Acura

After six years on the market, theAcura ILX was updated for the second time for the 2019 model year. Heavily revised on the outside and equipped with new tech, the ILX now feels like a redesigned car. At the 2018 SEMA Show, the ILX stepped into the spotlight with a new range of accessories.

Redesigned for the 2019 model year, the Acura RDX looks sportier than ever and boasts enough luxury features and state-of-the-art tech to give the German competition a run for its money. Unfortunately, it’s only marginally more powerful than its predecessor, even in the new, sportier A-Spec trim. This is where the Graham Rahal Performance update comes in, adding some extra grunt for the 2018 SEMA Show.

Founded in 2017 by race-winning Honda IndyCar driver Graham Rahal, Graham Rahal Performance (GRP), which owns an Acura dealership, decided to meddle with compact luxury crossover. In an effort to add style, power, and performance to the RDX, GRP customized the SUV’s exterior and interior and upgraded the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine. The end result is the most powerful third-generation RDX ever created, but it’s only for display purposes. At least for the time being.

When shopping for an SUV, there is usually a checklist involved before making a purchase. Is it spacious? Check. Does it have good power? Check. Is it well-built with quality materials? Check. Does it handle well? Check. Is it reliable? Check. Is there room for the in-laws? Check. The 2019 Acura MDX checks all those boxes and more all while providing subtle hints to let you know that you are in Honda’s premium brand.

In a surprise move that caught a lot of people by surprise, Acura has launched the 2019 ILX with a fresh new look and a suite of safety and tech features. The refreshed sedan looks completely different from its predecessor, a result of a new design inspired by the Acura Precision Concept. In addition to its sportier and more aggressive looks, the ILX also benefits from a handful of new safety features that come standard across the entire range. Tech updates are also on the menu, including a revised dual-screen infotainment system that Acura claims is more responsive than the previous version.

The iconic Acura NSX made a comeback in 2016, after a 11-year absence from the market. Powered by a hybrid drivetrain for the first time, the second-generation NSX just got better for the 2019 model year thanks to a comprehensive mid-cycle refresh.

Already a potent sports car, the Acura NSX now rides on a revised chassis that’s supposed to enhance agility on the road and track. Acura also made some design changes, but these are rather small and limited mostly to new color options. But the Japanese firm also added new standard features that cost more than the marginal price increase of the facelift. Find out more about that in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Acura NSX.

Acura has put together a serious update for the 2019 Acura NSX that includes an updated chassis for better handling, new interior and exterior colors, better software calibration, and $4,700 worth of previously optional equipment as standard.

The midsize SUV segment is as hot as ever, with families flocking to dealers to scoop up high-riding ‘utes capable of providing loads of cargo room, passenger comfort, and tech choices. Two of the most popular entries in this space come from Honda, including the Pilot, and, from its premium Acura brand offering, the MDX. But the question is this - which should you buy?

For starters, the MDX is one of the most popular three-row luxury SUVs ever created, with the current model headed for a new fourth generation sometime next year. However, there’s a newly refreshed Honda Pilot out as well, which is set to make its full debut later this month. Choosing between these two can be tricky given how similar they are, but luckily, we’re here to lay out all the important info, bringing it right here to help you pick the right model for your needs.

Continue reading for the full comparison buying guide.

Ever since the Acura NSX made its glorious debut, folks everywhere have been blowing up Acura’s (and Honda’s) lines begging for an NSX Type R. The truth is that the Japanese company has been rather tight-lipped, and it remains that way, but a few little hints here and there have come about. In an interview with Motoring, Acura’s Vice President and General Manager, Jon Ikeda, was asked about the idea of a Honda NSX or Acura NSX Type R, and his response gives us a lot of hope.

“I’m a car guy, so always faster performance vehicles … yeah, we like that, we talk about it.”

Of course, he was very careful not to officially confirm anything, but he never denied the fact that it does exist (or will soon, anyway.) Acura’s U.S. PR Manager, Matt Sloustcher, was privy to the conversation as well. He stopped well short of actually confirming the Type R, but he did say “anything can happen” but that there aren’t necessarily plans in the works:

“We’ll see … anything can happen,” he said. “There’s always proposals,” he said, before cautioning that the company had no plans “at this stage.”

The suits from Acura were also quizzed about other things, including upgrade packages for existing NSX owners and the response was just as intriguing, saying that there’s “nothing that can be discussed.” With that in mind, Acura has managed to sell close to 1,000 examples of the NSX, and it’s still trying to get the word out if you will. If the car continues to sell, a Type R is very possible, as long as the demand is really there. Sure, journalists everywhere want an NSX Type R but do those with pockets deep enough want it too?

