RLX 2017 Hybrid test drive reaction & questions
12-22-2021, 12:18 AM
#1
2nd Gear
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RLX 2017 Hybrid test drive reaction & questions
Hi all,
I've been looking into getting a car that's fast & has respectable MPG, and the RLX hybrid seems to be the best blend. I have the opportunity to get a 2017 with 22k miles for $34795, which seems like a pretty good deal. I took the car for a test drive today, and have some questions after all the salesman could do was comment that it has a nice sound system:
1. We must first and foremost acknowledge that the power and acceleration are spectacular. While not a supercar, the RLX is still in a different world vs a normal sedan.
2. On my test drive I found a tech park after hours, which was deserted enough for me to give the car some hard cornering. It was surprising to me was how dead the steering is. The cornering performance seemed excellent, with very little body roll and the car firmly keeping all wheels on the ground, but with how dead the wheel was I had no idea when I was going to start skidding, or if I could turn harder. Maybe if I pushed harder I would have gotten feedback. Do RLX owners find the steering gives very little feedback?
3. The brake pedal was relatively firm, and the brakes offered a bit less stopping power than what I expected. It could certainly brake hard enough for ABS to engage, but with the effort needed this is not something I could do instantly. Is this something others have noticed as well?
4. I'm struggling to find an official maintenance schedule. It looks like timing belt change is every 60k miles? With the amount of miles I put on cars that's a fairly significant cost over the life of the vehicle vs say 90k miles like on older V6 Accords, or no change ever on an I4 with a timing chain.
5. What highway MPG are people seeing? The EPA rating is 30 but cars can substantially exceed their rating in a cruise control set to ~75 & no change in speed scenario, so I'm curious if the RLX is that way too.
6. Any common RLX problems I should be aware of? With rear electric motors and rear wheels that turn for steering, I am worried this opens up a can of worms in terms of maintenance costs over time.
Thanks all. I would like to get this car, and am trying to justify to myself that it's worth it to me to get it over say an Accord hybrid, and saving $10k+ over the life of the vehicle in gas and maintenance costs (48 MPG regular vs 30 MPG premium is a lot).
I've been looking into getting a car that's fast & has respectable MPG, and the RLX hybrid seems to be the best blend. I have the opportunity to get a 2017 with 22k miles for $34795, which seems like a pretty good deal. I took the car for a test drive today, and have some questions after all the salesman could do was comment that it has a nice sound system:
1. We must first and foremost acknowledge that the power and acceleration are spectacular. While not a supercar, the RLX is still in a different world vs a normal sedan.
2. On my test drive I found a tech park after hours, which was deserted enough for me to give the car some hard cornering. It was surprising to me was how dead the steering is. The cornering performance seemed excellent, with very little body roll and the car firmly keeping all wheels on the ground, but with how dead the wheel was I had no idea when I was going to start skidding, or if I could turn harder. Maybe if I pushed harder I would have gotten feedback. Do RLX owners find the steering gives very little feedback?
3. The brake pedal was relatively firm, and the brakes offered a bit less stopping power than what I expected. It could certainly brake hard enough for ABS to engage, but with the effort needed this is not something I could do instantly. Is this something others have noticed as well?
4. I'm struggling to find an official maintenance schedule. It looks like timing belt change is every 60k miles? With the amount of miles I put on cars that's a fairly significant cost over the life of the vehicle vs say 90k miles like on older V6 Accords, or no change ever on an I4 with a timing chain.
5. What highway MPG are people seeing? The EPA rating is 30 but cars can substantially exceed their rating in a cruise control set to ~75 & no change in speed scenario, so I'm curious if the RLX is that way too.
6. Any common RLX problems I should be aware of? With rear electric motors and rear wheels that turn for steering, I am worried this opens up a can of worms in terms of maintenance costs over time.
Thanks all. I would like to get this car, and am trying to justify to myself that it's worth it to me to get it over say an Accord hybrid, and saving $10k+ over the life of the vehicle in gas and maintenance costs (48 MPG regular vs 30 MPG premium is a lot).
12-22-2021, 07:30 AM
#2
Burning Brakes
I'll answer a couple of questions (probably not in the order you asked them) :-)
My wife's '18 RLX SH has been averaging about 31-33 mpg's over 13k miles in mixed urban and highway driving. Highway is about 29-30 - but the better MPG's (35+) is when she drives in the 35-50 speed on secondary roads - that's when the hybrid spends a lot of time moving the car around. At highway speeds, the hybrid isn't taking over.....
