Limelight

Been doing a lot of reading lately on the RLX as I'm going back tomorrow aft to hopefully finalize my deal (was going to go this eve but had a bad storm blow through and I wanted to do my test drive in good weather).

Anyway, I was surprised to see so much online hate for the RLX. Seems the majority seem to find it plain, boring, usual grill/beak complaints, lack of AWD, lack of RWD, underpowered, old tech, loose steering, average handling, not smooth/clunky with 19" wheels, overpriced etc. Many said the same things about the 4G TL which was hands-down my fav car mind you.

I've always said cars are like farts and kids - you can only truly appreciate your own. With that said, the best review is from an owner - not an automotive reviewer or some kid online who cant afford one anyway.

I personally love the look and am quite excited about the car. Can some PAWS owners chime in to let me know if they are happy with the RLX and since buying it and knowing what they know now, would they buy it again?

getakey

PAWS owner
I don't know what is up with styling hate - I like it and do not know what is better in same class.
No complaints on engine, driving, etc.
Stereo is great - I got Krell
Very quiet ride, but suspension is stiff. Can knock coffee out of covered cup
Biggest complaint is Navi - it is a step backward from my 2005 RL. Performance is just bad and features compared to what I have seen in other recent Navi models is not good.
Considering Price I paid, I am happy

Just wish Navi could improve

krava

I know ALOT Of the people at clublexus tells me not to get that thing and no one respects it. But I get that from any non place about any other car. I got hyundia talking bad about it today when I was on the phone. I was considering a Genesis. they called me several days later on it.

neuronbob

I'm not a PAWS owner, so I'll leave you with these threads....

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...friend-928698/

https://acurazine.com/forums/third-g...ur-car-926903/

...and I absolutely enjoy driving my Sport Hybrid. Acura got everything right except for glitches in the navi system. And the Beak, though it actually looks OK on this application. I otherwise love the look, especially in dark colors. It's a very handsome car. I can afford pretty much anything I want car-wise, and still chose my geek mobile.

I'll leave the rest of the thread to the PAWS brethren now.

krava

Take a look at this:
First Drive: 2014 Acura RLX - Club Lexus Forums




the more I read the more I don't want it. If they did sell this car for the upper $40's and I get it for 10K less used 1 year later then that isn't that much of a deal is it?

neuronbob

You are buying a two model year old car and planning to keep it for years. The worst of the depreciation is done. Depreciation is mostly an issue if you buy new and want to switch cars every year or two. It's the depreciation that is allowing you to get a used Advance in the $30k's.

In short, think.

Then test drive.

PS: CL is pretty hostile to Acura, you'd expect that, it's a Lexus forum (though many comments in that thread aren't so bad and reflect the general criticism of the car). For that matter, so is Car Talk on our own forum....though those guys make their comments in a bid to help Acura find its way.

woropallo

As a 2015 PAWS Owner, I love it and no regrets with the purchase

woropallo

Interesting that most of your postings are all over the place with respect to what you want for a car. Take the advice that someone say in a response to one of your post, in summary they said "Don't judge the purchase of a car on what you read, judge the purchase on how it test drives".

DASS

iTrader: (2)

I have no regrets at all (well, maybe one in that I don't have SH-AWD). The RLX is a great car, and meets what I was looking for in an executive luxury sedan.

Knowing what I know after owning and driving the car for over a month now, I would buy it again in a heartbeat.

Nexx

its called ignorance

hondamore

^^I agree 100%.

Asking others what car to buy is like asking a bunch of strangers who you should marry. Choose the car the YOU like and buy one when you get a deal that YOU are comfortable with.

Regarding the styling of the RLX, it is never going to be a "look at me", bold, unique exterior - that is not Acura's style. That said, most of those bold looks appear dated in just a few years whereas the RLX won't look out of place 10 years from now. Finally, the conservative exterior of the RLX surrounds one of the best interiors you will find - roomy, comfortable and with a true luxury feel.

Just my two cents.

getakey

I've said it before - what car in same class looks better?
I've parked next to Lexus and Infinity and to me the RLX looks better
BMWs are not bold styling - they are what they are. Same with MB

krava

I have lexus loaner car and going to take it 200 miles to look at the RLX. My cousin wants my old GS so looks like everything is good. Your right can't judge what other people say.

