500 Mile Preliminary Observations
 

I have bought/leased Honda and Acura vehicles since 1983. I have a 2000 S2000 and a new RLX Tech white / Seacoast. My previous 3 cars: 2005 RL SH AWD, 2009 Acura TL Tech 5 speed auto, 2012 Acura TL Tech 6 speed auto and now a 2015 RLX Tech.

The RL was a spectacular car. Clean elegant design, excellent leather, most comfortable front seats, beautiful wood trim, excellent handling and brakes, powerful, very poor gas mileage.

The TLs were wonderful, quick, agile, quality interiors and as with all my Honda cars, problem free.

I looked forward to the TLX, drove a few and was very disappointed. Acceleration felt softer than the 2012 TL. Ergonomics were strange in the V6. Lack of shift lever results in right hand dangling into the cup holder. If it had been a rocket I would have gotten one anyway.

Leased the RLX Tech. The car is awkward looking from front and 3/4 rear view. OK but I got it anyway.

Looked it over carefully after taking it home. Noticed the panel gaps were very large. Fit looks right so I guess this is how they make them. Disappointing.

Seats are very comfortable. Leather is not as nice as the RL. Wood trim (looks like plastic) and not much of it. There should be wood trim around door handles instead of cheap plastic.

Nav is slow.

Backup camera display is grainy and extremely low resolution. Not nearly as good az the RL or TLs.

ELS sound system audio quality is very good.

Acceleration is good pretty strong in sport mode.

Engine sounds very good. Very sporty rap on acceleration.

Ride is OK. Interior background sound levels are high for a luxury car. There is a noticeable low frequency rumble at low speeds on certain road surfaces.

The suspension does not handle bumps well. Instead of a single quick report it feels like there are after vibrations. The structure does not feel as solid as rge RL or TLs.

I am concerned about the car's handling. I took an exit ramp at good speed and the car became unsettled ... uncoordinated. The rear end got loose, stepped out and then regained its poise. Never a problem with the RL or TLs. I will check this out further.

The RLX is a nice car but Acura should have done a better job with its flagship sedan.

It does not cost more to design a good looking nonpeculuar looking car. The RLX needs better handling, more power and more luxuty for the price.

Just some preliminary observations.

Thanks for the review(s).
My comments:
- I suspect Acura and their lawyers want both of your hands to be on the steering wheel thus their designers ignoring the fact that a lot of drivers a used to having a shift knob to hold on to.
- I test drove the RLX, albeit briefly, at a track event and I did use the back up camera on one occasion and found it as clear as any I have seen - you might want to have yours checked for a defect in the lens or some other problem.
- Thanks for the frank report on the RLX handling - I hope the delays in the SHAWD version were in part related to tweaking the ride and handling compared to the PAWS version.
- Overall, it sounds like you were spoiled by your RL and TL's and the current RLX isn't quite to those standards yet.

I think you are correct, Hondamore. I was spoiled by the RL and the TLs.

I will have the dealer check out the back up camera/display.

I like the RLX. I was spoiled by the 2005. What a car!! i would have grabbed a 2015 TL if they still made them. The TLs were very well sorted cars, an excellent balance of sport and luxury.

I like the RLX.

But, it's like what Arthur Miller said about Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman: "He was liked, but not well liked." I am a little disappointed. This is the first time I have ever been disappointed by a Honda/Acura car.

1983 Honda Prelude 5 speed manual
1986 Honda Prelude Si 5 speed manual
1990 Acura Legend coupe (base) 5 speed manual
1993 Acura Legend LS coupe 6 speed manual (loved that car!)
2000 Honda S2000
2005 Acura RL SH AWD
2009 Acura TL Tech 5 speed auto
2012 Acura TL Tech 6 speed auto
2015 RLX Tech

One more thing. The car seems to tram-line on Southern California highways - a certain wandering but I don't think it is from the front suspension/steering.

All in all, the RLX is an excellent car. I just hoped Acura would have conjured a bit more magic.

Conclusion:
Just because it's a new design, it doesn't mean that it is better than the old one.

If you're the kind of person who takes ramps quickly, then you will find a minor learning curve related to where the smoothness pays off.

