Chariot

Mom's Taxi: Quiet, comfortable driving experience from Acura

For many years, Acura's most popular model in the line-up has been the TSX. It gets the nod because its pricing -- from $20,000 to $30,000 -- is considered "entry premium." In other words, its pricing may be seen as an affordable first step for those whose goal is to own a car with a luxury name tag, but without the hefty price tag.

These TSX cars underwent a complete makeover for 2011, and for 2012 the line-up receives an additional model: the Special Edition. This version is a sporty, spunky car that Acura hopes will attract the attention of young professionals, ages 28 to 34 years old.

All Acura TSX models received plenty of upgrades for the 2011 model year, and just a few refinements for the 2012 models. Initial redesign efforts included changes to the exterior design, improved quality touches throughout, an increased focus on cabin quiet and more fuel-efficient engines. For 2012, there is more cargo space in the TSX Sport Wagon, and an available power tailgate.

And then there is this new TSX Special Edition, with its sport-leaning attitude. It is available in either a 4-cylinder or a V-6, but who needs all the extra horses when the 4-cylinder is this incredibly responsive? Just asking.

The Acura's new look starts with changes to the front fascia and "chin spoiler," the addition of fog lights and an updated grille. At the rear, you'll find a new taillight and rear license plate design.

TSX models with the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine receive standard

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17-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels; models with the 3.5-liter V6 engine get 18-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels.

Acura puts an emphasis on cabin comfort and quiet, and it is apparent in the TSX. It's nice to not have to compete with roadway noise as you chat with your rear seat passengers. To make their cabins even more sound-resistant, Acura added new acoustic glass in the front windshield, even thicker side glass, more sound-deadening insulation and improved floor mats and underfloor covers.

Interior changes include a newly styled front console, updated parking brake handle and enhancements to the door handles and the steering wheel. It's also a little more comfortable for rear seat passengers, as heating and cooling vents have been added to the rear of the center console.

Standard safety features on board the 2012 Acura TSX Special Edition begin with dual stage air bags for driver and front passenger, side curtain air bags, and state-of-the-art braking technology in the form of Vehicle Stability Assist, Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist, and Anti-Lock Braking systems. Front headrests are active, which should help reduce whiplash injury potential, and the whole car is built on the enhanced ACE body structure that also includes reinforced side impact door beams.

Our test car came with such nice-to-have standard amenities as leather seats, XM Satellite Radio, a driver recognition memory system and eight-way power seats that were also heated, and power windows with an automatic up/down feature.

The test car also had a premium sound system that included seven speakers.

Seating in the Acura TSX is comfortable in all positions, although the rear seat might be tight for three adults. Visibility for all is also good, no matter where you are seated. The trunk is good sized and easily handled a load of suitcases.

The Acura TSX Special Edition's fuel economy is rated at 21 mpg for city driving and 29 mpg for highway driving.

Overall, we found the 2012 Acura TSX Special Edition to be a really fun car to drive. It is quiet, comfortable and nice to look at. Constantly on-the-go parents, or commuters, will certainly enjoy their time on the road in this car.

How to Remove Corrosion From a Car Battery

2013 Acura RDX

2013 Acura RDX

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Innovative Acura ILX Car Installation

2012 Acura TL Shines in New IIHS Crash Test

The 2012 Acura TL and Volvo S60 shine in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new small overlap frontal crash test.

But the 2012 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus IS 250/350, Audi A4 and Lexus ES 350 earned "poor" ratings.

The 2012 Infiniti G earned an "acceptable" rating, while the Acura TSX, BMW 3 Series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC get "marginal" ratings, the IIHS said on Tuesday.

The test results may be disconcerting to consumers because only three of the 11 midsize and near-luxury cars evaluated earn good or acceptable ratings in the new crash test.

"Structurally, the Volvo S60 was the best" among cars tested, the IIHS said. The Lexus IS had "up to 10 times as much occupant compartment intrusion as the Volvo," test results revealed.

"When the Volkswagen CC was put to the test, the driver door was sheared off its hinges," the IIHS noted. "The CC is the first vehicle the Institute has ever evaluated to completely lose its door." The Audi A4's door opened during the test, but "remained attached to the car."

