mark101010

Just curious.

Vince D

It is an internal serial code.

fiatlux

According to Acura, the RLX stands for Refined LuXury, and the MDX stands for Multi-Dimensional luXury, so it stands to reason that RDX stands for Refined-Dimensional luXury.

Or maybe not, who knows. But I'm not joking about the other two, the RL and MDX really do stand for that: https://acuranews.com/en-US/releases...nal-luxury-suv

I was actually thinking about this the other day...Acura has one of the most unintuitive alphabet-soup naming conventions among luxury brand automakers. Everyone else has some sort of pattern or some consistency so that you can tell what the car is just by the name. For instance, Mercedes consistently uses the A, B, C, E, S-class order across crossovers, sedans, and sports cars to denote size, and use the prefix GL or SL for crossovers and sports cars respectively. BMW adds a prefix X for crossovers and still uses the 1/2/3/4/5/6/7 for consistent sizing, Lexus uses a suffix X for crossover/SUVs, Volvo uses the prefix XC for crossovers and uses the same consistent 40/60/90-series for size, and Audi uses Q for crossovers, and 3/5/7 for consistent sizing. Even Infiniti has more consistency, tacking on an X to denote crossovers, and you know a 30 is smaller than a 50 which is smaller than a 60 which is smaller than an 80. But from what I can tell for Acura, the only pattern is a D in the middle = crossover, L = sedan, and S = sports car, and "Type-S" is the "sports derivative", to borrow Ikeda's favorite phrase. The first letter tells your nothing (for instance, the RDX is not the crossover equivalent of the RLX), and the X at the end is meaningless too because all the cars have an X in it. But really, putting the X in the name because X is in the middle of the word "luxury" (I'm not making this up, this is what an Acura exec said) takes the cake...

JB in AZ

So many of the current Crossovers have an X in the name. Real Driver's X(Crossover)?

fiatlux

That's actually not too far off. X actually does stand for Cross for many automakers, and for some symbolizes AWD. For Acura unfortunately, their hands were tied by Honda thanks to the NSX name, and they then doubled down on the usage of X in the RSX and TSX and couldn't walk it back.

zroger73

I miss Vigor, Integra, Legend...

As if Cadillac's model numbers weren't confusing enough (CTS, SRX, XLR, STS, DTS, ATS, CT4, CT5, CT6, XT4, XT5, XT6...) they're now adding another number on the right side of the trunk lid such as 300 or 450T. Example: CT4 450T. The 450 is the engine's rated torque in Newton-meters rounded up to the nearest 50.

fiatlux

I like that they need to designate it as 450 newton-meters of TURBOCHARGED torque, not just regular torque, as if a lay-person would care or know the difference anyways.

Snark aside, I can kind of see why they’re doing this. EV performance is really measured by torque (Tesla and their battery size is more of a proxy) so they’re getting ready for the new electrified world. The only other measure would be battery size or range, but neither is a direct corollary to power and performance.

NooYawkuh

It stands for a complete lack of creativity or imagination. Like most cars named with letters and numerals carefully selected so as not to inadvertently create an acronym or word.

DriverOne

It's unimaginative, but is it really that much worse than the old method of slapping random and sometimes completely made-up words on cars? Like Tiguan or Ridgeline or Camaro or Sienna or ...well, I could just name every car ever. The Honda Accord is probably one of the best-selling sedans ever, if not the best, and its name is bizarre. It's a real word, but it has nothing to do with a car. Although I guess it's in line with naming the Civic. Like "civic" and "accord" are both similar-type words that have nothing to do with cars.

JB in AZ

Or Tucson, or Santa Fe, or Tacoma....
I think Lexus (for a few years) named their RX Hybrid RX400 even though the non-hybrid version was a RX350 to indicate a higher level of "power", HP. torque??? Lincoln just went through a name change for many of their vehicles: MKC became Corsair, MKX became Nautilus...etc. Personally, I believe names are easier to remember than letter number mumbo jumbo, especially with so many having similar letters. Is it a XT5 or a CX5 or a XC60 T5? Is it an RX or an RDX? Is a GLC a Mercedes or a Mazda? (remember them?) There was a time when Mercedes used engine sizes as model names, but then that got all kittywhumpus. Why does Honda have names for their sedans, yet some of their CUVs/SUVs have names (Pilot, Passport and some have letters HR-V, CR-V. Did anyone ever mistake a Mustang for a Firebird? A Taurus for an Impala?

I agree with zroger73 who wrote "I miss Vigor, Integra, Legend..."

Give me names!

DriverOne

I agree that it's better to have names, even if they're silly names. But what would you name an RDX? I can't imagine being the guy who has to name these things. Like someone puts this boxy junk heap in front of you and you go "uh ...Kia .....Soul?" Or they put a minivan in front of you and you name it "Odyssey" because you're sure to take many lengthy and adventurous trips in it never?

dblwishbone

Indeed the naming convention started with the NSX, which stands for New Sport eXperience.

fiatlux

At least with most of the alphanumeric names, they're inoffensive, formulaic, and somewhat descriptive when compared to regular names. But RDX, MDX, TLX, RLX, ILX...they might be inoffensive, but they're not particularly formulaic or descriptive in the least. It just gives off the impression that they wanted to copy what the established luxury automakers were doing, but without understanding how names were chosen. I honestly don't even know if these are acronyms or backronyms, because which person thought "multi-dimensional luxury" or "touring luxury" were good names?

I guess it's not as bad as HRV: Hi-rider Revolutionary Vehicle (https://www.fischerhonda.com/cc-what...r-v-stand-for/). That stereotype of Asians choosing the dumbest English names possible for products...what's that saying, every stereotype has a grain of truth to it? Or in this case, less of a grain and more of a boulder.

