VQPower37

mrgold35

I think Acura innovations will be limited to some basic common things the next model run:

- tone down front beak
- base, tech, advance models with or without sh-awd
- hard drive based vga navi system
- cooled seats on advance
- blind spot monitoring on advance
- active cruise control on MDX, ZDX and RL with advance package
- updated interior (like the ZDX)
- minor updated exterior
- slight bump in engine power
- 6AT for all models
- power lift gate
- push button start and keyless entry (tech, advance models)

I'm not expecting Acura to "WOW" anyone with its product line until the world economic problems start to recover because they are one of the smallest luxury brands. I don't expect to see new transmissions, hybrid engines, diesel engines, direct injection, new tech or new models from Acura for 3-5 years. I think Acura/Honda will be playing it safe for a few years.

jasonwdp10

not bad!

I sure hope acura is wise enough to put the advanced package in. If they don't, it will immediately remove the RDX from my consideration.. not kidding..

jasonwdp10

right now, there is an SUV I'm looking into, it's the Audi Q5. It has all the features I want (except cost and possible reliability issues), but it cost over $52k when I fully load it.

I'm hoping the next RDX will have at least the same # of features in its advanced package, and under cut the Audi Q5. Much like how the TL SHAWD Advance has equal or more features than the Audi S4, but is still $10-15k cheaper.

Since the RDX fully loaded (SHAWD Tech) is currently approx $38k, I'm expecting a RDX SHAWD Advanced to be about $42k, or the same price as the current TL SHAWD Tech.

I'm eagerly waiting, and hope there's something exciting coming.

mrgold35

I'm feel the same way about the RDX.

My 13 year old son has about another 2 years before he is too big for the RDX back seat. We are going to upgrade to a MDX or Q7 when that time comes. I'm thinking Acura might increase the overall size of the RDX to make room for the 3.5L V-6. I care less about 3rd row seating; but, if the new RDX has close to the same room in the back seat as the MDX it would be a my choice as a replacement. The upgrade in RDX tech would be a very nice bonus.

DJ Iceman

This is how I usually lock the doors in the RDX, too, so at least with the way I have my personalized settings set up you can indeed lock and unlock the doors with the button on the armrest in the door even when the doors are open.

wrestrepo

I was about to post about this...So I found it interesting that you can use the lock button with an open door, but you cannot use the fob to lock with an open door. For me that would be great since I find myself with full hands (baby, bags, stroller, dog, etc) walking away from the car strugling to find the keys that have been already put away, to lock the car after I have closed the the last door. Yes people, a hands free system would be great!

Does anyone know if the car can be programed to be able to lock the doors from the key fob even if one is still open?

MMike1981

out of all the topics to discuss about "innovation" i never thought itd be focused so much on keys/ignition etc.

dont mean this in a demeaning way; never thought key/keyless entry was even close to being such an important thing, i actually LOVE having a "key" and hated the keyless system when I have the TL Tech as a loaner. I kno they are a cool add on over the last what 5+ years but im not making a fight over it, i think Acura has significantly much larger problems than keyless entry.

it is interesting to see the keyless entry stuff discussed, tho

wrestrepo

Just like any thread...but this is a sign that if such a simple thing as the freaking stupidest feature of them all (keyless entry and push start) is not already on the list of standard things provided in "luxury" Acura, would you really expect to talk about Direct Injection, and radar guided cruise control?

DJ Iceman

Two thoughts: my ZDX does have radar Adadptive Cruise Control, so I have no doubt that will trickle down to advance packages on other models soon.

Second, while I am as much or more of a technie geek than most people and love all the latest bells and whistles, I actually prefer Acura's approach of providing features that actually work. About ten years ago Mercedes' quality went into the crapper, at least in part due to the fact that they tried to add every possible acronym-ized doodad and gizmo to their cars. So their feature list was a mile long, but the cars were unreliable. And just look at how user-unfriendly the German makers' nav systems continue to be, this many years after introduction.

