The first one to arrive is the TLX sedan, which will be followed by the MDX Type S. This one is kind of a no-brainer. The MDX is already seven years old and as a mid-sized SUV, it's available exclusively with V6 engines. The 3.5-liter currently offered is basically the same as that in the old TLX Type S, so expect a 3-liter turbo to take its place.

But the other model is really playing with our imagination. Even though the ILX is very clearly written down in the first part of the chart, the other Type S model coming is described as "a new compact sedan." So not the new ILX?

We think this indirectly confirms all the rumors about an Integra revival. As Cadillac or Infiniti will attest, it's difficult to name cars for a young luxury brand. The ILX has a bad market imagine, but the Integra is a literal god, a legend. We've seen examples selling online for $100,000.

Honda launched the Acura luxury brand in the United States back in 1986, just before its rivals Nissan and Toyota launched theirs. And their first two models had real names - Legend for the big car and Integra for the compact one.

We believe the 2022 Integra Type S will be made in North America. All the Type R hot hatchbacks come from the UK right now, but that factory will close down at the end of the year. It looks like Canada will pick up the slack and maybe get an Acura alongside it.

As for the powertrain, it's obvious they can use the 2-liter turbo again. However, the Integra rumors talked about a 2.5-liter turbo with electric motors at the back. That's enough to worry the Audi RS3.

The 2022 Acura MDX introduces a new platform to the Acura and Honda lineup called the Global Light Truck Platform, and it's currently exclusive to the MDX. The new 2021 Acura TLX is also built on a totally new platform that isn’t shared with any other Honda or Acura. Going further back, when the redesigned 2019 RDX debuted, Acura said that model was built on “a new-from-the-ground-up, Acura-exclusive platform."

That’s three totally-new and Acura-exclusive platforms in a short time period, and it got us thinking. What is Acura up to here?

Most manufacturers these days are increasingly going in the exact opposite direction. Volkswagen’s MQB architecture underpins everything from the hot hatch GTI to the gigantic Atlas. Toyota’s TNGA platform has multiple sizes/versions, but Toyota still considers them related and will tell you that TNGA is the basis of cars from the Corolla on up to the Highlander, plus the Lexus UX and ES. You can find similar stories all across the industry, in both luxury and non-luxury brands. Acura, on the other hand, appears to be taking a totally different approach.

To get some clarity on strategy, we reached out to Acura. The answers are multifaceted, but Acura says it's spending money where it pays dividends for performance — but there's also more sharing between models than it might look like on the surface.

“The definition of what constitutes a 'common platform' varies by automaker,” Acura exclusively told Autoblog during a wide-ranging e-mail interview involving the input of numerous engineers and product planners. “For us, the most fundamental value is to maintain the same carry points throughout production and enable us to produce different vehicles in the same manufacturing environment.”

As an example, the TLX and RDX feature similar carry points in the chassis to enable their production on the same line, but that’s where the two diverge.

“The TLX is different in that it has a bespoke platform that is not shared with any other Acura or Honda vehicle,” Acura says. “This approach was adopted to meet the high dynamic targets [for the Type S], and unique powertrain [the 3.0T V6] and drivetrain applications [SH-AWD] that required a different platform from the Accord.”

Acura says the same for the RDX, but it also revealed that its crossover “is based on a common platform that underpins other vehicles, including the CR-V.” This “common platform” is modified for use in the RDX and “is engineered much differently to fulfill the unique performance requirements set for RDX and the Acura brand.”

Additionally, Acura noted that while many of its cars are on different platforms, “there are some similar construction materials and methods (high strength steel, high-performance adhesive, roller hemming for the panoramic roof, etc.)” that it uses across its lineup.

Acura’s small range also allows it to have as much differentiation as it does. Unlike Mercedes-Benz’s or BMW’s massive product ranges, Acura has just four volume-sellers — ILX, TLX, RDX and MDX. “This allows us to focus our resources on engineering each Acura model for the specific needs of our customers. A prime example of this would be the cast aluminum damper housings and double wishbone suspension at the front of the new ‘21 TLX and ’22 MDX. Those contribute to and/or capitalize on the very rigid chassis that each has.”

Acura wants its cars to drive and feel like Acuras, not glorified Hondas. To do that, it’s investing in a key area that contributes to improved driving performance — the chassis. After spending time in the new TLX and MDX, it's clear the investment pays off in the way those cars drive.

