I have this car about six months, so AFAIK it is broken in. I started in the cold of NY, drove down 95 to Jacksonville in good but typical weather, and did the 350 miles from Jacksonville to my destination in record-setting rain. For those who want to stop here, the car was a champ.

One of the things I wanted to test was Premium vs. Regular. I ran premium from NY to the Virginia/NC line, and regular since then. No difference whatsoever that I could tell. Speed controlled consumption more than grade, and I never felt any difference in power.

I used on-board nav when there was little chance of needing traffic info, so, I used Waze to the first stop on the Jersey Tpk. Handed it over to the wife and used on-board until the last rest area on the Tpk, just for estimation purposes, and she refuses to drive that bridge over the Delaware. Back to Waze for me until the Maryland House rest area for a bathroom break and to top off the tanks, and take a walk-around. From there to South of DC, it was Google Maps, which I think has the better navigation in a crowded area. Also played Amazon Music, and south of DC, started to mess with Amazon’s channels, and locked up the whole damn thing. I pulled the cord, and went to on-board nav and SiriusXM.

We had sandwiches, so we were looking for a rest stop to eat and change drivers. My wife is an I-Exit master, and said there is no place to eat near the hotel, why don’t we do a good lunch, and eat the sandwiches for dinner. I said sure. She found a Yelp-connected restaurant on I-Exit and offered to direct me. I said, what the heck, lets see if the nav can find it. “Find Mason Dixon Cafe”. Sure enough, it found it, I made it a waypoint, and had shrimp and grits with a crabcake on the side rather than a ham and cheese.

The adaptive cruise control, with stop and go worked like a champ all through Baltimore and DC.

The next day was a total bore, going down 95 with nothing happening. Music on and off, this and that. But comfortable enough.

Got up the next day for the final 350 miles, and the whole state was in a terrible rain storm. So scary that the wife wouldn’t drive, plus, we needed to take 4 through Orlando. This called for WAZE. The AWD was a champ, never losing grip under any circumstance. The radar always kept me at a good distance and kept up well with traffic, though it got bumpy as I extended my normal follow range, and some people cut in. Then I4 closed and WAZE got me off just before the traffic line. We eventually got back on the highway, but it was like driving through a mist tunnel. LKAS and ACC worked like a charm and this is now the best foul weather car I have ever owned, better than a prior Subaru.

Then, on 75, I hear a really loud whack, and a crack in my windshield shows up. The rock hit about 3 inches from the drivers side edge, and has grown since. It being a 2019, my insurance company will pay for OEM, and then will also pay for Acura to do the camera stuff.


Overall, what a great car, as a car. I did not goose it during the rain, intending to avoid the reported problems, and I kept the infotainment requirements simple, except when I forgot and froze it.

Well, that’s it. A satisfying drive, overall, despite the horrible weather.

How was your MPG?

23-24.5

Not great

And I always set the cruise at limit minimum and limit +8 maximum.

Wonderful review; thanks for testing out all the Navigation modes.

how did your wife enjoy the passenger seat ride?

On a similar trip right now, PA to FL. Currently on a 2 day layover in Charleston. Car has been great. Running 92-93 octane, averaged 27 mpg on 95. Pulled off 95 and filled up, averaged 26 on our back road side trip to Charleston. Using google maps and on-board nav on and off. Google maps had a problem on the EZ Pass express lanes on 95 south of DC. It kept saying “recalculating”, like it had no idea we were in the express lane. Switched to the on-board nav and it worked fine. But I do like the ability to select the route using google maps, since we wanted to take some back roads to Charleston. Did hit a short period of heavy rain, SH-AWD was fabulous.

No complaints. She never did get comfortable in the 535.

Everyone is different, I guess. I was OK too.

I did the first 3K on Regular, did the next 3K on Premium, and have since switched back to regular, where I think I will stay. I am at 6600 miles now.

The dealer down here does not do windshields. After I get it changed, I have to go to the dealer. Since the car has LKAS, which is done by camera, when you replace the windshield you need to have the camera reset.

My insurance company is paying for an Acura windshield, and to have them reset the camera. When I take it in, I might have them do an oil change, even though it is a bit early on the MM.

Nice review. I noticed your reticence to punch it in the rain. Hopefully, AHM will get its act together and fix the limp mode issue and all owners can put the pedal to the metal, rain or shine, without fear of losing life or limb.

Yeah, I was reluctant. All I needed was to go into limp mode in the middle of a huge rainstorm. OTOH, there was not an occasion where I would have just done it anyway. I’m glad a situation did not happen where I needed to do so, and sometimes that does happen on the road.

Thank you for sharing your big trip experiences! Your insightful notes are very helpful for our planning of upcoming Spring National Parks tour.

Comfort. I rarely drive in Sport,

only when the wife is not present, or I have to actually get someplace in a hurry.

I think it is the steepness of it which limits your forward sight distance, and the height; everything is far away. Also, once you get over the bridge, you need to make sure you stay on the right roads, and cars and trucks sort themselves out to the various routes there. She also knows I will drive over anything.

I just use the computer read out, it might be off a bit. Maybe I will double check it on the way home.

The Pulaski skyway was no pleasure either.