07'RL in NY

http://blogs.thecarconnection.com/bl...p-safety-pick/

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080805/20080805005388.html?.v=1


ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 2009 Acura RL, a large luxury car, earns the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's TOP SAFETY PICK award. Winners afford superior overall crash protection among the vehicles in their classes. To qualify, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control.

"Criteria to win are tough because TOP SAFETY PICK is intended to drive continued improvements such as good crash test ratings and rapid addition of electronic stability control, which is standard equipment on the RL," says Institute president Adrian Lund. "Recognizing vehicles at the head of the class for safety helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results."

The RL is the fourth Acura and ninth model from Honda to earn TOP SAFETY PICK.

Better protection in rear crashes: Honda redesigned the RL's seat/head restraints to improve the rating for protection in rear crashes from marginal for 2005-08 models to good for the 2009. "You don't know what kind of crash you're going to be in," Lund says, "so it's important to choose a vehicle that will protect you in all kinds of crashes."

In 2007 the Institute made the criteria to earn TOP SAFETY PICK tougher by adding a requirement — winners must be equipped with electronic stability control (ESC). Known by different names and called Vehicle Stability Assist on the RL, ESC helps drivers maintain control in the worst situation — loss of control at high speed — by engaging automatically when it senses vehicle instability and helping to bring a vehicle back in the intended line of travel. ESC lowers the risk of a fatal single-vehicle crash by about half. It lowers the risk of a fatal rollover crash by as much as 80 percent.

The RL is available with other crash avoidance features such as a forward collision warning, emergency brake assist, and adaptive headlights. The Institute recently evaluated the possible benefits of these features (see Status Report, April 17, 2008). The system with the most potential is forward collision warning. On the RL, depending on the closing rate, the system may first sound an alarm and flash a light to warn the driver of a hazard. Then safety belts are tightened, and if a crash is imminent brakes are applied with progressively more pressure. In an urgent situation, the system may apply heavy braking, tighten the safety belt, and alert the driver immediately. Such systems could be relevant to more than 2 million frontal crashes each year.

ssim3

Its because it is so ugly nothing wants to get close enough to hit it.

Shotgun

Ouchhhh!!! That was a truly low blow...

neuronbob

Good news!

Hopefully Acura will take this information and use it in their marketing materials. That'd be a nice change.

OK, I'll stop picking on marketers.

DoctorTuna

I think this is very positive information for the RL and I'm glad. But I for one never consider safety equipment as a deciding factor for purchasing a car. Just like I was not aware about the marginal rating for head restraint in my current RL, it wouldn't have made me look at another vehicle with a better rating. I think safety in a vehicle like the RL is mostly icing on the cake as opposed to a selling feature, IMO. Then again, my RL is not my "family" vehicle, my Honda Odyssey is, and I do care about safety in that vehicle.

Rob144

I wonder if the '09 headrests are compatible with the '05-'08 headrests. While the '05-'08 headrests look kind of sporty, the folding design doesn't seem like the safest choice.

acuda

I think the headrests are likely not compatible with prior models because their mechanism includes a lever in the seatback itself. There is a see-saw like mechanism with a pivot point in the seatback. When you are rearended the seatback is forced into your back and the lever in the seat pivots the headrest forward to meet your head which is at that point in the process of moving rearward.

CL6

Glad to see Acura is offering the same level of protection Mercedes customers have been enjoying for years... and on every model, too.

neuronbob

Acura has been offering this level of protection for years. They simply don't advertise it. I'll stop before I start skewering marketing again...I'm only a doc....only a doc.....deep breaths......

sadlerau

Maybe they need a doctor to resuscitate the marketing department

Crazy thing is, it aint any better over hear in Australia. All I see driving the odd Legends that have been sold are geriatrics! I'm the youngest person I've seen driving this car, and I'm already the wrong side of fifty

DoctorTuna

And offering it for a hell of a lot less....

CL6

Does Acura offer active head restraints on all models of their cars? If you get the chance, compare the headrest post length of an Acura headrest and a Mercedes-Benz one. The MB post will be 3 times longer and thus much stronger.

acuda

It's just amazing that some people are so willing to spew forth completely false statements such as this.

Check out the IIHS and NHTSA sites (these are the organizations that do the testing), what you will find is that the "C"series Mercedes earned a marginal rating in 04/05 and
an "acceptable" rating (that's lower than "good") in 06/07 for rear crash testing, and an "acceptable rating in both years for side testing (again lower than the RL's "good" rating.

