2010 Acura Mdx Advance With Rear Entertainment Excellent Condition on 2040-cars

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Acura ZDX getting the axe after 2013 despite new updates [w/poll]

The Acura ZDX hasn't exactly lived a conventional existence, so perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that its death announcement isn't going according to standard industry protocol, either. Parent company Honda has taken the unusual step of trumpeting a refreshed-for-2013 model while simultaneously announcing that this will be the model's last year. According to Acura, the model's cancellation comes as the brand "sharpens its focus on new models and core products" like the forthcoming RLX sedan.
The audaciously styled crossover has been, to be charitable, a very reluctant seller since its 2009 introduction, but for 2013, Acura is jazzing up its concept car for the street with new kit. The changes include a lightly reworked front shield grille along with new power folding side mirrors and new tech features including lane departure and forward collision warning systems.
We'd say that announcing the model's discontinuation at the same time one is presenting a freshened model could hurt sales, but we're not sure there's anyone paying attention. Last year, Acura managed to shift just 1,564 units of the ZDX, giving it the No. 4 spot on our Worst Sellers of 2011 list. Through September, Automotive News reports that only 642 examples have been sold in 2012, making it one of the rarest new cars on the market.

2021 Acura TLX Long-Term Update | A surprise upgrade

That may look a lot like our long-term 2021 Acura TLX A-Spec, but in this case, your eyes deceive you. Say hello to our not-so-long-term TLX Type S, which is subbing in for the A-Spec while the latter undergoes a little exploratory surgery to diagnose what appears to be an escalating electrical issue.  Yes, our handsome blue steed is currently lame. What first manifested as odd transmission behavior and the occasional infotainment reboot escalated to the vehicular equivalent of a grand mal seizure on a rainy Michigan day, resulting in a flat-bed ride to the dealership and fast-tracking our plans to get the TLX in for a diagnosis. So, for the foreseeable future, I'm enjoying an extra two cylinders and nearly 100 more horsepower. All upsides, right? To a degree. While the extra power is certainly welcome, it comes at a cost – 200 pounds, give or take. That extra weight erodes some of the qualities I appreciate most about our long-term A-Spec. Acura really nailed the front-end feel of the TLX with the A-Spec, and while the Type S still feels pretty good, the added mass over the nose is inescapable. And while the 20" Type S wheels look fantastic, they make the already firmer suspension feel almost unnecessarily crashy. The 19s on the A-Spec are the sweet spot (picking up on my thesis?) but even I must admit the Type S wheels look significantly better.  On paper, this 3.5-liter V6 matches up reasonably well with the rest of the premium turbo-sixes on the market, but in the real world, it's a bit uninspiring, and not just in the too-competent-for-its-own-good way BMW's mainstream I6s tend to be. There's plenty of power and torque, but I've yet to experience one of those "ah-ha!" moments where the whole package suddenly makes sense.  In fact, I spend more time pining for the lighter, nimbler A-Spec than I do yearning for the open space I'd need to let the V6 run free. In this, I think I'm rowing against the Autoblog current; others' reviews of Acura's muscular six-cylinder have been far more enthusiastic. Be that as it may, I appreciate the way the A-Spec drives like a smaller car than it is. Related video: 2021 Acura TLX 2.0-liter turbo-four soundtrack | Autoblog

Autoblog's guilty pleasure cars

Guilty pleasures are part of life – don't even try to pretend like you don't have one (or two, or six). In the non-automotive space, this could come down to that secret playlist in your iPhone of songs you'll only listen to when you're alone; or think of that one TV show you really do love, but won't admit to your friends. I've got plenty, and so do you. Going back to cars, here's a particularly juicy one for me: several years ago, I had a mad crush on the very last iteration of the Cadillac DTS. Oh yes, the front-wheel-drive, Northstar V8-powered sofa-on-wheels that was the last remaining shred of the elderly-swooning days of Cadillac's past. Every time I had the chance to drive one, I was secretly giddy. Don't hate me, okay? These days, the DTS is gone, but I've still got a mess of other cars that hold a special place in my heart. And in the spirit of camaraderie, I've asked my other Autoblog editors to tell me some of their guilty pleasure cars, as well – Seyth Miersma, as you can see above, has a few choice emotions to share about the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. Read on to find out what cars make us secretly happy. Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG This decadent convertible is the epitome of the guilty pleasure. It's big, powerful, fairly heavy and it's richly appointed inside and out. It's a chocolate eclair with the three-pointed star on the hood. Given my druthers, I'd take the SL65 AMG, which delivers 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. That output is borderline absurd for this laid-back convertible. I don't care. You don't need dessert. Sometimes you just crave it. The SL line is about the feel you get on the road. The roof is open. The air, sun and engine sounds all embrace you. It's the same dynamic you could have experienced in a Mercedes a century ago, yet the SL gives you the most modern of luxuries. An Airscarf feature that warms my neck and shoulders through a vent embedded in the seat? Yes, please. Sure, it's an old-guy car. Mr. Burns and Lord Grantham are probably too young and hip for an SL65. I don't care. This is my guilty pleasure. Release the hounds. – Greg Migliore Senior Editor Ford Flex I drove my first Flex in 2009 when my mother let me borrow hers for the summer while I was away at college. The incredibly spacious interior made moving twice that summer a breeze, and the 200-mile trips up north were quite comfortable.