Unlike the TLX, though, the new structure underneath the MDX — the Global Light Truck Platform — will see duty in several Hondas as well. When the next-generation Pilot, Passport and Ridgeline arrive, expect them to use a version of the new Global Light Truck Platform.

That’s the kind of platform sharing we’re accustomed to seeing throughout the industry. There’s still plenty of engineering work going into making Acuras meaningfully different than Hondas, but don’t think efficiencies aren’t being taken advantage of where they could be. Looking to the future, Acura has the ILX to revamp next. That will undoubtedly borrow from the Civic, as it has before, but it’s yet to be seen how much differentiation Acura will aim to achieve.

Despite parent company Honda's green and friendly brand image, luxury marque Acura hasn't made a grand statement about electrifying their lineup. Even as brands like Jaguar, Land Rover, Bentley, and Infiniti pledge to entirely electrify their lineups in the coming decade, Acura has held back. The reason, according to Acura head honcho Jon Ikeda, is that it's focusing on reestablishing itself as a performance brand.

In a wide-ranging interview with Automotive News, Ikeda says Acura came out of the gate strong in 1986 and did well for the first 20 years, but when the bottom fell out of the market in 2008 the brand experienced "growing pains." That spawned a period of self-reflection and, as Ikeda puts it, "What are we about?" The decision was made to go back to Acura's roots as the performance division of Honda. "That's what Acura is. That's what I fell in love with," Ikeda says.

Ikeda joined Honda in 1989, but his promotion to Acura boss in 2015 was a surprise to many, including himself. That's because Honda had a tradition of putting engineers at the helm, and Ikeda was a designer, responsible for the looks of such cars as the FSX concept, 2001 Civic Coupe, and beloved 2004 Acura TL.

When asked by AN whether Acura is worried that luxury competitors are putting stakes in the ground to claim EV brand identities, Ikeda says no. "For us as a brand, we needed to kind of refocus and reestablish ourselves as a performance brand... We want everybody to understand where we are, what we're about first. Even if we go electric we will continue to be a performance division of Honda and performance will be our focus."

To earn its performance street cred, Acura poured resources into the second-gen NSX hybrid supercar, which served as testbed for how electricity can work harmoniously with performance. They will continue to campaign IMSA race cars to earn trophies as proof, and Ikeda also wants to bring more Type S models to the lineup.

Ikeda says Acura is still in the process of rebuilding its foundation, but when he's done he expects people to associate Acura with performance. That sure seems ambitious to us, but products like the new TLX are a helpful stepping stone. It also explains why Acura is investing in different platforms to differentiate itself from Honda.

To be clear, Ikeda isn't ruling out electrification. However, as he reiterates many times, vehicle dynamics and performance will come first, and that's what he wants Acura to be known for first and foremost.

To be clear, Ikeda isn't ruling out electrification. However, as he reiterates many times, vehicle dynamics and performance will come first, and that's what he wants Acura to be known for first and foremost.

The unveiling of the 2021 Acura TLX was met with comprehensive positive commentary, as the design and evident engineering (we can see what it looks like; we can only note the technical specs until we drive it) of the sport sedan (e.g., new 3.0-liter V6 turbo; body structure fabricated with aluminum and press-hardened steel for highly improved torsional rigidity; double-wishbone suspension; electric servo brakes; all-wheel drive. . . ) provide a clear indication that Acura is serious about its chops in the performance segment of the above-mainstream marques. (Yes, one could simply say “luxury marques,” but whether it is BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, etc., somehow the offerings of vehicles that are meant to be driven fast and hard don’t seem to fit the definition of luxury, which seems to be more about sumptuousness than sportiness.)

Jon Ikeda
Ikeda and the RDX. (Images: Acura)

The 2021 TLX follows the RDX. The third generation of that crossover was introduced as a model year 2019 vehicle to similar levels of acclaim (that continued long after the introduction as it is the real deal, as the TLX promises to be). Already a segment leader, the Acura team would have, more or less, rested on its laurels with the RDX, but they did quite the opposite, plowing new ground and making the vehicle all-new from the platform on up. (Oftentimes, it seems, vehicles that are described as being “new” would be more accurately described as “improved,” which isn’t the same thing. But the RDX was new.)

2021 Acura TLX
The 2021 Acura TLX.

All of this is prelude to the guy who runs Acura, Jon Ikeda. Ikeda has been with American Honda Motor since 1989—as an Art Center grad, he joined the company as a designer and has worked as one for many years both in the U.S. and Japan, until July 2015, when Ikeda became vice president and general manager of the Acura Division. In 2019 he was named Acura Brand Officer.

