Mike_TX

... I guess I don't understand the boos for the RLX and the excitement over the TLX. Let's look at them "side-by-side":



In fact, they're not terribly different. The TLX has more of a bulge over the rear wheels, but it's almost awkwardly short in the trunk ... kind of a cab-rearward style that almost gives it a hatchback look in profile. Not to offend anyone, but otherwise it look pretty unremarkable to me.

The RLX, OTOH, has a slightly more formal stance, as befits its position in the lineup, but with (to me) better proportions in the greenhouse area. Whereas the TLX has a blunt nose, the RLX's is more aero, and the headlight nacelle on the RLX is more balanced than the high-placed unit on the TLX.

The TLX has a pointed window opening in the C-pillar, whereas the RLX has the more formal "Hoffmeister kink" (again, befitting its mission).

Overall, though, with the exception of a few body creases, they're not dissimilar in profile. And for me (again, it's subjective), the RLX's styling is more pleasing to the eye.

That said, it's surprising to me that the two cars get such differing reactions.

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Treblig

Put a different set of wheels on the RLX and it changes the look completely. IMO.

neuronbob

^^^^
Agree. The stock RLX wheels are ass. JMO. I'm sure RonJon Wheels has, or will have, a fix for that.

In any case, you make some insightful comments, Mike.

I happen to like both body styles from the side profile you've posted. The TLX's is meant to evoke athleticism, however, again JMO. The TLX front is better than the RLX. The rears are about equal to me. For some reason, the TLX evokes a more emotional response from me. Just one of those things I can't figure out.

holografique

It's real simple: because it's a smaller car designed to be sportier! it's really as simple as that. And what I don't understand is why everyone keeps trying to put the expectation on the RLX to be a sports sedan that has to invoke emotion. It's not their sport sedan! It's their top-level luxury sedan designed for the age group looking for a nice blend between an executive style and a subtle sport style!

It really is as simple as that. Yet for some reason everyone insists on complicating what is nothing more than a very simple design approach to provide different cars for different consumers yet sharing a similar brand.

holografique

btw Mike, I love the two pics you chose for the comparison. that pic of the RLX was EXACTLY the one pic that sold me on the RLX. As soon as I saw that pic my heart skipped and I was instantly sold. Executive luxury with a unique but subtle aggression that stands out from the rest of the crowd.

Love it.

neuronbob

Whoa, there, I'm not meaning to evoke strong emotions here. I think we are in agreement for the most part and I personally like both styles.

I brought the emotion into the discussion because I know some would like an executive sedan with some emotion. A good example of this approach is the Audi A7. I know the first time I saw one my jaw simply dropped, it was so beautiful. I wouldn't buy one, but I could look at it all day. The automotive media feels opposite about the RLX for reasons I can't quite fathom. I guess they thought the RL was so bland (and said so), that they are used to calling upmodel Acuras bland, so why not call the RLX bland, too?

I mentioned sport in other posts because the last RL could be either a luxury cruiser or a sporty sedan (not a sports car) depending upon options chosen, and it is clear to all that the RLX takes a different road...one that is far more luxurious than the RL it replaces.

So, yes, it is simple what Acura is doing.

Mike_TX

I agree with you, except that I don't see much in the styling of the TLX that screams sport to me - except for the aggressive wheels they have on the prototype.

OTOH, I WILL acknowledge that the RLX has a classy. executive air to it that the TLX doesn't (nor is it intended to), so Acura DID differentiate between the two in that respect.

No, I don't think there's that much disagreement on the mission of the two cars.

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Mike_TX

See, that's the subjective part. I think these wheels are classy as heck.

Now, I think cleaning them must be a bear, and if the brakes dust as badly as the ones on my RDX, it'll be a full-time job keeping them looking nice.

EDIT: I guess one reason I think the wheels are classy is that I had similar wheels on a couple of the BMW's I owned a few years back, and these remind me of those.

