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Threads merged. It was also mentioned at the dealers' meeting. There is no word of a replacement for the RLX. Frankly, Acura needs to get its volume sellers going well again before considering a 7-series fighter again. As much as I liked my Sport Hybrid, I'm OK with this. My only disappointment is having to wait another year for the Type S.
The Acura RLX has sold in horrifyingly dinky numbers. During 2019 only 1019 made it into the hands of United States customers. Way back in 1988, Acura sold 70,770 Legends, their V-6-powered large luxury sedan. The once mighty has fallen, and now it's time to bury it. So after 35 production years, the Legend family line, the last of the original Acura models, will breathe its last VTEC breath.
Personally I'm not okay with it and I think Acura has done a great disservice to its customer base. Acura should concentrate on fixing the problem instead of just scrubbing it. I wonder if they actually read these posts maybe they could take some advice. From a technology standpoint there is nothing better than the RLX but from a Aesthetics point of view there's a lot of room for improvement. I think the major problem came when they tried to introduce pause as a replacement for 4 wheel drive and that hurt. at that point I think they locked lost a lot of their poor customer base who really wanted four-wheel drive and had to wait for it. add that together with the fact that in the last six years they've done nothing more but make the car look less elegant on the outside and more aggressive really turned people away. If a rehire design team and take a fresh look at the exterior of the car I think they could make it great again I make it winter core Base back. to be perfectly honest if you are relaxed truly does go away forever, then the one i just bought will be my last Acura purchase.
It looks like my typing skills need Improvement tonight or my voice recognition needs a tune-up. That should have been core customer base and PAWS, not puase.
Well, there's more money in the SUV and crossover market, so it was just a matter of time for the big, bloated, Accord. Grab some popcorn and watch as Acura becomes the TLX, MDX and RDX show.
The RLX was priced too high out of the gate. That was the main issue.
Also, you aren’t enticing buyers when you have better interior tech in your lowest model civic than in your Flagship RLX.
As for the looks, it’s good, not great.
What’s remarkable is that the Original Acura Legend looked like a larger Accord and was desirable, but it was not proportionally as expensive as the RLX vs Accord.
But I think the Legend peaked at the 2 gen, that 1993 Legend coupe was ridiculously great. That’s another thread though.
Interior tech aside, the entire interior didn't feel like it befit a car that costs $60K. Way too much rubber injection molding and not enough leather. I did a quick and dirty swap of the steering wheels...does the one on top look like it belongs in a car that costs more than twice the car on the bottom? To me the one on top might something I'd expect in a car that costs $10K more than the one on the bottom, but certainly not $30K more.
Interior tech aside, the entire interior didn't feel like it befit a car that costs $60K. Way too much rubber injection molding and not enough leather. I did a quick and dirty swap of the steering wheels...does the one on top look like it belongs in a car that costs more than twice the car on the bottom? To me the one on top might something I'd expect in a car that costs $10K more than the one on the bottom, but certainly not $30K more.
Here's the one from the 2019 TLX. Excuse the dated interior. Lol. I agree it's like they set these cars up for failure. It's the same thing when you look at an Infiniti Q50 and a Nissan Maxima.
The RLX was and still is the worst car experience I ever had, and has forever marred my experience with Acura as a whole. I'll tell you exactly why it failed (coming from someone who got a 2014 PAWS model in July of 2013).
1. Priced way too high, (MSRP $63k) and that was for a PAWS Advanced.
2. At $63k the original PAWS Advanced still required you to add options that are now standard included (lighted sills, remote engine start). As your flagship product, top of the line trim, and at 63k, the car should have everything. Period.
3. Touted as their "flagship", it was still missing features that other less expensive models in the lineup (like the MDX) had standard (heated steering wheel, IDS)
4. Riddled with tons of quality control issues, of which the worst was the dreaded suspension issue. I don't care to revive that conversation. Just go search the forum and you'll find plenty of bitching from me about it. In short...the absolute worst. And Acura didnt do squat (ignored it) for almost 3 years, only to finally accept and do something about it in the 2016 model.
5. The interior was one of the few things I did love about my RLX. Even though it could have been better, It was one of the most comfortable and roomy interiors Ive ever experienced, and loved the original white on black interior. That new white with the white steering wheel just looks horrible (hate to see what that white steering wheel looks like in 10-years for all you long term Honda fans).
