Acura RLX

Last updated
Acura RLX (KC1/2)
2017 Acura RLX in Bellanova White Pearl, front left.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Acura (Honda)
Also called Honda Legend (Japan)
ProductionDecember 2012 – June 2020
Model years 2014–2020
AssemblyJapan: Sayama, Saitama (Sayama Plant)
Designer Hideaki Uchino (2009) [1]
Body and chassis
Class Executive car (E)
Body style 4-door sedan
Layout FF / F4 layout (SH-AWD)
Powertrain
Engine 3.5 L Earth Dreams J35Y4 V6
Electric motor 3x Permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors (1x 47 hp Front + 2x 36 hp Rears: Sport Hybrid SH-AWD)
Transmission FWD: (RLX only)
6-speed automatic (2014-17)
10-speed automatic (2018–2020)
Hybrid AWD:
7-Speed DCT Motor-Integrated
Battery Li-Ion
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,850 mm (112.2 in)
Length4,982 mm (196.1 in) (2014 - 2018)
5,032 mm (198.1 in) [2] [3] (2018–2020)
Width1,890 mm (74.4 in)
Height1,465 mm (57.7 in)
1,480 mm (58.3 in) [2] (Legend)
Curb weight 1,800–1,816 kg (3,968–4,004 lb)
1,956–1,977 kg (4,312–4,359 lb) (AWD)
1,990 kg (4,387 lb) [2] (Legend)
Chronology
Predecessor Acura RL

The Acura RLX is a mid-size flagship luxury car manufactured by Honda and sold under their Acura division, released in 2013, succeeding the RL. The RLX was discontinued in 2020.

Contents

Background and development

The Acura Legend was a very successful vehicle to launch Acura as a separate division, and combined with sales of the Integra this resulted in Acura outselling longtime luxury marques BMW and Mercedes-Benz as well as Toyota's new luxury division Lexus. However, the successor RL sold below expectations due to relatively tight interior for its size, the lack of a V8 performance engine option and better handling rear-wheel drive experience, and/or relatively expensive compared to its rivals.[ original research? ]

An October 2009 Car and Driver blog cited a dinner with Acura executives who acknowledged that the introduction of the new, larger, and in some guises, more powerful, fourth generation Acura TL made it difficult to market the then-current RL. In November 2009, an Autoweek article [4] reported that new Honda CEO Takanobu Ito told Automotive News that Acura is going to change course. Speaking of the worldwide economy before the collapse of investment bank Lehman Brothers, Ito said through an interpreter, "Pre-Lehman, we did have the idea to produce more multicylinder engines... I see the future of Acura as a merger of BMW and Audi -- something between high performance and high technology." As a result of this midstream change, Acura will be in a "low-growth period of developing new products," Ito said. "We were thinking that we could come up with glamorous, gorgeous products that would sell. Now, our premium products will be expressed in advanced environmental technologies, rather than glamorous things attached to the product," he said.

RLX Concept

2012 Acura RLX concept 2013 Acura RLX concept -- 2012 NYIAS.JPG
2012 Acura RLX concept

On April 4, 2012, Acura unveiled the RLX Concept, a replacement for the RL sedan, at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. [5] The production model, which changed little from the concept, was unveiled globally at the Los Angeles Auto Show later that year.

History

The RLX went on sale on March 15, 2013. Production of the RL ended at the Saitama facility on June 16, 2012, to begin factory changeover to the RLX. The RLX is offered in two versions, a front-wheel drive base model equipped with All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) four-wheel steering system, and a hybrid variant featuring SH-AWD as Acura's flagship. [6]

RLX Sport Hybrid

The RLX Sport Hybrid debuted at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. [7] Overall vehicle weight was up 357 lbs, with weight distribution (front:rear) improved from 61:39 in non-hybrids to 57:43 in hybrid models. It was offered as the Honda Legend in Japan. US sales began during September 2014, with 250 models produced for the 2014 model year and an additional 250 produced for the 2016 model year.

Powertrain

A direct injected 3.5-liter Earth Dreams V6 using VTEC and Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) coupled with a 6-speed automatic received an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20/30/23 mpg (city/highway/combined) and the maximum output was 310 hp (231 kW) at 6,500 rpm and 272 lb⋅ft (369 N⋅m) of torque at 4,500 rpm. The fuel saving VCM system worked in either 6 or 3 cylinder configurations; the new model used more sophisticated engine mounts which bypassed the need for a 4-cylinder mode which would result in a lower NVH.

