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Chicago is experiencing its first real snowfall of the year, and I have been very pleased with how my Sport Hybrid has handled on the less-than-ideal streets here. I attended a professional brunch this afternoon, and while driving there and on the return, you can tell many drivers are relearning their skills for such conditions. Most notable is the deceleration whilst turning, and rather than slowing and then accelerating through the turn, the reversing torque of the electric motors was especially helpful in reminding how I should be driving in such conditions. I also kept the transmission in sport mode to keep some constant torque in the front end. Overall, I felt very confident in otherwise nasty conditions, especially when compared to our TSX Wagon and my CL-S. I don't think I'm going to bother with snow tires this season.
I agree wholeheartedly with your review of the Sport Hybrid's mastery of snowy conditions, but would add that it is EVEN BETTER with dedicated snow tires. If cost and storage space aren't an issue, I highly recommend them. Just my two cents.
I've gotten by without winter tires on my Sport Hybrid the last two winters despite the suboptimal stock tires as well. The car's performance is still quite good. On winter tires this car would be unstoppable, though.
^^^^
You definitely splurged for the best winter tires. I can't find Hakkas around here, and they are hard to find online, too. It's almost as if you need a secret handshake to get them, or something.
^^
Yes I did :-)
I was lucky enough to find a local tire shop near me that actually carry the whole line of Nokian tires.
They are superb on ice and snow!
The Hakka R2's were my first choice for snow tires, but I needed rims and TPMS sensors as well, so my local Acura dealer made me a package deal including the Michelin X-ice Xi3's. Alas, the deal was too good to pass up. The Michelins are great on ice and really quiet and smooth on dry roads, but lack the overall bite of the Hakka's and likely don't handle as well in aggressive cornering.
Nokian's are also hard to find around here...only one tire shop chain has the rights to sell them and so the monopolistic pricing applies - bend over and try to relax.
My Acura dealer gave me a great price on the the OEM P-AWS 18in wheels and TPMS sensors.......I wanted 18in wheels, so the tire sidewall would be a little higher.
The X-ice is an excellent tire as well. That was my second choice together with the Blizzaks......
I'm also running 18's on my winter set - no shortage of pot holes around here in the winter and spring and I'm more than a little paranoid about bending a rim based on the many accounts noted on this forum.
^^
Yes I did :-)
I was lucky enough to find a local tire shop near me that actually carry the whole line of Nokian tires.
They are superb on ice and snow!
pgeorg, as you know I try not to drive in the bad weather if possible, but the "limp home" abilities this car has in the bad weather is far beyond what anyone would really need. I have to imagine this car with dedicated snows is like to drive in the same conditions. Thank you again to you! My MDX and my wife thank you too for it's snow tires (installed over the weekend for the second years use). Again you are a true gentleman.
It's not just the snow that you need winter tires for (although I just came in from clearing the driveway of snow), but today's high temperature here is around -2 F and later this week the high temperature will be a balmy -19F. All-seasons, even good all-seasons, just can't perform in the cold. So, if you're stupid enough to live in a climate like this, snow tires are a must. Now I'm off to have my head examined - why do I live here again????
I will say this: You did the opposite of most people based on your description. Most people would have steered into the turn, and got off the gas at the same time, causing a whip saw in the other direction, then likely crashed. Way to go saving it like a pro, one handed even! I have only driven hard enough into a turn in the rain to lighten the contact patches, but not actually drift or fishtail. That is already at a speed my wife would slap my arm for, grip the door in a panic and my kids would scream who-hoo in the back seat. You must have been moving along just a "little" over the speed limit in that area. I stand firm that the speed one can carry through any turn in this car for a vehicle of this size is just about second to none in any price range. My opinion.
So, George, are you offering HPDE sessions? I'll sign up.
Sounds a lot like my buttpuckering experience every time I did turn 17 at Sebring in my NSX a couple months ago. It took every ounce of restraint not only to keep the accelerator mashed, but to give MORE gas in that turn. That big, scary wall of tires really freaks me out!
I've noticed before that I can do quite a bit more with the KC2 than I thought I'd be able to do, speaking of pushing the handling.
In the wet, yesterday, my car allowed so much oversteer when turning a corner, I had to actually make a conscious counter steer.
0_o
I had something in my left hand, and had to do it with just my right hand, which made life interesting for a total of about three seconds.
The car just allowed me to finish the maneuver with the front wheels pointed the wrong direction, steady state throttle.
I'm not complaining. I'm just surprised. Not sure what was the combination of circumstances that allowed that.
This sounds a whole lot like the situation I explained in my post of October 20, last year. My wife also experienced it in a separate instance when I was not present. Quite honestly, I'm a little concerned that it takes someone of George's pedigree to formulate a real-time correction.
I wonder if part of the reason we never got so many of them is because they produce the KC2 for a very limited audience, basically kooky refugees from their former times on the race track, or something.
0_o
In 2013, I know the batteries were a big problem, but I wonder if they always envisioned a very small market for these cars and that's part of the reason they never felt any pressure to ramp it up. Hell, there's every indication that even in 2017, Saiyama couldn't ramp it up even if they wanted.
