Edmunds’ Inside Line: Acura Future Vehicles Summary

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Acura MDX
  • 2013 Acura MDX: Look for a full redesign of the MDX for the 2013 model year.

Acura NSX
  • 2015 Acura NSX: Acura bragged at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show that it will bring the second-generation NSX to market inside of three years and that it will be developed and built in the USA. Details include a hybrid all-wheel-drive powertrain utilizing a gasoline V6 linked to dual-clutch gearbox housing an electric motor. Additionally, each front wheel will be powered by its own electric motor. That three electric motors packaged in a way yet to been in any performance-focused model.

    More aggressive styling will characterize the all-new NSX which is clearly a two-seater with its gasoline engine mounted transversely behind the cockpit.


Acura RDX
  • 2013 Acura RDX: The second-generation RDX is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 rated at 273 horsepower and mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive version is expected to get EPA fuel-economy ratings of 20 mpg in city driving and 28 on the highway. The five-passenger RDX also gets a longer wheelbase and wider track for enhanced stability and ride comfort, as well as an improved all-wheel-drive system and a new motion-adaptive electronic power steering system. Exterior styling changes are evolutionary.

Acura RL
  • 2014 Acura RL: For the 2014 model year Acura's range-topping RL will offer the choice of gasoline or hybrid powertrains and the cabin space of a BMW 7 Series. Hybrid RLs — if that's the name Acura chooses to use for the new car — will utilize a 3.5-liter V6 paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels while a 20kW electric motor will drive each rear wheel. Gasoline-powered models will be front-drive only.

Acura TL
  • 2012 Acura TL: Fully redesigned in 2009, the Acura TL received a midcycle refresh for the 2012 model year.

Acura TSX
  • 2014 Acura TSX: Look for a full redesign of the TSX for the 2014 model year.

Acura ZDX
  • 2013 Acura ZDX: An all-new vehicle during the 2010 model year, the Acura ZDX will likely get a midcycle refresh around model year 2013.

Article and image courtesy of Edmunds.com.

A warm thanks to Danny for this 5-star review on Google Maps!

"I was met by Darren Mitchell on the way in to the dealership. He was very friendly, but not pushy. Darren found out what I was looking for and brought me out to look at few vehicles that matched my specific criteria. After I looked at a couple of vehicles, Brittany Luna came in and volunteered to help out. They both worked together really well together, trying different options, to get me into a vehicle that I was really pleased with, and helped get the payment options worked into something that we can handle. They both did a great job!" - Danny

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Your Monday Maintenance Tip: Some batteries need water

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If your battery has vent caps, remove them to check the level of the electrolyte. It should rise 1/2 inch (13 mm) above the battery’s top plates. If it doesn’t, use distilled water to raise the level to 1/4 or 3/8 inch (6 or 10 mm) below the bottom of the vent cap. Don’t use tap water, as it may contain minerals that can damage your battery. Mechanics should check your battery as a part of your regularly scheduled maintenance, but they often skip the procedure. Be sure to ask to have it done.

Your Monday Maintenance Tip courtesy of Reader's Digest.

Acura Naming Conventions

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It’s all in a name! In the same year that my Legend surpassed the 500,000 mile mark, the Acura brand surpassed a milestone of its own – that of celebrating 25 years as one of the world’s premier automakers. As the company launches into its next 25 years, a new image is about to unfold – and it will begin with a new naming convention that promises to better define the Acura family of cars.

I had the privilege recently of meeting with Vicki Poponi, Assistant Vice President of Product Planning at American Honda Motor Company, Inc. I’d first met Vicki in Detroit at the North American Int’l Auto Show (NAIAS) back in January and was grateful for her to take a few minutes to answer some of my own questions about the exciting momentum at Acura and the new direction that the company is going.

There were three key things that stood out to me during my conversation with Vicki about Acura’s naming conventions and the meaning behind them.

1) If you look at the word “LUXURY,” the X is at the centre. Acura is, first and foremost, a luxury brand of automobile. Even the ILX as an entry level premium vehicle still brings with it the amenities that we’ve come to expect from Acura. In the next generation of Acura vehicles, “X” will be a common thread in the name of each model. Those who tuned into the recent New York Auto Show watched the RLX reveal – the flagship model now bringing with it that symbol of luxury within its name.

2) A recognizable naming pattern will improve model identification and awareness. Acura’s sedans will all share an “LX” suffix, while the truck lineup will have “DX,” and the NSX rounds out the family as the sporty long awaited supercar that we’re all excited for. In this way, Vicki said, each type of vehicle that Acura offers will share a unified naming convention that brings a sense of belonging. In a world full of acronyms, I agree that this consistent direction will help simplify the “alphabet soup” that we’ve become so accustomed to among luxury car manufacturers and their model names.

3) What about the ILX specifically? Was there any reason this name was chosen for the all-new 2013 entry level premium offering from Acura? YES. Selecting the perfect name for a car is a far more involved process than one would think and it can take months or even years to finalize. The meaning behind “I-L-X” starts with the letter “I”. This car truly is designed with the driver in mind, complete with features that buyers in my demographic are asking for: Smart features! A car as intelligent as its driver. Let’s not forget individualistic and independent. Clearly the “I” was the right choice as the prefix for this sedan.

So, even though the ILX is “Incredible Looking” and “Impressively Luxurious,” the truth is that the I means it’s a car for the individual, the L ties it to Acura’s already great lineup of sedans, and the X rounds out the name as the ultimate center of luXury. The ILX truly lives up to its name. Huge thanks to Vicki for sharing her insight into this unsolved mystery!

Article and image courtesy of Acura Connected.

A big shout-out to the author of this 5-star review on Google Maps!

"I have been a customer of MacChurchill Acura service department since 2007 and have been very pleased with their quality of service. Most recently, I took the vehicle in for a dashboard indicator light and it turned out my seatbelt sensor was not detecting the buckled status, which apparently is a lifetime warranty though my car is a 2005 TSX. The cost was free and required 1.5 hours of my time. Taylor, Kim, and Moses have helped me all the times I have taken my car in for service and, IMHO, they exemplify excellent customer service. I also give thanks and gratitude to the folks in the back who do the hard manual labor. All too often, people review when they have unsatisfactory service and those of us who have great service never give reviews. Well, here's to you MacChurchill Acura!" - Ajane88

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Proud Acura Owners

What’s your Acura story? Ann M. told us hers:

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"We are definitely an Acura family of cars. We have had 3 RLs, 5 MDXs, and 1 ZDX. Our current cars are a 2005 RL, a 2011 MDX, and a 2011 ZDX.

There is no finer car on the road. The handling is remarkable, the features and benefits in the car amaze us, and the quality treatment of our dealership has always kept us coming back. I even bought my mom a Honda.

Our cousin loved my husband's MDX so much that, two weeks ago, he traded his Infiniti for an MDX. He wanted something larger and loved the maneuverability. Our dealership, over the years, has given us excellent service.

We live in an area of Mercedes, BMW, Range Rovers, and Lexus. Our neighbors always ask us, "Why an Acura?" We tell them, "It's the best car around with style, features, and luxury. Why would we buy anything else?"

Ann M.'s story and image courtesy of Celebrate Acura.