2001 Acura Integra Type R on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Is Acura working on a premium minivan?

Here's a vehicle that nobody saw coming. Unless Honda/Acura is keen to play tricks on us, our spy shooters recently caught what appears to be an Acura minivan fully camouflaged for testing on some back roads on a rainy day.
Details on the disguised minivan are rather scarce, but it certainly bares all the hallmarks of an Acura. The front grille alone gives it away with a look that mimics the latest MDX, and note that the orientation of the rear door handle heavily suggests that it slides to open. Moving inside, the tester appears to borrow some tech from the luxury brand's parts bin too, and the Acura logo seems to be covered in tape right in the middle of the steering wheel.
Mechanically, our spies believe that the production version of Acura's minivan might borrow the brand's V6, nine-speed automatic and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive - a similar layout to some trims of the TLX. The photographers also think that the vehicle is a little wider than the current Honda Odyssey to give occupants a bit more room. Given the more luxurious focus, the high-end model would surely carry seven people with a bit more opulence than the standard Odyssey, especially, we'd imagine, for second-row passengers. A launch for this posh hauler could be slated for the 2016 or 2017 model years.

2022 Acura RDX pricing starts at $40,345, a $900 increase

Acura showed us the quieter, more featured, and better handling 2022 RDX five-seater crossover in September. With the model expected to drive onto dealer lots in about two weeks, it's time for pricing. The base price for a front-wheel drive RDX goes up by $900 to $40,345 after the $1,045 destination charge. Be warned, that price is only for a Lunar Silver RDX; the four other colors possible on the base trim cost $500, and the three pearlescent hues require both the $2,650 Technology Package and the $3,000 Advance Package. MSRPs for the entire 2022 RDX range are: RDX FWD: $40,345 RDX FWD with Technology Package: $42,995 RDX FWD A-Spec with Technology Package: $45,995 RDX SH-AWD with Advance Package: $50,345 RDX SH-AWD A-Spec with Advance Package: $52,345 RDX SH-AWD PMC Edition: $55,295 As indicated on Acura's pricing sheet, adding SH-AWD to the three front-wheel-drive models requires $2,200. Fyi, the RDX configurator on Acura's web site displays the price for SH-AWD as $2,000, but the summary actually adds the correct $2,200 figure to the tally.   Every RDX next year will be quieter thanks to a retuned Active Sound Control system and, as part of the MDX-inspired redesign, new front fender liners that reduce road noise. The new Technology Package cuts even more cacophony thanks to thicker carpet, acoustic glass in the front doors, more sound insulation throughout the cabin, plus it throws in features like perforated sport seats, 12-speaker ELS audio, parking sensors front and rear, swankier 19-inch wheels, and a rear camera washer. The A-Spec Package takes the rims up to 20 inches, and bundles gear like LED fog lights, heated front seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and 16-speaker ELS audio. For 2022, Acura will finally let customers combine the A-Spec with the Advance Package. The latter kit piles on even more sound deadening material, acoustic glass for the rear windows, plus bits like a heated steering wheel and rear seats, a hands-free tailgate, and adaptive dampers. Those dampers are drop wheel size back down to 19 inches, though. The 2022 RDX can be pre-ordered now, examples will be in showrooms come November 2. Related Video:

Honda demonstrates new Vehicle-to-Pedestrian safety tech [w/video]

We're fresh from a balmy rooftop deck in downtown Detroit, where Honda held a meeting this week to discuss and demonstrate a few upcoming advanced safety features. A clear focus of the mini event was the company's new Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) technology, with a suite of Vehicle-to-Motorcycle (V2M) tech a significant second course.
With spirits still high from announcing the 2014 Odyssey as the first minivan to win the Top Safety Pick+ status from IIHS - and after seeing the application of new high-strength-steel sections of the Acura MDX body structure - Honda shared the fruits of some safety tech that is still in the research phase.