Accord90MDX01RLX15

Hi, I have owned a 2015 Tech P-AWS RLX. I love my car very much and thought I got a very good deal. The nav/voice recognition system has a steep learning curve but it has several nice features that other prior cars didn't. No suspension issues.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

it's interesting to see the level of intelligence over on this side of the forum.
Dont ya'll dare cross over to the TLX side...
threads are popping up daily, even hourly about "which car should I buy"

weather

OP...I agree that the RLX is a great looking car and much better in person than in photos (again, like any other Acura products). I am not sure what is the hate by the reviewers and people in general...Sure there are a few quirks but which car doesn't have them.

As a previous TL owner, I can relate to how amazing this car was and yet, everyone bashed the 4G. Trust your gut, get what you like and enjoy every minute of it. I know that while I like talking cars and such, I don't make my decision on what people think but what I feel

BTW...If you could let me know what your diet consist of because unlike you, I can barely stand the smell of my own farts! (LMAO)

oonowindoo

I will not get into the details about my personal opinions about RLX since i don't own one.

But why do you think RLX is selling less than 200 units a month while others are selling at 10x, 15x times the amount?

While everyone's opinions including mine is subjective, but the market has spoken about RLX already.

When you are ready to listen to some unbiased opinions from people who love Acura but dislike the cars they are making now, then come to Cartalk.

hondamore

The sales numbers have been SEVERELY hampered by lack of units in stock. You can't sell what you don't/can't build.

That said, the reasons for the RLX's slow sales (eg. lack of snob appeal, the auto media's fixation with RWD and V8's etc.) have been well debated in the RLX Sales thread.

wstr75

In so far as Lexus vehicles we have owned a RX400h, a RX350FWD and currently own a 2013 RX350AWD. Our Acura vehicles owned were a 2002 RL, a 2006 RL and now a 2014 RLX PAWS. My wife predominately has driven our RXs and the RLs were my car. We test drove a 2014 RLX with 15K miles and my bride sat in the back seat during the drive. At the end of the test drive my wife took me aside and said: "I love the looks, interior space and luxury of this car. I want you to have this car". Two comments: 1) She is normally not a "car" person 2) She now drives the RLX more than I do.

The RLX is sweet car. We plan to keep ours for many years.

oonowindoo

It is a cycle. When there is no demand, therefore, there is no production and when there is no production, there is going to be even less demand.

There are certain expectations in that segment, you can call it media fixation or snob appeal, i call it industry standard or bench mark.

At the end of the day, the market and consumers decide what gets sold and what doesn't.

If the primary reason that no one is buying RLX is because of the lack of inventory, then Acura can't blame anyone but themselves for not building any RLX.

MisterZDX

SH-AWD. Not offering this when the original RL did is a step backwards. If not on every trim, at least make the 60k Advance trim have SH-AWD standard. It's hard to convince the general public to spend that type of money for a front wheel drive Acura when an Accord Touring (also front wheel drive) has just as much Tech as the RLX, still has Honda reliability, sexier exterior styling and an msrp that's $26,820 cheaper.

I know. I know. People probably rarely cross shop the RLX Advance with the Accord Touring. But the Accord is one hell of a car for the price. Hell I'm thinking about snatching one up to use as a daily driver.

While I'm sure P-AWS is great. It's still not SH-AWD or RWD.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Does that apply to the low sale # of the ILX and the TLX too?

Limelight

Haha! I didn't say I like them - I just said that I can appreciate them - for how violent they can sometimes be. With my own, there is at least a varying degree of acceptance - I'm less tolerating of others

hondamore

I would guess that Acura is generally pleased with the sales of the TLX and it's a bit early to judge the new ILX released in February. There is a definite shift in the market towards SUV's and CUV's (which Acura has capitalized on) and all sedan sales have suffered as a result. Acura's sedans aren't sales leaders by any means, but they have carved out their niche as a luxury option for loyal Honda buyers and provide a nice supplement to the core Honda business.

