TampaRLX-SH

Light fare and amusing much of the forward video is a BMW i8 (also being reviewed in a press event).

But hopefully the SH will get some press attention now.

TampaRLX-SH

They are starting to arrive....there must be a press tour in progress.

2016 Acura RLX Review and Photo Gallery - AutoNation DriveAutoNation Drive

Malibu Flyer

Perhaps Acura will make some cars available for a track test so we could get some accurate numbers of acceleration. Just curious what the real numbers would look like.

George Knighton

A friend (former Honda Challenge Champion who came from drag racing roots) volunteered to test for the best possible, but we sort of backed off when we began to talk about safe places to do it.

I think that I'm going to start quoting 5.3 because that is what most testers seem to be saying, with a 5.35 from a friend who was testing a pre-production 2014 model in 2013.

In first gear and standing on the brake pedal, I could very well believe that someone could get 4.9 if the same car is getting 5.3 from a standing start.

TampaRLX-SH

https://youtu.be/jJfCSPyeN3U

TSX69

2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Test Drive
Acura's Stealth Super Car

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVwj34lxH2s

Bad news, supercar fans: The long-awaited reboot of the Acura NSX has been pushed off for a few more months. The 550 horsepower hybrid was supposed to start hitting the streets right around now, but after some last-minute engineering updates, its launch has been rescheduled for next spring.

But there’s a bright side, because the delay just gives you more time to prepare yourself, and Acura may have just the thing to help.

The 2016 RLX Sport Hybrid sedan doesn’t appear to be much of a high-tech and high-performance machine, but it’s similar to the NSX in many ways. Its powertrain features a 3.5-liter V6 and 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, combined with an electric motor up front and a twin-electric-motor power unit between the rear wheels. It’s essentially the same layout as the one in the mid-engine NSX just with different components, and in reverse.

The RLX’s version is rated at a combined 377 hp and 30 mpg, an unbeatable hand among sedans without electric plugs. The $60,870 RLX’s most direct competitors are the Infiniti Q70 Hybrid and BMW Active Hybrid 5, but neither of those has an all-wheel-drive system. The RLX’s is its secret sauce.

Gently pull away from a stop and the rear electric motors do the pushing, relying only on battery power over short distances. Press a little harder on the accelerator and the engine starts and the front wheels kick in to help. As speeds rise, it transitions to a front-wheel-drive car driven primarily by the engine, tapping the electric motors whenever it needs a boost.

There’s a little delay when it does, unless you leave it in Sport mode, which keeps the engine on at all times and offers instant response from all forms of propulsion. When you hit the accelerator, the RLX pulls like a rail gun, the electric motors filling any power gaps as the V6 works its way through the gears.

It makes that creamy Acura V6 sound as it does, with hardly a whine from the electric motors, which really get to work when you turn the steering wheel. Do that, and more power is fed to the outside rear wheel while the inside one adds resistance to help pivot the car around a curve. Other non-electrified cars, including many Acuras, use differentials and brakes to achieve the same effect, but only the RLX comes with a cash-back bonus. That’s because as that inside wheel slows, it turns into a generator that recaptures a little bit of the energy being spent to drive the outside wheel.

Clear your mind of all that, and you’ll find the RLX to be an unexpectedly quick, nimble and smooth dance partner, despite its size. This is a big car everywhere but the trunk, which loses a few cubic feet to the hybrid battery pack and will be challenged on airport pickups.

The interior is typical Acura chic, with excellent leathers, carpets and soft plastics throughout, but is a little short of pizazz at its price point. That price, by the way, is just $5,500 more than the non-hybrid RLX, which has just 310 hp and front-wheel-drive. That premium is definitely justified by the boost in performance and a 25 percent fuel economy gain.

Both models suffer from Acura/Honda’s flat-seat-bottom syndrome, which my knees won’t let slide. There isn’t much side support for very spirited driving, either, but the car automatically tightens the seatbelts when it senses you’re getting aggressive. Nevertheless, the RLX Sport Hybrid is pretty good at taking it easy, too.

Dawdling along, it’s as quiet as a fully electric car inside, and the ride is very comfortable, thanks to shock absorbers that get progressively stiffer as they compress. This lets them make small bumps disappear while maintaining body control over humps and through curves. The only chinks in its plush armor are the stiff-sidewall low-rolling-resistance tires that don’t play well with the sharp edges potholes present.

You can be on the lookout for them while the RLX handles most of the driving for you. An appropriately techy $6,000 Advance package, the only option, brings a suite of driver aids that’ll avoid rear-end collisions, actively steer the car between the lines and play follow the leader with the vehicle in front of you in low-speed traffic jams, plus an “ultra-premium” 14-speaker Krell audio system to amuse your bored self.

