Hi folks
I am looking at a 2016 RLX SHAWD/ADV. I am getting a great deal on it. I have been with acura before. I had a 2006 TL, 2007 TL Type s and then a 13 TL shawd. The last car was bought back by Acura due to major engine and transmission issues. At that point I thought I was done with this brand
In the interim I have leased an Audi A7 and a Maserati ghibli(through our business). My commute is increasing significantly and I cannot justify low mileage leases(or paying for miles at lease end). However, after leasing these cars and looking at other cars I have come to realize how much value you get with acura. Agreed it doesn't perform in the superlative for any one variable /metric but the product as a whole is well rounded.

My average commute is 80 miles a dayx 5 days and 80% freeway. I live in the Midwest. I am looking for a comfortable cruiser with decent gas mileage. I feel good about the "hybrid" moniker, although I know I am not going to save much on gas. While being mindful of the gas mileage I also didn't want a sloth for a car.

I looked at clean diesels but the test drives during cold days brought out the worst noises from the engines. I didn't think these were particularly smooth either.

I had heard about the RLX hybrid while I was with acura in 13 but never really knew how they were going to execute the idea. I decided to check it out as the dealership is 5 miles from home. I must say I am impressed with the level of engineering that went into this. This also makes me nervous as it is new technology and there are not many beta testers out there.

At the price point at which I am getting this car and with the available options this is a no-brainer except for the unknown related to reliability of the technology.
SO HERE IS WHY i AM HERE, ARE THERE ANY GOOD FOLKS WHO HAVE HAD THIS FOR A WHILE AND HAVE >20K ON IT. Any issues with the electrical and mechanical bits and pieces?

 

Welcome my friend! I have more than 23,000 miles on mine and let me say with the loudest words possible: GO BUY IT!!!!!! It will be one of the best decisions you have made in years!

You sound like a car aficionado so if you have not test drove the Sport Hybrid yet, go do it, but bring your checkbook. I would buy one again in a second. In fact I almost purchased a second one until I read that a 2016 was coming out. I will be first in line to get a 2018 MMC (not as a replacement but an addition to the stable).

I had a few issues suspension wise but those have been cleared up under warranty. The 2016 has revised suspension parts from the 2014 so your ride will be smoother and more compliant than the 2014 model. The EV system is likely the strongest and most durable part of the car. Once you have driven the car for a while and have learned how to finesse the torque delivery which will surprise you often on the width of the tq curve, I dare you to not be addicted to driving it often.

There are faster cars out there, but I have yet to drive a car that feels like this one. The rated power numbers are clearly short changing the actual performance. We are blessed with fantastically smooth power delivery and great gas mileage (well most of us if you can keep it in eco mode and not peddle it every time). It will get to 60 mph in 4.89 seconds if you put it in sport mode, brake hold, and M1. Just do that and assuming you are on a good piece of tarmac, you will be smiling in no time. Then take it into the hills and the turns, and your smiles will continue. On the way home, getting through traffic I dare you to not find the speedo passing 80mph completely "by accident" over and over again. The Sport Hybrid is truly unique and only us owners can attest to it. I hope you buy it. You will not regret the choice!

 

I have a 2016 Sport Hybrid Advance. Although I do not have 20K miles or more, a few points I can offer for your decision.

As a Sport Hybrid, the car will not optimize it's range of abilities if you are exclusively a highway cruiser. The hybrid benefits are best realized in city and B roads where the engine shut off is maximized. The car launches in EV mode and feathers in the V6 so you are not penalized most when you start from a stop. You can also cruise in EV for a bit in speeds under 50mph (approx) if you finesse the throttle. The concept is that with the amount of power and capabilities of the car, you are not penalized with typical city mpg. Also on twisty B roads you really get the optimum benefits of SHAWD.

Now you do have power benefits on the highway, you get the torque and power for passing and of course the security of SHAWD. But at speeds north of 80 mph the rear electric motors (Twin Motor Unit) are disengaged (to avoid overheating) and the car is primarily FWD over 80 mph. What is your avg hwy speed? If there is stop and go traffic, that is where you would realize the most of the hybrid benefits. Irregardless the power of the car on the on ramp to the highways is nothing short of grins and giggles.

