With last year’s RLX sales close to 10 times greater than its RL predecessor experienced in 2012 it appears Acura’s new flagship
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
luxury sedan is quite the success story, at least at first glance. The two cars’ sales numbers became cloudier after it was introduced during the summer of 2013 because Honda’s luxury division combined RLX and RL sales into the same category, the remaining second-generation 2013 model year RLs trickling off dealer lots at an aggravatingly slow pace that even bled over to the 2014 calendar year. Over the first seven months of 2015 the RLX is still selling well compared to the waning years of its predecessor.
While all of this initially sounds good, 10 times a total of 29 sales is still less than 300 units sold within a Canadian market of about 12.5 million 45 to 75 year old potential RLX buyers (this car’s likely target demographic), but in reality Acura’s new
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
flagship (plus the handful of old RLs) only found 243 buyers last year, while the situation is looking grimmer for 2015 with only 115 examples sold from January through July. When diving deeper into past numbers the new RLX appears to be faring far worse than the previous generation RL did after its Canadian launch a decade ago, that model having sold 333 units in 2004 (when the total was mixed in with its first-generation RL predecessor) and 475 in 2005. What gives?
First off, kudos to Acura for not being last in its mid-size luxury sedan class. Truth be
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
told there are a few sales stragglers pulling up the rear, Lincoln with an even more dismal 206 MKS sales in 2014 (although that car is still in its first generation after seven years), Infiniti with only 128 Q70 buyers, and Volvo attracting a mere 68 S80 loyalists (I’m guessing the only ones buying this nine year old model were dealer principals). On the other side of the sales chart is Lexus with just 480 GS takers (although the ES targets similar buyers as the front-drive RLX and Lexus sold 2,726 of these), Jaguar with only 567 XF models down the road, Cadillac with 1,076 customers for its new larger CTS, Audi finding 1,113 A6 clients, BMW with 2,337 5 Series buyers and Mercedes-Benz topping of the segment with 3,789 new E-Class owners. It should be noted that some of these models include multiple body
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
styles, although the four-door sedan configuration is by far the most popular compared to the various coupes and wagons. Of note, Tesla was able to pull in 847 Model S clients in 2014 and has already closed another 984 as of July 2015. Interesting how a comparatively small startup has managed to completely outwit the premium brands owned by auto giants Tata (Jaguar), Toyota (Lexus), Honda (Acura) and Nissan (Infiniti) within this E-segment, and sad to see how far Acura has fallen in the premium sedan game-let’s not forget its Legend was once the best-selling luxury car in North America.
Styling plays a big part in a premium sedan success, and pleasantly conservative is probably the kindest way to describe the RLX. Its shield shaped grille was provocative
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
on the 2007 MDX, but the RLX’ watered down version doesn’t exactly crane the necks of passersby, although its fabulous Jewel-Eye LED headlamps are attention grabbing to say the least. These, and the lovely curves atop each front fender are the only unique elements of the entire design, however, the car from profile as generic as four-door sedans get and its rear design about as exciting as the previous generation Toyota Avalon (the new Av is much more enticing). Such a dull, drowsy design is a true shame, because the RLX’ somnolent styling hides what is actually an excellent sport-luxury car.
I won’t go so far as to describe the RLX a sport sedan, at least not across its entire trim line. When Acura launched the car a couple of years ago it was front-drive only, and those of us at the Western Canadian media event in Maple Ridge,
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
BC looked at each other in confusion as to why “X” was added to the name. Certainly there’s some subliminal brand association with RoLeX, which can hardly hurt, but an “X” designation normally refers to all-wheel drive, and Acura was messing with the set formula. The Honda/Acura reps on hand assured us an all-wheel drive variant was on the way, claiming the upcoming Sport Hybrid would be much more entertaining to drive as well, and they certainly weren’t off the mark.