Unfortunately, you can’t do anything about the RLX’s looks, which are crisp and clean but as anonymous as a hacker collective. This point was driven home when the car wash guy asked me if it was “the new Honda.” Not the Accord, or Civic, or any particular model, just “the new Honda.” This is no doubt a big part of the reason Acura only sold 1,413 RLXs – 147 of them hybrids – through July. Personally, I think they would've had more luck with an MDX Sport Hybrid crossover, which would probably be pretty great.

Then again, perhaps staying under the radar isn’t such a bad thing. You’ll want to keep your license clean for when that NSX finally gets here, right?

neuronbob

"anonymous as a hacker collective"



Too true!

holografique

^ that and the Fox report are more indicators that it needs new styling. It just doesn't do the car justice for what it is capable of.

But I can also understand how they may have played it safe with the design of the RLX probably finalized and sealed in stone shortly after the wake of the 4G TL design disaster. So they were probably gun-shy and played it safe. Just a little too safe

TampaRLX-SH

I get a *chuckle* everytime I search and find a new 'review' that is a mere slide show of the car with a techno music soundtrack.

My favorite has in the title 'Start Up and Drive' of the Sport Hybrid and it is again, a slideshow, with many of the pics being the PAWS model.

Posting on the internet today is akin to those classified ads of the past 'Make $500 a day stuffing envelopes!'

I had a serious debate with a 20 something staff member of a client who insisted an article he quoted in an Engagement Proposal was fact, as it was found on the internet. I suggested he consider a career in journalism.

TSX69

2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Review
Acura's Luxurious RLX Sport Hybrid is the Ultimate Antidote to Hybrid Naysayers

Driving enthusiasts have grown accustomed to sneering at hybrids and the people who hypermile them, often camped in the left lane at 50 mph, but that was never the car’s fault. It’s also true that some of the early hybrids could hardly get out of their own way,

But in the last couple of years, we’ve seen hybrids really coming into their own as performance machines, yet still delivering substantial fuel economy benefits.

Like the BMW i8, Volvo XC90 T8, and the LaFerrari, The all-new 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid proves that the designers at Acura have been following the same path as the Europeans – Throw away the old rules about how many motors a car can have, and where they have to be located. The surprising result is a completely different animal from the basic RLX sedan.

The modern approach to performance

In the modern world of wheel speed sensors and compact electric traction motors, it’s easier to move electrons around than to transfer kinetic energy with a driveshaft. The Sport Hybrid is powered by new technology handed down from the upcoming Acura NSX supercar.

Here’s the setup: the RLX Sport Hybrid uses three electric motors in conjunction with its gas-powered V6 engine. The front end of the car is a conventional hybrid design; there’s an electric motor placed in the driveline with the gas engine and the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. That combination drives the front wheels.

The interesting part happens at the rear of the car, where there are 2 electric motors on either side of a special differential. Like the BMW and the Volvo designs, there’s nothing connecting the 2 drivetrains except wiring. The car can move on gas or electric power, using front, rear, or all-wheel-drive as needed.

The gasoline engine is Acura’s standard 3.5L i-VTEC direct injection V6, rated at 310 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The front-mounted electric motor adds 47 hp and 109 lb-ft of torque. Each rear electric motor is rated at 36 hp and 54 lb-ft of torque. Combined, the whole system delivers a respectable 377 horsepower and 341 pound-feet of torque.

In addition to the extra horsepower and torque, you also get fuel economy. The hybrid nets you 28 mpg in the city, 32 on the highway, and 30 mpg combined for real-world driving. In addition,the RLX offers start/stop on the gas engine and Acura’s Variable Cylinder Management, which will cut fuel to three of the V6 cylinders if max power is not needed.

Out on the road, what you care about is that the RLX Sport Hybrid is a big, fast car with plenty of power. Acura has not posted an official 0-60 time, but it’s in the 5-second range. For practical purposes, you never lack for power under your foot in this car.

Hot wheels

Any automaker can give you a powerful car, and how the RLX Sport Hybrid sets itself apart is with the latest generation of Acura’s SH-AWD system. Since each wheel has an electric motor within, the RLX not only uses them to drive the rear wheels but also to help the car turn with authority.

Acura’s SH-AWD system has always used torque vectoring to send power to the wheel that needs it the most, but the Sport Hybrid uses those twin electric motors to apply a little drag to the inside rear wheel in a corner and a little more power to the outside rear wheel. That makes the RLX take a good stance and turn briskly into any corner.

As if that wasn’t enough, the SH-AWD system takes the electricity generated by dragging the inside rear wheel and uses the juice immediately to provide more power to the outside wheel, so you don’t even have to use battery power to get the handling benefits. Unlike previous gasoline-powered torque-vectoring applications of the SH-AWD system, this works whether you are accelerating into the corner, holding steady throttle, or coasting down. That’s good news if you happen to come into a corner a little too fast, or if bad weather or the road surface has reduced your available traction.