That's just my opinion.

acuranj18

I am extremely happy with my RLX and I have no regrets about leasing it whatsoever. Great car and incredible fuel economy for a full size car.

jpadilla

paragonacura has a CPO silver advanced with 18,500 miles for $37,000 sounds like a deal to me ... how many of ya'll are gonan fight for it now?

jpadilla

Soooo true. I was comparing the accord touring vs the RLX advanced and decided I was going to have one of the two ... its not fair comparing both cars but it's need versus want. The accord was nice, but nothing special about it ... it did have some tech that caught me my surprise, like right turn signal activates a blind spot camera ... the RLX was so damn sexy ... I ended up with the RLX (Krell, not advanced) figuring I keep my cars for 10+ years.

Malibu Flyer

I think Acura is taking the direction of only making a the AWD in its Sports Hybrid. I agree that the RLX PAWS suffers from not having AWD. It is the main reason I wasn't interested in the PAWS after driving my 2005 RL for ten years and 125,000 miles. I wanted to get rid of my RL two years earlier than I did because I first was waiting for the new RLX and then when it did not come in a AWD I waited for the Sport Hybrid. I am glad I waited. I just think that the superior drive characteristics of the electric motor setup of the Hybrid is preventing Acura from going back and making a mechanical AWD RLX. The weight factor and mpg brand wise standards is forcing Acura into more hybrids. As the Sports Hybrid technology makes its inevitable way into the rest of the Acura line up that the mechanical AWD system will slowly disappear. At the moment I think there is something holding them back(lacK of enough batteries, emphasis on getting the technology beta tested on the RLX and the upcoming NSX?). Also, the PAWS was an experiment to see how its handling would be accepted by the market. Many on this Board seem to,feel it provides ample handling characteristics while others (myself included) prefer a true AWD, particularly one with the performance advantages of the electric motor acceleration and torque vectoring of the Sports Hybrid. Acura is still assessing the market's reaction. Actually they probably already know the answer but it will take a few years to get the MMC out the door, probably for the 2017 models. That's when we will find out how they respond to what they think the market is saying.

I know they must read Acurazine and the comments and opinions here. It will just take a few years to translated them into new models. So everyone keep expressing their opinions here, whether positive or negative. In the end it will help shape future models.

neuronbob

I wasn't interested in the PAWS, either, and less so when the Sport Hybrid was announced. Other than that, I've played the speculation game long enough and will halt. Acura's gon' do what Acura gon' do. They beat to their own drum and occasionally turn out gems like the Sport Hybrid, which is rewarding to drive. I'd have this over an E class (other than that sexy E wagon ) any day of the week.

George Knighton

The only reason I got rid of my original RLX KC1 Advance was because the dealer did what he said he'd do and let me know as soon as he got one of the KC2.

I'd already put quite a few miles on it and had grown to appreciate its combination of reasonable power, reasonable technology, reasonable luxury, at a reasonable price.

:-)

That could be why it's hated so much. It's logical and reasonable, and not really ultimate at anything.

Another difficulty was the MSRP set for the 2014 model year was a time that the economies in Japan and the United States were different. By the time the car began arriving, it was clear that it did not need to MSRP that much, and it confused purchasers who viewed the car as uncompetitive at the price point, and it confused other purchasers that they'd be able to get more than ten grand off of MSRP.

It has always been a strange car that we do not understand.

We don't understand the mission, particularly, and we don't know why they're importing it from Saiyama at such an uncompetitive price.

But accepting that you're not going to pay anything close to MSRP, and discounting your opinion for that fact, it can come across as a quite reasonable compromise across all performance metrics!

George Knighton

The E Class puzzles me. I don't understand where Mercedes has gone with some items and designs, and I don't necessarily like their reliability when compared to other cars.

Some of their cars stand out if you can set aside the reliability factor.

But, still, you'll be sitting in a well optioned S550 4Matic and then it hits you...wait...why am I paying this much when the LS460 is a block away?

I'm glad they're doing well, but I don't understand WHY they are doing well.

George Knighton

Yes, they are pleased with themselves and they're surprised at my generally lukewarm reviews of the car when they ask.

The problem is that I've already owned two RLX and there's just too much in the way of roominess, quality of materials and fit/finish where the RLX/5G Legend is too far ahead of the TLX.

neuronbob

Well, that's easy. It's because people are entranced by the tri-point star and believe that the mere act of owning/leasing one demonstrates success, at least in this country.

Decades of effective marketing does that for a brand.

On the other hand, we who don't care about cachet are driving around in RLXs with just as good a luxury experience as in a Benz.....with better reliability.

