Acura has its own high-class compact luxury crossover SUV with its roots embedded in another model. It's called the RDX, and it shares powertrain technology and Honda engineering DNA with models like the Honda CR-V and Accord. Being a Honda product, reliability is, essentially, baked into its personality. This is why – according to authorities well-versed in the matter – it's rated as the most reliable compact luxury SUV on the market today. Not to mention, the 2023 model-year RDX offers a good bit of standard kit, oomph, and reasonable pricing. Reliability Is In Its Blood Acura As most of you reading this will know, Honda has stood as one of the leading lights when it comes to reliability among automakers in the modern era. It, along with its counterpart, Toyota, have consistently produced a wide swath of models that demonstrate a huge amount of dependability, more so than most other brands currently in the market. When it comes to the Acura RDX, specifically a 2023 model year example, it exemplifies Honda's penchant for building long-lasting and easy-to-live-with models, even in the luxury arena.According to RepairPal.com, the '23 RDX carries an average annual maintenance cost of $497. While this number is higher than segments like the compact car, wherein the $362-per-year Toyota Corolla reigns supreme, it's much lower than the compact luxury crossover SUV's average of $859 per year. In fact, the RDX scores so well when it comes to yearly maintenance costs, that it's over $150 cheaper than the total average annual cost of maintenance for all segments, whose sum total sits at $652 per year.We'll compare the 2023 Acura RDX's average annual cost of maintenance with three of its competitors in the table below:Acura The reliability machine keeps on rolling for the RDX, as well. On average, a compact luxury crossover SUV will need to visit a service center for unscheduled repairs an average of 0.6 times per year, or just under once every two years. The Acura only runs into this issue an average of 0.58 times per year. When it comes to severe repairs and how often they happen, RepairPal.com reports the RDX has a 10 percent chance of experiencing a significant mechanical failure, two percent lower than the national average across all segments. Here's What Makes The 2023 RDX So Reliable AcuraThe crux of the 2023 Acura RDX's reliable nature lives right underneath its hood. Sitting below is a 2.0-liter monoscroll-turbocharged inline-four, which goes by the name of "K20C4". The mill belongs to Honda's famous K-Series engine family, a grouping of motors that has gained quite a bit of notoriety as one of the more popular engine swap candidates. The RDX's K20C4 has also seen use in the Honda Accord 2.0T between the years of 2017 and 2020.The engine makes use of a few key features that help to bolster its reliability. For starters, it uses roller rockers instead of stamped steel rockers, which help to reduce friction and lower valvetrain temps. At the same time, iron-lined cylinders are present, which help to reduce cylinder wall wear. Both the block and cylinder head are cast from aluminum, and it makes use of Honda's i-VTec variable valve timing on the exhaust valves only.Acura Rather than use a CVT like its Honda CR-V sibling, the Acura RDX employs the use of a 10-speed automatic transmission similar to the one found in the Honda Accord. Steering column-mounted paddle shifters are included as standard fare. The gearbox itself is well-known for being reliable and relatively worry-free for owners, and is paired with a front differential. Front-wheel drive is the standard drivetrain configuration for the '23 RDX, while Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) is positioned as the optional upgrade, and sports full-time torque vectoring.Acura As for its suspension, it uses a MacPherson-strut setup on the front axle, and a multi-link configuration around back. An Adaptive Damper System (ADS) is available on higher-spec RDXs, which allows the SUV to continuously adapt to road conditions at a rate of once every 0.002 seconds. The ADS takes info from the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system, which uses wheel sensors, yaw/G-force sensors, along with driver inputs, to make its adjustments. What It Has To Offer And What It Costs AcuraAcura offered the '23 RDX with a total of five trim levels. At entry level sits the unnamed base spec, followed by the Technology grade. From there, the RDX moves into the A-Spec grade, with the Advance trim sitting above that. Topping the model range off is the A-Spec Advance, which combines the two previous iterations into one, top-of-the-line model. When it was brand-new, the '23 RDX's MSRP ranged from $41,750 at base level to $53,750 for the SH-AWD A-Spec Advance flavor. However, these days, those prices have decreased over the course of three years.Acura A full complement of safety features comes standard on the 2023 RDX, part of Acura's Acurawatch driver assistance suite, such as collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Low-speed autonomous braking, pedestrian detection, and a blind-spot information system are also included as standard. A Head-Up Warning, a surround-view camera system, and rain-sensing wipers come free-of-charge on Advance and A-Spec Advance trims. A 10.2-inch touch-activated infotainment screen takes center stage inside the '23 RDX.Acura Being a luxury model, leather seats come equipped in all '23 RDX trim levels, although the base trim makes do with leatherette. Heated front seats come standard, with ventilated front seats being seen on A-Spec models and above. Moving into the Technology grade and higher grants you the use of GPS-linked climate control, which automatically tailors the cabin's HVAC system's temperature, fan speed, and air distribution to wherever you are. Outside, all trim levels are given a power-sliding panoramic moonroof, along with LED headlights and tail lights. Why It's Worth The Money AcuraA $30,150 price tag isn't exactly bargain-basement cheap, but for the amount of car you're getting, it does seem to be worth the purchase. Even at base level, the 2023 Acura RDX offers a great number of standard features, and its 272-hp turbocharged engine produces plenty of oomph for anyone who has a little bit of a lead foot. However, its largest claim to fame is its reliability, which, as it turns out, is best in its class. So, the larger price tag is a factor, but the RDX will pay dividends later on when it's time to visit the repair shop.