The brakes are pretty good - but be aware you're stopping a pretty heavy car so the feel won't be as precise as an Accord might be. There may be some brake wear in the 22k miles that's attributing to the feel you're noticing. In terms of steering, it is a bit more "numb" than you'd like - again given that it's large and also designed for more luxury than performance. If I compare brakes and steering to my wife's (previous) '12 TL SH-AWD, it becomes apparent how the RLX is tuned for comfort rather than performance.
Maintenance schedule wise, you'll find that most folks point to the maintenance minder in the car itself. There are some pre-determined things that will come up - like 15K for the first rear diff fluid change, and then higher mileage for tranny fluid, etc. Given my wife's only put 13K on her car in what's approaching 3 years in the spring - I've not yet gone beyond an annual oil change.... :-)
Overall she loves her RLX - and if you take it for what it's designed for, it's an outstanding vehicle....
andy
My wife's '18 RLX SH has been averaging about 31-33 mpg's over 13k miles in mixed urban and highway driving. Highway is about 29-30 - but the better MPG's (35+) is when she drives in the 35-50 speed on secondary roads - that's when the hybrid spends a lot of time moving the car around. At highway speeds, the hybrid isn't taking over.....
The brakes are pretty good - but be aware you're stopping a pretty heavy car so the feel won't be as precise as an Accord might be. There may be some brake wear in the 22k miles that's attributing to the feel you're noticing. In terms of steering, it is a bit more "numb" than you'd like - again given that it's large and also designed for more luxury than performance. If I compare brakes and steering to my wife's (previous) '12 TL SH-AWD, it becomes apparent how the RLX is tuned for comfort rather than performance.
Maintenance schedule wise, you'll find that most folks point to the maintenance minder in the car itself. There are some pre-determined things that will come up - like 15K for the first rear diff fluid change, and then higher mileage for tranny fluid, etc. Given my wife's only put 13K on her car in what's approaching 3 years in the spring - I've not yet gone beyond an annual oil change.... :-)
Overall she loves her RLX - and if you take it for what it's designed for, it's an outstanding vehicle....
andy
12-22-2021, 10:19 AM
#3
mrgold35
I would 2nd andysinnh assessment. I don't know how much change was make other that external cosmetic updates from the 14-17 RLX compared to the 18-20 MMC RLX? Having a softer suspension, updated battery pack, and updated seats seems to be the major upgrades from the earlier to later model years.
1. I also love the hybrid powertrain power. I never need to use the paddle shifters because of all that tq and the 7DCT always seems to be in the right gear. The RLX hybrid pulls like a freight train at any speed.
2. The dead steering feel could be from worn tires and/or not having it in Sport mode (that will change steering feel). You are lucky to have the 14-17 RLX with the sportier suspension. The +18 RLX suspension is Buick soft and can be a little floaty over bumps an turns when you want to have a little fun.
3. The brakes of my 18 RLX are extremely touchy compared to my 19 MDX hybrid or 11 MDX (all 3 cars are within 100lbs of each other). I kept on hitting the brakes too hard and it felt like a panic stop when I first drove the RLX. It took a while to brake smoothly in the RLX. It could be a combo of drive by wire braking, tires, nose heavy vehicle, and regen braking all working together.
4. So far, the maint schedule for my RLX/MDX hybrids are the same for my sh-awd 08 RDX or 11 MDX (same M.I.D. service codes and +9000 mile oil changes). The timing belt is 7yr/105,000 mile minimal (some go 10yr/125k-140k max), unless you live in an extreme climate of +100 degrees Phoenix/Las Vegas heat or extreme driving like Uber or door dash +8hrs a day to have to use the 60k interval. The only thing that seems to be "extra" is keeping a 30,000 mile oil change interval for the 7DCT/TMU always (both use the same fluid). There is zero maint items for the second EV system other than the liquid cooling system for the DC inverter. That uses the same coolant as the engine and it should have the same 100,000 mile change interval.
5. My hwy mpgs range from EPA to as high as 34 mpg at 75-80 mph. My combined seems to be right on with EPA with 28-30 range depending of mix. I don't think I've seen below 27 mpgs in the RLX other than extremely cold weather. Stiff headwind or near/below freezing temps is when you will see mpgs drop down to the 3.5L I.C.E. RLX mpg levels.