6. The exterior looks was always a dilema for me. Some aspects I liked, but overall, the looks didnt excite me, they didnt "turn me on". No visceral excitement. And no I dont give a damn about what other people think or need to show wealth, I just like a car that looks sexy, and the RLX was NOT that. I still believe that when it comes to cars, planes, etc people are initially "visual", you need to attract peoples attention visually. I think Acura has finally found their new stride with the latest incarnation of the ILX, and the upcoming 2021 TLX. Unfortunately all too late for the RLX.
There are lots of other reasons the RLX failed, but ultimately in my mind, Acura simply didnt know how to manage, sell and market a true a "flagship" product. They couldnt get out of their own way (from Honda) and there was too much old-way thinking (Honda pragmatism) that prevented the RLX from being what it could have been. Their whole pragmatic and "smart-luxury" thinking goes against the very grain of the word "flagship", your top product! It's supposed to be the flashiest top of the line, "has everything" product! That's Product Management 101, but somehow that eluded them.
Now that Ikeda is at the helm, things are finally changing. Had he been at the helm during the development of the RLX, I think we would have seem a very different (and successful) outcome of the RLX.
When I finally got rid of my RLX and stepped down to an ILX (after having wasted soo much money on the abysmal RLX), I ended up with a car that clearly had way better quality control in place, and was much more fun to drive, and still had 85% of the tech features that my RLX had and a few the RLX didnt have! All for $30k+ less. That should say something right there....
RIP? Nope, good riddens RLX. Let the future bring something much better, brighter and befitting of what we all know Acura is capable of.
Last edited by holografique; 08-01-2020 at 07:54 AM.
My daily "beater" as my hi end detailer calls my Acura's, are driven high miles for business. I live in a semi urban area with intense traffic and marginal roads (Arlington Virginia). And I live in a high rise with 600 of my other closest friends and neighbors whom we all share a multilevel underground cement cave/garage. I keep my Acura's to just shy of 200K miles and then usually sell them to a very good friend at just below what wholesale trade value is. I do take great care of my cars despite where they are driven and housed.
I would not have considered the RLX, but at $47,300 (including dealer prep and processing fees) for a brand new 2020 Advance Hybrid in the color I wanted it was $4k less than what my sister just paid for her well equipped 2020 Merc C300 AWD compact that has a 4 cylinder, cramped back seat, and more orange peel than my RLX, and Mercedes made her pay extra for leather seats and almost every other feature in the car. The Mercedes navigation system has beautiful clarity, but like her extra cost Burmeister sound system, a PIA to operate. Her last car was a factory special order 2015 Audi A3 Prestige that I had the personal pleasure of multiple warranty visits back to Audi in NY in under 26k miles. Audi was a great "engaging" car to drive, but like both of my parent's Mercedes (a CLS550 and an S550) and my other sisters Range Rover's, they require a lot of dealer attention. The only real tech feature I miss in the RLX is Apple Car play. Then again the back up camera was an extra cost option in 2015 on my moms brand new $106k S550 and just 15k miles since she purchased her S550 new, the fancy multi contour seats have lost all functionality and Mercedes will not offer goodwill to replace a main controller for a few thousand dollars (MB did have to take back my dad's new CLS500 for emissions issues, and he had to pay some money for the new replacement car....nice folks at MB, always happy to "sell" you a new one). Merc has made it clear, they are on to electric and just milking their ICE cars and their customers in the meantime.
If Audi was reliable and had decent dealers to service them, I would have loved to purchased a new A6, even though the actual transaction difference would be around $20k (I never lease cars). But I know too many people that had catastrophic issues with Audi (and BMW) and I got to experience that personally with my sisters Audi.
Like a lot of new cars these days a lot of new Acura's have had teething issues. I had a new Acura 2003 CL-S coupe, last model. Drove it 183k miles. It was bullet proof. My 2006 RL was fantastic and my 2012 RL was as close to reliability perfection as possible. I do not expect the RLX to be this great, but do expect it to be better than most cars, especially being the last of the model run.
I keep in mind my RLX Advance is a $47k car, and that's a LOT of car relative for $47k. It is not a $63K car.
