andysinnh

My wife is about 6 weeks into her ownershp / driving of her '18 RLX Sport Hybrid, and the smile gets bigger each day after returns after her drive to/from work. She thought she'd miss her '12 TL SH-AWD, but that fear is long gone at this point. Perhaps the most surprising thing she's commented on is the MPG's she's seeing. Her route to work brings her through mostly rural roads (30-40 mph), some in-town stop 'n go, and a little bit of 60 mph - about 18 miles each way. In her SH-AWD TL, that route in the warmer months got 25 mpg consistently over her 7 year ownership. Her RLX SH-AWD now has about 2500 on the odometer, and her apples-to-apples MPG so far is between 33-34 mpg. Obviously her driving environment is the sweet spot for the RLX's hybrid mode, but it's just astounding that something so much nicer gives her almost 33 percent improved mileage. Of course she's not hitting the happy pedal too much (and not in sport mode) - but this goes to show what you can get out of this vehicle....

andy

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Sweet. I'm considering the RLX Sport-Hybrid for my next vehicle. It's the only Acura I'd consider at this point. Otherwise I'll be jumping ship to Lexus. I'd be pushing it though so I'm guessing I wouldn't get MPG's quite that good...

George Knighton

I can't remember the lifetime mpg on mine, but the last fill up, I noticed 32.2 mpg over about 380 miles.

Lifetime is a little lower, I think, but I remember that it's over 30.

And I'm not a light foot on the throttle. :-)

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

That's sweet. I use my "B" odometer to keep track of mileage between oil changes and the best I've gotten on my '12 TL is 27mpg, and that's when I'm at around a 70/30 driving mix. Getting 30+ with an extra 80hp sounds pretty good to me. Granted, the RLX is 500lbs. heavier so the acceleration difference might not be night and day.....

Do you find that the RLX SH has a good deal of torque due to the electric motors? Or is it similar to a run-of-the mill Acura/Honda with the J V6?

George Knighton

0-60 is 4.8 if you're using first gear to start. The transmission will always use 2nd to start unless you tell it otherwise.

From a dead standstill when not in sport mode, it takes a while to get used to the fact that you do have instant torque because of the electrics; however, there is a delay in the time it takes for the gasoline motor to start up again. It is just how these cars work.

There is startling midrange performance. Even when not in sport mode, putting your foot down, say, ¾ of the way results in quite a bit of acceleration.

But...again...if you are not in sport mode and floor it, it will take some time for the car to realize that you mean business. It can take a full second when passing a car on a country road for everything to come online, and then for the J Motor to come on the cam.

To be happy with the car and to get maximum performance out of it requires a change in driving styles when compared to your TL.

I had a 2010 4G TL 6-6 SH-AWD that is still one of my favorite all time cars. That was a car designed by Americans for Americans, and if I were you I would consider keeping the car.

The grass is always greener, I know, but the 4G TL is one of the very best Hondas ever made, if you ask me.

:-)

losiglow

iTrader: (1)

Gotcha. Thanks for the info. I plan on keeping my 4G for a good long time. It has nearly 200K on it and drives as good as the day I bought it. Better actually, due to the bolt on's and Ktuner.

andysinnh

If you drive the RLX SH-AWD in a light-foot mode, it will be less responsive than the TL SH-AWD. The setup/weight with the gas motor powering all 4 wheels on the TL is felt more broadly in normal driving. However. If you decide to put your foot into it (whether in sport mode or not) the RLX SH-AWD will scare the crap out of you. During our first test drive of the CPO we bought, I got out on the highway and needed to briskly get into traffic when merging in. After my head got pinned into the headrest I quickly backed off so as to not overshoot the opening I was going for in traffic. :-) When the gas motor and all 3 electric motors are working together, this thing is a beast. Period. :-)

mk5

I have a ~25 mile commute each day and drive in stop-and-go traffic. I usually average about 27 mpg. If I get a stretch when traffic is lighter (summer), that average goes up to 29-31 mpg.

Also, my SH is in for maintenance and I have a TLX loaner (4 cylinder). I also had this same type of TLX before getting the RLX SH. The power difference is shocking. I had my kids with
me and told them to "hang on" while I floored the TLX and my daughter said, "this car is SLOW!" - very anti-climactic.

Acura really should bump up the HP on the next gen TLXs.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

I'm no kid, but it is humorous when on occasion I pull up to a Mustang GT (or something similar in the 400hp range) and surprise the driver when I leap out in front of him and stay there or even pull ahead, and he is clearly trying to keep up. That just doesn't get old even for an older dude. In eco mode the mid-throttle thrust is way more than one would expect, but when everything is engaged in sport mode, lets just say it is very enjoyable and satisfying. My mileage is generally in the 30-31 range with my driving style, traffic and hills around my neck of the woods. It has been in the mid 20's in the winter time and I have seen for short trips in some situations into the mid 40's for mpg in the warmer months. Just yesterday I drove about 11.1 miles with 6.4 miles in EV mode and it returned 41.2mpg for that trip. That isn't unusual. It isn't hard to see mid 30's for typical short 10 mile trips in local under 50mph conditions on country roads. My last TL would be in the 17mpg range for local stuff and maybe 27mpg on the highway by comparison, and it was way slower and less enjoyable.

But when the time is right and my kids are in the car, it is lots of fun to see the look on their faces when I give it "all the beans" as some would say on the show Top Gear. As soon as I drop my hand down to the center console to turn on the sport button, engage M1 and brake hold, my kids tend to say, "oh boy here we go". Enough said.

George Knighton

I would never engage in such reckless behavior.

I mean...certainly not while anybody's looking.

TSX69

I have a 2017 Acura MDX Advance Sport Hybrid and I have noticed that the mileage is much improved in the warmer weather (as is the case with my non-hybrid 2014 RLX as well). Some say there are different fuels during the winter months which I have no idea is true or not, but 1 thing I know for sure about my hybrid, which I assume holds true for the RLX as well, is that it will not kick into electric only mode until the car is warmed up. Obviously, it warms up much quicker in the summer than winter which from what I can tell, is the main factor to the improved mileage. On the same route to/from work I would get ~24-25mpg during the winter but as soon as it warmed up, I was getting ~28-29mpg.