Once you get used to the minor but perceptible time it takes for the rear steering angle to take effect, you'll understand and become smoother.

Compared to SH-AWD, P-AWS seems to take effect more slowly, but you'll get used to it.

It's not really the car that's unsettled, it's the way the driver's moving the steering wheel and then having to react and steer again because of the rear steering angle.

You'll learn how to do it after a while and your initial steering angle will be made based more instinctively on what you know the rear end will do. In an easier corner you won't turn as hard, knowing that the rear end will help in a moment. In a harder corner you'll turn more sharply against initial understeer, but you won't be surprised when you have to open the wheel as the rear end decides what to do to help you.

:-)

I've had one of these on a road course. You get used to it. And then when you're used to that your focus will move to why the transmission takes so long to shift even in Sports Mode!

I'm clinging to the hope that the SHAWD SH-RLX will have the same magic as my 05 RL.

Me, too.

OP, I'm glad you made it from Car Talk to the RLX forum. As you can see, your observations are welcome.

RL vs. RLX sports hybrid
 

As you can see in my test drive impressions on the hybrid, I think you will find the hybrid SH-SHAWD is better than the RL. It handles better but with more power. I liked the overall driving feel. It is more exhilarating than my '05 RL.

I think the RLX Sport Hybrid might be a bit more than I was comfortable paying.

But, 377 HP and SH AWD with a 7 speed DCT sounds like big fun.

I wish the RLX came with the 7 speed. Maybe next year.

it was fun during my recent test ride!!!!!

agreed
 

agreed. sent you a pm also.
see suspension thread. your car is defective, like all the 2014s and now, apparently, the 2015s. promises of a fix from acura for over 6 mos. the continue to build, ship and sell defective cars. no fix yet. who knows if there ever will be?!

Thanks mgalbr

|A bit more. I have to revise my review of the suspension/ride. It is pretty stiff legged and arthritic over uneven surfaces. Very surprising.

The trunk is not counter-weighted!! I think even the Chevy Cruze's is.

I am pretty disappointed. Honda is known for sweating the small stuff and getting the big stuff right.

Whoever was in charge of the RLX should receive a severe talking-to.

JMHO

770 mile update.

Engine is breaking in a bit. Acceleration in Sport Mode is Very Strong. The sensation of being pushed deep into the plush driver's seat while listening to the engine song is very pleasant.

This is a sub 6 second to 60 machine.

LOL....

Yes, it is. Not by a lot, but it is. :-)

Drove 800 miles today in my 2014 RLX Advance. Love the adaptive cruise, the voice commands and music quality. Much quieter than my 2006 RL and better gas mileage, too. Averaged 33 mpg running 65 mph and 30 - 31 running 68 - 75 mph and as traffic thinned out this evening saw 29.8 mpg running 78 - 80 mph. My 2006 sees 25 mpg running 78-80 mph. A sweet ride that is 20% more fuel efficient. Speaking of ride, the ride quality is quite good at highway speeds.

Yes, the RLX is very smooth at highway speeds on a smooth road. I test drove the RLX on an incredibly smooth highway near Tustin Acura. If I had driven it on a rough textured road I may have reconsidered the TLX V6 or an Accord V6 with max bells and whistles.

Yes, barely a sub 6 second machine but acceleration feels good nonetheless. Except for my S2000, this is my first sub 6 car and it sure feels much quicker than the S2K unless you go ape on the little guy.

Almost 900 miles.

@mad dog so what is your choice of gas, regular or premium?

This was before I got the hang of how to launch a KC2.

After selecting Sport Mode, you have to manually select first gear. Otherwise the car's still going to use 2nd, even if you floor it.

This causes you to have to watch for the shift from 1 to 2, but the 0-60 is about 4.8 if you really want to go through all that.

:-)

Gasoline: KC1 and KC2 should both be running on 91-plus octane, unless you are willing to accept a loss in HP that will be hard to get back.

Once the car has retuned itself for 87 octane, it'll take several tanks of gasoline to get back to the performance you'd have had with 91-plus octane.

You'll also have reduced fuel economy on 87 octane.

Just do what Honda said and never mind.