6. The only issues I've had with my RLX hybrid or MDX hybrid is letting them sit too long because of the lockdown. Ended up getting all kinds of low power warning lights and Acuralink messages after a few weeks of short trips or not driving at all. I did the 7DCT TSB software upgrade to my RLX; but, I didn't have an issue before and didn't feel any change after the update. I just had the battery replaced on my RLX a few weeks ago because of a "Brake system may not work properly with cruise control" message on the navi screen. The tech cleared the message and gave me a new battery under warranty. I would say any OEM Acura battery is the weakest component and I only got around 3-4 years from the last 5 Acura batteries I've had (usually switch to Interstate when OEM fails).
1. I also love the hybrid powertrain power. I never need to use the paddle shifters because of all that tq and the 7DCT always seems to be in the right gear. The RLX hybrid pulls like a freight train at any speed.
2. The dead steering feel could be from worn tires and/or not having it in Sport mode (that will change steering feel). You are lucky to have the 14-17 RLX with the sportier suspension. The +18 RLX suspension is Buick soft and can be a little floaty over bumps an turns when you want to have a little fun.
3. The brakes of my 18 RLX are extremely touchy compared to my 19 MDX hybrid or 11 MDX (all 3 cars are within 100lbs of each other). I kept on hitting the brakes too hard and it felt like a panic stop when I first drove the RLX. It took a while to brake smoothly in the RLX. It could be a combo of drive by wire braking, tires, nose heavy vehicle, and regen braking all working together.
4. So far, the maint schedule for my RLX/MDX hybrids are the same for my sh-awd 08 RDX or 11 MDX (same M.I.D. service codes and +9000 mile oil changes). The timing belt is 7yr/105,000 mile minimal (some go 10yr/125k-140k max), unless you live in an extreme climate of +100 degrees Phoenix/Las Vegas heat or extreme driving like Uber or door dash +8hrs a day to have to use the 60k interval. The only thing that seems to be "extra" is keeping a 30,000 mile oil change interval for the 7DCT/TMU always (both use the same fluid). There is zero maint items for the second EV system other than the liquid cooling system for the DC inverter. That uses the same coolant as the engine and it should have the same 100,000 mile change interval.
5. My hwy mpgs range from EPA to as high as 34 mpg at 75-80 mph. My combined seems to be right on with EPA with 28-30 range depending of mix. I don't think I've seen below 27 mpgs in the RLX other than extremely cold weather. Stiff headwind or near/below freezing temps is when you will see mpgs drop down to the 3.5L I.C.E. RLX mpg levels.
6. The only issues I've had with my RLX hybrid or MDX hybrid is letting them sit too long because of the lockdown. Ended up getting all kinds of low power warning lights and Acuralink messages after a few weeks of short trips or not driving at all. I did the 7DCT TSB software upgrade to my RLX; but, I didn't have an issue before and didn't feel any change after the update. I just had the battery replaced on my RLX a few weeks ago because of a "Brake system may not work properly with cruise control" message on the navi screen. The tech cleared the message and gave me a new battery under warranty. I would say any OEM Acura battery is the weakest component and I only got around 3-4 years from the last 5 Acura batteries I've had (usually switch to Interstate when OEM fails).
12-22-2021, 10:28 AM
#4
Three Wheelin'
Khenglish, Here's my two cents on your questions:
1. The RLX in Sport Mode is a rocket with very impressive acceleration, but in normal mode the car is smooth and quiet, perfect for a daily driver.
2. The Super Handling All Wheel Drive technology is legit and makes a huge difference to handling. For such a large car, the handling is impressive, but does take some getting used to as the torque vectoring gives some unusual sensations. For example on slippery surfaces, when the outside rear wheel powers up to help turn the car, it can give the sensation of oversteer, but, if you just trust the technology, it will always get you going in the direction you want to go.
3. I've been impressed with the braking in my RLX Sport Hybrid. You have to remember that you are stopping 4500 pounds of luxury car. Perhaps the previous owner of the car was "aggressive" and the pads need replacing?? The tires also play a big part in your braking feel, so an upgrade to new tires may solve the issue.