Speaking of traction, you get all the usual goodies that help keep the RLX pointed where you want to go no matter what happens. Vehicle Stability Assist and Acura’s Agile Handling Assist use the brakes as well as the various motors to keep you out of understeer or oversteer, and generally to help you feel confident as you drive.

The luxury of extra room

The high technology of the engine and driveline are the core of the value proposition of the RLX Sport Hybrid, but let’s not forget that this is a luxury car. Acura’s large sedan would be nowhere without the creature comforts and human interface tech people expect in a state-of-the-art vehicle.

Audio and information displays are top of the line, with hands-free text and e-mail response service.

Inside, the RLX is comfortable and roomy in both the front and the rear. Nice Milano leather upholstery and quality touch surfaces are there to remind you that you’re riding in Acura’s finest. The RLX provides rear leg room equivalent to the Jaguar XJ and BMW 7-series, and a tad more than the Lexus LS or the Audi A8.

Climate control is truly customized in the RLX. in fact, it’s linked to the key fob, so the car will prep itself differently for different drivers. The climate control even checks the navigation system and calculates where the sun is, to further keep you in perfect comfort. The seats have more adjustments than a chiropractor’s office, and both front seats are heated. The front seats add cooling and the outside rear seats get heat if you opt for the Advance package.

A split screen sits in the center stack, and a third display is set between the old-style analog speedometer and tach. The lower display covers audio and climate functions – and you do get real knobs to use, which is important. The upper display is for navigation, with turn directions mirrored in the gauge cluster display and in the heads-up display.

Cars with a heads-up display usually project little more than a digital speedometer readout onto the windshield in front of you. In the RLX, however, drivers can use the steering wheel controls to cycle through a variety of displays, including a tachometer, navigation directions, adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping information, and the power distribution monitor. This last 1 is the display you’ll want to play with for the 1st week you own the car. It shows you which wheels are driving and when they’re using regeneration to slow the car.

Audio and information displays are top of the line, with hands-free text and e-mail response service, and voice control for everything. If you want it, the RLX has it, including the AcuraLink app that integrates your phone to the car. Notably, you get the bird’s eye surround-view parking camera view as well as a conventional backup camera.

Handling the real world

The RLX Sport Hybrid drives very nicely. You’ll never know how the engine and electric motors are dividing up their work unless you have the display working – it’s that smooth. You’ve got plenty of power under your foot and the car corners like a much smaller and lighter machine than it really is.

For past Acura owners, everything that you ever loved about driving an Acura is improved in this car – except road noise. Even with all the attention paid to noise reduction, it’s still higher than it should be in a car purportedly as luxurious the RLX. In a week of driving, that’s the only fault we could find.

What you need to know is that the 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid competes with the best of performance luxury sedans from any manufacturer, and should be on any luxury buyer’s short list.

The bottom line

The 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid starts at $60,870 including fees. Or you can spend $66,870 and get the car with the Advance Package, which includes a bunch of comfort and convenience features including heated rear seats and ventilation on the front seats, a set of sunshades, and the Krell ultra-premium audio system. On the safety side, the Advance package includes adaptive cruise control with low-speed following function, lane keeping assistance, and parking sensors all around.

Highs

Top of the line hybrid technology
Luxurious Interior
Great driving dynamics

Lows

Road noise higher than expected

TampaRLX-SH

^^^

This is probably the best review of the RLX SH I have read. It not only points out the features and the mechanics of the SHAWD system, it also addressed what 'type' of hybrid this car is, if not redefine what a hybrid is or can be.

Concerning the road noise, I think there is only so much you can do here when the demand for performance contradicts luxury isolation. Low profile, low rolling resistance tires will ultimately overcome sound deadening unless weight and luxury trump performance and efficiency. No car I have experienced has NO COMPROMISES. On asphalt roads the car is tomb quiet. On coarse roads, the Michelins do give off some road rumble, but much better than the RL.

That said, I find the RLX SH quieter and smoother riding than the Audi A8 (which is also criticized for not being Lexus isolated). Bottom line, I did not find anything in the mid $60K range that came close to the SH.

And for the record, the pics are a 2014 RLX SH to nit pick.

George Knighton

I appreciate someone's courage in pointing this out.

A couple of times when speaking about this car, people have talked about it like it's supposed to be the quietest car that I have ever experienced.

It's not bad...but it is certainly not the quietest car that I've ever experienced, and that would include a car built 52 years before there was any such thing as an RLX.

:-)

Awesome car, but the quietness is exaggerated. I have road noise and wind noise...and it seems that's just the way it is.

That Acura chose to speak of the RLX in terms of how quiet it was caused more than a few dealer visits, because people found that it simply wasn't as quiet as they felt they were led to believe it ought to be.

neuronbob

This car is dead quiet to me. It is really the quietest car I've ever driven. Of course, I drive a CTS-V with louder exhaust, and a S2000 with a mature, but slightly deeper than stock exhaust. So what do I know? Maybe I'm deaf from driving loud(er) cars.