Hybrid models featured the VCM capability as well, with an added start-stop system to boost fuel economy as well as the ability to operate entirely on electric power up to 58 miles per hour with light throttle usage. The hybrid also used a 7-speed dual clutch transmission using an integrated 35 kW (47 hp) electric motor, with each rear wheel being powered by a 27-kilowatt (36 hp) electric motor, with 2 rear electric motors total. This setup gave the hybrid a torque vectoring all-wheel drive system with rear wheels strictly electrically powered.

A 72-cell 1.3 kWh 66-pound lithium-ion battery pack was placed behind the rear seat. Total system power output on hybrid was rated at 377 hp (281 kW) at 6,500 rpm and 341 lb⋅ft (462 N⋅m) of torque at 4,700 rpm. EPA estimated fuel economy was improved to 29/30/29 mpg (city/highway/combined). It was given a CARB emissions rating of LEV III SULEV30 compared with the non-hybrid's ULEV-2 ranking.

Chassis

The front subframe was made from aluminum. Front suspension used a double wishbone layout, while the rear was a multi-link with a Precision All Wheel Steer (P-AWS, front-drive models only) system. ZF Sachs (ZF) supplied the "Amplitude Reactive Dampers" with two piston valves per damper. 18-inch wheels were standard, and 19-inch wheels with a noise reducing harmonic construction feature were optional for non-hybrids and standard on hybrids, a feature similar to that used in the previous face-lifted 2011 Acura RL. Suspension tuning was oriented towards the sportier side of comfort.

Interior

Standard perforated leather 12-way (4-way lumbar) front seats were heated and, on the "Advance" option package models, cooled, and rear seat room had been significantly improved. Rear legroom was similar to full size luxury flagship sedans (non-extended wheelbase versions). An 8-inch navigation screen along with a 7-inch touch screen display for audio, climate, and various shortcut controls with AcuraLink were also standard.

An optional flagship 14-speaker Krell audio system replaced the Bose system used on the previous model RL. [8] A mid-level 14-speaker ELS Studio Premium system using Panasonic components was also optional. [9] The base ELS Premium system used 10-speakers.

Hybrid models included an electronic transmission gear selector, heads-up display, acoustic (PVB layered glass for all doors and the windshield, and standard navigation. The 14-speaker ELS Studio Premium system was standard, and the Krell system was optional. GPS-linked climate control, voice recognition, and a keyless access system with a push-button start were also standard.

Exterior

Rear view (Pre-facelift) 2017 Acura RLX in Bellanova White Pearl, rear left.jpg
Rear view (Pre-facelift)

The RLX was the first Acura model to offer standard Jewel-Eye LED headlamps. Each unit uses five separate LED light sources (four low beam, one high beam) with ten polished lenses (eight low beam, two high beam). The headlights no longer swivel through corners as they did on the previous generation RL. The hood, front fenders, and outer door panels are made from aluminum, [10] aluminum use in the RLX saved a total of 79.1 lbs compared with steel components.

The hybrid came standard with LED foglamps.

Safety

All models came standard with a multi-angle rear-view backup camera, Forward Collision Warning system (FCW) and lane departure warning. An automatic braking front precrash system with front seatbelt electronic pretensioners was available, as was a lane keeping assist system and adaptive cruise control. Optional Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Blind Spot Information System and automotive head-up display were available. For 2016, a Surround View camera system was made optional.

Brakes with Brake Hold Control holding the car at a stop without the use of a brake pedal, Electronic Brake Distribution, Brake Assist, an Agile Handling Assist that applies the brakes on the wheels inside a curve, and Vehicle Stability Assist were standard.