4. Your Acura dealer should be able to give you a printout of the maintenance schedule. I drive very little, so can't comment.
5. I usually see around 35 mpg on the highway, but, like most cars, the RLX does seem to get better mileage around 60mph than at 75 mph.
6. I haven't had any problems at all with my RLX other than the 12V battery needing to be changed due to inactivity, and I am unaware of any issues.
Keep doing your due diligence and research and good luck with your final purchase decision.
1. The RLX in Sport Mode is a rocket with very impressive acceleration, but in normal mode the car is smooth and quiet, perfect for a daily driver.
2. The Super Handling All Wheel Drive technology is legit and makes a huge difference to handling. For such a large car, the handling is impressive, but does take some getting used to as the torque vectoring gives some unusual sensations. For example on slippery surfaces, when the outside rear wheel powers up to help turn the car, it can give the sensation of oversteer, but, if you just trust the technology, it will always get you going in the direction you want to go.
3. I've been impressed with the braking in my RLX Sport Hybrid. You have to remember that you are stopping 4500 pounds of luxury car. Perhaps the previous owner of the car was "aggressive" and the pads need replacing?? The tires also play a big part in your braking feel, so an upgrade to new tires may solve the issue.
4. Your Acura dealer should be able to give you a printout of the maintenance schedule. I drive very little, so can't comment.
5. I usually see around 35 mpg on the highway, but, like most cars, the RLX does seem to get better mileage around 60mph than at 75 mph.
6. I haven't had any problems at all with my RLX other than the 12V battery needing to be changed due to inactivity, and I am unaware of any issues.
Keep doing your due diligence and research and good luck with your final purchase decision.
12-23-2021, 03:00 AM
#6
I've had a 2016 CPO hybrid for about two years. So far it has only needed a new battery (probably because I drove it so little during lockdown). I took it in about a year ago thinking it would need some scheduled maintenance, but the dealer said I didn't even need an oil change. It feels strange to go so long without an oil change, but that's what I've been told at two different dealerships. I'm nowhere near needing an oil change yet, according to the car... I only got the new battery because the dealer said my battery had very low charging capacity. The brakes are extremely responsive and stop the car with surprisingly little effort. When I occasionally drive a 2019 RDX, it takes me a little time to get used to how much harder I have to brake. So far my RLX has been an incredibly trouble-free car. No issues at all.
Okay, racking my brain, I did once get a message to the effect that the transmission fluid was too hot and I should stop driving when possible. It happened when, after driving on the highway for about three hours, I had stopped at a rest stop and spent maybe 30 minutes fiddling with the navigation system to figure out why it was giving me bizarre directions (it turned out that I had to set it NOT to avoid roads with "ETC", which apparently is not the default setting when updating the navigation system software and map; this is how I learned that ETC refers to electronic toll collection, lol). I decided the error message was probably a fluke triggered by the time I had the car idling for so long after a long period of driving. After having lunch I had no further issues when I got back on the highway and drove for another 2-3 hours.
Okay, racking my brain, I did once get a message to the effect that the transmission fluid was too hot and I should stop driving when possible. It happened when, after driving on the highway for about three hours, I had stopped at a rest stop and spent maybe 30 minutes fiddling with the navigation system to figure out why it was giving me bizarre directions (it turned out that I had to set it NOT to avoid roads with "ETC", which apparently is not the default setting when updating the navigation system software and map; this is how I learned that ETC refers to electronic toll collection, lol). I decided the error message was probably a fluke triggered by the time I had the car idling for so long after a long period of driving. After having lunch I had no further issues when I got back on the highway and drove for another 2-3 hours.
12-23-2021, 02:24 PM
#7
Redbiff
Does anyone know if the RLX uses a lot of aluminum for body parts? I know the 2005 RL did and seem to never rust as a result. Not a big deal either way, just wondered.
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12-24-2021, 10:14 AM
#8
Three Wheelin'
Redbiff, I had a look back at the sales info for my 2014 RLX Sport Hybrid and found the following related to aluminum body parts:
"The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid utilizes numerous aluminum components to lower the overall vehicle mass by 76 pounds, which leads to improved acceleration, steering and handling response, road-holding, braking performance, fuel efficiency emissions and crash safety. Aluminum components include the front and rear bumper beams, front fenders, hood, steering column mounting beam, floor pan, and door skins."