That sentence is otherwise pretty correct. "For past Acura owners, everything that you ever loved about driving an Acura is improved in this car...." and it's true.

fsmith

I think the car is definitely quieter than my last RL, and it is way quieter than my wife's '14 TL. Maybe everything is relative, but this is a relatively quiet car.

Other than that, I agree that the reviewer does explain the essence of the SH-AWD.

And Tampa - What's the '14 vs, '16 pix clue - something different in the steering wheel controls?

TampaRLX-SH

The taupe dashboard primarily. The article states it was Advance trim but the pictures do not show the 360 Camera on the controller knob panel or the wiper stalk. It also does not show the heated steering wheel, standard on the 2016 Advance.

pgeorg

I am not Tampa......but i believe it is missing the camera (part of the surround view) from the front grill, and the heated steering wheel button.
Also the interior color is wrong.....Pomegranate exterior comes with Seacoast interior, not Greystone.....

fsmith

Thank you, Tampa and not-Tampa.

George Knighton

I guess they just weren't counting on me when they made the quietest car claim.

MNH

I finally drove one yesterday ('14 model) and was also a bit disappointed in the level of cabin noise. On the highway I was expecting a good amount less noise than I actually experienced. I asked the salesman, who has driven several different RLX SH's, if the noise we were experiencing was typical of all the units he's been in or if something seemed off with this particular one. He responded that it was consistent with all the units he has been in.

I've decided to go spend some time with an LS460 before moving any further with the RLX. I understand there are compromises with most any auto, but cabin solitude is right up there near the top of my priority list...

LoneStar 16 RLX SprtHybrd

My 16 RLX SprtHybrd Advance is significantly quieter than my 14 RLX Advance was...until you hit the Sport mode and then you have a rocket ship!!! I had reason (in an emergency) to drive this car very aggressive in Houston traffic last week...I needed to get between point A and point B as quickly as possible. The driving and the performance of the 16 RLX SprtHybrd was not even in the same league as the 14 RLX Advance. Bottom line the things I did with the 16 I would never have attempted with the 14.

Malibu Flyer

Gotta love those electric motors both for performance, smoothness and quietness.

The newest Tesla has two "sport modes" that Elon Musk has labeled "Insane" and "Ludcrious". The later gets you 0 to 60 in under 3 seconds.

It will be very interesting to see how the NSX stacks up but I am sure it will be a real halo car for Acura.

George Knighton

Glad to see at least a little evidence that I'm not completely insane.

:-)

If you have any concerns at all about handling or ecological responsibility, you might go back to the RLX Sport Hybrid.

If you're after the best vehicle you can get at a certain price, you might very well find yourself buying the LS460. I've said this before, but I continue to be surprised at their build quality and basic thoughtful design.

Under about 225,000 you would be hard put to find a nicer overall compromise of a car.

But...that damned fuel economy.... And that damned Lexus badge....

Equipped like for like, you're going to pay considerably more for an LS460. Every time that I looked at one, the price got up around 120 grand.

TSX69

2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid Presents Electrifying Performance

Electrifying! To impress greatly; thrill. "an electrifying performance" Synonyms: excite, thrill, stimulate, arouse, rouse, inspire, stir (up), exhilarate, intoxicate, galvanize, move, fire (with enthusiasm), fire someone's imagination, invigorate, animate. When weighing RLX Sport Hybrid against the competition, forget everything you think you know when it comes to hybrid performance.

This ultimate split personality Acura takes hybrid technology in a serious performance direction. We’ve never driven anything quite like it, but it does come with a lofty price tag. Is 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid worth the price of admission?

After taking a model bi-year, RLX Sport Hybrid returns in 2015 as a 2016 model with an advancement or 2

The last built in Japan Acura happens to be this mostly "Made in America" brand’s flagship. It also just happens to be Acura’s most expensive, highest tech offering, and comes with a mind bending combination of hybrid driven performance, camera activated active safety features, and arguably Acura’s best constructed and most comfortable seat in the house.

2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD features 5-Star cabin accommodations

Easing into Acuras flagship cabin for the 1st time is much like fitting an exquisite Italian loafer to one's bare foot. Unlike most Acura and Honda leather covered seating surfaces, this 1 feels well broken in on 1st sit.

While perhaps not visually stunning by luxury car standards, Acura takes balance, functionality, and personal-auto connectivity to a higher level; while cloaking this tech-controlled compilation in quality leathers, burnished metals and wood-grain-like smooth and textured surfaces.

While exploring Acura's latest and greatest RLX offering, we discovered the 10 way adjustable heated and cooled drivers seat, heated power adjustable steering wheel, exceptional individual side climate control, power moon roof, and expansive rear seating area, also featuring separate climate controls, to be exquisitely crafted.