My servicing Acura dealer whom I have dealt with for 17 years is the final clincher. So good I even had them service my Lexus I owned several years ago.
The RLX is only gone in the North America market. Still alive and kicking over seas as the Legend. North American models had some issues, but the latest version of the hybrid is pretty solid. Flagship? Not really for all the reasons previously mention in numerous threads.
I'm certainly not a car geek but have been reading around here and some of the preliminary stuff on the upcoming TL. Leads me to believe the TL will be dripping with current RLX tech with major updates (interior and exterior styling).
There is a certain refinement to the RLX of which I am very skeptical as the whether the new TLX will be able to match. I recently had an RDX Adv while my RLX Sport Hybrid was being serviced, and while there are some nice tech features that the RDX has over the RLX, the overall package still feels a bit Honda +... The new TLX will largely borrow from the RDX's part bin -- the drivetrain, the infotainment, the seats. I'm happy to hear that the new TLX will feature a return to double wishbone front suspension, but it will likely lack the split lower arm featured on the RLX. The RDX feels generally "course" in it's driving experience. I prefer the Sport driving mode, but I hate having that noisy turbo 4 banger rasping away through the speakers. The overall interior of the RDX transmits more road noise and feels less serene than the RLX. I love to stomp on the RLX's accelerator and appreciate the cool calmness with which it executes my inputs -- no obnoxious sound effects, just a smooth V6 and no vibrations or disruptions in the steering with a solid, planted feel. Perhaps it's the RLX's weight, but I rarely hop or skip over small road imperfections whereas RDX would literally jump sometimes. Granted these cars have different missions, but I lament the fact that Acura will not have the suave luxury sport sport sedan in its catalog...
I hope the V6 Type S TLX will refine the RDX's character in a sedan form, and I hope it retains all of the options of the RLX's Advance package. Krell? Tricot or even suede headliner? Color combinations other than black, black, black... piano black a.k.a. cheap polished black plastic... We'll see...
Congrats rpd!!! You got yourself a great ride that can be sporty and thrill you when you want and can be luxurious and be limo smooth and quiet when you want. Have fun.
My daily "beater" as my hi end detailer calls my Acura's, are driven high miles for business. I live in a semi urban area with intense traffic and marginal roads (Arlington Virginia). And I live in a high rise with 600 of my other closest friends and neighbors whom we all share a multilevel underground cement cave/garage. I keep my Acura's to just shy of 200K miles and then usually sell them to a very good friend at just below what wholesale trade value is. I do take great care of my cars despite where they are driven and housed.
I would not have considered the RLX, but at $47,300 (including dealer prep and processing fees) for a brand new 2020 Advance Hybrid in the color I wanted it was $4k less than what my sister just paid for her well equipped 2020 Merc C300 AWD compact that has a 4 cylinder, cramped back seat, and more orange peel than my RLX, and Mercedes made her pay extra for leather seats and almost every other feature in the car. The Mercedes navigation system has beautiful clarity, but like her extra cost Burmeister sound system, a PIA to operate. Her last car was a factory special order 2015 Audi A3 Prestige that I had the personal pleasure of multiple warranty visits back to Audi in NY in under 26k miles. Audi was a great "engaging" car to drive, but like both of my parent's Mercedes (a CLS550 and an S550) and my other sisters Range Rover's, they require a lot of dealer attention. The only real tech feature I miss in the RLX is Apple Car play. Then again the back up camera was an extra cost option in 2015 on my moms brand new $106k S550 and just 15k miles since she purchased her S550 new, the fancy multi contour seats have lost all functionality and Mercedes will not offer goodwill to replace a main controller for a few thousand dollars (MB did have to take back my dad's new CLS500 for emissions issues, and he had to pay some money for the new replacement car....nice folks at MB, always happy to "sell" you a new one). Merc has made it clear, they are on to electric and just milking their ICE cars and their customers in the meantime.
If Audi was reliable and had decent dealers to service them, I would have loved to purchased a new A6, even though the actual transaction difference would be around $20k (I never lease cars). But I know too many people that had catastrophic issues with Audi (and BMW) and I got to experience that personally with my sisters Audi.