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Mike_TX

If B neuronbob will allow me to go OT just for a minute, here's a side-by-side comparison of the 2014 TL and 2015 TLX:



Couldn't find a full broadside pic of the TL on short notice, but the differences are pretty easy to spot. Note, too, that the TLX is apparently wearing aero effects. Obvious differences are the C-pillar kink, the front fender "bumps" and the overall straighter lines of the TL. I also might add the rearend of the two cars is probably where as much change as anything has happened, and that's not depicted here.

Interesting.

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disco35

The hot girl and ugly girl in class both had two eyes, nose, mouth, ears, full head of hair, etc. However, one was put together just so that she was better looking. Know what I mean?

Mike_TX

You're referring to the RLX, right?

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George Knighton

Ha ha ha ha ha..... Post that in the TL Forums and see what happens to you.

:-)

You know something I've noticed over the decades of owning Hondas?

People very often do not appreciate the design when it's rolled out.

Remember all the hoopla surrounding the aggressive looks of the 4G TL in 2009? They made Matt Hargett travel all over the place driving the car and explaining what they were doing and what they intended. Although journalists and enthusiasts appreciated Matt's explanations and the time he spent with them, they still went out and crucified the 4G TL.

But then in 2012 when the facelift happened, we saw a subtle shift in preferences and people started talking about what a tremendous buy the 2009-2011 cars were, and how very enthusiastic the 2010-2011 TL 6-6 was for people interested in synergy with automobile excellence.

Some of you might not be old enough to remember when the 5G Accord came out or the 5G Civic came out. There was a huge initial criticism of how plain the styling was overall, and especially how proportionally ungainly the 5G Civic Hatch looked. Nowadays both the 5G Civic and 5G Accord are seen to be huge successes both with sales when they were new and as continuing enthusiastically and emotionally embraced vehicles that continue to connect Honda and Acura with the hearts of the people.

And it doesn't help things that Honda listens and responds...two or three years behind the public outcry. The result of Honda's advances in design, initially, coupled with their sensitivity to the people's opinions, causes them to be less successful than they might be or might have been. IMHO, of course. I think sometimes that when they chart a course, they'd be more successful if the stayed the course instead of responding in short order to what appears to them to be a shift in the public's idea of what a car should look like.

Just watch. I'll bet they do it again. In a couple or three years we'll see some weird small change in the looks of the Legend/RLX because they are sensitive to what people are saying about it. The perception is that people love the looks of the A6 and hate the looks of the RLX. Honda is confused, because they believe that they have toned down what the RLX might've looked like because it appeared the public were telling them to be less bold.

I'm just fine with a "Forged Silver" RLX Advance that disappears into the landscape, a car nobody looks twice at. It's much more of an advantage than a detriment, IMHO. As I said with my 4G TL, you don't know what the damned thing looks like when you're driving it. My TL had the factory aero on it, so it was a little disturbing sometimes the attention it generated.

I suppose in some way it is our fault what Hondas and Acuras look like because they keep listening to us instead of boldly advancing to where they know they should be going.

Anyway, I'm with the original poster: the RLX looks just fine and there's no point in getting into an argument with TLX people about the looks of our vehicles.

It's an unwise waste of resources, anyway, since we would be hopelessly outnumbered by the legions waiting in line to buy a TLX.

:-)

George Knighton

When I saw the first mockups of the TLX, my heart sank because no wing bulges meant it was McPherson.

To this day, I still worry about the changes they had to make to SH-AWD to vector weight onto a lead wheel that is losing camber.

There's no escaping it. It won't handle like the 4G TL. I love the suspension of the Accord. It's the best big car McPherson setup I've ever driven. But when you start trying to vector and bring weight down on the nose, you introduce the same kinds of dynamics that interfered with having an LSD on the nose of the TL. The TLX in a 10/10 situation is going to have to make several, repeated corrections involving the computer, the LSD on the rear, the VSA and the AHA system on all four wheels.

I am fully confident that Honda knows how to work this out.

But it would've been better with a car with that characteristic bulge on the wings that makes it clear it's a double A arm nose.

