Acura Refreshes a Car

[rage2]

http://www.beyond.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Acura-ILX-LA-2014-10-550x310.jpg

http://www.beyond.ca/acura-refreshes-a-car/48365.html

[ExtraSlow]

Do you guys have new writers this week, or are you all experimenting with some new pharmaceuticals?

[Disoblige]

I read a little bit of the article, then go, "wtf.." Then look at who wrote it.. Then go, "Ahh ok, makes sense." It's all the ones Matt wrote that I do that. Matt's like the only one who makes it super personal lol.

[RX_EVOLV]

For some reason when I read the title of this thread, I hear Jeremy Clarkson's voice narrating it like a Top Gear Intro

[JRSC00LUDE]

They took an ugly car and made it uglier. Way to step up your game Honda. Who's the target demographic, hairlips?

[Mibz]

Can't tell if you guys like the writing style or not, haha. I swear I can change!

[01RedDX]

.

[JRSC00LUDE]

Originally posted by Mibz
Can't tell if you guys like the writing style or not, haha. I swear I can change!

I think that's the best thing you've ever written. Seriously. Don't stop.

[ercchry]

i say more booze before writing, it can only get better with more booze... right?

[rage2]

Originally posted by 01RedDX
It's harelips, HARE lips.

http://i.imgur.com/CD3Few2.jpg
:rofl:

People are staring at me laughing to myself in my office.

[schocker]

I like it. Would have been better if it had come with the rumored awd though. The engine is decent for it until they roll out some turbos to replace it. The new styling direction is much better than the beak days though especially those headlights :drool:

[GTS4tw]

Why do all the car show pictures look so cartooney?

[max_boost]

Originally posted by Disoblige
I read a little bit of the article, then go, "wtf.." Then look at who wrote it.. Then go, "Ahh ok, makes sense." It's all the ones Matt wrote that I do that. Matt's like the only one who makes it super personal lol. haha I like his style.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Mibz
Can't tell if you guys like the writing style or not, haha. I swear I can change!

I like it. It's how I would write them hahaha

[Sugarphreak]

...

[speedog]

That dash/steering wheel? It's just bad.

http://www.beyond.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Acura-ILX-LA-2014-17.jpg

[tehwegz]

No, the lighting is bad. Put a BMW interior in that lighting, it will look just as bad.

Worst picture ever. And that better not be a finished production car. That dead pedal belongs on my Integra. I want that dead pedal.

[benyl]

the lighting is bad, but so is the interior.

Acura is so far from a luxury brand it isn't even funny. It's sad really.

Opening the hood on this car was an interesting experience. You couldn't find the release at the front very easily. Kenny almost lost his fingers as I nearly dropped the hood expecting struts to hold the damn thing up.

There was no High level open setting for the hood rod to go into and even the one hole it went into didn't fit properly.

When closing, I dropped the hood from about 8 inches, which normal closes and locks any other "luxury" hood at the show. Not the Acura. I had to palm it shut.

It's lipstick on a pig.

[Neil4Speed]

Originally posted by benyl
the lighting is bad, but so is the interior.

Acura is so far from a luxury brand it isn't even funny. It's sad really.


Acura is not "luxury" brand by their own definition. Its a brand centered around driving experience, technology, performance and design (weather they achieve this or not is another story). They sell a "luxury car" in the RLX, but that doesn't define the brand. Is Hyundai now a luxury brand because they sell the Equus?

ILX is based on a civic, and just like all of its predessors are not designed to be luxury cars, so why did you expect that from it?

[Mibz]

Originally posted by Neil4Speed
Acura is not "luxury" brand by their own definition.

ILX is based on a civic, and just like all of its predessors are not designed to be luxury cars, so why did you expect that from it? I don't know where you got that idea. Attend an Acura press conference and your tune will change. They claim they're a premium/luxury brand and their own hype is why we expect more from them.

[Manhattan]

Acura is practical luxury and they make decent cars at a good price. Every other car I see around town is a RDX or MDX. But I'm not buying an Acura til they change the godamn grill. :banghead:

[mrsingh]

I can't say I am a fan of the ILX, but I am always sad to see another good manual transmission die off. :(

[Mibz]

Originally posted by Manhattan
Acura is practical luxury What does "practical luxury" mean, other than "cheap and shiny"?

[Manhattan]

Just means you get luxury features like some chrome detailing, sportier design, leather some extra gadgets on the side and slightly improved power without breaking the bank. It's cheaper than the Lexus IS, 3 series, A4.

You could say that Acura is just a pretty Honda, which it is. But it's still more fun to drive than a Lexus 250.

[benyl]

The problem I have with your statements is that the Honda accord exudes much more luxury.

[schocker]

Originally posted by benyl
The problem I have with your statements is that the Honda accord exudes much more luxury.
Acura/Lexus/Caddy are Tier 2 luxury and MB/Audi/BMW are tier 1 :D

[rage2]

I would put Lexus as tier 1. Some of their new cars are much nicer than the entry level bargain luxury cars from the 3 German brands.

[schocker]

Originally posted by rage2
I would put Lexus as tier 1. Some of their new cars are much nicer than the entry level bargain luxury cars from the 3 German brands.
Those are just the fakerich models though so they don't count :D

[max_boost]

I was interested in the ILX until I read the review so thanks Mibz lol

I think my next daily will probably be an entry level Lexus haha hopefully they have some budget baller friendly leases!

[Mibz]

First of all, both the Civic and Accord have sportier design than the ILX and TLX. I'm not sure why you would connect sporty design with luxury anyway. By that definition, my BRZ is the height of luxury. If chrome trim is on your list then modded 300Cs and Grand Cherokees are the pinnacle of class. Slightly improved power? Over what? It's got the same power as the top model Civic.