NHTSA gave the C series 4 stars for both driver and passenger crashes in 08 while the RL earned 5 stars in all categories.

CL6

The European standards are higher than those of the ones in America. There is such a thing as 'studying for a test' instead of making a solid overall car. Check it out:

http://www.euroncap.com/Content-Web-Start/$c7dad01d-a23c-4ae6-bc4c-2676e24a78c2/home.aspx

I'm not saying that Acura doesn't make a safe car but things such as Airbags, Electronic Stability Control, Anti-Lock Brakes, Crumple Zones, and many, many other features were invented by Mercedes and are licensed by MB to other car makers for $1.

And my comment was concerning Active Head Restraints, btw. I don't believe they are offered on every Acura model, are they?

Chas2

I believe the law requires all new 2009 models to have active head restraints.

The 2009 RL update complies with that.

Many car companies most notably European companies, but also Japanese and Korean, have offered active head restraints earlier than required. Acura first introduced them with the 2007 MDX and RDX. The new TSX has them, and of, course so will the TL. Active head restraints are not just Acura territory, because the 2007 Civic and CR-V also offered this safety feature.

However, CL6 does make a point that the Europeans have been ahead of the pack in offering this technology. I think it is also true that NHTSA is painfully slow in changing its rules, and it has taken a long time to get to the point where active front seat head restraints are now required in US cars, just as is TPMS.

acuda

The statement about European standards being "higher" is baseless. They may measure and display results differently, with the Euro tests giving more detail about forces measured in various areas of the body, but that is very different from it being a "higher standard". Moreover, you cite the euro testing but there are no tests of Acura contained there, so we can't judge how they think Acura compares to Benz.

Finally, the reference to "studying for a test instead of making a solid car overall" puzzles me. Are you saying that you know somehow that a Benz is safer than an Acura even though on objective testing done by engineers at the two independent US rating agencies the Benz falls short of the Acura? So the European site proves MB is a "solid car overall" but the US sites are to be dismissed as "studying for the test"?!

If you go on these sites (including the European site) you can watch the videos of the side and frontal impacts. Take a look....they look just like what happens when cars get hit by other cars or SUV's at about 30-40 mph. Acura wasn't just studying for the test, they were studying for the wreck. If MB engineers are of the mindset that studying for tests is beneath them, they do so at their customer's peril.

CL6

Uh... the RL is sold in Europe... it's called the Legend. The TSX is sold in Europe... it's called the Accord. Check out the ratings and also keep in mind the E class was designed back in 2000/2001 while the RL was designed much later than that. Also note that MB offers rear side airbags in almost all of its cars while Acura/Honda does not.

"RL"/E
http://www.euroncap.com/viewcomparis...f-d33e11a4b8db
"TSX"/C
http://www.euroncap.com/viewcomparis...5-47aa0c091b00

And as far as 'studying for the test' goes European crash test results cover more things than what they do in the US so I think if you look at the results above you'll see that our tests, while dramatic, are not as in depth.

And as far as I know MB is the only car company that will go out and study actual crashes of their cars so they can learn from it... they have a special group of engineers who do that.

Again, I never said the RL wasn't a safe car but things like Active Head Restraints are standard in all MBs while in almost every other carline they are optional or not even available.

DoctorTuna

This is all very interesting fodder. The next time I shop for a car I'll be sure to measure the length and tensile strength of the headrest posts. Can you please come off your Mercedes soapbox for a little while, you must be exhausted.

CL6

When somebody can't make a valid point, sarcasm is the last refuge. Have fun hiding there.

And as a side point... you guys own the flagship model... it should come with things like Active Head Restraints and more standard! 50 grand is a lot of money for a car and I'm surprised that some of the safety features offered in Japan are not offered on this model here.

DoctorTuna

Asking consumers to evaluate headrest posts is laying it on pretty thick, sarcastically speaking. One might also say you're hiding on your soapbox, you obviously like it up there.

CL6

I don't invent the facts... just making a point in passing about what being committed to building a safe car truly entails.

DoctorTuna

Here's a fact... this is an Acura forum. I'm just making the point that most Acura owners don't care about Mercedes, if we did, we'd buy one and post on the appropriate forum. Maybe you should too.

CL6

Guess I shouldn't present other viewpoints here because it might challenge some opinions.

acuda

We're just not sure what is causing you to spend your time on a forum for a car you don't own sniping at this car brand. It is rather comical actually, particularly coming from a MB owner.