Perusing the passenger cabin 1 discovers aviation-style reading lights and an integrated cup-holder center armrest, punctuating surprisingly plush accommodations, accented by very effective pull-up side window sun shades.

Passenger visibility from rear to front is supported through a slight rise in the elevation of the rear seat, while ensuring ease of ingress and exit for passengers of all ages. Note: Rear headroom is exceptional.

2016 Acura RLX presents the most comfortable long-legged rear seating area in the class, truly limo-like. We further enjoyed the night-visual-experience that is RLX, with convenience, accent and safety lighting evident and most appreciated throughout. RLX Fit and finish is found to be without compromise as to craftsmanship, composition and material quality.

The 2016 RLX driving environment becomes intuitive in nature within minutes, as 1 eases into the tech driven world of Acura active safety features, 4 way external camera, static touch screen infotainment, climate control, and top-of-stack integrated navigational screen with split hybrid-systems display.

Driver’s will discover an exceptionally smart-steering wheel, and in the case of RLX Advance, a “Heads-Up” windshield display.

Heads-up display, yes

The RLX Sports Hybrid driving environment is reminiscent of your neighbor’s Honda Jet; multiple screen glass dash, center cluster i-MID, navigation, seamless voice activated settings, timed - traveled distance calculator and more.

And then there’s that 377 horsepower 3-motor sports hybrid system, dual drive mode double clutched electric-motor integrated 7 speed automated transmission with paddle shifting, and torque vectoring smart handling all-wheel-drive.

341 ft-lb monster torque

By combining Acura’s mechanically bullet proof direct injected i-VTEC V6 gasoline engine with a 3 electric motor regenerative and torque vectoring rear-drive, Acura has all but eliminated the negative handling aspects of primary front wheel drive, while producing copious amounts of on demand torque.

The loud peddle in RLX Sport Hybrid is understated impressive! Actually, we discovered a seamless transition between electric only and hybrid power, producing an astonishing performance launch off of the light, and uphill progression rivaling the highest powered import V8s on the road today.

0 torque drop noted

Acura-Torque News noted zero torque drop while piloting RLX Sport Hybrid over steep freeway grades. Acceleration experienced behind the wheel of RLX is chiropractic-calling-lightening fast, and yet, RLX Sport Hybrid can be as stealth quiet as a purring kitten while traversing city streets and parking lots in electric-only mode.

The entire RLX drive and ride experience is a bit mind-bending at times. Seriously, the uphill trajectory of 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid bends the mind and the body. No other mainstream gasoline-electric hybrid make or model on the road today can approach Acura RLX Sport Hybrid performance at this price point, while preserving real-world-livable fuel economy.

370 combined horsepower, 341 ft-lb torque, 30 MPG highway, $ 65,950+

As is said, performance and technology does come at a price. And, in the case of 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid, the ticket price for a fully loaded RLX Sports Hybrid smart handling all wheel drive(SH-AWD) Advance is $65,950 +.

Still, a relative performance bargain when compared apples for apples to Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Lexus GS 350, all fantastic import performance cars. However, none of them present the over-the-top combined meld of active safety and creature comfort features meets gasoline/electric hybrid driven performance. And, in true Acura fashion, RLX comes in at $10,000 below BMW’s top trim offering.

Call me crazy, I love the occasional electric-only drive experience

There's nothing quite like silently creeping up to a ‘take out’ window in a 4400 lb premium sports sedan, or watching the RPM gauge drop to zero while driving down the freeway at 58 mpg. It’s a bit of a Tesla moment, something that we came to experience in the Honda Accord hybrid.

However, this EV-only moment doesn’t happen often in RLX, nor does it last very long. The hybrid system here is employed mostly for bolstering performance while preserving a reasonable MPG rating, and frankly can be a bit disconcerting at times. The 1st time 1 drives RLX Sport Hybrid, that initial launch in electric only mode, finds 1 fumbling for an engine-on button. It’s silent!

900 miles behind the wheel Of Acura RLX Sport Hybrid

Acura-Torque News waited a year for an opportunity to review RLX Sport Hybrid. The last time we enjoyed any seat time in RLX was while attending Pirelli World Challenge a year past this week.

After driving 2014 RLX on the freeways of Marin County, California, we found the 310 horsepower 2014 RLX advance to be impressive, but lacking just a bit in true-straight-line acceleration. And, it was a bit heavy on the downhill swoop, diving into tight cornering. however, it’s suite of active safety components saved our collective behinds more than once in city traffic.

Drive and ride performance

From a luxury vantage point, Acura RLX Sport Hybrid while very-cabin-comfortable, is not Bently, nor even MDX-Pilot quiet under certain driving conditions.

This techno-wonder has many systems running simultaneously, with an evident (occasional) wirel of a driveline component, or regenerative transmission internal (regenerative braking) motor doing its job. And, once again we find Acura’s choice of “S” rated high performance low sidewall summer-treads to be very road surface sensitive, noisy, and less than effective in a high speed 2 lane transitional sweep.