So we're left with leather and technology. I agree that these are two things I expect in a luxury car, but they are not the sole criteria, nor is Acura near the top of the field when it comes to these.

Are the ILX and TLX more luxurious than the Civic and Accord? Kinda.
Does that make Acura a luxury and/or premium brand? No.
Does their lack of status make their cars bad? Absolutely not.

They fit a niche which is packed with people. You'd be fighting an uphill battle trying to convince anyone that Acura makes useless vehicles, but you're doing the same trying to convince anybody they're a luxury brand anywhere near the likes of the Germans.

EDIT: I had to be reminded today that I like modern Lexus interiors, haha. I said that Lexus was closer to Acura than Audi in terms of luxury but then remembered sitting in a lot of them in, I think, Detroit this year and being very impressed. I can't comment on their driving feel but the interior is definitely the best of the Japanese brands IMO.

[Sugarphreak]

...

[killramos]

Originally posted by rage2
I would put Lexus as tier 1. Some of their new cars are much nicer than the entry level bargain luxury cars from the 3 German brands.

:werd: My 2 series isnt the same ballpark as an LS Lexus, those are arguably nicer than the bmw 7. In fact i would say BMW's focus is far from luxury these days. MB still has it.

For Tier 2 I would toss Infiniti there :dunno:

I would go as far as saying that Acura is more inline with Volkswagen in some ways.

[ercchry]

i think all these brands need to be sent down a teir... because rolls and bentley

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by Manhattan
Acura is practical luxury and they make decent cars at a good price. Every other car I see around town is a RDX or MDX. But I'm not buying an Acura til they change the godamn grill. :banghead:

Practical (cheap) luxury has been taken over by the Koreans.

Lexus has IS, RC, LS, GS which are unique and not found in Toyota lines. All Acura has is Accords and Civics. Hope the new NSX, whenever it shows up will help them revamp the image.

[Mibz]

Originally posted by ercchry
i think all these brands need to be sent down a teir... because rolls and bentley Those aren't luxury cars, they're opulent.

[sneek]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
So really Acura isn’t a pure luxury brand, it is more of a entry-level luxury brand. I think that works for them, because it gives them a really nice market niche… people that buy these cars want more than the basic brands, but they also are looking for value… and Acura brings reliability to the table which is one of the biggest factors for people hunting in that market. Once you cross over into pure luxury, nobody cares about reliability any more… except maybe fake ballers.

:thumbsup: Nailed it. I have always thought the Acura lineup to be just the next trim level up from your average Honda.

The ILX is a great car for those who drove a civic their entire life and now want something just a little bit nicer. That is really all it is. It takes away the tacky 2 tier digital dash and replaces it with some clean and simple gauges. I doubt any ILX owners cross shopped it with a Lexus IS. Most probably cross shopped with a Civic EX-L Navi/Touring or fully loaded Corolla.

The biggest upgrade from Honda in their lineup is the MDX. The new MDX is far nicer than the Touring Pilot. Sadly a Pilot Touring costs the same as the MDX with Tech Package.

[schocker]

^^^ No one would cross shop an ilx and is?
I would take a TLX awd over an is though for sure. It is a super nice car.
I have a tsx and it is like ehhhh it is ok, much better than my infiniti I had before they learned to do a decent interior.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Mibz
Those aren't luxury cars, they're opulent.

which is just a fancy word for super luxurious :rofl:

[rMBA13]

I'll take the ILX because it has the best value for cars in its class

[tehwegz]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Practical (cheap) luxury has been taken over by the Koreans.

Lexus has IS, RC, LS, GS which are unique and not found in Toyota lines. All Acura has is Accords and Civics. Hope the new NSX, whenever it shows up will help them revamp the image.

The K900 sold extremely poorly. The 5.0 Genesis is pretty nice though.

Lexus is just awesome. Pure awesome. Interiors look and feel out of this world. I love them more than any German car, speaking strictly luxury. Performance is great too, the new IS's all handle like Evo X's as far as I could tell, but with comfort, and if IS350, nice torque.

Lexus also retains value like no other. Just had a browsing through since I love the new IS250/350 and wondered how much a lightly used cost. A lot still, apparently. Probably the most "spreadsheet" friendly vehicles. Reliable, quality, etc.

They certainly are earning back what they were known for in the early 90's when they established a whole new benchmark for which the other competing luxury car manufacturers had to match or exceed.


Now Acura, they really need to market and implement their SH-AWD system all across the line up. It really is a great AWD system that would go up there with Quattro. ILX, TLX, RLX. They need to bring a coupe or two back, and the Type S line. Their SUV's are pretty solid IMO. Always thought the MDX was a solid buy. Instead of going RWD, they show their stubbornness and instead put 4WS/active yaw control to try and mimic RWD in a FWD e.g. in the RLX. But great effort, just not enough for most people. Holds their value almost like Lexus.

Now the Swedes: Volvo is supposed to be making a huge come back to North America. They have their T5 AWD's which also need some serious marketing/implementing. Polestar = I'm excited to see what they bring to the table in the near future.

Ford is pouring $2B into making Lincoln stand-alone, because you think Acura is bad, Ford-Lincoln is 10x worse at the moment for whoring platforms.

Lastly, BUICK. Forget Cadillac and their stupid touch activated center stacks. Buicks are some of the most sold vehicles in China. And that says a lot about affordable luxury, which Buick has a strong foot-hold in. The new Buick Regal AWD 2.0T Turbo is actually pretty cool, and for $45k isn't that bad a value.