That's another thread, though, and I shall stop here.

oonowindoo

I agree with you on the E class but S550 and LS460 are not even on the same level anymore.

not a lot of people buy S class or LS or 7 series or A8 for driving pleasure, because no amount of HP can offset the size and the fact that they are driving a 5000 lbs tank.

But they are being sold as a status symbol and in many industries, those executives need the S class (7 series can't even compete, let alone LS) to be picked up or show clients around.

While i agree that not every successful executives need an S class, LS460 or even RLX will get the job done as well but there are A LOT of them out there that feel the need for it.

Why do you need Hermes when you get get LV, Why get LV when you can get Coach, Why get Coach when you get can Guess.... Why get Guess when you can get a regular purse that does the exact same thing.
it just all came back to what these people WANT, not what they need.

hondamore

^^So true.
This is also exactly the reason that I drive an Acura RLX - it is the best car you can drive without looking like you're trying to show off or flaunt your wealth.

Not saying that all BMW or Merc drivers are flaunting their wealth, just that RLX drivers are often consciously trying NOT to.

oonowindoo

yah but unfortunately, Acura is competing in that segment of the market where people do care about the superficial materialistic things.

and the market is not going to change because we are all materialistic in some ways, or else you will be driving a $20k car, not a RLX and BMW will not be the most profitable auto maker in 2014.

So if Acura wants to succeed as a brand, then they either need to change the market or change themselves by joining the market and guess which one is easier?

TacoBello

I'd say quitting and disappearing altogether is easier... And I sometimes wonder if that's Acura's intention...

oonowindoo

If that is their intention then they are not doing a good job in quitting either.

This is the result of having too much of the Honda Corp. mentality in Acura division i think.
It seems like they know exactly what they need to do and they know they have the capability to do it but they are scared to do it, so instead, they do everything half way to find the balance between the Value Market and the Luxury Market.

and i personally don't understand what they are scared of... Acura is not that big and based on the current total sale #s, what is the worst that can happen?

Well they get paid millions of dollars... so they should be smarter than me.

Terry RL

MisterZDX,

You might be one of the few people who thinks I do. Let me say my part. I'm very happy with my 2011 RL; fantastic driving, very reliable, very comfortable and just a very pleasing machine. Now the RLX far surpasses my RL from an interior technology standpoint. But that's it. I feel as if in so many areas the RLX is a step backward to my RLX. Please hear me out, I've test driven a 2014 RLX P-AWS Elite(Advance, I live North of the border). There are so many things that deter me away from the RLX. First off, before even getting into the RLX, since so many RLX owners are having issues, that scares me right off the bat. As my RL has no such issues. Next, from a driving standpoint, the steering feels numb and the suspension is way too firm. It's like I was jumping up and down in my seat. Not good. I really feel as if my RL is a better driving machine. As mentioned, NO SH-AWD. You telling me I'm going to spend 60k, on a FWD car, when my 4 year old car has a much better drivetrain. No. The next thing that bothered me about the RLX was the interior. First off, the Acuralink system was so hard to use, I couldn't make ends meat with that system. Again, compared to my very simple to use NAV system in my RL. Then you have so many interior omission. No real wood, no perforated leather on the doors(my RL has it). Not to mention for the same money I get a 16-way front seats, and Real wood, and Digital Instument panel on a Hyundai eqqus. Even my 42k Lexus IS has stitched leather in places the RLX doesn't, and a digital instrument panel which the RLX also doesn't. Not to mention the less than intriguing exterior styling.

This is just my two cents. Here I am, a guy who's owned nothing but Acura RLs for the past 10 years. Giving you reason to deter from an RLX. There's a reason I didn't buy one. Sorry for a harsh undertone.

hondamore

I won't take sides in the debate, but it should be pointed out that, back in the day, Acura got a lot of grief on this and other forums for NOT offering a NON AWD option. Now that they offer both, they appear to be getting grief for not having AWD in all the RLX's they build.

If you miss SHAWD in the PAWS RLX, the Sport Hybrid RLX is the perfect car for you. They are hard to find right now, but can be had if you look or can be had if you are patient and wait a few more months.

Finally, I haven't heard any complaints about the suspension of a Sport Hybrid RLX suggesting that it may be the best option for those who love their RL.