Granted, 1 rarely finds super high performance and limousine-like quiet packaged in the same automobile, thus is the case with RLX Sport Hybrid; we believe it could be a bit quieter. We also found the wind noise at the driver’s side door to be bordering on intolerable at highway speeds; to the point that we questioned the effectiveness of the door seals, something we will take up with Acura.

Unfortunately, early on in our drive we encountered a high speed projectile resulting in a cracked windshield, other than that, all RLX Sport Hybrid systems performed as designed, including voice recognition, something we’d experienced a bit of difficulty with in the past. Note: The 16 speaker Krell stereo system in RLX produces a serious concert-like listening experience; we like that!

A closing thought or 2

Although 2016 RLX Sport Hybrid is measurably impressive on the tech and engine/motor performance side, at 4359 lbs, it’s the heavy weight of its class, and remains more than just a bit heavy in cornering. Hybrid technology due to battery modules, added electric motor components, and in this case SH-AWD. Ad a boat-load of technological wizardry, and RLX Hybrid is heavy, no getting around it.

The “Sport” in RLX Sport Hybrid is a mixed bag, when it comes to true-track-like performance handling. We don’t look to RLX for NSX road stickiness or record breaking track capabilities. But, for a relatively heavy 4 door sedan, 2016 RLX Sport Hybrid is arguably the best(priced under $100,000) all around drive and ride performer in the mid to full size premium/ luxury sedan class.

RLX is much like that 260 lb football linebacker that can sprint a 4.5 second 50 meter dash; while not possessing the ‘cut and turn’ capabilities of a pass receiver. However, RLX does move exceptionally well when asked to do so. For us the icing on the cake is the EV mode only feature; a glimpse into the future of automotive engineering, if you will; Acura style.

MNH

Yeah, I would never consider the LS hybrid as it's way too much money. And I am indeed disillusioned by the LS460 fuel economy (which is barely better in the LS600h hybrid model). Ultimately, though, if an extremely quiet cabin isn't in the cards then I am not a buyer. My existing ES is about as quiet as the RLX SH that I drove IMO, which both surprised and disappointed.

The LS460 fuel economy may yet prove mitigating for me, but perhaps no more so than an interior cabin that lacks the requisite solitude I am looking for...

TampaRLX-SH

"Electrifying! To impress greatly; thrill. "an electrifying performance" Synonyms: excite, thrill, stimulate, arouse, rouse, inspire, stir (up), exhilarate, intoxicate, galvanize, move, fire (with enthusiasm), fire someone's imagination, invigorate, animate. When weighing RLX Sport Hybrid against the competition, forget everything you think you know when it comes to hybrid performance."

Do you think he really, really likes the SH RLX? Or is Parks McCants (the author) a member of this forum?

Nice to read enthusiasm for the car that most all here who own one have already affirmed.

neuronbob

Well. With all these positive reviews, you'd think Acura would be a little more motivated to sell more hybrids.

Then again, I've stopped understanding how Acura works.

All I know, is that I am enjoying this well-engineered car immensely. I've got three fun cars to play with, each uniquely fun in its own way.

sooththetruth

On the other hand, it has a huge trunk, and you can buy one used with 80,000 miles on it for about what you pay for the Sports Hybrid new, and it will likely look new, but only have 300,000 miles of life left on it with minimal repair required.

The gas mileage will always be bad.

I wonder how long the batteries will last in the Sports Hybrid.

I can't get past that the RLX with the big trunk is really a great car for the money (after aggressive negotiation), if only the suspension were set up correctly. Also, the RLX non- hybrid should be set up with non sport tires as an option to achieve that Lexus-like quiet.

My father still has an '97 LS, and won't part with it. Every time I visit him I will sigh in disbelief when I ride in it. It really is a soothing car. It's everything an (old traditional) Cadillac was supposed to be.

JM2010 SH-AWD

The LS is a very nice car. Hard to find good used examples because 1) people love them and keep them; and 2) they run forever. A friend had one with almost 300K on it. It still looked and rode beautifully, but the cost of replacing wear items (suspension, etc., was starting to become excessive).

RLX-Sport Hybrid

Take a look.

TampaRLX-SH

That review is very on point. Although my real life experience has been many compliments on the styling of the car.

I think Steve Hammes is the only automotive journalist who has done a second review from the 2014 SH to the 2016 SH RLX. And more importantly, THIS review was made after have the car a week or so, instead of the usual 45 minute impressions.

He confirms, what most all here who have experienced the SH RLX, and that is it is a very different car.

holografique

+1 this review is spot on. Both the positive and the negative. I like how direct and honest he is about all of it. I like how he also described exactly the type of buyer I was/am when I first got my RLX. It's unfortunate the resulting experience of the PAWS model isn't anywhere close to the Sport-Hybrid.