IIHS scores [11]
Moderate overlap frontal offsetGood
Small overlap frontal offsetGood1
Side impactGood
Roof strengthGood2
1vehicle structure also rated "Good"
2strength-to-weight ratio: 5.18
2015 RLX NHTSA scores [12]
Overall:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Frontal Driver:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Frontal Passenger:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Side Driver:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Side Passenger:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Side Pole Driver:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg
Rollover:Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg / 9.7%
Pre-facelift Acura RLX (USA) 2014 Acura RLX in black.jpg
Pre-facelift Acura RLX (USA)
Acura RLX P4220663.jpg
2018 Acura RLX P-AWS, rear 2.29.20.jpg
2018 Acura RLX

Facelift

For the 2018 model year, the RLX received a mid-cycle change; sales began in November 2017. The updated RLX incorporated Acura's new design language featuring its diamond pentagon grille, redesigned front and rear fascias, redesigned LED tail lights, LED head lights, a new wheel design, a redesigned hood, and chrome exhaust finishers. Changes to the interior had been made, including a new front seat design, steering wheel, wood trim, and an added Espresso interior color option. RLX featured AcuraWatch suite of safety features as standard, including an Acura first- Traffic Jam Assist and blind spot monitoring. The front-wheel-drive RLX received a new 10-speed automatic transmission. [13] The length grew to 5,032 mm (198.1 in), becoming the longest Honda/Acura sedan to date and the first to exceed 5 metres (16 ft 5 in).

US sales began in November 2017.

Discontinuation

2020 was the final model year for the RLX as the market shifts towards SUV / crossovers. [14] [15] As a result, the TLX became Acura's flagship sedan. Although similar, the RLX is larger than the current TLX. [14] The 2021 TLX will take up an elevated position in the lineup as "the quickest, best-handling and most well-appointed [Acura] sedan". [16]

The Honda Legend, upon which the RLX was based, was initially continued on in other markets, including Japan. In June 2021, it was announced that the Legend would be discontinued at the end of that production year. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura</span> Luxury and performance vehicle brand by Honda

Acura is the luxury and performance division of Japanese automaker Honda, based primarily in North America. The brand was launched on March 27, 1986, marketing luxury and performance automobiles. Acura sells cars in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Kuwait. The company has also previously sold cars in China, Hong Kong, Russia, and Ukraine. Plans to introduce Acura to the Japanese domestic market in the late 2000s did not eventuate due to the financial crisis of 2007–2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Accord</span> Series of automobiles manufactured by Honda

The Honda Accord, also known as the Honda Inspire in Japan and China for certain generations, is a series of automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, best known for its four-door sedan variant, which has been one of the best-selling cars in the United States since 1989. The Accord nameplate has been applied to a variety of vehicles worldwide, including coupes, station wagons, hatchbacks and a Honda Crosstour crossover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura TSX</span> Compact executive car

The Acura TSX is a compact executive car manufactured by Honda and sold through its Acura division from 2003 to 2014. The TSX spanned two generations, both derived from the corresponding Japanese/European versions of the Honda Accord, which were more compact and sporting-oriented than its larger North American counterpart, the latter platform which also used for the Acura TL which slotted above the TSX in Acura's lineup. All TSXs were built in Sayama, Saitama, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura TL</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura TL is an executive car that was manufactured by Acura, the luxury division of Honda. It was introduced in 1995 to replace the Acura Vigor and was badged for the Japanese-market from 1996 to 2000 as the Honda Inspire and from 1996 to 2004 as the Honda Saber. The TL was Acura's best-selling model until it was outsold by the MDX in 2007. In 2005, it ranked as the second best-selling luxury sedan in the United States behind the BMW 3 Series, but sales decreased after the 2008 model year. Four generations of the Acura TL were produced, with the final fourth generation TL premiering in 2008 as a 2009 model and ending production in 2014, when it was replaced together with the TSX by the TLX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Inspire</span> Motor vehicle

The Honda Inspire is a mid-size sedan derived from the Honda Accord chassis. The first Inspire debuted in late 1989 as the Accord Inspire, a sister nameplate to the Honda Vigor. It was sold at different retail channels in Japan, known as Honda Verno for the Vigor/Saber, and as the Inspire at Honda Clio stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura MDX</span> Mid-size luxury crossover SUV

The Acura MDX is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV with three-row seating produced by the Japanese automaker Honda under its luxury Acura division since 2000. The alphanumeric moniker stands for "Multi-Dimensional" luxury. It has ranked as the second-best selling mid-size luxury SUV after the Lexus RX in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura RL</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura RL is a full-size luxury car that was manufactured by the Acura division of Honda for the 1996–2012 model years over two generations. The RL was the flagship of the marque, having succeeded the Acura Legend, and was replaced in 2013 by the Acura RLX. All models of the Legend, RL and RLX lines have been adapted from the Japanese domestic market Honda Legend. The model name "RL" is an abbreviation for "Refined Luxury."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mitsubishi Diamante</span> Motor vehicle

