Test Drive Now 2014 Acura RLX Video Review by Drive Time with Steve Hammes

The Acura RL has long since been the dark horse in the luxury midsize segment. So when it came time to redesign an all-new model, they seized the opportunity to breathe new life into their flagship. The result is the 2014 RLX.

No longer happy with just 2 letters, these days everything’s getting an ‘X’ at Acura. And though an all-wheel drive hybrid model is on its way, this RLX lets the 19” front wheels do the driving. Apparently tired of fielding complaints about the previous car’s small dimensions, the RLX now provides the longest rear-seat legroom and best front and rear shoulder room in the luxury midsize class…yes that’s aimed at you Mercedes E-Class. And with 15 cubic feet of trunk room, it’s bigger back here, too.

Though they’re still opposed to using 2 camshafts for each cylinder bank, Acura does debut their first direct-injected engine here and it’s a beauty. This 3.5-liter motor is rated at 310 horsepower and 272 pound feet of torque with over 90% of it available over a very wide rev range. So it’s smaller, but more powerful and fuel efficient than the 3.7-liter engine it replaces. Also forgoing the 7, 8 and 9-speed transmissions available today, the RLX sticks with 6 automatic gears and is equipped with a spirited sport mode and paddle shifters. Gas mileage is rated at 20mpg city/31mpg highway on premium.

There’s nothing really groundbreaking there, but where Acura makes headlines is with its PAWS system. A somewhat silly sounding acronym, it stands for Precision All-Wheel Steer and though we’ve seen this type of rear-wheel steering come and go over the years from a variety of manufacturers, Acura says this is the industry’s first to control the left and right toe angles independently. The sensation of pivoting around a single point is at first odd, but I quickly came to appreciate it when pulling out into traffic and slithering through tight spots, though interestingly enough at 40.5 feet it has the largest turning radius in the Acura lineup and a distance that’s greater than its competitors. But it also enhances driving dynamics.

As it pertains to ride quality, the RLX is a stellar machine. The sophistication of the tuned chassis is on full display with the way it soaks up the rough stuff while providing a notable level of handling. And the powertrain is silky smooth.

The double wishbone suspension with its gas-charged dampers and a feature called Agile Handling Assist designed to aid the driver through a curve, do a wonderful job. The driving experience is organic making the RLX an absolute pleasure to drive. It’s also surprisingly quick and makes refined, pleasing sounds.

The front seats are a little slice of heaven, the cabin is soft, techy, quiet and inviting and best of yet mostly easy to use. The one exception to that is the updated Acura Link system with its new haptic feedback touch screen which depending on the desired function, can feel unnecessarily complicated…like changing the radio station. But the new 14 speaker Krell audio system is killer transforming highly compressed sat radio signals into something actually worth listening to.

My top trim RLX with Advance brings in Adaptive Cruise with a low-speed follow setting perfect for city commutes, a lane keeping assist system which tugs the wheel to keep you centered, cooled front seats and heated rear seats. When you go all the way like this car MSRP is $61,345.

I really think Acura has done a great job here, but the bland styling is certainly a disappointment. The jeweled LED headlights are the only thing keeping it from being totally anonymous. Base price starts at under $50,000.

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