Great video and review. I'm also liking that silver color, looks great in the video during the exterior driving shots. I'll also add that the lower LED fog-lights and amber LED strips give it a much stronger on-coming presence than the PAWS version does.

neuronbob

Great review, in enjoyed watching it. Now to get my car off jacks and finish the wheel install...

JM2010 SH-AWD

Nice review, superb car. But I don't know what more I would need in terms of infotainment to provide me a sufficient "wow" factor. That to me is a false criticism. This is a world class car. Too bad there are too few of them, too poorly marketed.

2012wagon

Daily Driver: 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybird

Tonyware

Road and Track article praising Honda engineering with a reference to the RLXh that should come with a big LOL: "Even the million-dollar Porsche 918 can't do this". LOL

The rise, fall, and rise again of Honda engineering

(hey, gimme a 918 and I don't care if the RLXh can do shit!)

dzionny_dzionassi

neuronbob

Nice review. Another reviewer who spent tie with the car and "gets it".

TSX69

An Acura You Can Take Home to Meet Mom

The last Acura I brought home singed the walls of my old garage with a face that could peel paint. I felt as if I were harboring a slightly psychotic mercenary.

I don’t remember much about the 2nd Acura I got, other than it had a jumble of indecipherable letters on its trunk and appeared to be a Civic in a garage-sale suit.

So when I heard I would be getting a 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid, I knew it would be, uh, unique – and boy, it was.

Rather than relying on meat-cleaver styling, the new RLX leans heavily on unusual engineering to lift it above other midsize luxury sedans.

How about a V-6 engine combined with 3 – yes, 3 – electric motors?

The big sedan kept Acura’s basic, familiar-shaped grille but flashed a shiny, easy grin, bordered by wild, reptilian-looking headlamps.

Although the sides were Japanese-styling-flat, a couple of high-stepping character lines gave the car some quirk.

1 fairly conventional line above the door handles formed a slight shoulder, while a second whoop-de-do line zipped off the front fender, curving down below the 1st line and fading into the rear fender.

Long doors and a high trunk added more visual substance to the car, which seemed to draw styling influences from Subaru, Toyota and BMW.

It kind of worked, though, helped some by extremely silver 19-inch alloy wheels wearing sporty 245/40 tires.

But the car’s most intriguing elements lie buried out of sight underneath the sheet metal.

Like standard RLX models, the hybrid gets a 3.5-liter V-6 engine, which is definitely a good start.

Acura then bolted in 2 electric motors to drive the rear wheels and a 3rd motor for extra assist through the front wheels, which provide most of the propulsion.

The result was a hearty 377 horsepower and impressive 28 miles per gallon in a 4,300-pound sedan that can periodically be all-wheel drive.

Sometimes, the X stepped away from stops in total silence, letting the rear electric motors do the work up to about 30 mph, when the V-6 would quietly step in.

Other times, the V-6 would be strutting on deck, ready to run and then would shut down as I backed off the throttle, again allowing the electric motors to do the pushing.

I never really knew what the front electric motor was up to.

But step hard on the throttle and the X’s 7-speed transmission would drop down a couple of gears, unleashing all 377 horsepower with a surprisingly strong surge to 6,500 rpm.

In fact, the big, torquey sedan can blast to 60 mph in a highly respectable 5.3 seconds, according to Car and Driver, which is as fast as a BMW 535 sedan.

Technically, the electric motors also assist handling, using torque from 1 or both rear motors to push the car more cleanly through curves. But I never felt it.

Though the car seemed pretty eager to play and powered into curves with modest body lean, it never felt as agile to me as the BMW or Lexus GS 350. Part of the problem was numb, thick steering, which gave the X a heavy feel.

Still, it was competent in curves and even better as a firm, roomy, long-legged cruiser.

Acura saved most of its outbursts for the interior. The black interior in mine seemed conventional enough at 1st, with a broad, deep dashboard and standard-issue hood over the instrument panel.

But I got lost in the large center stack protruding from mid-dash with not 1 but 2 display screens to look at. The bigger top screen provided most of the systems information, with cursed, distracting touchpads for tasks like tuning the audio system.

A smaller screen below it displayed a list of audio stations and the song currently playing on the big screen. Why, I wondered, do I need a separate screen for that?

Even more baffling _ though far more amusing _ was the lack of a shifter. Instead, buttons controlled park, neutral and drive, while a switch handled reverse.

I don’t know the why on that, either.

But the seats were gorgeous, with smooth, rich-looking bolsters and perforated, sectioned centers. In addition, the back seat had more headroom and legroom than most taxis.

Honestly, I couldn’t help but like this large, strange sedan with its ultra-21st-century powertrain, admirable performance and ample array of eccentricities inside. Price as tested: $66,870.

George Knighton

LOL....