Directly behind my RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD’s shiny half-shield grille are two talented voices from Acura’s hybrid quartet. The i-VTEC enhanced 3.5-litre internal combustion component delivers the deep base tones expected in a performance-oriented luxury car, this iteration of Honda’s much-utilized V6 capable of 310 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque on its own. Filling in baritone, lead
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
and tenor are three electric motors, the first a regenerative integrated-assist motor mounted just behind the gasoline mill that’s good for 47 horsepower and 109 lb-ft of extra twist, whereas the other two are torque vectoring one-way clutch motors individually powering the rear wheels via the 1.3 kW-h lithium-ion battery to the tune of 36 horsepower and 54 lb-ft apiece, total combined output from the foursome equaling 377 horsepower and 341 lb-ft of torque (don’t bother tallying up all the smaller numbers to see if they reach claimed combined output levels because the complicated formula required to do so is hardly simple math).
Acura’s trademark red ignition button looks a bit out of place in this luxury car, but it foretells the sport sedan lurking beneath the RLX’ staid bodywork. Press it and a complete lack of any mechanical noise results, Acura’s most advanced hybrid
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
drivetrain routing first response to throttle input to the rear wheels that, as noted are electrically powered. Near silence while rolling off the line initially fits such a luxury car perfectly, although for those who need auditory stimulation to feel racy the RLX Sport Hybrid’s so-named EV Launch process might leave you a bit flat.
Then again, press the Sport button on the wacky transmission interface set into the lower console (more on that in a moment), step hard into the throttle and the lack of sound will hardly matter as the big four-door catapults from standstill to 100 km/h in just a tick over five seconds flat-quicker than a Tesla Model S 70D, as well as the all-electric Model S’ 70 and 85 rear-drive trims, not to mention many of the other mid-size rivals mentioned earlier. If you managed to tone down your passengers’ yippee ki yays of delight you’ll have noticed the sound of the V6 kicking
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
in at about 10 to 12 km/h, the RLX good until 80 km/h in pure electric EV mode but only when cruising with light pedal application. Depending on available electric power it may have even started up as soon as you pressed the Sport button, as the car’s auto start/stop system disengages in Sport mode while quicker throttle response joins the party, as does a more constant flow of electrical power to the rear wheels along with the ability to achieve higher engine revs between shifts and engine blips during downshifts. The electric motors are able to aid performance up until 120 km/h, at which point increased speed comes via the V6 alone.
While such super sedan performance is loads of fun, the majority of us drive more moderately most of the time. Around town the RLX is impressively smooth, especially
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
at takeoff which I must say is a bit odd for anything utilizing a dual-clutch automated transmission. The seven-speed paddle-shift actuated unit in the Sport Hybrid is different, mind you, because as you’ll remember those rear wheel-mounted electric motors do much of the initial work, and electrics are inherently smooth. This makes it a great urban commuter, but then again I found it wonderful on the highway too, totally stable at high speeds and glued to its lane when the curves came, its torque vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system (which, utilizing the same technology that adds regenerative braking, inventively slows the inside rear wheel by reversing the polarity of its individual motor while the opposing rim’s motor spins faster) delivered deft road-holding just like its elongated name claims, of course supported by the RLX’ double-wishbone lower double-joint front and multi-link rear suspensions with amplitude reactive dampers all-round, plus its standard 19-inch
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
multi-spoke alloys on 245/40R19 Michelin Primacy MXM4 low rolling resistance grand touring all-seasons; impressive rubber, incidentally, which incorporates a patented sunflower oil-enriched Helio Compound to increase traction at low temperatures for better braking and handling in wet or snowy conditions.
On that last note braking is strong too, the Sport Hybrid’s four-wheel discs with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution and emergency brake assist also providing battery regeneration when coasting, cruising downhill or while applying the binders.
While I’ve mostly mentioned performance throughout this review, if you take care to use all of the Sport Hybrid’s technology to minimize its preference for premium unleaded instead of maximizing speed it’ll reward with a much better five-cycle EnerGuide
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
fuel-economy rating than the conventional 3.5-litre V6 powered, six-speed automatic equipped, front-wheel drive RLX variant, the former good for a claimed 8.0 L/100km city, 7.5 highway and 7.7 combined and the latter still very reasonable for its class at 11.9 city, 7.7 highway and 10.0 combined.
