First Drive: 2014 Acura RLX
Lexus Champion
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,309
Likes: 31
From: Canada
The other is the electronic gear selector – also Acura's first – that replaces the conventional shifter in the front-wheel-drive car. Going further than simply pressing a button or turning a ****, the various gears get their own methods of engagement: Park and Neutral are square plastic pushbuttons, Reverse is actuated by dipping a finger into a hollow and pulling a switch backwards, Drive comes by pressing a shiny, round button that is illuminated by a ring of green light when engaged. Reverse is the only unusual technique, and the whole thing would take you less time to figure it out than it did to read this paragraph.
This gear selector is an ABSOLUTE ergonomic mess, and is much worse, IMO, than the simple push buttons that the Lincoln MKZ uses (and I don't like those push buttons).
How do you quickly shift between Reverse and Drive (or Drive and Reverse) -- stick your finger in a hole and pulling back on the switch, then lift your finger out and aim for that shiny, round Drive button (all while NOT looking down) -- when backing out of a driveway or parking spot onto a busy street, adjusting your parking at the mall, or trying to rock the car out when it is stuck in the snow?
Come on, Honda, stop trying to impress us with these worthless gimmicks!
Racer
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,271
Likes: 14
From: Annapolis, Md
I'm not a Acura fan but I wouldn't call the gear selector a gimmick. I actually like the fact that their trying to do something different. At least they didn't just copy someone else like alot luxury car companies. Oh well i'm sure eventually it won't be a big deal. I just can't get past the exterior....on the new RLX
Last edited by rogers2; Dec 20, 2013 at 08:30 AM.
The money saving from the higher MPG would take an extremely long time to offset the higher initial cost.
This Hybrid benefit is purely performance in this case, is like getting a GS430 over a GS300, non-enthusiast simply don't need it or care for it.
Last edited by BNR34; Dec 19, 2013 at 11:26 AM.
I'm not a Acura fan but I wouldn't call the gear selector a gimmick. I actually like the fact that their trying to do something different. At least they didn't just copy someone else like alot luxury car companies. Oh well i'm sure eventually it will be no big deal. I just can't get past the exterior....on the new RLX
This design from Honda is one of the best I have seen ergonomically from all the ones exist so far, this one looks like you can really use without looking at it, once you are used to it of course. All other design so far are just plain buttons, you have to look everytime.
Initial cost............also late in life cost too as there are much more expensive components to break. The general public really don't need or care or even notice the differences of how it drive.
The money saving from the higher MPG would take an extremely long time to offset the higher initial cost.
This Hybrid benefit is purely performance in this case, is like getting a GS430 over a GS300, non-enthusiast simply don't need it or care for it.
The money saving from the higher MPG would take an extremely long time to offset the higher initial cost.
This Hybrid benefit is purely performance in this case, is like getting a GS430 over a GS300, non-enthusiast simply don't need it or care for it.
According to the article above, the RLX hybrid costs less than $5k more than the RLX with the Advance package. That's a heck of a deal considering you're getting much more of a car. If the RLX Hybrid is too expensive, then there is always the upcoming TLX. It'll probably look the same anyways.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 42,476
Likes: 321
From: California
Typically, I would agree with that mentality, but if Acura is targeting a household income of $200k, then a couple grand is almost pocket change. At this price range, you have 5-series owners who are willing to pay an $2k for certain metallic colors while being forced to buy extra features (adds to the price as well).
According to the article above, the RLX hybrid costs less than $5k more than the RLX with the Advance package. That's a heck of a deal considering you're getting much more of a car. If the RLX Hybrid is too expensive, then there is always the upcoming TLX. It'll probably look the same anyways.
According to the article above, the RLX hybrid costs less than $5k more than the RLX with the Advance package. That's a heck of a deal considering you're getting much more of a car. If the RLX Hybrid is too expensive, then there is always the upcoming TLX. It'll probably look the same anyways.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: CA
That electronic gear selector is another Honda/Acura gimmick. Honda is very good at these gimmicks and that is what I absolutely HATE about Hondas. I do believe that Honda must have fired its human factors engineers 20 years ago.
This gear selector is an ABSOLUTE ergonomic mess, and is much worse, IMO, than the simple push buttons that the Lincoln MKZ uses (and I don't like those push buttons).
How do you quickly shift between Reverse and Drive (or Drive and Reverse) -- stick your finger in a hole and pulling back on the switch, then lift your finger out and aim for that shiny, round Drive button (all while NOT looking down) -- when backing out of a driveway or parking spot onto a busy street, adjusting your parking at the mall, or trying to rock the car out when it is stuck in the snow?
Come on, Honda, stop trying to impress us with these worthless gimmicks!
This gear selector is an ABSOLUTE ergonomic mess, and is much worse, IMO, than the simple push buttons that the Lincoln MKZ uses (and I don't like those push buttons).
How do you quickly shift between Reverse and Drive (or Drive and Reverse) -- stick your finger in a hole and pulling back on the switch, then lift your finger out and aim for that shiny, round Drive button (all while NOT looking down) -- when backing out of a driveway or parking spot onto a busy street, adjusting your parking at the mall, or trying to rock the car out when it is stuck in the snow?
Come on, Honda, stop trying to impress us with these worthless gimmicks!
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http://money.cnn.com/gallery/autos/2...fortune/2.html
Most disliked cars of 2013
Cars today are made better than ever, but that just raises the bar for a new round of pans from the critics.
Most disliked cars of 2013
Cars today are made better than ever, but that just raises the bar for a new round of pans from the critics.
As an Autoweek editor observed, "Abusing the Acura RLX is a national pastime among the automotive press." And with good reason; reviewers found it bland, boring, and over-priced. The Wall Street Journal's reviewer skewered the Acura flagship for its "creamy inoffensiveness" and its "hand-sanitized sterility" and judged that it "looks and feels like an exalted, compulsively over-equipped Honda Accord." And over at The Truth About Cars, the reviewer took note of its $60,000-plus loaded price tag and concluded, "Until Acura realigns their flagship's capabilities (or shrinks the price tag) the RLX is destined to be the car everyone likes but nobody buys."
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,243
Likes: 0
From: Maryland
Hate to say it but that's precisely my interest in the car as well, as a bargain used. It really is a nice car, but so overpriced and out of its league it's ridiculous. A fully loaded Honda Accord is $33k and change these days, so upper-30's for a practically new RLX sounds about right. $5k or so more than an Accord.