This info is related to the 2014 model, I'm not sure if anything changed with the 2018 MY update.
"The Acura RLX Sport Hybrid utilizes numerous aluminum components to lower the overall vehicle mass by 76 pounds, which leads to improved acceleration, steering and handling response, road-holding, braking performance, fuel efficiency emissions and crash safety. Aluminum components include the front and rear bumper beams, front fenders, hood, steering column mounting beam, floor pan, and door skins."
This info is related to the 2014 model, I'm not sure if anything changed with the 2018 MY update.
12-24-2021, 11:47 AM
#9
mrgold35
The best way to tell is use a magnet to see if it sticks to any panel on the RLX. I had +100 pea size hail damage dents from a freak storm back in May of 2021. The hood and rear deck lid (aluminum) had very minor damage compared to the roof area above the window sills (steel) that had the majority of the dents. I was able to use dent-less paint repair and the tech didn't have any issues working out the dents on the steel or aluminum panels. My RLX is 100% covered with Xpel Ultimate and zero issue working out the dents with the PPF. The dent-less paint repair guy said they sometimes have to remove the PPF if a less robust film is used or if the dents are too deep to work out from behind.
12-24-2021, 12:57 PM
#10
2020 Acura RLX Advance
That would be a tough choice. The New Accord Hybrid comes with a bumper to bumper new car warranty and is a brand new car
I have the 2020 RLX Advance Hybrid. Purchased new in July 2020 at $16k off sticker. Now have about 44k miles. Zero issues other than occasional Apple/MMI interface gremlins all new cars have. I inherited a "depression like" mentality on maintaining things from my grandparents and parents. I over maintain my cars. I have a great Acura tech and every 5k miles have it serviced (Synthetic oil changes). I am religious about changing all the fluids on a regular basis. This is my first Honda / Acura I purchased an Acura 120k mile bumper to bumper warranty (I think I paid about $2k). I normally keep my Acura's into the high 100's, but this one will most likely skip the 105k mile timing belt service and trade in shortly thereafter. The dual clutch tranny, AWD, electronics, and Hybrid systems I am sure will be killer repair costs one day in the future.
As far as the handing, the RLX is no sports car. Yes very spirited straight line acceleration. But do not throw it aggressively into a corner. I felt my 2 prior RL's had better/firmer handling. This was a big disappointment at first, but over time the "luxury" side of the RLX has won me over. It is a great long distance comfort cruiser. Telsa lent me a new S sedan for 2 days shortly before I purchased the RLX. I prefer driving the RLX as nice as the T car was (at twice the RLX price).
If you are looking for all out cheap to keep cheap to operate, you cannot beat the Accord. Probably one of the very best new car values out there. There is a reason why it has earned Car and Driver's 10 best more than any other car. If you crave more luxury, the RLX should fill that slot very well. Just get the Acura extended warranty. Stay away from German cars unless you want to make your mechanic wealthy.
In the winter I average about 30MPG highway on winter fuels, summer is about 32-34. I use premium. Using the car locally in traffic as I am this week in NY, I get about 24mpg. By comparison my sisters 4 cyl 2020 Mercedes C300 in NY gets about 17mpg on local driving here.
As far as the steering I wish it had more feel, but sadly relative to a lot of other cars it is actually pretty good. A good friend of mine took delivery this summer of a brand new Audi A6 Prestige $72k. I was shocked how light and numb the steering is. I have noticed a lot of the German's have softened up their cars. My sister's C300 has light steering. Her prior 2015 Audi A3 Prestige had great steering feel, but the A3 was based on the GTi chassis so no surprise. The A3 was a very spirited driver but a PIA to maintain in just 25k miles and 5 years.
I have the 2020 RLX Advance Hybrid. Purchased new in July 2020 at $16k off sticker. Now have about 44k miles. Zero issues other than occasional Apple/MMI interface gremlins all new cars have. I inherited a "depression like" mentality on maintaining things from my grandparents and parents. I over maintain my cars. I have a great Acura tech and every 5k miles have it serviced (Synthetic oil changes). I am religious about changing all the fluids on a regular basis. This is my first Honda / Acura I purchased an Acura 120k mile bumper to bumper warranty (I think I paid about $2k). I normally keep my Acura's into the high 100's, but this one will most likely skip the 105k mile timing belt service and trade in shortly thereafter. The dual clutch tranny, AWD, electronics, and Hybrid systems I am sure will be killer repair costs one day in the future.