So although he is now more about a boardroom than the studio, given evidence of the RDX and the TLX there is no question that he spends more than a little time in the studio. And another place that Ikeda is exceedingly comfortable is the paddock at a race track, as the company’s tagline “Precision Crafted Performance” is something that Ikeda knows in his bones: performance is important to him; this isn’t a bit of marketing-speak.

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Ikeda Porsches
(Image: Ikeda)

What They Are:
The white Porsche is a 1967 911S. The yellow one is a 1974 914 1.8

Why They Are Cool:
The 911: “I’ve owned the ‘67 S for over 23 years. I was fortunate as a teenager to have a neighbor next door that paid me to wash her car every week. It was a late ‘70s 911 Turbo. I would have done it for free, but she paid me to wash it! My excuse to drive it was that I needed to get all the water out of the door jams, and I would take it for a spin. . . a long way around the block! As a 16-year-old it was an experience that I never could forget.

“As an ex-car designer: the 911 styling is just timeless. The sound out of the 2.0-liter flat six with sport pipes just lets me feel like I’m connected to Steve McQueen for a split second! Who wouldn’t want to feel like Steve for even just a second? Cool!”

The 914: “The 914 has been with me for just a year. A friend took 9 years to restore it, then ran into an unhappy better half, reminding him he just has too many toys—his garage is full. He couldn’t part with it, so he did the next best thing: asked me to buy it off of him. We live close by. As a car guy, I understood.

“The coolest thing about 914s is how low you sit in the car. It’s really very simple, old-school fun, a lightweight, quick turning, agile car.

“Both cars take me back to days when sports cars were just more simple and light. I enjoy them both.”

• Honda filed to trademark ADX with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• The ADX nameplate may appear on Acura's upcoming GM-built electric SUV.
• Honda announced its GM-built electric SUV will wear the Prologue moniker.

Acura's upcoming electric SUV may bear the name ADX, as evidenced by a recent trademark filing for the moniker by Honda, Acura's parent company, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Admittedly, it's entirely possible the ADX mark finds its way to a gas-powered Acura SUV, possibly one based on the next-generation HR-V that Honda's developing for the North American market. Likewise, there's always the chance Honda's filed to trademark the ADX nameplate simply to prevent another automaker from using it.



Nevertheless, if we were the gambling type, we wager Acura pins the ADX name to its forthcoming electric SUV that's due to be built by General Motors. Despite it likely sharing a platform, powertrain, and battery pack(s) with other GM EVs that use the company's Ultium battery-electric vehicle bits, the electric Acura SUV still ought to wear distinct exterior and interior decor that reflects the luxury brand's current design language.

Likewise, we believe Acura's electric SUV will share few—if any—body panels with its Honda-badged kin that GM is also set to build for the Japanese automaker. Whereas Acura's yet to formally reveal the name of its GM-built electric SUV, Honda confirmed its variant will sport the Prologue designation.

We're sure Acura will reveal the name of its battery-electric SUV in the coming weeks or months. Until the brand tells us otherwise, though, our money's on Acura pinning the ADX nomenclature to the latest addition in its SUV lineup.

Some of the Honda and Acura owners face an unusual problem with their navigation systems, which are showing an incorrect time and date, and no solution to correct that.
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We all waited for New Year's Eve and looked happy at how the date changed from 2021 to 2022. But not some of the Honda and Acura owners, who witnessed a time-lapse and slipped from 2021 to 2002. Moreover, they cannot manually adjust their cars' dates, and it means that they are automatically sent back to the times when Alicia Keys' "Fallin" was a big hit.

Reports say that cars as old as 2004 from both brands suffer from this glitch, which should be normal since both share the same navigation systems. On the 8thcivic.com forum, users started to post pictures of the dates shown on their cars' navigation displays.

One user said, "I called into Honda HQ... after a bunch of hold time and distractions... they admitted this is a thing in all Hondas with in-dash Nav. They have no current solution. Speaking VERY quickly, the agent said it could be August of 2022 before it is solved. In the meantime, our cars will continually reset themselves to 2002. I interrupted her, and asked her to say it again slowly, and she wouldn't. There was then a whole bunch of puffy doublespeak that basically meant they have NO CLUE *** happened."

A similar problem happened with Honda Pilot owners five years ago, but that problem was solved later on with an update. But, for the time being, looks like Honda cannot solve this issue yet even though it affects much more vehicles than before. Moreover, they can't even rely on the time displayed on the navigation system since it resets every time they start their cars. Strangely, some users from Canada noticed that the clocks are resetting to 4:00 and others to 5:00. Also, one of our readers told us that his 2011 Ridgeline has the same issue.