The 2014 Sport Hybrid Beta testers are your best reliability sources as some have the car since it's release in Sep 2014. Many of them are on this forum and have generously documented their experiences. There was no 2015 Sport Hybrid in the USA and launched 2016 Sport Hybrids this past summer.

The primary difference of the 2016's over the 2014 Sport Hybrids is the addition of the AcuraWatch suite (in Advance trim) and updates to the infotainment system to address some of the clunky behavior of the earlier models. AcuraWatch adds to Blind Spot Monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking system and 360 Surround cameras with cross traffic (radar) alerts.

Although many here agree with the market that the PAWS model was aggressively priced I agree with your assessment on how sophisticated this car is. The engineering that went into the Sport Hybrid makes me think it is more value than the typical Acura package. And due to a sloppy launch and little media coverage, very few know of this car. However what reviews are out there are very favorable of the Sport Hybrid. If you have not driven the PAWS model you would not realize how very different these cars are.

We are a small, but thorough community. Hope you join in.

 

As one of the first beta testers I can say that I still totally enjoy the experience of driving the Sport Hybrid. For me it offers the right combination of a luxury sedan with performance acceleration and superb handling. While I only have 15,000 miles on my 2014 and 17 months of driving, the car so far has proven very reliable. I too was nervous about the reliability of the power train and electric motors but they have proven to be the best part of the car. I am still disappointed in the infotainment system but it is mostly because it was poorly designed and clunky to use but it too has been reliable.

I would echo what others here have said......go take an extended test drive. The car has a unique driving feel that is difficult to describe in words since until you have spent some time with an electric ICE setup there is no frame of reference.

I would love to hear your thoughts after a test drive of the Sport Hybrid, particularly in regard to how it compares to your A-7.

 

Does it mean it doesn't do any torque vectoring at all at those speeds? What about power distribution to the rear wheels?

 

It does not recharge the EV battery above 78 mph, does not discharge thrust above 78 mph, but does apply excellent stability at all speeds. Cross winds have little affect on the vehicle. Just drive it and you will want it bad. Plain and simple.

 

To be clear - so no torque vectoring above 78 mph?

 

Thank you for reinforcing my choice of the RLX SHAWD. I did take one out for a spin. But it was very limited with an annoying salesperson. I couldn't get very involved in the drive. It is very quiet though. One thing I did notice is that the transition from combustion engine to electric motor though seamless was not the same vice verse. Also I found it amusing that tachometer drops to zero when electric kicks in. It has definitely got power, my buttometer wasn't blown away though. Our A7 feels quicker off the line and the ghibli is a completely different beast altogether. The RLX is very comfortable and plush and has tons of features. As I had mentioned I was looking for a comfortable cruiser that chews up the miles, low on maintenance and reliable in the long run with reasonable mileage. It checks all these boxes and has power as a bonus. I won't be able to appreciate the nuances on these short test drives. I have finalized a price on the 16 hybrid with advance and will be picking it up this weekend. Black with beige.

 

As I understand it doesn't power the wheels but can slow down one corner versus the other thus still providing the torque vectoring...may be the more knowledgeable folks can chime in

 

Rick,
I would interested to hear your first hand review of the Ghibli.

 

If you simply mat the gas in eco or sport modes, you are starting in 2nd gear. In sport mode you can manually select 1st gear, then the fun begins.

 

Uh-oh Too late to affect your decision. But you are making the correct one. I have had my SH-AWD since 11/14, and I will add two thoughts:

1. I was very concerned about all the technology in a version 1 car. They are only making 20 or so per month, and so have sold only 300-400 cars. We have more than 20 owners on this forum. In the past 16 months, not a single one has reported any problem with the drive train, battery, electric power unit, or any of the other new technologies that make this car so amazing. Rock solid engineering on all the new stuff. (The old stuff is also pretty close to zero defects, though there were a few issues like headlights that had to be replaced that as far as I know are all fixed in the 2016s.) You can totally relax on the reliability issue.

2. Unlike any other car I have ever owned, every time I have to get in my car to take a 300-400 mile trip, I smile at the thought. And I get to where I am going feeling more refreshed and less road wary. It's a quiet, smooth highway cruiser with the hidden personality of a sports car as you learn to use the electric motors to provide torque and AWD.