The Mitsubishi Diamante is an automobile that was manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors from 1990 to 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura Legend</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura Legend is a mid-size luxury/executive car manufactured by Honda from Japan. It was sold in the U.S. and Canada under Honda's luxury brand, Acura, from 1985 until 1995 as both a sedan, which was classified as a full-size car, and a coupe, which was classified as a mid-size car. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was the North American version of the KA9 series Honda Legend.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Legend</span> Motor vehicle

The Honda Legend is a series of V6-engined executive cars/mid-size luxury sedans produced by Honda since 1985 which currently serves as its flagship vehicle. It is larger than the Honda Accord. It also provided the basis for the Acura Legend, RL and RLX — the successive flagship vehicles of Honda's luxury Acura division in North America from 1986 until 2020.

Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) is Honda's term for its variable displacement technology, which saves fuel by using the i-VTEC system to disable one bank of cylinders during specific driving conditions—for example, highway driving. The second version of VCM (VCM-2) took this a step further, allowing the engine to go from 6 cylinders, down to 4, and further down to 3 as the computer sees fit. The most recent version of VCM (VCM-3) reverted to the previous 3- and 6-cylinder operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura RDX</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura RDX is a compact luxury crossover SUV produced by Acura, a luxury vehicle division of Honda, as the second crossover SUV offering from the brand after the mid-size MDX. Since it was introduced, it shared its platform with the Honda Civic and CR-V.

Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) is a full-time, fully automatic, all-wheel drive traction and handling system, which combines front-rear torque distribution control with independently regulated torque distribution to the left and right rear wheels. This way the system freely distributes the optimum amount of torque to all four wheels according to the driving conditions." The system was announced in April 2004, and was introduced in the North American market in the second generation 2005 model year Acura RL, and in Japan as the fourth generation Honda Legend.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Vigor</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Accord (North America eighth generation)</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Honda Accord (North America seventh generation)</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura ILX</span> Motor vehicle

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acura TLX</span> Motor vehicle

The Acura TLX is a four-door entry-level luxury sedan sold by Acura, a luxury division of Honda, since 2014. It is the successor to both the TL and TSX models. As of 2021, the discontinuation of the RLX leaves the TLX as the flagship sedan in Acura's lineup.

The A-Spec and Type-S marques represent the high-performance divisions of cars produced by Acura. Acura utilized the Type R marque for their high-performance division of cars from 1997 to 2001, when they produced the Acura Integra Type R. The first vehicle offered as a Type-S variant was the 2001 Acura CL, and the first vehicle offered as an A-Spec variant was the 2003 Acura TL in Canada and the 2002 Acura RSX in the US.

References

  1. USpatent 695646S1,Hideaki Uchino,"Automobile and/or replica thereof",published 2013-12-17,issued 2013-12-17, assigned to Honda Motor Co Ltd.
  2. 1 2 3 "Honda Legend specifications" (PDF). Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  3. “Exterior Dimensions”, RLX 2020, [Fact Sheet] Acura, 2019, p. 10.
  4. "Acura reverses product plans". Autoweek.com. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
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  8. "First Listen: 2014 Acura RLX with Krell Audio - Sound & Vision" . Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  9. "New Cars, Car Reviews, Car Prices and Auto Shows – MSN Autos". Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
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  11. "Vehicle details" . Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  12. "2015 Acura RLX 4 DR FWD" . Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  13. "Acura Reveals Striking New Design for 2018 Acura RLX; Debut Set for Monterey Automotive Week - Acura News". Hondanews.com. 2017-08-10. Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  14. 1 2 "Acura to drop RLX sedan in North America after 2020 model year". Automotive News. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  15. "Acura RLX Luxury Sedan Phased Out over Slow Sales, 2020 is the Final Model Year". 16 May 2020.
  16. "All-New 2021 TLX Elevates Acura Sedan Performance with Turbo Power, Dedicated Platform and Expressive Styling" (Press release). Torrance, California: Acura News. May 28, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  17. Gauthier, Michael (June 17, 2021). "Honda Kills Legend And Odyssey In Japan, America's Minivan Not Impacted". Carscoops. Retrieved June 28, 2021.