I've owned my car for a year, now. And I'm still not 100% sure what the front motor's up to.

:-)

TSX69

2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid review notes:
Interesting gadgets, but kind of a snoozer

Adding a sport hybrid doesn't change the basic equation

ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: If you examine parts of the RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD in isolation, it’s awfully hard to argue against it. It’s overwhelmingly quiet. The seats fit me perfectly, providing just the right amount of firm support. The hybrid powertrain packs surprising low-end punch. Loved the anodized starter button -- a real nice touch, I guess. Maybe you like those fancy headlights. Good stereo, too.

But when you put it all together, you’re left with a car that feels no greater than the sum of its parts. It’s not that the package is particularly incoherent; it’s that it’s boring. I suspect that’s not quite the techno-luxury-for-the-smart-set image Acura was gunning for.

Part of the problem is that there while there’s tons of tech, it doesn’t feel particularly well-integrated -- at least not for a car that’s ostensibly aimed at the big luxury players. Take the cluster stacked screens on the center console. It’s functional enough, but it looks and feels clunky. I’d say it’s Honda-like, but even Honda is moving toward big, crisp touchscreens. Compare it to what Volvo’s doing with the XC90. It's no contest.

Then there’s the sport hybrid system, which is also the super handling-all-wheel drive (SH-AWD) system -- 2 electric motors power the rear wheels. This is the kind of system I’d like to get really geeked about. That SH-AWD badge should be a coveted signifier of automotive performance distinction. JC Whitney should be selling fake ones for aspirants to plaster on their lowly ILXs.

Admittedly, it’ll shove you into your seat on a straight-line launch. You have to push this thing pretty hard to induce understeer an account of those torque-vectoring rear motors. But it doesn’t really dance around corners. It doesn’t feel crisp. It doesn’t feel particularly super or even very handling.

Now, being boring isn’t necessarily a death sentence -- normcore luxury is Lexus’ mainstay. It’s just that there were enough interesting bits and pieces here to make the less-than-rousing overall execution something of a let-down.

Ultimately, I suspect the RLX would feel a lot more comfortable as a really nice (if pricey) Honda. Which is exactly what it’s sold as in other markets.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR WESLEY WREN: The RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD would make an excellent Honda. Think about it -- an all-wheel drive hybrid hot rodded Honda Accord (we’re aware this is a Legend, I’m just saying) would make a hell of $40,000 car.

The reason being is that this Acura, while comfortable and surprisingly powerful -- it is just outlandishly expensive for what you get.

The problem with Acura is that it feels exactly the same as a decked out Honda -- which is what it is, but there should be something that should make this Acura stand out over its pedestrian cousin. And as nice as a loaded Honda feels, it doesn’t keep up with the German competition. Which, this all could be more about showering top-trimmed Hondas with praise, than it is about bemoaning Acura.

What may set this Acura apart from its lowly sisters is that it is full of pretty interesting gadgetry. The heads-up display is pretty cool, especially when it’s displaying what is powering the car. The dual infotainment screens were kind of interesting, but mostly pointless. The top screen does all the heavy lifting with navigation, and the bottom is just a convenience for music.

The driving characteristics of this RLX were impressive. It was pretty torquey thanks to the electric motors. Sport mode was actually an asset, and woke up the whole car. For a luxury sedan, it handled nimbly, and the steering gave good response. Braking was a little touchy, but that’s better than not touchy enough.

Overall, it is a heck of a car but needs some serious freshening up to make it worthy of the high sticker price. Either that, or make Hondas not feel as nice. Choice is yours Acura.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Not to beat a dead horse, but what Acura didn't need to wake up RLX sales was a "sport hybrid" model. That money would have been better spent on, say, a marketing campaign. As it stands, Acura moved a grand total of 174 RLX sedans off dealer lots last month. To put that number into perspective, the Kia K900 outsold the RLX 2 to 1. Ferrari sold more cars in the US last month than Acura sold RLXes.

Thanks to invisible styling, confused brand image and an absence of any truly noteworthy feature, this is almost a ghost car, driving noiselessly in EV mode through traffic. Parked in front of my house, the silvery paint renders it almost translucent. It's exactly the shape and size and color the brain expects to see when it conjures "street-parked sedan," and the RLX simply disappears from consciousness.

And all this can be yours for $66K! I know, right?

Thing is, it's pretty quick, and the gas-to-electric handoff is completely seamless (EV to gas not as much). Handling is good in a large sedan sort of way, and the RLX delivers a quiet, comfortable cabin for highway cruising whether the electric mode is invoked or not.

But the same could be said for any of a dozen luxury cars around the RLX's price range, all of whom offer SOMETHING -- whether it's a badge or performance or sport cred or sparkling styling -- to set them apart.

The RLX has nothing; it's a specter stuck in an automotive purgatory like its RL predecessor (and most every Acura since the Legend), doomed to haunt Acura showrooms.