Why did Honda kill its best performance engine?
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,978
Likes: 240
From: California
Exactly. This is what I was referring to. While the industry is leaning more toward turbo four cylinders to gain on all ends, Acura is dumping theirs. What needed to be done was refine and improve the current RDX engine. It had all the potential to give good power and efficiency.
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,762
Likes: 1
From: South FLA
Most shoppers of cross overs or SUV's don't usually look for performance. The fact that it got only 20 mpg (or less) was what IMO killed this engine. The whole idea of a turbo 4 over a V6 in an application like this would usually be to get better fuel economy. They didn't deliver. 
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 12,269
Likes: 296
From: ------
It was not the engine that got bad fuel economy. It was the vehicle it was in. A 4000lb, awd, taller CUV is not going to get good fuel economy no matter what engine you put in it. In a lower more aerodynamic sedan that weighed 500lbs less without awd it will have got decent to good fuel economy and would have been a blast to drive. It is a shame and a real waste they never tried to put it in a coupe or sedan which is the type of vehicle that power plant was most suited for. I test drove one and it is powerful, fun, and holds the road really well. They missed a big opportunity by not putting it in a sedan/coupe.
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Posts: n/a
It was not the engine that got bad fuel economy. It was the vehicle it was in. A 4000lb, awd, taller CUV is not going to get good fuel economy no matter what engine you put in it. In a lower more aerodynamic sedan that weighed 500lbs less without awd it will have got decent to good fuel economy and would have been a blast to drive. .
RDX
Curb weight, lb (kg)
FWD 3743 (1698) -
AWD 3942 (1788)
RDX FWD 19 / 24 / 21
RDX SH-AWD17 / 22 / 19
So the FWD model is not 4000 lbs and still gets crap MPG considering its low weight and small size. The AWD model is near 4000 lbs and gets crappier MPG. r.
To compare
Their own MDX gets
Combined-18
16
City
21
A MDX weighs between 4600-4700 lbs. A whopping one less MPG.
So it has nothing to do with weight. Its an engine that just got terrible MPG.
Lets compare some more
An Audi Q7, which is much much larger gets 18 MPG combined, 1 less
A Chevy Tahoe, another much larger vehicle, with a V-8, gets 17 MPG combined, a whopping 2 less than the RDX AWD.
etc etc
So as we can see the RDX gets FE on par with vehicles two sizes up.
A 4500 lbs RX 450h gets 31 MPG average. So much for the weight penalty.
A RX 350 AWD, a vehicle the next class up gets 20 MPG average and the FWD 21 MPG.
A 4500lbs AWD X5 gets 19 MPG, same as the RDX AWD.
etc etc..
Had nothing to do with weight as we can clearly see it just guzzles gas.
RDX
Curb weight, lb (kg)
FWD 3743 (1698) -
AWD 3942 (1788)
RDX FWD 19 / 24 / 21
RDX SH-AWD17 / 22 / 19
So the FWD model is not 4000 lbs and still gets crap MPG considering its low weight and small size. The AWD model is near 4000 lbs and gets crappier MPG. r.
To compare
Their own MDX gets
Combined-18
16
City
21
A MDX weighs between 4600-4700 lbs. A whopping one less MPG.
So it has nothing to do with weight. Its an engine that just got terrible MPG.
Lets compare some more
An Audi Q7, which is much much larger gets 18 MPG combined, 1 less
A Chevy Tahoe, another much larger vehicle, with a V-8, gets 17 MPG combined, a whopping 2 less than the RDX AWD.
etc etc
So as we can see the RDX gets FE on par with vehicles two sizes up.
A 4500 lbs RX 450h gets 31 MPG average. So much for the weight penalty.
A RX 350 AWD, a vehicle the next class up gets 20 MPG average and the FWD 21 MPG.
A 4500lbs AWD X5 gets 19 MPG, same as the RDX AWD.
etc etc..
Had nothing to do with weight as we can clearly see it just guzzles gas.
Curb weight, lb (kg)
FWD 3743 (1698) -
AWD 3942 (1788)
RDX FWD 19 / 24 / 21
RDX SH-AWD17 / 22 / 19
So the FWD model is not 4000 lbs and still gets crap MPG considering its low weight and small size. The AWD model is near 4000 lbs and gets crappier MPG. r.
To compare
Their own MDX gets
Combined-18
16
City
21
A MDX weighs between 4600-4700 lbs. A whopping one less MPG.
So it has nothing to do with weight. Its an engine that just got terrible MPG.
Lets compare some more
An Audi Q7, which is much much larger gets 18 MPG combined, 1 less
A Chevy Tahoe, another much larger vehicle, with a V-8, gets 17 MPG combined, a whopping 2 less than the RDX AWD.
etc etc
So as we can see the RDX gets FE on par with vehicles two sizes up.
A 4500 lbs RX 450h gets 31 MPG average. So much for the weight penalty.
A RX 350 AWD, a vehicle the next class up gets 20 MPG average and the FWD 21 MPG.
A 4500lbs AWD X5 gets 19 MPG, same as the RDX AWD.
etc etc..
Had nothing to do with weight as we can clearly see it just guzzles gas.
True and Premium gas.
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Hoovey689
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Nov 16, 2010 02:33 PM