DriverOne

Pretty sure that's not an actual stereotype and is just something you came up with, but OK. I didn't know that acronyms for cars made people this upset.

fiatlux

As a Chinese guy, it most definitely is a stereotype that if you spend enough time in Asia will realize is pretty true


It got to the point that regulators had to step in to ban stupid sounding names. Often times it sounds good in Chinese, but once you send it through Google translator...

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/17/chin...r-strange.html

DriverOne

Oh, right, I forgot that "Family Guy" is accurate, especially because it was created by a white liberal who gets to be ultra-racist while still being celebrated by the woke generation of the hypocritical left. Thanks for keying me in on that.

fiatlux

Accuracy has nothing to do with it, you said it's not a stereotype, and they poke fun at stereotypes. If it wasn't a stereotype, it wouldn't be funny.

Clearly you haven't had much experience in Asia or with Asian businesses .

DriverOne

I meant "accurate as a stereotype." For example, the same clip claims that Asians stereotypically get enraged when people activate the chimes on their automatic doors and that's a weirdly specific and never-before-heard-of stereotype, but like I said, OK. And like I also said, it's great how the ultra-racism of the left is granted "hilarious" status by the woke generation and the non-racism of the right is deemed "just racist," but also OK. I'm not proceeding any further because then this thread will get moved to "Ramblings" where the extreme mental retardation of this forum resides.

JB in AZ

I liked this thread better when we were discussing vehicle names.

The Mazda GLC I mentioned earlier? Mazda thought it was a great little car. It became the 323, then the 3.

fiatlux

​​​​​
Hm, so I guess it's only Honda that mashes English words together to make non-sensical names. But isn't that worse? Or do you feel like names like the Airwave, LifeDunk, and Stepwgn are good solid names?

JB in AZ

So, how about renaming the RDX to Acura Razor. You know, "cutting edge".

skATL

Maybe the more important question is "Does Acura stand for anything?"

DJ Iceman

I've always liked Honda's vehicle names. They are not nonsense words; they are words with a strongly positive connotation. "Civic", "Accord", "Odyssey", "Prelude", "Pilot", "Insight", etc. Granted, if you took someone who had no knowledge of automotive branding and asked them to match those words to a bunch of pictures of the vehicles, they would likely fail because the words aren't instantly matched to the vehicle's purposes.

Acura had it nailed with "Integra" and "Legend"; "Vigor" never caught on but was at least in keeping with their convention. I remember when they went from the names to the letters, and one of the execs said the reason was that their research showed people loved the Integra and the Legend but largely didn't know what "Acura" was. But how lame-brained is it to flush away priceless brand equity in well-known, respected names as the method for trying to improve awareness of the lesser-known parent brand?

I've never seen it in official documentation, but heard at the time that CL = "compact luxury", TL = "transitional luxury", and RL = "real luxury". NSX being "New Sportscar eXperience" obviously worked, but then they really started losing it when the SLX was introduced (both in terms of the nonsensical characters and the rushed-to-market vehicle itself).

The only two vehicles in the lineup that I think the majority of the buying public would instantly recognize today are the NSX and MDX. I suspect most people, as the theme of this thread suggests, are completely confused by the RDX, ILX, RLX, and TLX names. They don't stand for anything, have no logical progression, and have not caught on as mini-brands in and of themselves.

If I was king for a day and could decree the naming of Acura models, I would leave the NSX and MDX alone. When the ILX is replaced by a new compact sedan I would resurrect the Integra name. I would perform a really significant MMC on the TLX and rename it the Legend in a couple of years. And I would rename the next-gen RDX (in a couple of years) something new like the Vision or the Adventurer. Two sedans, two SUVs, and a supercar with easily-recognizable names.

dblwishbone

Absolutely they should bring back Legend if they build a new sedan; in fact, the RLX has always been sold as the Honda Legend in Japan.

DriverOne

I understand that they're positive words, but I don't think the names move anyone's dial. The Civic and the Accord didn't become successful cars because people were drawn to their names. They were just solid, inexpensive cars that dominate their classes and have a huge following. I'm not a car person at all and I love the Civic.

I actually thought they were just copying Lexus, which was doing the "RX" thing. And nobody is busting on Lexus for their similar nonsense names.

leomio85

They should rename the RDX "Phoenix" as it's bringing the Acura brand back from the ashes and back into prominence. Conversely, they should rename the TLX "Dodo" ... lol. Just to stick with the bird name theme.

fiatlux

Some of their names are fairly stupid as well (like Creative Touring for the CT), but for the most part they’re at least consistent and there’s some semblance of convention. X is crossover, S is sedan, C is coupe. Simple and intuitive. Whereas with Acura, X can either stand for Experimental or Luxury (neither of which start with X) and somehow D is used for crossover, and L for sedan.

JB in AZ

One could say: "What's in a name?" In marketing, a lot. Remember the Gremlin? Citation? Matador? Fury? Galaxie? Probe? Celebrity?

dblwishbone

Hey, the new 2021 TLX sounds awesome dude; I had an 09 TL and I miss that front double wishbone suspension (can't you tell?).

RDXWiz

Because of the issues I've been experiencing:

Really Disappointing X(Crossover)

leomio85

Nothing against the car, but if sales don't turn around, it could very well go the way of the Dodo ... extinct. It's early, so hopefully things get better, but for a "hot new" model, its sales don't bode very well.

JB in AZ

Yeah, it is NOT a crossover or SUV. Go figure!