2014 Acura RLX : The New RLX Has Claws

Acura’s flagship sedan, the new RLX, is a showcase of technology. Completely redesigned for 2014, it is bigger, quieter, more stylish, more luxurious, safer, and more fuel efficient than the RL it replaces. It also has numerous new driver-assist features, the most prominent being P-AWS.

Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) is a four-wheel steering system that electronically steers each rear wheel, which can turn in or out by 1.8 degrees from centre, independently. The system is remarkably effective, sensing several parameters and steering each rear wheel independently depending on what action is required to help steer the car. It also helps tighten up the turning circle. It’s not the first time that the Japanese company has used four-wheel steering; Honda had used a mechanical four-wheel steering system on the ’87-’88 Prelude.

• Also: 2015 Acura TLX
• Also: Acura Finally Launches the RLX Sport Hybrid

P-AWS is especially effective when recovering from a quick lane change manoeuvre. Swinging the steering wheel back to centre after turning quickly to avoid an obstacle, you can feel the rear end come back in line, allowing you to easily maintain control, when you might otherwise have oversteered and skidded sideways. It also does a commendable job to reduce understeer in tight turns to almost nil.

Although P-AWS enhances the handling characteristics of the RLX and provides more precise steering capabilities, the system is a significant safety feature that allows for a larger safety net and easier recovery when making emergency manoeuvres.

The RLX also has a long list of available driver-assist features, including lane keeping assist, collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control with Low-Speed Follow that will slow the vehicle to a stop, if needed, while following another vehicle. Other available driver aids include lane departure warning, forward-collision warning and blind-spot warning systems. The RLX’s body is also designed to better absorb front and side impacts, and Acura expects it will achieve top scores in NHTSA crash and rollover ratings.

Still recognisable but all-new inside and out

Introduced at the New York Auto Show early in 2012, the RLX turned heads with more contemporary styling and larger dimensions. From the outside it is still easily recognisable, though the grille is more prominent and it is flanked by new “Jewel Eye” LED headlights.

Three trim levels are available, the base RLX ($49,990), Tech Package ($55,990) and the top-of the line Elite Package ($62,190), and all of them feature push-button start. Standard throughout the RLX range are the LED headlights, which are brighter than HID headlights (claimed to add 25 metres of illumination at night), and consume less energy and last longer than either HID or halogen bulbs.

Interior and exterior dimensions have been tweaked based on consumer input and trends in the segment. The RLX is only .5 cm longer overall than the RL, but wheelbase is 5 cm longer, now measuring 285 cm. Front overhang has been reduced by 5.5 cm, a change that has helped increase interior space, especially for rear passengers, who now enjoy considerably more legroom. In fact, the RLX now boasts more rear legroom than the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E Class and Lexus GS.

The dashboard has been entirely reconfigured, and button-shy drivers will be glad to learn that there is much less clutter on the centre console, with the number of buttons dropping from 28 to nine. Many of the functions formerly controlled by push buttons are now called up on a 7-inch touch screen. A second 8-inch screen is located above the other screen for the sound system display, and the navigation system if so equipped.

A bit more power, a lot less fuel

An all-new 3.5-litre direct-injection V6 replaces the outgoing model’s 3.7-litre V6, and although it produces 10 horsepower more (now 310) and 272 lb.-ft. of torque, it is much more fuel efficient. The engine now incorporates variable cylinder management (VCM), which cuts out three cylinders during highway cruising to improve fuel economy. This helps reduce fuel consumption considerably on the highway, the RLX now claiming 6.4L/100 km, compared to 8.2L/100km for RL. Combined fuel consumption is 8.6L/100 km, a reduction of 1.5L over the old model.

The VCM is seamless in operation, with adaptive engine mounts eliminating undesirable vibration. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission choice. Some drivers will lament the absence of all-wheel drive. The new RLX is only available as a front driver in Canada for now, however, Acura will be releasing a Sport Hybrid SH-AWD model later this year.

The suspension has been completely redesigned and it is more compliant than on the RL, with firmer control through turns and much less vibration transferring to the body over sharp bumps. The RLX now uses torque vectoring, which applies the brakes on the inside wheels to assist cornering, something that should make winter driving less stressful.

The RLX is considerably quieter than the RL, with less road and engine noise making its way into the cabin. The noise reduction was achieved by using sound-absorbing materials, soundproof glass, and noise-cancelling technology that uses the sound system to reduce interior noise. The RLX is now among the quietest sedans on the market.

It’s hard to find fault with the 2014 RLX. It has seen a huge step forward in refinement over the previous model, with much-improved handling, more safety features, and a considerable step forward in available technology. It’s not hard to imagine the RLX will top its category in value.