2014 Acura RLX Pictures Revealed: 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show
Whether you love or hate Acura, there’s no denying that they stick to their guns.
The RLX, as previously discussed, will come standard with front-wheel drive and a V6 engine, in keeping with Honda’s legendary stubborness tradition. The base RLX will put out 310 horsepower and 272 lb-ft of torque, while returning 20 mpg in town and 31 mpg on the highway. A four-wheel steering system, not seen on a Honda product since the now departed Prelude, will apparently help with the car’s driving dynamics.
The big news with the RLX is an all-wheel drive system with a 3.7L V6 and two electric motors in the rear wheels, good for 370 horsepower. The hybrid version is said to be good for 30 mpg city and 30 mpg on the highway as well. The transverse layout will also pay divendeds with respect to interior packaging. Despite being the same size as a BMW 5-Series, the RLX apparently offers as much as 3 inches more rear seat legroom than its RWD competitors. Length remains unchanged, but the car rides on a two-inch longer wheelbase.
A whole host of electronic nannies are standard, as well as an interior loaded with all the necessary gadgets. The RLX may be a technical tour de force, but it’s tough to imagine that such an image-conscious segment would be drawn to such a nondescript looking car.
More by Derek Kreindler
Comments
Join the conversation
I'd like to see MK do a TrueDelta(tm) comparison of the RLX vs. the Avalon.
Acura reminds me of Oldsmobile circa 1994. Flailing, and outed to the public as not "real" luxury. They were once considered in the same realm as Lexus thanks to the Japanese's superior materials and build quality. But now that the quality playing field has been leveled, they've been exposed. Acura needs an Aurora-esque Hail Mary...that doesn't fail. The RLX is more like the Ninety-Eight LSS -- nice, but not enough.