Also, did anyone mention that it is realy, really fun to drive? Enjoy.

 

30,000 miles here, lifetime average 31.3 mpg.

No mechanical issues whatsoever...not the first.

I exercised my right to implement the wind noise TSB, however. That is for the 2014 cars and I think the extra material under the centre post is already there in the 2016 cars.

 

At high speeds, the rear electric motors stop providing straight ahead thrust.

However, they will still operate to provide stability in high speed curves and lane changes.

 

Hands down the most fun car I have driven.

It has oodles of power and has a very visceral and raw feel. It IS NOT smooth. It is edgy. Has a personality. You hear the transmission whine, the exhaust pop. The baffles open in sport mode and the sound is manna for the ears. Styling is distinctive. Brakes are grabby but great. Steering wheel is communicative but has some on-center ambiguity. Engine is awesome but does have turbo lag but once the turbos spool it sucks you back and there is no end to the power curve...
My biggest issue was the tiring ride on long commutes. Also the reliability issues. My car didn't have major problems but I have heard of horror stories from some other owners.
At the risk of being too materialistic and shallow I have to admit it is somewhat gratifying seeing the valet jostle over each other to get the keys and it is always parked at the main entrance...there is definitely some exclusivity that comes with the badge(that MB, audi or BMW cannot match)..having said all of that, it is not the car for my current situation. I do see myself owning one again(in a heartbeat) if my situation changes.

 

Congratulations let us know how it fulfills [or not] you needs and expectations. Welcome aboard.

 

I have to say that i have a little whistle noise (wind) coming from the top corner of the drivers window, right next to the top of my head. It is only there at 80mph or more. Below 80mph it is gone......

 

Congrats Rick, i hope you have many safe and enjoyable miles with it!

 

Are you sure the sound you hear isn't coming from either your radar detector or a siren?

I also had the wind noise TSB done and haven't had an issue since [but I don't drive on any roads which enable me to go 80+ mph ....... way too much traffic on Southern California freeways.]

 

PG, here comes bad humor........ eehhem... drive slower.

Just kidding. How does one do that?

I believe there is a TSB to resolve that.

 

You are too funny Malibu Flyer, but i do not own a radar detector.....and i hope i don't hear any sirens anytime soon:-).
I will pay more attention next time i hear the noise, and update.

 

Let me know when you are ready to slow down, and i will do the same:-)

 

No POSITIVE torque vectoring (Drive thrust). However negative torque is still applied in turns as well as power regeneration.


Sport Hybrid SH-AWD System Animation - Honda News

 

Plausible deniability is our friend. That and knowing more than a few cops.

 

I am most likely misinterpreting this, but this shows positive torque vectoring at high speeds.....
I apologize in advance if i am wrong....

 

You are correct. Although the TMU itself is not generating electric power at high speed for Drive Thrust, the outer rear wheel will receive power for Drive Thrust from the inner rear wheel when it is regenerating (negative torque).

I missed that point in the video.

 

The car does have torque vectoring above 78 mph, as others have stated above. All that changes is the thrust provided by the motors, as they max out at 11k rpm IIRC.

Even if you don't care for the tech details, you can see it happen when you have the torque vectoring information on in the HUD. Seen it many times at 80 mph, including today...

 

What you're experiencing is exactly what the TSB fixes.

It's not what you think it is, though. :-) They remove and reaffix the centre post's molding and don't do anything at all to the window or the window molding.

 

I will have to look at the TSB, but what you are saying is that the noise is created on the outside of the car (chassis) and i hear it inside?

Did the TSB fix the noise for you?

Thank you!

 

My noise problem was a little different. I had a ticking noise from the B pillar which was particularly noticeable at low speed. For me it seemed like something was loose.

Anyway, they did the TSB and the issue was gone.

 

The TSB did more or less fix the noise, or it fixed that noise. I still argue with the service manager about how quiet the car is supposed to be.

He thinks it is the quietest car he's ever been in, and to me it's just...not.

Anyway....the noise is an air leak that's created by a less than perfect seal at the door (B) pillar. The TSB fixes that.

The noise the TSB fixes sounds exactly like the house you described, a noise that's sort of above and slightly behind your left ear.