The new test is designed "to replicate what happens when the front corner of a car collides with another vehicle or an object like a tree or utility pole," the IIHS said in a statement.

"Outside of some automakers' proving grounds, such a test isn't currently conducted anywhere else in the United States or Europe," said the IIHS, which calls the test "the next step in improving frontal crash protection.

The new test was initiated in response to the fact that there are "more than 10,000 deaths in frontal crashes each year," the IIHS said.

"Small overlap crashes are a major source of these fatalities," said Adrian Lund, Institute president, in a statement. "This new test program is based on years of analyzing real-world frontal crashes and then replicating them in our crash test facility to determine how people are being seriously injured and how cars can be designed to protect them better."

Inside Line says: As automakers make adjustments to vehicles so that they will perform better in this new test, experts expect the safety additions will add more to the bottom line.

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2013 Acura ILX 2.4

Timing may not be everything, but it counts for a lot. If Honda hadn’t first dumbed down its compact mainstay, the Civic, we might have expected more from a little Acura based on it. And if Acura hadn’t built this car once before, we might not have expected another good little sedan.

To Acura’s credit, the ILX reminds us more of the brand’s arguably most successful downsizing venture, the first-generation TSX, than of the dowdified Civic. On paper, the similarities between the original 2004 TSX and this car are too hard to ignore.

Same wheelbase. Same basic tires. Same interior volume, give or take a cubic foot. And a similar feel as long as you’re not pushing it. Or turning.

The ILX tested here even uses the six-speed manual and VTEC-equipped 2.4-liter four-cylinder from TSX v1.0, albeit with gearing variations and a slight bump in the compression ratio that yields a skosh more output. (The base ILX’s 150-hp four and the hybrid model—are decidedly less TSX-y.)

The 2.4 is still offered in the now-larger TSX, a car that has us asking: If a sedan bloats in the forest, how long until another small car takes its place? And will anyone remember its alphanumeric designation? But we digress. The 2.4-liter is also used in the latest Civic Si, where it replaces a rev-happier 2.0-liter—not necessarily what the Civic faithful wanted, but its smoother power delivery suits the Acura nicely. The ILX, sadly, does not inherit the Si’s limited-slip differential.

Whereas the original TSX begged you to play, though, the ILX asks politely, then keeps quiet when you show no interest.  Actually, it never quite keeps all that quiet. In sixth gear, the engine is buzzing like it’s in fourth. In fourth, it makes you want to hurry up and shift to sixth. The engine isn’t even halfway to its 7100-rpm redline at 80 mph, but the aural feedback suggests otherwise. It also suggests, inaccurately, that this engine has a turbo feeding it. Weirdness.

The ILX’s electric power steering gives a superb sense of straight-ahead, but there’s more oddity when you turn the wheel—everything goes light, then loads up unnaturally. A few sawing motions will send the slow steering, the front tires, and the rear end all out of phase, which only serves to highlight the comfort-oriented suspension’s disconnection from reality. And as with that original TSX, grip from a set of Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 tires falls off earlier than we’d like.

Dynamic malfeasance aside, we do have to thank Acura for thinking of real drivers when it came to configuring ILX variants. The 2.4-liter model is the only one that comes with a manual, and it comes only with a manual. The wonderful transmission borrowed from the Si is topped by that car’s beautifully precise little shifter, minus the red trim. There are no options here, either. You’ll get a nicely fitted cabin sans navigation and like it. Row your own gears and plan your own routes. Practically everything else in the cabin is powered and/or automatic, as it damn well should be in a car costing 30 large.

Ballooning mustn’t necessarily be followed by ballooning; this ILX weighs less than 3000 pounds while that first TSX was just shy of 3250. So, with the same basic engine, the ILX has an accelerative advantage—60 mph comes in 6.9 seconds instead of the 7.2 required of a 2004 TSX. Its braking distance from 70 mph is likewise better, by seven feet. No doubt some of the mass shed was in the form of sound deadening; the original TSX was much quieter in all of our sound-level measures.

The TSX was lauded when it came out, and for good reason: It was good. This almost-second coming follows its path, if not exactly its footsteps. 

