My family has been a long-time Acura family (14 different Acuras since 1991) and today brings numbers 15 and 16 into the fold. My parents have traded in their 2G RL and 2G MDX for a brand new RLX and brand new 3G MDX.

My brother did a full write-up of the RLX a while back and neither of us has spent much time in the MDX, though during my brief test drive, I found it very familiar in its driving dynamics.

Full introductions to come in a couple weeks after I get some time behind the wheel, but here is a photo to start.

 

Congrats! May they enjoy in good health. Awaiting your impressions.

 

Congrats!!! Acura must love you as much as you love them

Seems my "white fetish" is similar to your "silver fetish" .... (lol)

 

Ha! Actually my brother and I had tried to convince our parents to go with a different color (I am partial to the red on the RLX and blue on the MDX) but they were not having any of it. At least the two cars have different interior colors.

Officially, all three of our current Acuras are exactly the same shade of silver. It is kind of ridiculous.

 

It's a nice all around color, though.

Not too expressive, doesn't attract undue attention, doesn't get too dirty too quickly.

Forged silver here. Looks the same as the RLX in the photo you posted, although the shadow might have changed your car's real color.

 

Finally got some proper seat time in the RLX. As much as I criticized the look of the car as being a bit boring, it is starting to grow on me and does come off as fairly simple, clean, and uncomplicated, which can be nice. They car drives well and is extraordinarily quiet in nearly all conditions. All of the new features are very nice, though I am a bit annoyed at how sluggish the screen is to react sometimes, but not all the time.

Biggest revelation is that after spending time behind the wheel, this feels like a genuine luxury car. It feels more special to be in than the recently departed RL. That has always been one of the biggest complaints about the RL so I am pleased to see the RLX addresses this. Now they just need to get more butts in the seat to get the public to understand that.

 

How about the suspension rattles?

 

Have not experienced any rattles related to the suspension on the RLX.

 

Hey, just now seeing this. Congrats to the parents on some nice upgrades!

Cars look great. 16 cars later. I hope you're getting a discount

 

^^ With your direct connection and involvement with Acura, I am sure you get deals of your own

 

Ha, if only!

 

Here is the introduction to our long-term RLX. It looks like it is going to be the start of a beautiful relationship.

http://www.eastwestbrothersgarage.co...x-p-aws_7.html

 

Nice review.

 

^^ I agree. I have just recently discovered their website and they post great stuff!!

 

Nice review.

 

An update on our long-term RLX. 6-months and about 3,400 miles later...

http://www.eastwestbrothersgarage.co...tech-post.html

 

Congrats on the new RLX!


I read your long term reviews and "stately simplicity and quiet competence" are appropriate descriptions of the RLX. Nice website and review and I look forward to more updates on your long term evaluations.


Thanks and, again, congrats.

 

Doesn't your TSX also have boost assist? If you went to the RLX from an S2000 then you will definitely have to change the way that you are thinking about braking.

My previous car was a long term 2010 TL, so I was already accustomed to brake boost assist. If you move to the brake pedal quickly, the car is definitely fully capable of deciding that maybe you need to be braking faster than you are!

:-)

12,500 on my car now. I find it capable (and likely durable), and a good buy, but it does not wow me the way that the TL 6-6 SH-AWD did.

It is surprisingly good with fuel economy, a full 2 mpg better than the manual transmission, smaller TL was.

 

My TSX might, but I am not sure if my brother's S2000 does. He wrote the second update so his experience might differ from my own when I get to spend some time with the car again. That said, I think he is primarily talking not about emergency braking, but more day to day use where the brakes feel (at least to him) a bit grabby during the first few mm of travel.

 

Thanks for reading!

I honestly like the RLX. For all the bashing it takes with the mainstream media, for the people who bother to give it a fair shake, it is a genuinely great car. Both my brother and I appreciate what it has to offer and really like the opportunities when we get to spend some time with it.

 

nice pick up

 

Another look at our long-term RLX after 1 year in service. In this update, we focus on the much maligned infotainment system.

 

Great review and I totally agree with that the complaints about the navi system are overblown. By a lot. The system, while it could use some tweaks, is quite intuitive after a few days and offers multiple ways to achieve the same action. I'd say it was pretty flexible.

P.S. You guys have to get your hands on a Sport Hybrid to review.