Driving while you owe it instead of like you stole it allows some other enjoyments too, like fully taking in one of the best interiors Acura has ever made. Everything is nicely laid out, ergonomically correct, and impressively finished in the usual Japanese
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
exactness, but other than the big aluminum covered Krell speaker grills there’s nothing particularly innovative about its design. The dash top is covered in expected soft synthetic that extends across the front and rear door uppers, while stitched leather covers the instrument panel facing ahead of the driver and front passenger and also wraps around the door panels. Below that, I thin strip of titanium coloured metal is positioned above glossy woodwork on the doors and dash. The lower console gets the same wood grain surfacing treatment for its top panel, as do the lids for the power outlet/ashtray bin and cupholders.
Normally
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
when a carmaker uses the term wood grain (or the singular woodgrain) it’s referring to imitation wood in the same way that leatherette is marketing-speak for vinyl, but the unique wood used in the Sport Hybrid is the real deal despite not passing the fingernail tap test, which when executed or a rapped with the knuckles produces a rather unimpressively hollow sound, while the way it forms into black plastic on its sides when flipping it up to expose the cupholders makes it seem suspect. A little bit of research (ok a lot of research) showed that the wood’s grain differs from car to car, so either Acura has gone to great expense producing multiple faux wood panels so as to deceive fastidious owners/journalists, or it’s using a very thin veneer of genuine hardwood laid over cheap feeling plastic. Either way, why bother?
On the positive the driver’s seat was fabulously comfortable while both are three-way
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
cooled as well as heatable, the former where I chose to set it during the 28-degree weather I experienced during my weeklong test. On that note the dual-zone automatic climate control system was simple to use and worked flawlessly. Other features included a heatable steering wheel that I had no use for at the time but no doubt would come in handy when chillier weather arrived, as would its heatable rear outboard seats, at least for friends and family.
You might want to ask help from those rear seated kids or grandkids if you want to make the most of the dual-display AcuraLink infotainment system, however, as it can be a bit overwhelming at first glance. Then again, after spending some time getting used to its processes I found it really helpful. The top screen is filled with cool hybrid graphics, car system controls, hands-free phone, the navigation system,
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
surround view camera, etcetera, while the bottom display is dedicated to audio and HVAC controls. Accessing these features comes via a large rotating knob on the centre stack that protrudes outward for easy reach. Additionally, myriad buttons are added to the steering wheel spokes and below in the cutouts, some of which are used for said audio/phone controls and others for the multi-information display found within the bright and colourful primary gauge package, all making for a hands-on experience without the need to take eyes off the road.
That audio system just mentioned is one of the best I’ve tested in any car, and believe me when I tell you’ve I’ve spent a great deal of time with some of the industry’s leading car stereos, from Bentley’s Naim and Porsche’s Burmester systems to Jaguar and Maserati’s Bowers and Wilkins audiophile phenoms, not to mentioned plenty of high-end gear from Bose, Harmon/Kardon, Mark Levinson, Lexicon,
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
and the list goes on, all hooked up to my FLAC file filled personal player, so when I say the RLX’ 14-speaker Krell system is one of the best to chill out to Talk Talk’s Colour of Spring or to jam good with Weird and Gilly, please take heed.
Speaking of chilling out, the centre armrest slides fore and aft for right arm comfort, and when fully rearward exposes a bin below that can also be opened upward from a rear hinge. I mention elbow resting because the RLX has no traditional centre shifter, but that bizarre automatic transmission controller I mentioned before. Nowhere near as dramatic as Jaguar’s rotating dial selector that rises up out of the console like a Yes – In The Round concert stage, or as efficiently simple as the less levitating rotating knob used by Chrysler, Acura’s complex combination of buttons and switches comes across as more of a dare to be
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
different for the sake of being different but not necessarily better answer to a question no one was asking. It takes up a lot of space on the centre console so it’s no more efficiently packaged than the average shift lever, while it can be frustrating to use when trying to quickly execute a maneuver such as a (legal) U-turn that requires reversing in order to grab a parking spot on the other side of the road, but I’m guessing more time spent with this master of complications would help make it more intuitive. At least the steering wheel paddles come quickly to hand.