As far as the handing, the RLX is no sports car. Yes very spirited straight line acceleration. But do not throw it aggressively into a corner. I felt my 2 prior RL's had better/firmer handling. This was a big disappointment at first, but over time the "luxury" side of the RLX has won me over. It is a great long distance comfort cruiser. Telsa lent me a new S sedan for 2 days shortly before I purchased the RLX. I prefer driving the RLX as nice as the T car was (at twice the RLX price).
If you are looking for all out cheap to keep cheap to operate, you cannot beat the Accord. Probably one of the very best new car values out there. There is a reason why it has earned Car and Driver's 10 best more than any other car. If you crave more luxury, the RLX should fill that slot very well. Just get the Acura extended warranty. Stay away from German cars unless you want to make your mechanic wealthy.
In the winter I average about 30MPG highway on winter fuels, summer is about 32-34. I use premium. Using the car locally in traffic as I am this week in NY, I get about 24mpg. By comparison my sisters 4 cyl 2020 Mercedes C300 in NY gets about 17mpg on local driving here.
As far as the steering I wish it had more feel, but sadly relative to a lot of other cars it is actually pretty good. A good friend of mine took delivery this summer of a brand new Audi A6 Prestige $72k. I was shocked how light and numb the steering is. I have noticed a lot of the German's have softened up their cars. My sister's C300 has light steering. Her prior 2015 Audi A3 Prestige had great steering feel, but the A3 was based on the GTi chassis so no surprise. The A3 was a very spirited driver but a PIA to maintain in just 25k miles and 5 years.
Last edited by CadiGTi; 12-24-2021 at 01:04 PM.
12-25-2021, 02:50 PM
#11
2nd Gear
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Thanks all for your feedback. @CadiGTi yeah I'd never even consider anything German. Our family had a Mercedes in the past and while it was a tough car it just had so many expensive mechanical issues. I never read anything good about German cars and longevity whether it be Mercedes, BMW, or Audi.
While it was a fun car and I very seriously considered it, I turned down the RXL for an Accord. I'd be putting a lot of miles on it, and while the gas would be a substantial but manageable cost, I was more worried that if I kept the car for years racking up miles that'd I can get burned badly by replacement parts. Due to the car being a rare Acura model, I'd be at the mercy of dealers charging whatever crazy prices they wanted with little quality 3rd party options. It's a bit engrained in me to get attached to cars and run them into the ground with over 200k miles, which seemed precarious to with with an Acura RLX in terms of maintenance costs.
The RLX was a blast to test drive. I was sad not to pick it. Thanks again for all your feed back and best of luck to you all with your cars going forward!
While it was a fun car and I very seriously considered it, I turned down the RXL for an Accord. I'd be putting a lot of miles on it, and while the gas would be a substantial but manageable cost, I was more worried that if I kept the car for years racking up miles that'd I can get burned badly by replacement parts. Due to the car being a rare Acura model, I'd be at the mercy of dealers charging whatever crazy prices they wanted with little quality 3rd party options. It's a bit engrained in me to get attached to cars and run them into the ground with over 200k miles, which seemed precarious to with with an Acura RLX in terms of maintenance costs.
The RLX was a blast to test drive. I was sad not to pick it. Thanks again for all your feed back and best of luck to you all with your cars going forward!
12-25-2021, 03:50 PM
#12
Thanks all for your feedback. @CadiGTi yeah I'd never even consider anything German. Our family had a Mercedes in the past and while it was a tough car it just had so many expensive mechanical issues. I never read anything good about German cars and longevity whether it be Mercedes, BMW, or Audi.
While it was a fun car and I very seriously considered it, I turned down the RXL for an Accord. I'd be putting a lot of miles on it, and while the gas would be a substantial but manageable cost, I was more worried that if I kept the car for years racking up miles that'd I can get burned badly by replacement parts. Due to the car being a rare Acura model, I'd be at the mercy of dealers charging whatever crazy prices they wanted with little quality 3rd party options. It's a bit ingrained in me to get attached to cars and run them into the ground with over 200k miles, which seemed precarious to with an Acura RLX in terms of maintenance costs.
The RLX was a blast to test drive. I was sad not to pick it. Thanks again for all your feedback and best of luck to you all with your cars going forward!