At least when Acura brings a feature (like SH-AWD, or adaptive damper suspension, or radar cruise control, or keyless entry, or whatever) it works and enhances the driving and ownership experience rather than diminishing it...

wrestrepo

Here is the thing, when you use something that has been proven and used for years, is not "innovation".
I agree with you about not having so many devices that take away from the driving experience, I know that there are plenty of people out there that would love that [as many devices as possible], but I have a feeling that US, board visiting people, are not part of that group. Also, would I rather take something that "works" Vs. something that's being "tried out"? off course I would.

Kaze66218

I swear.... robots!

Robots will take your kids to school, drive your car for you, take your job away from you, tell your kids bedtime stories. Steal your wife. After they knaw on your skull and eat your brains they'll tell your kids that they(robots) are their parents and that you never exsisted. Eventually they'll harvest us like in the Matrix.

All because we need gizmo-do-dads with acronyms to attract our attention, similarly, to the way fish like flashy lures.

There is no impending robot war, but I have a point, stay in school and just say NO to drugs..... and robots

Ps: quit being lazy

XLR8R

So is Direct Injection innovative or a screw-up?

Sure, it typically saves 2 to 3 mpg in some applications, such as the Q5. But the incoming air charge is extremely hot and loaded with PCV waste vapors. Worse yet, it carries no atomized fuel for cooling or cleaning the valves.

Do a little reading on direct injection problems and carbon build-up. Look at some of the valve pictures from low mileage engines. The VAG boys are using oil catch cans to stop carbon build-up in their FSI engines -- fine for a tuner, but certainly no manufacturer's solution for normal owners.

Is it possible Honda fears DI issues would negatively impact long term reliability?

jasonwdp10

huh?

wrestrepo

Innovation
–noun
1.
something new or different introduced: numerous innovations in the high-school curriculum.
2.
the act of innovating; introduction of new things or methods.

With anything and everything NEW, there are going to be screw ups and mistakes made. That becomes part of learning. I imagine that the first electronically fuel injected cars had lots of trouble....but that was no reason to go back to carburetors.

XLR8R

But it's a pretty good reason to avoid innovations

that are not thoroughly tested and designed for long term service; as it appears DI is turning out to be.

Perhaps Honda is happy to let other company's reputations suffer.

wrestrepo

Yeah, maybe they are sitting this one out...but the problem is that they haven't come up with anything "new" since VTEC...Or at least nothing I can think of.

I am not in an Acura bashing campaign, I am not "hating" the brand either. I do love my RDX and will probably get another car from the Acura family in a couple of years, but (and that's a big one) I feel shortchanged! There are big "lacks" in the RDX in particular, I think that the rest of the line up has kept up with the competition for the most part, and I feel that the RDX is that fourth or sixth brother that gets all the hand me downs from the older ones, and by the time he does it's too old and beat up.

I have to agree that Honda/Acura may be "playing it safe", but at the pace that technology moves nowadays, that's not a safe bet.

XLR8R

Sure they did! Who else has the Beak?! (Imagine the Acura beak together with the Mazda clown grin.)

But really, how important is new stuff for the sake of new stuff? (How many apps does a phone need?)

For instance, Hondas first turbo-charger has a variable flow gate that pivots outside the hot exhaust stream. It may not completely eliminate turbo lag, but it will long outlive variable pitch vanes and other complicated systems.

MMike1981

i coined this thread because its the HOMEPAGE of the friggin car company - the most INNOVATIVE thinking...

wtf is so innovative of an acura....? maybe i missed the cruise ship for that one

i mean...if they mean the every-day simple man as being innovative, they definitely figured out how to bundle ho-hum equipment and sell it at an up-charge over a Honda. Thats how theyve survived and kept costs down. Acura has not, until more or less the ZDX and of course the NSX, made a real premium product.

