature, fan, and seat heating/cooling through the app itself. I previously had a Hyundai Palisade and their app had all these features and it was so convenient. They were able to be saved under names such as summer or winter and I was able to choose to remote start the vehicle with those climate control settings applied.

I’ve been using this app for the last year. I’ve also use this app with the myQ control for the garage while it does work and it’s nice to have on screen in the car. It is certainly not worth anywhere near the subscription required to open your own garage door 180 hours for a five year subscription is really just a bad way to go. How confident are you that you’ll have this exact same car in five years? If you’re not confident, don’t subscribe, you can also use the myQ app from the garage door manufacturer, for free, and skip the expense with the AcuraLink app or you can use the garage door opener control that came with your garage door again for free, or if your car has the embedded garage opener in the mirror for free. I really fail to see the value in subscribing to the garage door functionality from Acura. Seriously? This should be part of the premium subscription that comes that you can subscribe to from with in the app to do things like remote start, etc. this is where the garage door app should live. It should not be a separate subscription. This is just crazy.

Customer service is terrible. I’ve talked to five different Acura Link agents to get help enrolling in the Connect tier with no luck. Today during the 5th attempt (and after getting in my car to start my one hour commute after work), I was passed around twice, had to provide my VIN (shouldn’t AcuraLink automatically have it from my vehicle?), and then I was hung up on after 30 minutes. I hit the blue AcuraLink button again since I had about another 25 minutes before getting home, however I was placed in the queue for the entire time. I never got the opportunity to talk to anyone again. I pulled into my driveway and gave up for the day. I suppose if I was in a wreck and was seriously injured, I probably would have bled out and died by the time my wrecked vehicle indicator was relayed by AcuraLink to emergency personnel. I don’t recommend this app, nor do I recommend getting an Acura, especially if you’re interested in paying for the upmost in safety features that is supposed to be found in these type of apps connected to their vehicles. The service I’ve received is amateur at best. If you want a vehicle with a connected service/safety app, I would recommend a vehicle with On-Star. On-Star is a professional company with outstanding customer service and ease of enrollment. I really wish I would have bought another Cadillac instead of an Acura.