There’s no reason why not, but then again, it might not happen until the next-gen NSX comes about. When that happens, it could even go all-electric. It could feature a four-motor system like that found in the Pikes Peak EV Concept. That would deliver gut-wrenching performance to the tun of 1,000 horsepower. The 60-mph sprint could come in 2.5 seconds while 124 mph could come in as fast as six seconds.

Of course, we’re getting a little far ahead of ourselves at the moment. The point is that an NSX Type R could literally be around the corner.

Matching gas-gulping speed-making with frugal efficiency isn’t an easy thing to do. Some folks slap a turbo on it and call it a day, while others add some extra batteries and an electric motor and call it a hybrid. But what if you didn’t need either of those things to have your cake and eat it too? Well, turns out Honda has been doing exactly that since the ‘80s, and it’s called VTEC.

The acronym stands for Variable valve Timing and lift Electronic Control, and basically, the system works to modify the exhaust and intake valve timing in the head to better extract more efficiency from the engine. While older engine design used a single cam profile to time the valves, VTEC actually manages to change the cam profile for increased power when you want it and decent fuel mileage when you don’t.

The first example came out in 1989 with the JDM Acura Integra, eventually hitting the States a few years later with the high-tech Acura NSX. Ever since then, H-badge fanboys have never been the same.

There’s obviously a lot more to it than we’ve explained thus far, so hit play for all the details.

In one corner we’ve got the 1991 - 2005 Acura NSX; in the other corner, we’ve got the 2017 Honda Civic Type R. What do these two cars have in common other than coming from the same place and sharing common roots? Well, not much. The NSX was rear-wheel drive and rocked out less than 300 horsepower while the new Type R delivers as much as 320 ponies to the front wheels. Oh, and don’t forget that the NSX doesn’t have the same engine configuration as the Civic. Nope, it’s mounted midship compared to the more common frontal location of the Civic’s beastly little four-cylinder. Both cars are legendary in their own right.

The Civic Type R is the first one to roll off the production line and straight into U.S. Market. It’s also the most powerful production Civic Type R ever made. The NSX is, well, it’s an NSX. It was unbelievably reliable (as all Honda’s typically are) it looked amazing, and despite it’s relatively lower power output, it had world-beating performance thanks to a lightweight chassis and crazy aerodynamics. It even had a manual steering rack folks. So, what did all of that compute to? Well, it could beat the hell out of Ferrari at the time for less than $80,000. Now, the question is, can it beat today’s Civic Type R? Well, Check out this video from Carwow to see just how they stack up head-to-head!

The Acura NSX is one of those cars that constantly come up in conversation, and that conversation usually revolves around either the baby NSX or the NSX Roadster – neither of which have ever been confirmed. The baby NSX, for that matter, might as well be filed away in the drawer of things that will never happen, but German site Autobild has now put out a report that NSX Roadster is coming as one of several sporty, open-top vehicles.

We were shocked at first sight of the MDX A-Spec. It had all of the looks that scream killer performance, yet we were left wondering just where the extra performance was at. As it turns out, there was a reason for the lack of extra performance, and it will always be this way for Acuras that wear the A-Spec badge. That may seem like a letdown but don’t go switching brands just yet. In case you forgot, Acura has big plans, most of which revolve around the long-lost Type S moniker that is set to make its return sometime in the fairly near future. Arguably more important is the fact that Acura is working on a turbocharged V-6 engine that could be associated with future Type S models. It’s not fresh news, but it serves as an explanation to why the A-Spec trim is what it is.

The launch of the redesigned 2019 Acura RDX marks an important time in Acura’s business. Honda’s performance brand has been on the right side of business recently, and the introduction of the new RDX gives the automaker another model to offer to the public. Should the RDX become a success, it could convince Acura to beef up its lineup with a smaller, subcompact SUV. That may be a possibility in the future, but for the moment, don’t expect to see one, at least according to Acura Division general manager Jon Ikeda.

We saw loads of good stuff at the New York International Auto Show this year, including a variety of sultry luxury machines like the Cadillac CT6 V-Sport and Audi RS5 Sportback, not to mention the stunning new Essentia EV GT concept from Genesis. However, as is inevitable these days, we found plenty of less-than-desirable debuts as well, five of which we’ve listed here for your communal derision.

Continue reading for the worst debuts from the 2018 New York International Auto Show.

Now that Acura has effectively moved on by the design slump it was once in; the brand has begun to blur the line between luxury and performance. The new RDX is a prime example of that, taking cues from the 2017 Acura Precision Concept and the Acura NSX. As the latest addition to Acura’s revamped model portfolio, the RDX takes on a striking new look, has more than enough power to take on the BMW X3 and Audi Q5, and is luxurious enough to make you wonder why you’re not paying more for a vehicle of this caliber. That’s where that blurred line comes in, and that’s why you need to keep reading to learn more about the model that will make BMW and Audi fanboys reconsider what brand they represent.