Up here in Canada, the RLX is now ONLY available as the Sport Hybrid and the 2017 is on sale now. I would assume that they made another couple hundred units of the US version at the same time the line was making the Canadian units, so they are likely just waiting for the last of the 2016's to sell out before the 2017's get delivered and become available.
Completely uneventful. Car did great on packed snow and solid ice, with the OEM tyres and just a little common sense.
The worst thing that happened was that I realized I was out of washer fluid, so ran into a 7-Eleven to get something advertised as "Washer Fluid & DE-ICER[sic]."
Of course...it froze after a few minutes driving at speed in temperatures in the teens, making for a much more eventful journey than it ought to have been.
Now I have to figure out how to get that crap out of the washer bottle.
George, I sure you already know this, but some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) added to the reservoir will significantly drop the freezing point for the washer fluid already in your reservoir. Chances are you have some isopropyl alcohol in your home so no need to venture out to the store.
Unless you have a little hand pump (Home Depot), you will need to keep spraying until it empties.
It should not be frozen if stationary and the engine working for a little while.
George, I sure you already know this, but some rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) added to the reservoir will significantly drop the freezing point for the washer fluid already in your reservoir. Chances are you have some isopropyl alcohol in your home so no need to venture out to the store.
Just because I am old does not mean I know everything. :-)
The same thing happens to me in the MDX if the temp is below 25 degrees. I keep thinking I should do something about it, and then forget to do it. I'm sure it is frozen now as it was 4 degrees this morning and it was parked outside in the snow. It is a fluid issue, not a design flaw, although it could be resolved with a fluid heater. MMC addition? How about heated wipers too? I think Subaru has that as an option in the Outback. Also while I am thinking of it, how about the third brake light be mounted on top of the rear window like the Audi A8, and then extend it for the entire width of the rear window, and have that light blinking fast if heavy braking is engaged to get the people behind us to pay attention.
The most important winter mod for me is a "Frost Warrior" front windshield cover. It covers the entire windscreen and rests on the hood. It's particularly important for me, since my SH is an outside car both at home and at work. (It's the primary reason I object to black as a car color) . Since I started using it, I haven't had any problems with frozen wiper fluid. I'm not sure why that is, other than perhaps it shields the washer nozzles from the worst of the cold? We've had dips to the single digits the last few days. In fact, today's high is a balmy 14 F (that's -10 C for our Canadian friends).
^^^ It was 3 F when I woke up in Maine this morning, so kindly keep your smart "I need my seat heater" comments to yourself, Tampa. Otherwise, all us northerners may descend on you for the winter!
I was just thinking that all of us "Northerners" will have to get in our cars and drive to Florida to kick your ass Tampa. It was 4 degrees here this morning. Enjoy your flip flops, lime, and may a speck of sand get in your eye. All good fun.
We have a word up here for when the temperature gets to 4 degrees F ..... Springtime.
The temperature while I type this is around -10F and I just came in from 20 minutes outside playing fetch with our dog. We'll be getting down to -30 F later this week, but I have no worries at all about my RLX starting up even after several hours outside. There is something about Hondas and Acuras...they seem to warm up faster than other vehicles, but, that said, I still love the heated seats and steering wheel in my RLX.
We have a word up here for when the temperature gets to 4 degrees F ..... Springtime.
The temperature while I type this is around -10F and I just came in from 20 minutes outside playing fetch with our dog. We'll be getting down to -30 F later this week, but I have no worries at all about my RLX starting up even after several hours outside. There is something about Hondas and Acuras...they seem to warm up faster than other vehicles, but, that said, I still love the heated seats and steering wheel in my RLX.
Do you have an engine block heater, hondamore? I added one the first winter I had my Sport Hybrid as it really does cut back on engine warming time. I typically use it if the projected low is below 20 F/-7 C, which is most days here. Well spent couple hundred bucks IMHO.
And you guys and your heated steering wheels....the beta test version (2014) has none. :P
PS I've never seen the purported "snow mode" demonstrated on the power distribution display back at the beginning, even though I spend a fair amount of time driving in it. Maybe that display was an alpha-test feature?
^^^All vehicles are sold with engine block heaters up here. I rarely use mine because I have a heated garage and most of the places that I park my car outdoors don't have plug-ins available. Honda/Acura's change to 0W-20 weight oil a few years back has really made a difference in the cold weather - the good old days of 10w-30 oil meant the oil was like molasses when it got cold and starting the engine without a block heater was an adventure.
I don't recall reading anything about a "snow mode" in the RLX?????
Apologize in advance for hijacking the thread ....
(Not really)
Does Acura recommend the OEM Spec weight oil for all temperature ranges? I split time between Phoenix and Palm Springs area and in Summer the weather ranges from as low as 70F (occasionally) to as high as 120F, with the norms being about 80-110F. Any thoughts on whether I should use a different oil ?
12-04-2016, 05:35 PM
All Weather Handling
I'll sign up.