So, if you have issues with your Honda's navigation system, please let us know in the comment section below and tell us if it is the first time you are facing this problem.

Remember the Y2K bug that caused a worldwide scare in 1999? Fortunately, only a few major errors occurred as the new millennium set in, thanks largely to the pre-emptive measures employed by various industries.

A similar tech bug has been discovered lately. But unlike the Y2K glitch, the weird error isn’t on a global scale. Rather, it only involves a number of Honda and Acura units that use Navi systems on their head units.

Apparently, several old Hondas and Acuras show an incorrect time and date on their Navi systems as we entered the new year. The date on the systems shows January 1, 2002, instead of 2022, which puts the system 20 years behind.

According to owners, manual override to adjust the time and date isn't working. Several owners have reported the same issue on a number of forums such as the Ridgeline Owner's Club, CR-V Owner's Club, and even on Reddit. The issue affects a range of cars, from as old as 2004 to as new as 2012.

The reported errors come from various places notably in the US, Canada, and even in the UK. Some forum posters also include photos of their head unit showing the incorrect time and date.

Fortunately, it seems like the incorrect time and date are the only issue at this time. The owners said that their navigational systems work just fine, along with other functions.

Jalopnik has reached out to American Honda and got this as a response:

American Honda is aware of a potential concern related to the clock display on certain older Acura and Honda models equipped with navigation systems. We are currently investigating this issue to determine possible countermeasures and have no additional details to share at this time.

An affected CR-V owner also reached out and received a different reply:

We have escalated the NAVI Clock Issue to our Engineering Team and they have informed us that you will experience issue from Jan 2022 thru August 2022 and then it will auto-correct. Please be assured that we will continue to monitor this and will advise you if a fix is available before that time.

There are many benefits that 5G communications services bring to the table, including significantly increased data speeds, more bandwidth, and lower latency. Nevertheless, it also has a huge problem: the limited radio frequency spectrum to accommodate it. For that reason, cellular carriers and the FCC agreed to shut down older 3G networks to make room for 5G.

To see obsolete technologies replaced with new ones is something mundane these days and everyone probably saw the demise of the 3G networks years ago. This poses no problems for almost all communication devices that have a short life cycle, like mobile phones, modems, laptops, and others. But some devices that rely on internet communication remain in service for many more years, or so they should.

AT&T shut down its 3G network on February 22, with T Mobile next, on March 31. Verizon will keep its 3G networks live until December 31. Smaller networks that rely on the bigger ones will see similar timelines for phasing out their 3G communications. Starting 2023, no mobile network in the U.S. would be offering 3G coverage. This affects remote services, internet connection, and even emergency services alerts in case of accidents for millions of vehicles in the U.S.

What are the models affected by the 3G network shutdown in the U.S?
Acura announced that 3G disappearance means no more AcuraLink Premium (concierge services), AcuraLink Connect (emergency services and remote access to vehicles), or AcuraLink Standard (real-time traffic alerts and maintenance reminders). The models affected are MDX (2014-2017), TLX (2015-2017), ILX, RDX (2016-2017), RLX (2014-2016) and NSX (2017). Acura dealers can install a new device for AcuraLink services. Alternatively, the owners can opt for a $1,500 discount on a new vehicle.


Audivehicles lost all connect services, including SOS emergency call features, following AT&T 3G network shutdown. The models affected are 2012–2015 A6, A7, 2012–2018 Q7, 2012–2018 Q3, A5, A8, 2013–2016 Allroad, A4, 2013–2018 Q5, 2014–2016 A3, 2016–2018 A3 e-tron, 2018 Q5, A8, and 2019 RS5. Audi is offering a 4G modem and a telematics unit installed in the OBD-II port.

BMW doesn’t offer a list of affected models but confirms that vehicles equipped with 3G telematics devices will no longer be able to access any ConnectedDrive/BMW Assist services. Even some 4G-enabled vehicles will lose services that require a voice connection, such as BMW Assist eCall and Concierge Services. According to BMW, certain models will be upgraded for free at the dealers, but others will be ineligible.

Ford vehicles equipped with a 3G telematics control unit (TCU) will lose MyFord Mobile and MyLincoln Mobile app functionality. These include 2012–2015 Focus, 2012–2013 Fusion, 2012 Mercury Milan, 2012 Lincoln MKZ, and 2013 C-Max.