How To Change A Flat Tire

There’s no sound  as disheartening to a driver than the flop flop of a flat tire. They always seem to come at inconvenient times, too. But to a person who knows how to change a flat, that flopping noise is a chance to display his self-sufficiency.

Just like knowing how to jumpstart a car, knowing how to change a flat tire is a skill everyone should possess. It will save your own butt when you’re out on some lonely stretch of highway and come in handy when helping a damsel in distress or a hapless traveler on the side of the road. Follow these steps and you’ll back on the road in no time.

 

Tools needed: Spare tire, jack, lug wrench.

1. Park your car on a flat surface. If you get a flat while on the road, pull your car as far away from traffic as possible . Make sure to put on the emergency brake. It’s also recommended to put a block on the tire opposite of the flat tire. Put to use that fruitcake from Aunt Gertie you’ve been toting around in the trunk. Here’s a blocking example: if your right rear tire is flat, put the block on the front left tire.

2. Remove the hubcap. If your car has a hubcap, remove it so you can get to the lug nuts. Use the hubcap to hold the nuts, just like the dad in A Christmas Story. Just don’t let your kid hold the hubcap or he’ll lose them and drop the F-bomb.

3. Loosen the nuts. Grab your lug wrench and place it on the flat tire’s lug nuts. Loosen them up by turning them counterclockwise. The nuts are probably on there really tight, so you’ll have to use all your man strength to unscrew them. Loosen the nuts a few turns, but don’t take any of them off yet!

4. Place the jack underneath your car. Check your owner’s manual for the correct placement of the jack. Turn the hand crank at the end of the jack to raise the jack until it comes into contact with your car’s frame. Make sure it’s touching a sturdy spot.

5. Jack it up! Start cranking the jack until the wheel is high enough above the ground to remove the tire.

6. Remove the flat. Remove the lug nuts from the wheel. You should be able to do it by hand because you’ve already loosened them. Remove the flat tire and lay it flat. You don’t want the wheel to roll into traffic during rush hour and cause a thirty car pile-up.

7. Slap on your spare. Take your spare tire and line up the lugs, or bolts, with the holes in the wheel and slide the wheel on. Once the wheel is on, take your lug nuts and tighten them by hand until you meet firm resistance.

8. Lower the car. Lower the jack until the wheel is firmly on the ground.

9. Finish tightening your lug nuts. These babies must be on super tight so the wheel doesn’t come flying off while driving to the tire shop to get the flat fixed. So you need to unleash the super power of the star pattern to get those lugs tighter than a deer tick. Use this tightening pattern if you have five bolts on your wheel. Start with any lug nut and then follow this pattern:

If your car has four, use this pattern:

Acura ILX All Access Ride & Drive Event

Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

It seems that all the info is about the VW side of things. I had an Acura regularly serviced there. The staff are very friendly and have always been willing to help when I bring my kids with me and have to do transfers from my car to the loaner (child seats, strollers, etc). The lounge area could be a bit better, they should spend some money in offering fresh fruit, maybe some fresh cookies, it is after all a premium brand car. I am not sure if they have it, but a loaner computer or tablet (I've never seen it) would be convenient for people to check their emails or things that cannot be checked in their phones. How about a play area for kids like the one in the VW side? I also purchased a car form them. Rudy was top notch, no pressure and read my wife and I very well, suggested the right accessories for us, and simply was in sync. Tarek (manager?) was a straight shooter and was easy to talk to and negotiate with...maybe just a bit pushy, but I get that they are trying to sell cars. Most of the negotiations were done before going to the dealer (set price) and I simply went and test drove the car I wanted, they appraised my old one and two days later I took delivery of my first brand new car. The only negative part about that experience for me was the wait time at the finance department (had to go to the VW side, I think that they were short staffed that day), I was expecting a quick in and out experience and it took a lot longer than expected. I will definitely go back, and will definitely buy a car from them again (provided that the price is right).-William

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Acura adds entry-level compact

Acura's newest sedan, the 2013 ILX, looks good, is fuel-conscious and has a controlled, comfortable ride.

But its base retail price, including destination charge, is only $26,795. This is $4,110 below the previous lowest-priced Acura, the 2012 TSX compact sedan that starts at $30,905.