Like a lot of new cars these days a lot of new Acura's have had teething issues. I had a new Acura 2003 CL-S coupe, last model. Drove it 183k miles. It was bullet proof. My 2006 RL was fantastic and my 2012 RL was as close to reliability perfection as possible. I do not expect the RLX to be this great, but do expect it to be better than most cars, especially being the last of the model run.
I keep in mind my RLX Advance is a $47k car, and that's a LOT of car relative for $47k. It is not a $63K car.
My servicing Acura dealer whom I have dealt with for 17 years is the final clincher. So good I even had them service my Lexus I owned several years ago.
awesome deal. I got mine for about the same. You should post some pictures
There is a certain refinement to the RLX of which I am very skeptical as the whether the new TLX will be able to match. I recently had an RDX Adv while my RLX Sport Hybrid was being serviced, and while there are some nice tech features that the RDX has over the RLX, the overall package still feels a bit Honda +... The new TLX will largely borrow from the RDX's part bin -- the drivetrain, the infotainment, the seats. I'm happy to hear that the new TLX will feature a return to double wishbone front suspension, but it will likely lack the split lower arm featured on the RLX. The RDX feels generally "course" in it's driving experience. I prefer the Sport driving mode, but I hate having that noisy turbo 4 banger rasping away through the speakers. The overall interior of the RDX transmits more road noise and feels less serene than the RLX. I love to stomp on the RLX's accelerator and appreciate the cool calmness with which it executes my inputs -- no obnoxious sound effects, just a smooth V6 and no vibrations or disruptions in the steering with a solid, planted feel. Perhaps it's the RLX's weight, but I rarely hop or skip over small road imperfections whereas RDX would literally jump sometimes. Granted these cars have different missions, but I lament the fact that Acura will not have the suave luxury sport sport sedan in its catalog...
I hope the V6 Type S TLX will refine the RDX's character in a sedan form, and I hope it retains all of the options of the RLX's Advance package. Krell? Tricot or even suede headliner? Color combinations other than black, black, black... piano black a.k.a. cheap polished black plastic... We'll see...
psheu:
I am liking it more and more with the exception of the push button transmission. If I could change 2 things on the RLX Hybrid it would be to offer active dampers and a console mounted transmission shift lever like the prior RL. For the price paid the RLX Advance is an awesome value and very pleasurable and efficient luxury sedan
The active dampers on my 19 MDX hybrid are awesome! I also wished Acura didn't skimp on the active dampers for the RLX. The +18 RLX is way to soft in the corners for having that much weight, power, and the best bang for the buck tq vectoring awd system on the market.
CPO 18 RLX hybrid red/ebony with 7200 miles for $41,000 in Dec/19 at an Acura dealership near Sacramento, CA. It was the only one in the whole USA at the time I was looking that had red/ebony combo I was looking for.
psheu:
I am liking it more and more with the exception of the push button transmission. If I could change 2 things on the RLX Hybrid it would be to offer active dampers and a console mounted transmission shift lever like the prior RL. For the price paid the RLX Advance is an awesome value and very pleasurable and efficient luxury sedan
2020 Fathom Blue RLX Advance
Totally agree, CadiGTi. That's a lot of bang for the buck. I like this car so much that I decide to buy the newer version of the car after my lease was up on my 2016 RLX SH. Got a deal on brand new black/black 2020 RLX with 10miles on it, in November 2019 for $46k with all the options added (spoilers, splash guard, etc.). With the current pandemic situation, I only put on 4000 miles (normally by this time I would've put 12k miles) on this car. I love the exclusivity of this car. You can call it the best-kept secret
Here is mine (will take more pictures in near future): Former ride Old meets New
I found a video on youtube that got the similar car (same color combo as mine) and did a short video on it. He installed some after market unit that integrated into the head unit to allow for Android Auto/Apple Carplay in the RLX SH. The fantastic sound of the sports mode SH made is glorious. Check it out.
You may notice my "Signature" no longer contains a 2016 RLX Hybrid Advanced. After four years with the Hybrid, I felt I was ready to "upgrade" to a full Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Although my love of all things Acura has not ceased, it has been reduced, somewhat with the cancellation of the RLX. Oh how I wished Acura continued development on the RLX, and produced a PHEV drivetrain for the RLX. But, it was not to be. Last weekend, I picked up the new daily driver, the Audi A8 L 60 TSFI e PHEV. The RLX didn't go far, though. My sister bought it and is loving HER new ride.