 

I looked at the TSB and it involves taking the whole door panel plus the molding around the window completely apart. All of that just to put a little strip of foam.......I think i will leave it as is for now, since its only above 80mph :-)

 

I understand.

I'm not sure if this is a reflection of how often I was driving over 80 mph.

 

It's actually very easy to be at those speeds and higher with this car.....its really composed and effortless......

Thank you George!

 

So I made the trip to VA and drove it back this Saturday. The dealership and the salesman both made it a pleasant experience especially as I had flown in. The sales guy drove 30 miles to pick me up at the airport. I don't know if that is standard practice. I thought it was a nice gesture.

 

Took 10 hrs to get home. Would have been 9 but for the speeding ticket I got as I was pulling into the toll booth at the end of the Pennsylvania turnpike. Apparently clocked at 80mph in a 55mph and about 200 yard from the toll booth itself.
Overall it was a nice drive. I averaged 28mpg. I could have averaged higher. The car sat running while the sales guy went over the technical details with me. The gauge was already a tick or 2 below full.I did notice that it did not engage EV mode at freeway speeds. My EV miles were 0.0/386 miles at first fill up. The second leg of the journey was better. I don't know if that was because I filled up with 93 octane fuel and the dealership filled it with the cheapest option possible. Either ways I averaged 30.4mph for the rest of the drive(granted some of that was through slower moving traffic through downtown Chicago). Does anyone get the 32mpg advertised by EPA?
One thing that I did notice and that I was not very excited about was the tire noise. The 19inch tires are louder than what I was expecting. Honestly, I was expecting the ride to be a tad bit softer, more compliant and quiet. Don't get me wrong it is very good but over expansion joints I could still feel that it somewhat unsettled the car a bit(my frame of reference is the A7 and my friends LS460).
The interior fit and finsih and the comfort and the effort that went into reducing wind noise is very impressive. The features offered even at the 65k MSRP are still a bargain. I cannot complain about this especially since my bare bones Ghibli stickered at 85k and the loaded A7 at 83k. Neither of those cars are 20k better than the RLX(except the badges of course-most expensive single item on either of those cars)
I hope this turns out to be a rewarding ownership as I intend to keep it for a while.

 

Congrats! Post a couple of pictures. Yes, we all know what a Sport Hybrid looks like, but post anyway!

I'm a little surprised to read of tire noise. I had virtually none while I was on stock tires. Now that I'm on 20's and no longer have the Helmholz resonators, I notice tire noise, though it's not obtrusive.

 

The Michelins are a bit Jekyll and Hyde depending on the roads condition. On smooth asphalt, they are silent, but on coarse roads or expansion joints you hear them (more than you feel impacts). This is an attribute of the low profile tires and typical Honda suspension tuning. I always found more tire impact / thud obvious in Honda's. Perhaps it is a characteristic of the double wishbone suspension. The TLX and MDX are actually smoother in these conditions and they are MacPherson struts, but many prefer double wishbone for stability, especially at high speed.

The Michelins are also a low rolling resistance tire, a harder compound and again, transmits more tire thump. I have been reading of a new Pirelli tire rated very well over the Michelins...but it will beyears before I put significant wear on the OEM Michelins.

Be aware of the road surface and I expect you will find the SH RLX eerily quiet on smooth asphalt....until you hit a manhole! And last, the struts supplier Acura and Honda have been using are getting complaints from nearly every model. I am surprised they have yet to address this with the strut supplier or move to another supplier.

The LS is a car designed to totally isolate you from the road. The Audi is a closer comparison and I believe Audi offers the taught controlled suspension while better isolating the tire impact and noise. A taller profile tire would lessen the impact feel, but return less sharp steering.

 

The EPA numbers are comparison numbers and NOT expected mileage numbers. They are achieved on a specific course at a specific altitude at a specific speed that is much lower than most of us travel (around 55 mph I believe) BUT done consistently over each and every model they test. So the numbers achieved can only be used to compare one car to another and NOT to predict the mileage you will get in any particular car (unless you travel a route very similar to the test route at the particular speed they use in the test).

All of that said, I have easily surpassed 32mpg on several occasions with my Sport Hybrid both in the city and on the highway and I've also had tanks (usually when I'm out having a little too much fun with the car) that I have achieved mileage numbers closer to 26 mpg or so.