By the way, everything I’ve mentioned already is standard gear with the Sport Hybrid, the only options being a no-cost choice of metallic or pearl paint and interior colours. Additional kit not already commented on includes proximity-sensing keyless access for all four doors, ambient door handle and cabin lighting, an
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
electronic parking brake with automatic hold, heatable power-folding power-adjustable side mirrors with driver recognition and reverse tilt, auto-dimming rearview and side mirrors, parking sensors, a power tilt and telescoping steering column, and the usual powered windows with auto up/down, although the rears aren’t auto which strangely isn’t up to premium standards.
The standard powered tilt and slide moonroof is, however, although it’s not panoramic which is getting more common amongst top-tier trims, while the electronically locking glove compartment is pretty cool and much better finished than the Audi A6 and some others in this class, and as mentioned the 12-way power-adjustable front seats with four-way powered lumbar support and driver’s side memory were superb. They’re covered in Milano leather, whereas the leather wrapping around the steering wheel rim and shift knob also feels high in quality, and
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
silver-plated trim throughout the interior certainly looks as shiny as mom’s best cutlery.
The standard menu continues with quieting acoustic glass plus active noise cancellation and active sound control, all the better to hear the aforementioned audio system or hands-free phone, while email and SMS text messaging capability joins Bluetooth streaming audio for a fully wireless experience. Additional conveniences include a capless fueling system, HomeLink remote garage door opener, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control with truly effective low-speed follow, rear side sunshades that outboard passengers will be required to pull up manually, yet in a nice bit of mechanical wizardry they automatically slide out rear quarter window screens as part of the process, plus a powered rear sunshade also comes standard. Specific to the
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
Sport Hybrid, the grille is done out in dark chrome, the fog lights are LEDs, and a head-up display system aids in driving safety.
Speaking of safety equipment, the Sport Hybrid comes fully stocked with blind spot information, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, collision mitigation braking, vehicle stability assist with traction control, tire pressure monitoring, and all the expected airbags as well as a blocker for the driver’s knees.
While the RLX Sport Hybrid’s cabin is identically sized to the conventionally powered
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
RLX, the rear outboard seats especially accommodating with room enough to fully stretch out and relax and fold-down centre armrest nice, large and comfortable, the trunk has taken a capacity hit with only 328 litres (11.6 cubic feet) available compared to the base model’s 423 and Elite trimmed version’s 417-that’s less cargo volume than in a Honda Civic Sedan’s boot. What’s more, the regular RLX’ pass-through system gets nixed due to the Sport Hybrid’s bulkhead-mounted battery pack, but on the positive there’s a fairly deep hidden storage compartment under the cargo floor. On a similar note the Hybrid’s fuel tank gets chopped from 70 to 57 litres, but its much-improved fuel economy should result in range that’s not affected a great deal.
So how much does all this electrified goodness cost? The RLX Sport Hybrid’s MSRP is
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
$69,990 plus $1,995 for freight and pre-delivery prep, which sounds pretty expensive until you compare it to similarly featured hybridized mid-size E-segment competitors. Still, the big shame in all of this is that only a handful of Canadians will ever experience how good this car is, because even last year’s 243 RLX sales are huge compared to the number of buyers who are actually stepping up for this Sport Hybrid version. We’re likely talking about Acura preaching to the converted again, dealer principles unwillingly adopting these super hybrids instead of all this fabulously advanced HEV tech making the brand’s loyalists all the more ardently faithful, something that would actually happen if Acura stuffed this powertrain into a vehicle that sold in quantity, like the MDX.
Until
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| Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press |
that happens the RLX Sport Hybrid will remain Acura’s best-kept secret, an utterly brilliant technological tour de force that a fraction more than no one will ever experience or even hear about unless they read it here or from some other auto scribe. Sad but true, I’m afraid the upcoming NSX (which uses a similar hybrid system, albeit one turned around 180 degrees with the primary powertrain in the rear mid-section and two wheel-mounted electric motors up front) will follow the same fate, but at least its stunning styling will help to boost Acura’s tired been-there-done-that image.
The new RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD is the Clark Kent of super sedans. All Acura needs to do in order to get the word out is to take off its generic black rimmed glasses and put on a pair of ultra-hip Persols. Here’s hoping.
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