You should be on some MB forum along with other MB devotees singing the praises of that Teutonic marvel to each other. (Pssst....together I'm sure you can come up with reasons to discount the unfavorable NHTSA and IIHS safety ratings you've been getting, and those big black circles Consumer Reports has been giving you guys lately for reliability).

Sorry if you are uncomfortable with the sarcasm, but when I imagine the level of disordered thought and ego that would compel me to visit another forum-- of one that I consider a lesser vehicle-- and take swipes at their cars in order to aggrandize or validate a vehicle I own, I simply cannot relate to what your needs are here.

CL6

Firstly, I own an Acura. Secondly, I sold Acuras for 4 years. Thirdly, I like the RL. Fourthly, I simply pointed out that making a big deal out of Active Head Restraints on a $50,000+ flagship model is really not a big deal because there are other brands that put those in ALL of their models while Acura has not.

Any questions?

DoctorTuna

This has nothing to do with viewpoints or opinions. It's about somebody posting Mercedes fodder on an Acura forum. As mentioned previously, Acura owners, apart from you, really don't care about Mercedes. Despite your inexplicable need to "enlighten" us, most RL owners are intelligent consumers who have weighed and measured your beloved Mercedes product and it has been shown to be lacking. I'm sorry if you don't accept or understand that fact. None of us probably understand your fetish with Mercedes, which is only made worse by the fact that you own an Acura and sold them as well. I would probably venture that you sell Mercedes now and feel somehow that you must post Mercedes facts here that most find useless, baseless, and antagonistic. If you do indeed sell Mercedes then your passion for the product is admirable and uncommon, unfortunately ill-directed and misplaced. I use this forum for an exchange of information about MY car. I don't post on the CL, TL, TSX, RDX, MDX forums, nor any other manufacturers forums because I have nothing USEFUL to add. Do you have any other questions??

CL6

I don't have a question but I do have a suggestion: If you don't like a certain thread then don't read or respond to it. Thank you.

DoctorTuna

Man, you really don't get it. I think you already know what my suggestion to you is.

ssim3

This used to be an open board where people could discus the pluses and minuses of all cars, mainly the RL. It was a pleasent difference from many other forums, but certain mebers recently are trying to close out many car lovers & if they have it their way in 2 years there will be 5 RL owners left discussing among themselves about the good old days when this was a vibrant board. I currently do not own an Acura so some people think my opinion does not count, but I have had 3 Accords, a Legend, a RL and a MDX so I feel I have a vested interest in Acura. So people just chill out and let people carry on a civil discourse about the cars we love.

larrynimmo

It is true that we all need to have patience with those with other opinions. While sometimes I like to hear the great things about the RL and Acuras, I do like to hear both sides. Constructive critizism is good, but when we get to the point that it is bashing, then it would be crossing the line. An example of constructive critizism are the comments of MikeTX. I have never fealt that mike went out of line. Doctor Tuna and Geronimomoe have also been great examples of people that I highly respect that contribute to our web site yet non of them currently own an RL. Geronimonmoe never even bought one, he bought an Infiniti G35 instead...and had very good reasons to do so. He still frequents our site with some very pertinant comparisons.

neuronbob

OK guys, quicherbichin.

I try to moderate an open discussion here. CL6 is a former Acura salesman and current Benz salesman, who drives an Acura still (I believe) and has made many positive contributions to our forum. I don't think his posts in this thread are inappropriate, though they are challenging for some to hear.

No need to flame him for his comments. No need for unnecessary conflict. Former owners can post whenever they need to as many former owners have positive impact on this forum. End of story.

csmeance

all of you calm down!

DoctorTuna

What can I say, I do enjoy a good debate, unfortunately it went off topic and turned into a debacle of perceived appropriateness. I do feel strongly about it though but I suppose we all use this forum for different reasons. I also have appreciated many constructive comments and posts from former owners as well as perspectives and do enjoy them, even if I don't sometimes agree. Some posts go well beyond that though, IMO. I won't belabor it any further, promise!!

catsailr

I don't think it would help much. I remember when the '56 Ford came out and their advertising was about safety. They had the deep dish steering wheel, padded dash, warparound windshield ?, and optional seat belts. I don't think they sold many of the seatbelts and Chevy still beat them in sales.

CL6

I'm still laughing about neuronbob's ability to get his wife to agree to an S2000. I will have to remember his tactics.

When I was with Acura for 4 years I learned a lot about the culture of Honda and their philosophy and came to admire their approach but there are other views out there... which I thought I'd share in one small example.

I am still trying to determine what I think about what I've been learning for the past year or so but if I needed a sedan I'd very seriously consider an 08 RL.