They are talking 6 speeds across the model range, adaptive cruise control and ventilated seats. WOW that should really blow some people away

but lets get serious.....even if acura (honda) went to their roots and developed new power plants like they sort of did w/the turbo RDX....thats all it may take to actually spark the brand. All they could have done was release a TSX w/AWD and the turbo from the RDX and you had a model that would potentially crush everything in the segment. but they NEVER make those moves, Acura is happy with the ho-hum take what we give you and have survived so far....but when they go reaching deeper into pockets and offer the same stuff more or less year after year, i as an owner have an issue with that....

westpro made the best point in the thread about keyless entry...thats how i feel Acura stands in this market right now...matter of fact i just got an email today about Acuras latest stuff....incase you didnt know, the "2011" RDX is available for SALE!!!

i love my RDX, can crush it around the city unlike many other vehicles, Acura needs to hit a homerun with the next one, they are in a very vulnerable position

wrestrepo

Remember when Audi went from this


To this?


They did the "beak" first....only theirs worked and Acura's didn't

MMike1981

audi was not by any means the first to re-invent their brand image by design. Look @ modern Infiniti, or, remember when BMW shifted gears not that long ago. Huge difference between good design and a cop out.

When you go on Acura's website and surf thru their 25th anniversary stuff....look how NOT far they have come lol....SERIOUSLY...how much has the RL NOT CHANGED (I owned one when it first came out) look @ the TLs...they wont even put a picture up of the STOCK RDX and had to use the somewhat show model with RED BRAKE CALIPERS (wow imagine if we could actually get those from acura...)

Variants of the SHAWD system have been around forever, even the prelude had it. Its great Acura lead the somewhat EASE OF USE TECHNOLOGY charge with those things & w/bluetooth, great thing to hang their hat on, back then! the stuff by the time it reaches the brand is outdated, and even more outdated when they finally decide to use it in their cars (in dash HD...) At this rate, maybe we will see a 'my touch' variant in 2015 or later. Or a 7 speed gearbox by 2020....to be serious, think about that...how long did it take Acura to use 6 gears, and they are not even in every model. Acura should build perfect cars that are the most reliable, they dont push the envelope with anything.

im looking for innovative thinking, i just see none, i looked @ the auto show and saw zero...disappointing from my favorite car brand

Kaze66218

In light of the thread all wheel steering would be a great prelude barrowed technology . Heck Ivtec came about because of the intake manny from the prelude that was re-engineered. Not too many ideas that don't include mild to mpderate automation of the vehicle will ever come across the board; changing the look is again superficial. People buy a brand because of quality, so far Honda is not lacking in that dept. People choosing a Porsche/ BMW/ Landrover-Rangerover/ Audi/ Lexus/ Infinity, choose those as a premium all good brands but you could spend more on a cuv but you can't get more than 4 wheels, engine, seats, awd, efficieny and reliability.

Honestly my wife hated the rdx 2 days afterwards.

MMike1981

Superficial? def not. As one can judge by the beak design fail, it causes quite the opposite repercussions. Design and looks matter, period.

People might buy a brand due to quality, among any other 10000 reasons factored into that.

wrestrepo

I'm with Mmike in this one...not everyone cares about "reliability" or even knows about it. I recently started asking about Land Rover and essentially I was told to stay away from them. I see plenty of them around, and trust me, I wan to buy one myself just based on the looks alone....Heck, I didn't even look at MPGs

wrestrepo

I didn't want to suggest that Audi was the first ever...just making a parallel with the way theirs worked and Acura's didn't.


The RL is in it's second generation, and I think that it was a leap from the first. The TL has changed a lot between generations, not that it has been a good thing lately. As for the red calipers? I don't know what you are talking about.

pretty easy task, ain't it?

XLR8R

Hey I'm cool with fem-bots though.

Can Honda make Asimo into a fem-bot? Radar cruise control jubblies?

MMike1981

wrestrepo

Not sure where you got that from, because I was not able to find it in the Acura website.

