The RLX has been Acura’s flagship sedan ever since its introduction back in 2013. Since then the car didn’t really change that much but that hasn’t been a problem until recently. Some of its rivals were completely overhauled so the RLX had to continue without any upgrades. Well, this is finally going to change because the 2018 Acura RLX has been revealed a short while ago. Even though this is nothing more than just a mid-life update, it brings the RLX back into the better cars of its class. One of the only drawbacks we see with this update has to be its mechanical underpinnings. Unfortunately the car was left mostly unchanged which basically means it remains one of the less powerful cars in this class.
2018 Acura RLX Review
The RLX has been Acura’s flagship sedan ever since its introduction back in 2013. Since then the car didn’t really change that much but that hasn’t been a problem until recently. Some of its rivals were completely overhauled so the RLX had to continue without any upgrades. Well, this is finally going to change because the 2018 Acura RLX has been revealed a short while ago. Even though this is nothing more than just a mid-life update, it brings the RLX back into the better cars of its class. One of the only drawbacks we see with this update has to be its mechanical underpinnings. Unfortunately the car was left mostly unchanged which basically means it remains one of the less powerful cars in this class.
Exterior and interior changes
Let’s now move to the exterior of the 2018 Acura RLX which has to be the biggest change over the older model. The basic shape of the car and the glasshouse remained unchanged from the older model. However, the 2018 Acura RLX now offers a brand new front end which is in line with Acura’s latest models. Here it combines their new diamond-shaped 3D grille with a new set of all-LED Jewel-eye headlights. The bumper has also been revised with honeycomb mesh instead of the usual intakes and a subtle splitter. The rear received new LED tail lights and a new bumper sporting a more aggressive exhaust. Another interesting addition is all the chrome now found on the car. In the front, on the sides and at the back, it actually provides a really nice contrast with the rest of the changes, making the RLX one of the classiest and sportiest-looking mid-size luxury cars on the market.
Unfortunately there haven’t been as many changes inside as on the outside. The RLX still boasts the same dual-screen infotainment system as before. On top of that, the look of the dashboard and even the materials are the same as on the older models. The only real change here is the car’s seats. These received new contrasting stitching as well as an entirely new upholstery which make the car’s interior seem a bit more impressive than it was. Luckily the 2018 Acura RLX still manages to offer a well above the average experience and its ride quality is just as good as it always was.
Specs
The base model of the RLX still gets a 3.5 liter naturally aspirated V6 which is good for 310 horsepower and a rather impressive 273 lb-ft of torque. The old 7-speed DCT gearbox on the other hand is now gone. In its place Acura installed Honda’s latest 10 speed automatic which is far better than its predecessor. The hybrid on the other hand remained unchanged. This still boasts the 3.5 liter V6 coupled to three different electric motors. The end result is a total output of 377 horsepower and 341 lb-ft of torque. The more impressive part about this engine has to be its power delivery. Thanks to having three electric motors, it can actually provide a really unique torque-vectoring system which makes the RLX feel quite a bit faster than some of its competitors.
Release date and price
The sale of the 2018 Acura RLX will start in November and the price will be $60,000.
READ MORE ON THIS SITE. https://www.acura.com/future-vehicles/new-2018-acura-rlx
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