I have absolutely no complaints about the RLX Hybrid. It served me well, never a disappointment in anyway. But, as we all know, Acura lost interest in the RLX long before we all did. Pity.
I'll still be hanginig around AcuraZine since my MDX is still going strong as my winter ride.
Hopefully Honda/Acura are working on a new, state of the art flagship sedan to woo you back in the not too distant future. In the meantime, enjoy your A8 and MDX.
$47k brand new. Plus about $500 to have the Acura spare tire kit installed. I have a local high end detailer that does the Expel Prime Ceramic window tint and Expel Ultimate clear paint protection film from the A pillars forward on all my cars. That was $2900. I am a high mileage driver and Expel prevents most road rash.
You may notice my "Signature" no longer contains a 2016 RLX Hybrid Advanced. After four years with the Hybrid, I felt I was ready to "upgrade" to a full Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). Although my love of all things Acura has not ceased, it has been reduced, somewhat with the cancellation of the RLX. Oh how I wished Acura continued development on the RLX, and produced a PHEV drivetrain for the RLX. But, it was not to be. Last weekend, I picked up the new daily driver, the Audi A8 L 60 TSFI e PHEV. The RLX didn't go far, though. My sister bought it and is loving HER new ride.
I have absolutely no complaints about the RLX Hybrid. It served me well, never a disappointment in anyway. But, as we all know, Acura lost interest in the RLX long before we all did. Pity.
I'll still be hanginig around AcuraZine since my MDX is still going strong as my winter ride.
See you all in the MDX room!
I would be curious to know how you like your Audi A8 phev and how it performs. They really are beautiful understated cars. Audi Headquarters is just west of me and we have some HQ people living around here. So we get to see a lot of new higher end Audi’s with HQ plates including the A8s which are pretty rare. I would have a new A8, but it would take replacing my both my RLX and my 2019 Corvette to make that work!
Hmmm.....where to begin about the A8. First, I really have enjoyed pushing the limit of alternative power-train options. My '16 RLX Hybrid was a game changer for me. The absolute seamless transition between all electric operation and internal combustion engine (ICE) operation was what sold me. At first, I was unsure of the relative quality or reliability of the power-train, but I needn't have been worried. In typical Acura tradition, the car has been flawless during the four years and 25,000 miles I drove it. Knowing that background with the Acura, I was a bit hesitant to leave Acura...the RLX had been my fifth Acura. Two Legends, an RL, the RLX, and my MDX have all been flawless.
My research into the plug-in hybrid Audi began when Acura made it clear they were abandoning the RLX. Without a successor on the horizon, I knew now was the time to jump ship. My choices were limit to the BMW 7 Series sedan or the X5 SUV. Mercedes cancelled its S Class Plug-in hybrid last year in anticipation of the new S Class coming for 2021. Audi's other PHEV were the Q5 and the A7. I didn't want to give up the MDX, so I looked at the A7. But, the A7 PHEV came with the four cyclinder engine and the "Ultra" Quattro drive-train, rather than the traditional Quattro drive-train. A major difference for me.
Driving the A8 for two weeks now has been a dream. The car is vault-like in its isolation from all outside noises and distractions. The 6 cylinder turbo engine is smooth and feels effortlessly powerful. Like the Acura, the A8's transition from full battery mode to ICE mode is smooth and unnoticeable to the Driver. The interior is a real step above Acura, but for the higher purchase price, it ought to be, right? Also, the charging time for the 240 volt charging plug I had installed in my garage last month is about 2.5 hours. A traditional household outlet ups the charge time to about 9 hours.
The other reason for my desire for a plug-in hybrid is that my daily round-trip commute to work is less than 15 miles. Most days, the ICE never fires up. The Government's mileage rating for the car is 21 miles of battery range, and I've been seeing more like 25 miles.
I have been telling my friends......for the cost of a 2.5 hour charge (costing pennies) it is like someone putting a gallon of gas in your tank each and every morning. A win-win for me.
Sorry to drone on this long, but the car really excites me and I'm happy to share.
