Another banner year for Acura with release of new vehicle models
Acura had a relatively busy year as it unfolded new models for its campaign next year. The American-bred auto manufacturing arm of Honda certainly has been noticeable this yer.
Summer time is getting near and the model year is about the end, but it is worth noting the three new vehicles uncovered by Acura in its efforts to make an upward move in the luxury market. The three siblings introduced were, namely: the RDX, a sporty entry-level luxury SUV; the MDX, a top-of-the-line SUV; and the TL-S Type entry-level luxury sport sedan.
With the up-and-coming urban families who love adventures and active lifestyle as its target market, the RDX fits well with the billing as it was given a high level of equipment and the performance. It is powered by Acura’s first turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 2.3L 16-valve unit that gives out 240 horsepower in a five-speed automatic with a sport shift. Thanks to the car’s amazing power, engaging the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel with your thumbs gives instant acceleration. As you run through the gears, it feels far more like a sports car than anything else. Gas mileage is estimated to be at 19 mpg when driving in city and 23 mpg while on the highway.
Enthusiasts who are also music buffs are set to be get supreme entertainment with one of the best sound systems in the business: the 10-speaker Acura/ELS Surround Premium Sound System, designed by Grammy Award-winning recording engineer and producer Elliot Scheiner of Panasonic and Acura. It gives every RDX passenger the distinct sensation of sitting in the middle of a concert hall with sound coming from every corner of the vehicle.
A set of top grade materials and an assertive dashboard design angled toward the driver highlights the interior. The LED-backlit gauges are some of the cool features. The main fly in the ointment is cargo space. It is relatively tight, which may be an issue for some of those active families that Acura is targeting. Prices for the RDX range from $32,995 up to $36,495.
MDX, on the other hand, sports a styling that alone represents a radical deviation for Acura. Sweeping curves, dramatic angles and a roofline that makes it appear as though it’s a smaller, have replaced the older, more conservative design. The package is an aggressive, highly sculptured effort, which includes a more aerodynamic six-seater. In reality, the MDX does have three rows of seats, though the third one is quite tight. Such is the case with just about all SUVs anyway.
MDX boasts primarily of its high performance. It’s probably the only SUV that has been on the famous Nurburgring race track. Power comes from a 3.7L, 300 horsepower V-6 powerplant with a mileage rating of 17 city/22 highway.
Driving the MDX was quite an experience. It’s unusual, to say the least, to drive an SUV that tears into corners and has responsive steering, but that’s exactly what the MDX features. Prices for the MDX start at $39,995 and max out at $47,795.