Synergy with Style

Acura’s RLX steers into the future.
By Bill Heald

We live in an age when the microchip is sneaking into just about everything we operate, and nowhere has this invasion been more extensive than in the world of high-end sport sedans. It is in these seductive cars that a lot of now-commonplace features (like ABS brakes and stability control) first appeared, and nameplates like Honda’s premium Acura brand have always been flagships bearing the latest technological advancements. While plenty of other manufacturers have been grabbing the spotlight with numerous computer-driven gadgets that are revolutionizing the upscale market, Acura has been busy developing and refining its own electronic advancements with the goal to make this new magic seamlessly integrate into a polished, comfortable, and athletic sedan. The result is the RLX, and what makes this car unique is not just the lengthy list of features, but how Acura does technology in such a seamless fashion. This sedan isn’t the fastest off the line or the quickest down a mountain road, but from the striking Jewel Eye LED headlights to the Precision All-Wheel Steering, this is a machine that goes its own way—surrounding the driver with tools found nowhere else on the road. Acura likes to call the relationship “the synergy between man and machine,” in an effort to expand the advantages of extensive electronic interaction into what used to be a purely mechanical relationship.

The RLX is the most powerful, spacious, and technologically advanced sedan Acura has ever produced, and it has a longer wheelbase than most competitors in the class, giving it a healthy dose of both enhanced passenger space and comfort. Also healthy is the thrust that comes from a 310-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6, which is the company’s first direct-injection mill. The V-6 also features Earth Dreams Technology, which, according to Acura, is characterized by “a next-generation set of technological advancements to the engine, which greatly enhance both driving performance and fuel efficiency.” The front-drive Advance version we sampled (an AWD version is also available) did smooth, dreamy things when we stepped on the gas, with brisk shifting from the six-speed automatic and bold (yet urbane) exhaust music.

Our RLX came with standard Precision All-Wheel Steering, where in addition to the front wheels moving when you steer, the back wheels change angle as well—thanks to electric motors—to enhance cornering response. To be honest, the addition of the rear wheels in the steering process is hard to notice, other than when it results in unusually stable handling and ultra-quick lane transitions. Numerous other driver-assistance systems are also onboard, including Agile Handling Assist (which uses selective wheel braking to maintain your line through a curve), Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control (which can handle stop-and-go traffic), and a multi-angle rearview camera. All this silicon-overlord stuff is there when you need it, but never intrudes on your driving experience, a sign of how delicate the process of electronic-aid integration (as opposed to intrusion) is on such a balanced car. Acura clearly believes that the RLX needs to feel familiar to emphasize that you’re still in charge, especially when driving at the limit.

This is what adopting intelligent technology into complex machines like cars is all about, and it’s something Acura does masterfully. The interior of the RLX uses a broad mix of materials, and the instrument displays retain classic analog dials while also sporting two central LED screens, with the lower unit being a seven-inch multi-use display with touch and voice interaction, and the eight-inch upper screen primarily used for navigation and information display. The latest Accura Link telemetrics inter faces with your web-enabled devices to contribute things like real-time traffic updates into the system, and audiophiles will love the Krell 14-speaker sound system.

All this is found in a machine that has excellent creature comforts, first-class cabin appointments, and a quiet, controlled ride. The computer magic is cool, but it’s great that it stays out of the way unless called to action, so the joy of driving remains blissfully intact.