Best of all, the ILX isn't a barebones Acura. The starting price includes noteworthy standard features such as moonroof, six-speaker audio system, 5-inch color information display on the dashboard, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, dual, automatic climate control, keyless entry and push-button start.

Also standard: A Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging feature that can read text messages to the driver and respond to each message with one of six pre-set replies, such as, "Talk to you later, I'm driving." A driver must have a compatible device, such as a Blackberry, to tie in to this feature.

Acura officials said the new ILX is designed to attract young buyers to the luxury brand, which is part of Honda.

In fact, most drivers wouldn't have a clue the ILX is based on the Honda Civic, a compact car that has been a staple of young people in the United States for years.

But the ILX is much more than a revamped Civic. While the ILX uses the Civic's front-wheel drive platform, there's not a single piece of metal on the outside that's from the Civic. In fact, the ILX is a bit longer and wider than a Civic sedan.

The interior is all Acura, with good use of textures and materials and thoughtful design of controls to craft a pleasing passenger compartment. The ILX suspension, which gives the five-seater a composed ride, is better than the Civic's, too. Extra sound insulation makes the ILX interior far quieter than a Civic, as well.

The manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, is for a base, five-passenger ILX with 150-horsepower, four cylinder mated to a five-speed automatic transmission.

There's no manual transmission for the base engine. But a 201-horsepower four cylinder mated to a six-speed manual transmission is available on a ILX Premium model for a starting retail price of $30,095.

There is no automatic transmission for this higher-powered version of ILX. But this model comes with standard heated, leather-trimmed seats, larger, 17-inch wheels and tires and high-intensity discharge headlights.

A third ILX model is a gasoline-electric hybrid — Acura's first — that has a starting MSRP, including destination charge, of $29,795.

The ILX Hybrid, with hybrid technology similar to the Civic's, has a federal government fuel economy rating of 39 miles per gallon in city driving and 38 mpg on the highway.

This compares with 24/35-mpg rating for the ILX with 150-horsepower four cylinder and 22/31-mpg rating for the ILX with 201-horsepower engine.

For the record, the test ILX non-hybrid model with 201-horse engine and manual six speed averaged 28 mpg in city/highway travel, without the driver trying to conserve fuel. This 28 mpg is 12 percent higher than the government's city/highway rating of 25 mpg for this model, and translated into a range of nearly 370 miles on a single tank of fuel.

Note: Acura recommends but does not require premium unleaded gasoline for the ILX.

Acura officials compare the ILX to other entry-level luxury compacts, such as the 2012 Audi A3, which has a starting retail price of $28,145 with 200-horsepower, turbocharged four cylinder and manual transmission.

But many mainstream cars — even mid-size sedans with a fair amount of amenities — fit into the ILX price range.

For example, a mid-size, 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid has a starting retail price of $29,570, which is only $225 less than the ILX Hybrid's base price. The base Fusion Hybrid, however, doesn't include a moonroof, while the ILX Hybrid does.

The test ILX Premium model had a lightness to the electric steering that was noticed but not troubling.

The most surprising experience in the ILX: How confidently the car handled in curves and turns. It tracked solidly and felt stable on the road, even in emergency situations.

The 2.4-liter, double overhead cam four cylinder in the tester is the same one that's in Acura's slightly larger TSX sedan. Power came on quickly and the car moved through traffic with pep. Torque peaks at 170 foot-pounds at 4,400 rpm.

The six-speed manual in the tester moved smoothly and precisely from gear to gear in satisfying fashion and was so pleasurable, the driver didn't feel a need to use the standard paddle shifters.

There was little wind noise, but some road noise came through to passengers.

Rear-seat legroom of 34 inches was fine for me — someone 5 feet 4 — and there's hardly a hump in the middle of the rear floor. But three adults back there would sit touching each other.

Everyone in the ILX rests on comfortable cushions that have some give as well as support. Everyone has a head restraint, too.

Standard safety equipment includes antilock brakes, front, side-seat and curtain air bags, traction control and electronic stability control.

Fun touches: A driver can select the color for the background of the information display on the dashboard, and Pandora radio interface is standard.

Interestingly, the ILX test car had a memorable "clean" smell inside. It was pleasant but not the usual chemical-laden "new car smell."

The styling of the ILX also turned heads.

 

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Thanks to this wonderful author for writing up a great review!