:-)

(Please don't kill me. I did say that I was fully confident that it would handle well.)

George Knighton

I had better come back and say that I understand the passive safety dimension when it comes to small cars with complicated suspensions on the nose.

The RLX is big enough a design that they can have that very complicated suspension on the nose and still get excellent passive safety results.

With the TLX, they decided to have a smaller car than the TL had been, and that means that it would be very difficult to get the perfect crash scores that Honda likes to get. There wouldn't have been enough metal to design the crumple zone the way that they want to do it unless the car was bigger.

The TSX that they just stopped making would not have met Honda's internal safety standards next year.

I'm talking too much.

I guess I'm saying.... I don't like it. But I understand.

Mike_TX

George - could you unscrew that and give it to us in sections?

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holografique

It's hard to pinpoint, but overall the differences for me are the TL looks too "bulbous" and "bubbly". That's what always stood out to me with the 4G TL. Whereas the TLX looks like a real sports-car with a more aggressive stance to it.

Im sure if you do a google search you can find a good solid side-profile of the 4G TL to really be able to look at the differences.

holografique

Sorry bud, didn't mean to sound like I was coming out swingin at ya It was really meant towards all the other numskulls that keep whining about the RLX.

Mike_TX

^ Darn. I was hoping to see a full-on kickboxing match.

yooin14

Actually RLX doesnt look that bad. The boring wheel designs make the car so bad.

rondog

iTrader: (1)

20" Inspyre type II in Gloss Black Machined Face...

scv76

I keep hearing complaints about the RLX wheels here at this forum....I think the wheels on my car look great; however, I do not know what the base wheels look like.
It is also possible that many who are complaining don't realize this is a luxury car, and the car would look in MHO, out of place with some of the wheels that are designed to go on cars like the TLX. My flame suit is now zipped up, Ready...Aim...Fire

George Knighton

Personally, I think that the looks of the car would be completely transformed by a set of traditionally styled, aggressive lightweight wheels.

However, I would not like to be the first person to learn that the noise reducing technology in the OEM wheels makes a big difference.

:-)

Mike_TX

As for the TLX wheels, we don't really know what they'll look like, since the ones shown are prototypes. I kind of like the Ronjons pictured above, though.

The RLX wheels, IMO, are sharp. Formal cars don't have airy-looking, sporty wheels. They have dressy, classy wheels, and the 14-spoke, slightly dished design of the RLX Tech Pkg. wheels is very nice and in keeping with the car's lux sedan image.

By contrast, the Base/Navi RLX wheels look a little awkward to my eye. They have too much open space in them, and the spokes are thick and heavy. They make the car look a little bottom-heavy.

I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night or play a car designer in the movies, but I know what I like.

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scv76

Couldn't agree more what you said about the RLX's Tech wheels.
I do think they look totally different, and much better in person than the advertising photographs I have seen.
The lighting and shooting angles the photographers use exaggerates the (twist if you will) of the wheels.
In MHO, wheels like the R.J. wheels above would not be appropriate for the RLX, but look acceptable for the TLX....I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night....j/k

holografique

agreed on the wheels as well. goes right back to my earlier point about the RLX versus TLX.

slightly different topic, interesting that the TLX prototype doesn't have it's "shark fin" yet. that will definitely add even more to the aggressive look it has. im guessing it will be in the production model once it get's all it's electronics added.

rondog

iTrader: (1)

Little more luxury style of the multi-spoke Harrow for the RLX:

Mike_TX

It may be the "Fogey Factor" at work here, but those wheels don't work for me on the RLX. They're too busy-looking, and the thin spokes look out of balance with the rest of the car. Overall, just looks a little too gangsta for me.

Again, it's subjective, but for me the RLX needs to have wheels that look substantial, yet not too blocky. Thick-spoked wheels look more at home on rugged vehicles like SUV's, while thin-spoked, airy wheels look better on sporty cars.

For me, Acura nailed it with the Tech wheels. FWIW, though, my wife disagrees with me.

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George Knighton

I don't think I like the way they look, but I can't think of anything better and I doubt that I'd ever switch for something else.