MMike1981

you make the same engine forever, should be close to perfect. Its companys that actually make advancements and push the brand that work the kinks out as they go; whether you like that or not - thats why there are options like Honda and Acura, tried and true but tired. And i know how my post read...didnt mean to imply you meant that as the first instance, either

MMike1981

on home screen...click "ADVANCE" bottom right, then click LEGENDS, then click 2005

wrestrepo

Got it...but to bring some context to the image, the car in the picture is the prototype revealed at the Detroit auto show in 2006, and was NOT a production vehicle.

MMike1981

the funny thing is, mostly all that they tout in the 25 year existence is killed off or totally changed. No more type S's, no more RSX, NSX blood lines, the Accord wagon (Tourer) has been in existence for a few years (i believe) just not in North America, think it came out as an 09 model....just seems sort of funny putting it all into perspective. Finally...since its 25years, where the hell is any sort of commemorative/anniversary model. Seems like lexus makes those all the time. Infiniti did as well. Give me something to trade my car in for

MMike1981

i know which is why i said in the original post they could NOT even put the "stock" picture up.

DJ Iceman

The only reason Lexus puts out so many special edition models (Platinum Series, Pebble Beach Edition, etc.) is to jazz up sales for old and tired models. Don't use that as an example of another manufacturer innovating, because it's actually quite the opposite. As far as I know, the only time Acura has done anything like that was with the FIRST 1,000 3.2CL Type S cars made in that stunning gold color.

But where I will agree with you is that, reading the web page about Acura's history, there are some really impressive models, accolades, achievements, and technology in the first 15 years or so. Then the past few years the things they brag about are vaporware. Even the Acura marketing department is finding it impossible to come up with anything sexy to say about the recent past for the line.

MMike1981

25th year anniversary i feel at least i would think there should be something unique in terms of a trim level or package. its still something, whether or not its innovative not sure it matters on that point...but at least they are doing something

wrestrepo

Unique set of rims, different color calipers, embroidered legend about the anniversary in unique color leather, maybe even a two tone, standard spoiler and rear diffuser to distinguish it, different/unique tailpipes, perhaps a unique color for the entire batch......

It doesn't take much to make an "anniversary/special edition" car. What makes it so is to not do it all the time or for stupid reasons, like a Mary Kay edition Cadillac.

XLR8R

As of the 2010 model year, Lexus was still putting a cassette player (tape deck) in the SC430.

Will the innovations never cease???

wrestrepo

YES!!!!!!
So, a friend of mine in the market for an SUV called me to ask about the RDX. I told her everything and asked her what other cars she was looking at.....RX350 came up; she loved the car with the exception of the cassette player. I couldn't believe that they still had those

Although, it's probably more useful than the DVD-A format we have...

wrestrepo

2008 Lexus RX 350

cp3117

I found that odd too.

My good friend has a Lexus LS and a GX470. I was always amazed seeing the cassette deck in that thing but believe it or not some of the demographics that purchase those vehicles still use cassettes on occasion.

What amazed me was earlier this year I ran into a co-worker and her husband at the new car show in the Acura section looking at the RDX. I stayed with them looking at various models of the competition that they where looking at and helping them out with some suggestions.

When I popped the hood on the RDX I was surprised when I opened the hood and it was heavier than most hoods these days....We where all shocked to see the innovation Acura had on the 2011 RDX in which they had this long steel rod that you had to pull out and then hook it into the hood in order to hold it up......We all laughed out loud and couldnt believe that they still use prop rods. I then checked the CSX and sure enough the same thing and I heard the TSX just lost it when the 2G came out.

We where actually dissapointed with the cost cutting that Acura does for whats suppose to be a luxury brand. The RDX is still a nice vehicle but I dont see how their comparable to a X3, Q5 etc. Im not sure what they ended up getting but she really liked the Tiguan. Im sure if Acura didnt cut so many corners on the RDX they would have been more interested.