While it was a fun car and I very seriously considered it, I turned down the RXL for an Accord. I'd be putting a lot of miles on it, and while the gas would be a substantial but manageable cost, I was more worried that if I kept the car for years racking up miles that'd I can get burned badly by replacement parts. Due to the car being a rare Acura model, I'd be at the mercy of dealers charging whatever crazy prices they wanted with little quality 3rd party options. It's a bit ingrained in me to get attached to cars and run them into the ground with over 200k miles, which seemed precarious to with an Acura RLX in terms of maintenance costs.
The RLX was a blast to test drive. I was sad not to pick it. Thanks again for all your feedback and best of luck to you all with your cars going forward!
12-26-2021, 09:13 AM
#14
2020 Acura RLX Advance
My dad told me when I was 18 that frequent oil changes are the cheapest insurance. Back in the day that was me out in the street changing my own oil and filter probably for about $10 every 3k miles. Now I pay a very well seasoned Acura tech about $90 for synthetic service every 5k miles. But still cheap relative and my car gets a top flight tech thoroughly looking it over. I drive long distances and really depend on this Acura. IMO you cannot beat Acura for long term ownership running costs and Total Value. The Lexus LS460 is a runner up. I have colleagues that have run the big L’s for 20 years (and both parents have owned them). Between us we run our cars 35k - 50k miles a year. The Lexus new or pre owned are a very marked cost tier up from the RLX in acquisition and running costs, but also stone cold reliable and a true tier one luxury vehicle.
I drove my RLX back from metro NYC to Northern Va yesterday. Departed NY at 5am in 34 degree gloomy cold rain and darkness. Belt Parkway in Brooklyn to Verrazano bridge. Jersey Tpke. Then 95 to DC Beltway. Not the kindest roads to cars or drivers especially the Belt in Brooklyn. But 270 miles in comfort and quiet and 29.5 mpg. It made a gloomy ride at the pre crack of dawn almost pleasurable. And reminded me why for the past 18 years most of my daily drivers have been Acura.
I drove my RLX back from metro NYC to Northern Va yesterday. Departed NY at 5am in 34 degree gloomy cold rain and darkness. Belt Parkway in Brooklyn to Verrazano bridge. Jersey Tpke. Then 95 to DC Beltway. Not the kindest roads to cars or drivers especially the Belt in Brooklyn. But 270 miles in comfort and quiet and 29.5 mpg. It made a gloomy ride at the pre crack of dawn almost pleasurable. And reminded me why for the past 18 years most of my daily drivers have been Acura.
12-26-2021, 11:20 AM
#15
Redbiff
Just in general racking up tons of miles on a car is somehow cool. Love the idea of having a clean reliable car that also has 200k miles on it and isn't even phased.
12-26-2021, 11:42 AM
#17
mrgold35
Honda Accord 2.0T Sport would be my 2nd choice after a RLX sport hybrid. It helps to have a MDX as my main traveler car to go with the RLX as my city/short distance car. Simple things like OEM rims are not pothole friendly, finding OEM glass for the HUD take weeks/months, and the unique items like the Krell audio, multi lens LEDs, or HUD is hard to tell if I will make it to +200,000 miles 100% operational compared to having a Honda Accord. Gonna give it a try unless Acura comes out with a kick A$$ plug-in or BEV in the next 10 years. I just like seeing people's reactions of "what kind of car is that" or "that is a beautiful car". I never got that kind of consistent reaction with any other car I've ever owned.
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hondamore (12-26-2021)
12-26-2021, 02:39 PM
#18
LoL I’ve never been asked about my RLX. I think people just think it’s a TLX.
12-27-2021, 09:43 AM
#19
mrgold35
It is 80% trucks, SUVs, or CUVs where I live. It is usually an older demographic of +40 years old that really like RLX. I think us old farts remember the good ol' days of sedans being king of the roads like my Dad's old 1976 Delta 88 with 454 CI V8 engine that probably only made 200hp. He would of loved the RLX.
Last edited by mrgold35; 12-27-2021 at 09:45 AM.
12-27-2021, 10:40 AM
#20
Redbiff
On the plus side you shouldn't need to replace the windshield, any large wheel is not pothole friendly, and you'll likely never need to replace anything for the audio system or headlights.