Between the noise reduction technology (not knowing ahead of time how much it helps), and how expensive the Acura wheels are, I doubt I will ever switch wheels even if I say that I don't really like the way they look.

neuronbob

^^^^^
I'd love to see a head-to-head comparison on how much interior noise the stock RLX wheels prevent as opposed to an aftermarket wheel.

Just curious on purely scientific grounds. I'm sure Acura did this already as they decided it to implement the tech in the first place.

I must say that I am impressed that anyone thought to do that with a wheel.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

Let me see if I can articulate what I see as being the primary difference between what makes something look bland versus sporty.

I will start by saying that the RLX, in my opinion, is a very nice looking car with a simplicity to it that lends it an air of elegance. It is subtle, with softly shaped curves, a much more gentle slope to the roofline, and a bit more slab-sided appearance. The overhangs are a touch long and the dash to axle ratio feels more typically FWD. Still, the way to think of it is that the RLX is sporting a standard black suit in a traditional cut. Clean, simple, elegant but safe and a bit dull, even with the bright-work of the grille.

The TLX, on the other hand, adds some more curves and increases the sense that the cars skin is pulled taut against a more muscular frame. Ignoring the front and rear bumpers, which are not finalized production, the slope of the roof line is a bit more aggressive, the doors are pulled in tight and feel less boxy and more organic, and the dash-to-axle ratio feels more like that of a RWD car, giving the car the feel of a sprinter tucked into the blocks before the starting gun goes off. To keep with the previous analogy, it is a finely tailored bespoke suit with contrast stitching. Something that looks a bit more fashion-forward, but is still somehow elegant and really highlights the athletic build of the wearer.

The details that make the difference are extremely subtle and it is possible to go too far one way versus the other. The trick is finding a balance between simplicity and edginess and the RLX and TLX fall along the same part of the spectrum, but at totally opposite ends of that part of the spectrum, which is all it takes to make all the difference in the world.

Treblig

Can you add the wheel inserts?

rondog

iTrader: (1)

Here's color coded inserts and the OEM matte graphite inserts on the Inspyre type II.

Also included the RLX with the Legacy type II in gloss graphite Mirror lip.

holografique

sorry ronjon...fugly on the RLX. the fact that it's lowered is what kills it for me. it needs to keep it's stance like it does with the 19" wheels in the original picture. the wheelbase and wheel spacing can't be messed with it instantly turns "cheap" and "gansta" looking. think clean, slick, modern, but classy at the same time.

I agree with Mike, any after-market wheels for the RLX need to "compliment" it's subtle styling, not "contrast" it. it can't be too busy. think simple. like the classic 5-spoke design on the 3G TL or even those on the TLX prototype.

miner

Nope to lowering also, plus tire aspect ratio needs to remain 45 or above - less will result in tire/wheel damage with the smallest pothole. I recently lost a tire and wheel from road debris and even though I had second party insurance for such hazards it still cost me $600 (wheel $805; tire $283; mount/balance $20). Insurance covered up to $650 for wheel & tire.

javier509

What about something like this?

javier509

I also photoshoped the rims of my RLX /Navi to make it look 20" ish...

javier509

https://plus.google.com/photos/10991...97266380118066




https://plus.google.com/photos/10991...97266380118066

neuronbob

I can get on board with the Inspyres without inserts on the RLX. I am generally partial to five-spoke wheels and variants, and that looks classy to me. As an aside.....this RLX looks HOT in that color, tinted, and with those wheels. There's some emotion for you there. Were I to purchase/lease an RLX....I think that's what I'd do.

The Harrows.....nah, too busy. The Legends are borderline.

Again, that's just me.

Mike_TX

^ I can agree with Bob on that. Those aren't the wheels I want, but they're actually pretty nice.

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holografique

those Inspyres are getting closer. not quite there, but definitely more in line with something that would work. I just don't like how "straight" the lines are. if they had a slight curve in them, somewhat like the TLX prototype, then it would really start getting there.