"I hate salesmen (I am one) and I hate car salesmen. I told my wife on the way up from Richmond "we'll be driving home in the same car we came in and I'll be in a bad mood". I expected the standard bs artist salesman talking a load of bull and was more than surprised to find the opposite when we met with Melvin Cygan. Not only did he honor the price we had discussed online, he gave me more than I wanted for my trade-in (and I am definitely a sell-it-yourself kind of guy).
He had the shop fix a couple of minor items that bothered us and let us drive home in a late-model MDX with dvd so my kids would be happy. He then had a driver bring us the Odyssey we bought and retrieve the MDX from Richmond and we didn't even' have to pay for gas.
Out of habit, I will still shop for cars being sold by the owner, but I will be quick to consider dealing with Melvin again the next time I need a car. It's nice to be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and my 8-yr. old son says it's a good store because they give you lemonade for free!"-Willson

A look at Acura future products

Acura is in the middle of a major product changeover, reflecting plans to challenge second-tier luxury rivals Audi, Buick, Infiniti and Volvo rather than Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Lexus.

Acura has launched the ILX compact sedan and redesigned the RDX compact crossover. It will redesign the RL flagship this fall and make changes to the MDX crossover and TL mid-sized sedan in 2013.

Acura will lead the technology revolution for Honda Motor as the new Earth Dreams engine family is installed in all future vehicles. Also, Acura is moving toward increased use of seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions in addition to its basic six-speed automatic. More models also will get hybrid versions.

ILX: Acura returned to the entry-luxury sedan segment this spring. But already criticism that the base 2.0-liter engine is underpowered may lead to a mid-cycle swap-out for the 2.4-liter, 181-hp Earth Dreams engine, or an automatic transmission for the 200-hp 2.4-liter from the Civic Si. Company sources say, in response to rumors on the Internet, that there are no plans for a coupe variant.

TSX: Within Acura there is talk that the TSX will go away after its normal model cycle ends next year. But don't be surprised if limited production continues, because the TSX's V6 version doesn't cannibalize the ILX's four-cylinder offerings.

TL: A redesign comes next spring, still sharing the Accord's underpinnings. Because the TL is too close in footprint to the RL, expect a shorter wheelbase and overall length, moving it closer to the soon-to-depart TSX. The big change will be addition of the Earth Dreams engine, a 3.5-liter V6 with 310 hp and 265 pounds-feet of torque. This is 30 more hp and 11 more pounds-feet than the outgoing 3.5-liter engine in the TL. A hybrid version will also be available, sharing the same parts as the Honda Accord Hybrid and with a fuel economy rating of around 45 mpg.

RL: A redesign comes in fall, and the Earth Dreams V6 from the base TL is the base engine. It will be teamed with a front-wheel-drive transmission and a four-wheel-steering system. The base model is expected to weigh under 4,000 pounds thanks to extensive use of aluminum and high-strength steel.

The RL will have an optional 3.5-liter direct-injection V6 engine with variable valve timing, combined with Honda Motor's Sport Hybrid All-Wheel Drive system. The improved engine puts out more than 370 hp, using a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The redesigned car is about the same length as the current RL, but with a wheelbase two inches longer. Both the track and vehicle width will increase by about two inches.

RDX: The crossover was redesigned this spring. The big change: A V6 replaced the turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

ZDX: Sales are sliding for the MDX variant, but since it costs relatively little to produce it alongside the MDX, it might remain in the lineup as a special-order vehicle until the next MDX arrives.

MDX: The mid-sized crossover is scheduled for a redesign next fall and will stay on the Pilot/Odyssey platform. Don't expect much change in size, but definitely look for a dialing back of the "beak" grille. It will get the same Earth Dreams 310-hp V6 engine as the TL.

NSX: By 2014, Honda will hand-build the Acura sports car on a small-scale assembly line at the company's r&d facility in Ohio. The NSX will be as much about technology as performance. Instead of a monster engine, it will have a compact, direct-injection V6 teamed with a lithium ion battery pack. The "Sport Hybrid All-Wheel Drive" system uses two integrated drive units at the rear wheels connected to a motor-generator that delivers power.

The NSX will be developed at Honda r&d in Ohio.