12-27-2021, 05:40 PM
#21
Three Wheelin'
I should mention that similar concerns were brought up with the '05 RL - worries about the new swivelling xenon headlights, the carbon fibre driveshaft, the new SHAWD system etc and yet I had ZERO problems with my RL through 10 years of ownership.
That said, any very low volume vehicle is going to have issues with parts supply because they just don't stock the parts like they do for high volume models and there are no available non-OEM alternatives for unicorns.
Regarding the SUV takeover of the industry, I wonder if that dominance starts to shift if the price of gasoline continues to rise and the lower-profile sedans offer a significant advantage with fuel economy?? Do we then see the resurgence of the station wagon - small frontal area for better mileage, but still tons of cargo space. With that in mind, I have noticed that my wife's 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is noticeably lower that her previous 2007 MDX (67.4 inches in height 2018 vs 68.2 inches 2007) . Maybe they are slowly morphing the SUV's into station wagons right before our eyes 3/4 of an inch at a time.
That said, any very low volume vehicle is going to have issues with parts supply because they just don't stock the parts like they do for high volume models and there are no available non-OEM alternatives for unicorns.
Regarding the SUV takeover of the industry, I wonder if that dominance starts to shift if the price of gasoline continues to rise and the lower-profile sedans offer a significant advantage with fuel economy?? Do we then see the resurgence of the station wagon - small frontal area for better mileage, but still tons of cargo space. With that in mind, I have noticed that my wife's 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is noticeably lower that her previous 2007 MDX (67.4 inches in height 2018 vs 68.2 inches 2007) . Maybe they are slowly morphing the SUV's into station wagons right before our eyes 3/4 of an inch at a time.
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mrgold35 (12-28-2021)
12-28-2021, 10:07 AM
#22
I should mention that similar concerns were brought up with the '05 RL - worries about the new swivelling xenon headlights, the carbon fibre driveshaft, the new SHAWD system etc and yet I had ZERO problems with my RL through 10 years of ownership.
That said, any very low volume vehicle is going to have issues with parts supply because they just don't stock the parts like they do for high volume models and there are no available non-OEM alternatives for unicorns.
Regarding the SUV takeover of the industry, I wonder if that dominance starts to shift if the price of gasoline continues to rise and the lower-profile sedans offer a significant advantage with fuel economy?? Do we then see the resurgence of the station wagon - small frontal area for better mileage, but still tons of cargo space. With that in mind, I have noticed that my wife's 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is noticeably lower that her previous 2007 MDX (67.4 inches in height 2018 vs 68.2 inches 2007) . Maybe they are slowly morphing the SUV's into station wagons right before our eyes 3/4 of an inch at a time.
That said, any very low volume vehicle is going to have issues with parts supply because they just don't stock the parts like they do for high volume models and there are no available non-OEM alternatives for unicorns.
Regarding the SUV takeover of the industry, I wonder if that dominance starts to shift if the price of gasoline continues to rise and the lower-profile sedans offer a significant advantage with fuel economy?? Do we then see the resurgence of the station wagon - small frontal area for better mileage, but still tons of cargo space. With that in mind, I have noticed that my wife's 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is noticeably lower that her previous 2007 MDX (67.4 inches in height 2018 vs 68.2 inches 2007) . Maybe they are slowly morphing the SUV's into station wagons right before our eyes 3/4 of an inch at a time.
If we go electric completely and soon, my pick from today's fleet would be Tesla Model Y Performance. If it was chaper now I would have gotten it, but 60-65k is little bit out of my price range what I am comfortable paying.
12-29-2021, 01:58 PM
#23
Redbiff
Acura's Electric SUV May Bear the Name ADX (yahoo.com)
Hopefully you'll be able to get something with a bit better quality and style then the Model Y in a few short years. The Model Y is the worst looking Tesla.
Hopefully you'll be able to get something with a bit better quality and style then the Model Y in a few short years. The Model Y is the worst looking Tesla.
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rlx015 (12-29-2021)
12-29-2021, 03:34 PM
#24
Acura's Electric SUV May Bear the Name ADX (yahoo.com)
Hopefully you'll be able to get something with a bit better quality and style then the Model Y in a few short years. The Model Y is the worst looking Tesla.
Hopefully you'll be able to get something with a bit better quality and style then the Model Y in a few short years. The Model Y is the worst looking Tesla.
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