General Motors does not offer a list of vehicles, but owners can verify their VIN on the dedicated webpage. The 3G network shutdown impacts services in which you need to speak to an OnStar Advisor through the vehicle or the Advisor needs to speak to you in the vehicle. Automatic Crash Response alerts are still operational. GM started pushing over-the-air updates to affected models so that they can work on LTE networks. No hardware installation is required.

Hyundai models with BlueLink manufactured between 2012 and 2015 (except Sonata with navigation and Genesis), as well as 2016 Elantra, Elantra GT, Veloster (without navigation), Sonata Hybrid, Santa Fe, Equus will see deactivated services, including safety and security features. There is no remedy offered.


Honda models lost the same services as the Acura models, except Honda calls them HondaLink. The affected models are 2018–2020 Accord Touring, Odyssey Touring/Elite, 2019–2020 Insight Touring, 2019–2022 Pilot Touring/Elite/Black Edition, and 2019–2021 Passport Touring/Elite. Unlucky owners will have to pay for a new modem or lose all connected services.

Every 2016 and 2017 Jaguar Land Rover model is also affected, meaning they lose InControl Touch Pro Connected navigation features. All these services will stop working, except telematics (InControl Remote and Protect) that will be made to run on T-Mobile’s 2G network. It’s safe to assume that the 2G network will also phase out rather sooner than later.

Nissan and Infinity vehicles equipped with 3G modems will lose access to NissanConnect Services, NissanConnect EV features, Infiniti InTouch Services, and Infiniti Connection features. The affected models are 2016–2017 Altima, Maxima, Rogue, Titan, 2016–2018 Sentra, 2017–2018 GT-R, Rogue Sport, 2017 Murano, Pathfinder, Titan XD, 2017–2018 Rogue Sport, 2011–2015 Leaf, 2014–2018 Infiniti Q50, 2017–2018 Infiniti Q60, 2013–2018 Infiniti Q70, 2017–2019 Infiniti QX30, and 2013–2017 Infiniti JX, QX60, QX56, QX80. There is no remedy.

Porsche cars like 2014–2018 Panamera, 2014 918 Spyder, 2015–2019 Cayenne, 2017–2018 Macan, and 2017–2019 911 will lose all Porsche Car Connect services, including Remote, Safety, and Security services. Some models are eligible for an upgrade, so please contact your dealer to see if you’re in luck.

Stellantis did not offer a list of affected models, but they’re mostly vehicles built before the 2017 model year. Remote services, including automatic crash notifications, will be permanently disabled, even though certain models will be upgraded to 4G.


Subaru vehicles will lose Automatic Collision Notification, SOS Emergency Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, and Remote Features such as locking and unlocking. The models affected are 2016–2018 Forester, Legacy, Outback, Impreza, Crosstrek, and 2017–2018 WRX, WRX STI. There is no remedy unless users installed Subaru’s over-the-air update before February 22.

Tesla Model S vehicles built before June 2015 will lose remote services, as well as connected services. Tesla offers a modem upgrade, but this will cost owners $200. The upgrade can be ordered via the in-vehicle infotainment system.

Many Toyota and Lexus vehicles will lose Safety Connect/Enform Safety Connect services starting November 1, 2022. Among them are most Lexus cars built between 2012 and 2018, as well as 2011–2017 Sienna, 2012–2016 Prius V, 2013–2018 Avalon/HV, 2012–2014 RAV4 EV, 2012–2015 Prius Plug-in, 2013–2017 Camry/HV, 2016–2017 Mirai, 2010–2016 Prius, 2014–2018 Highlander/HV, 2011–2017 Land Cruiser, and 2010–2019 4Runner. There is no remedy.

Volkswagen vehicles with a 3G modem will lose all Car-Net telematics services, as well as Safe and Secure services and Car-Net Mobile App. The models that will remain without connectivity are 2014–2019 Passat, Jetta, Eos, Tiguan, Beetle, Golf, e-Golf, GTI, Golf R, 2014–2018 CC, and 2018–2019 Atlas, Arteon. If you have a 2017-2019 Volkswagen vehicle you will have the chance to buy an upgrade starting this fall. All other models (including all e-Golf models) will be permanently disabled.

It's sad to see even newer models, including some two to three-year-old vehicles that will be left without the smart and safety features. This is even more outrageous when you consider many people bought them because of their connectivity options. And is also plain dumb that automakers built 21st-century cars with 20th-century technology. Everybody should've learned their lesson.