The AudiWorld forum I joined has a much more international membership, but I get the impression that they are not nearly as passionate for their cars as folks in in AcuraZine World!! That's why I'll be hanging around both.
$47k brand new. Plus about $500 to have the Acura spare tire kit installed. I have a local high end detailer that does the Expel Prime Ceramic window tint and Expel Ultimate clear paint protection film from the A pillars forward on all my cars. That was $2900. I am a high mileage driver and Expel prevents most road rash.
Nice. Now all you need are my premium floor mats 😀😀😀
Hmmm.....where to begin about the A8. First, I really have enjoyed pushing the limit of alternative power-train options. My '16 RLX Hybrid was a game changer for me. The absolute seamless transition between all electric operation and internal combustion engine (ICE) operation was what sold me. At first, I was unsure of the relative quality or reliability of the power-train, but I needn't have been worried. In typical Acura tradition, the car has been flawless during the four years and 25,000 miles I drove it. Knowing that background with the Acura, I was a bit hesitant to leave Acura...the RLX had been my fifth Acura. Two Legends, an RL, the RLX, and my MDX have all been flawless.
My research into the plug-in hybrid Audi began when Acura made it clear they were abandoning the RLX. Without a successor on the horizon, I knew now was the time to jump ship. My choices were limit to the BMW 7 Series sedan or the X5 SUV. Mercedes cancelled its S Class Plug-in hybrid last year in anticipation of the new S Class coming for 2021. Audi's other PHEV were the Q5 and the A7. I didn't want to give up the MDX, so I looked at the A7. But, the A7 PHEV came with the four cyclinder engine and the "Ultra" Quattro drive-train, rather than the traditional Quattro drive-train. A major difference for me.
Driving the A8 for two weeks now has been a dream. The car is vault-like in its isolation from all outside noises and distractions. The 6 cylinder turbo engine is smooth and feels effortlessly powerful. Like the Acura, the A8's transition from full battery mode to ICE mode is smooth and unnoticeable to the Driver. The interior is a real step above Acura, but for the higher purchase price, it ought to be, right? Also, the charging time for the 240 volt charging plug I had installed in my garage last month is about 2.5 hours. A traditional household outlet ups the charge time to about 9 hours.
The other reason for my desire for a plug-in hybrid is that my daily round-trip commute to work is less than 15 miles. Most days, the ICE never fires up. The Government's mileage rating for the car is 21 miles of battery range, and I've been seeing more like 25 miles.
I have been telling my friends......for the cost of a 2.5 hour charge (costing pennies) it is like someone putting a gallon of gas in your tank each and every morning. A win-win for me.
Sorry to drone on this long, but the car really excites me and I'm happy to share.
The AudiWorld forum I joined has a much more international membership, but I get the impression that they are not nearly as passionate for their cars as folks in in AcuraZine World!! That's why I'll be hanging around both.
PHEV vehicles are particularly efficient in shorter local drives such as doing errands. In those situations most PHEV vehicles may run entirely in EV mode and burn zero gas for that operation cycle. When you add all of those miles to the ICE gas engine running time it brings up your overall MPG. In my experience so far, I am getting in the low 30's when the ICE engine is the primary thrust source regardless of local or highway miles driven. Not bad for a 5,100+ lb SUV. When I am in local EV only multiple under 25 mile trips, I can go hundreds of miles before the engine ever starts at all. So based on that I am now at about 57 mpg overall for the first 5,300 miles driven on my PHEV, and that figure is trending up as my current fuel mpg is up to 98 mpg and still climbing on the last gas fill up (traveled 298 miles and have used 3.04 gals so far (just a hair off the full tank mark now)). Most of my fill ups have been around 14 gals of fuel, and having traveled about 800 miles. With an 18.5 gal tank that gives me a realistic typical range of 1,055 miles if I ran it to close to empty (likely very conservative).
If Acura brought their own PHEV to market in the MDX, RLX ot TLX that would be a game changer. My XC90T8 is every bit as quick at the RLX Sport Hybrid, but just feels very different. I hope the MDX Type S is everything we hope it to be as that would be attractive to trade in my MDX Sport Hybrid for. If it was a PHEV that would be even more interesting. My personal taste.
06-01-2020, 09:01 AM