 

i am usually a big fan of white cars but silver is growing on me...cgt, i read your reviews on a few autos....very insightful

 

I enjoyed your review and appreciate your posting it here. What I would really find of interest is a more detailed description of the settings your used to customize the system. I did read the manuals initially when i got my car and made a few customizations but I'm sure there is a lot more i could do. A list of the custom setting you found helpful [and how to make the changes] would be very helpful to those of us here who probably haven't studied the manuals in as much depth as you.

I agree with you that the system is far from perfect but feel than many of us have just given up in frustration. A brief tutorial might help us make using the system a better experience.

I also wanted to relate an experience that I had with the Audi A3 I recently bought for my wife. She is not a tech person, but not stupid. She just doesn't find technology intuitive. Since I do, I am often obligated to help her setup the technology in her car. Anyway, the Audi system is somewhat more intuitive than than Acura, but equally as complicated and deep. After the initial 1 1/2 hour walk through by the salesperson at delivery my wife had the most basic options setup. What was the most helpful was about 3 weeks after delivery we got an email from Audi [not the dealer] with links to a series of videos explaining every function of the car. My wife took the iPad and sat in the car. it helped her a great deal to figure out the infotainment system in her Audi. It would be nice for Acura to do the same thing.

Thanks in advance.

 

^^^^
That's a good idea for a video series.

Hmmm.......need some time and a plan.....

 

Hey, all of mine and my wife's have all been silver ... it's simply the most bad ass color to have!

 

Interesting idea with the Audi/Ipad feature. When I had my car a few weeks, my Acura dealer invited me to a Technology Night, when new owners could get together over a glass of wine and get some tutorials (in your car or one in the showroom) from the dealer's "technology consultants." By then, I had mastered most things, but actually learned a few tricks and tips from other owners. It was fun and helpful. Don't know if many dealers do this, but it seems like a no-brainer. Sort of like an in-person version of Acurazine.

 

I never liked Silver cars and always purchased different shades of Gray or Black. After owning a Silver ZDX for 2 years, I must say that Silver is a kick ass color....hides dirt, scratches, and swirl marks well, easy to maintain and always looks clean. Plus it really highlights the pano roof on my Z.

 

This! I believe Acura hit the nail on the head with the RLX in terms of giving the driver a true sense of owning a luxury car.

 

True. The 4G TL was more sporty with just a touch of luxury. The RL was too small, lacked road presence, and looked like an Accord on Steroids. With the RLX, they got it right. Just a few minor tweaks to the exterior styling during the 2017 MMC would be the icing on the cake.

 

I prefer my daily drivers to be silver. Less work to clean. Black looks good but is impossible to keep perfect. I've given up washing my RLX already because it's just dirty again in five minutes......and I had sworn completely off black cars, too. Of course, my other daily driver is an intense blue that is equally difficult to care for.

And duh, this is a luxury car. Really, it is. I sure wish Acura did a better job of convincing people that it is.

 

Trying to, though the dealer my brother and I have a relationship with no longer has any in stock. Want to volunteer your car if I happen to head out your way?

 

Feedback like this is much appreciated. The next time I get access to the car for an extended period of time, I will try to record some videos as a walk through of the settings and what can be configured.

 

Believe me, nothing wrong with silver. My last several Acuras have all been silver and my current Focus EV is silver as well. Easiest color to maintain and keep looking nice.

Still, I yearn for a little color variety.

 

The issue is less that Acura cannot convince people, it is that Acura cannot convince the mainstream media. The "sheeple" just regurgitate what they read in the car rags and newspaper reviews instead of taking the time to evaluate the cars properly for themselves. That said, the usual 10 minute dealer test drive around the block really fails to do an adequate job of providing prospective buyers a real feel for the cars. That BMW that feels great for that 10 minute drive on the smooth roads around the dealership can suddenly becomes unbearably harsh on the broken asphalt of your own neighborhood, but at that point you are stuck with it.

 

^^ You NAILED it with this post!!

 

Especially when the BMW's innards take a dump and you're driving some low-budget loaner for a few weeks.

 

The automotive press has effectively written both Acura (other than the MDX) and the RLX off, so good points.

 

Yes, it's a great idea and my A6 has those videos resident in the car so that you can watch them without the IPad, maybe the A3 does too. BTW - Audi can be easily tweaked to allow the videos to be played while driving, in the US they are normally locked out while in motion. If your IPad has wifi then the 4G hotspot will allow the videos to be played back anytime.
The manuals that come with new cars are very intimidating and many people never read them so the video approach is a great feature that more manufacturers should adopt.