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Autoblog Podcast #343

George Kennedy from Boldride.com, BMW i3, NACTOY long list, Bentley SUV
Episode #343 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Steven Ewing are joined by George Kennedy, Autoblog alum and Editor-in-Chief of Boldride.com. Topics include the unveiling of the BMW i3, the 2014 North American Car and Truck of the Year long list, and the green-lighted Bentley SUV. As always, we start with what's in the garage, but then answer some of your questions before diving into the week's news. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #343:

2014 Acura RLX

Earlier in the year, I reviewed a powder-blue Volkswagen Beetle Convertible, and I witnessed a group of high-school-aged girls ogling the car as it sat in my driveway. In my head, I found it to be a funny-yet-fitting scene that I didn't think of again until a 2014 Acura RLX showed up in my driveway. This time around, an elderly neighborhood couple stopped to give the big Acura sedan a closer look. The RLX is trying to shed past stereotypes of its predecessor, the Acura RL, just like the Beetle. Hoping to avoid becoming the de facto "grandpa car," Acura has completely reworked - and renamed - its flagship sedan.
As the bookend to the new entry-level ILX, the addition of the 2014 RLX might give Acura its strongest sedan lineup ever as the automaker looks to break the cycle of being a middle-of-the-road luxury brand. Stepping up to the big-boy table isn't going to be easy, though, as the competition keeps getting tougher. Forget cars like the Mercedes E-Class and BMW 5 Series, the Acura RLX is going to have its hands full with the likes of the Cadillac XTS, Lexus GS and Hyundai Genesis, not to mention a strong consortium of lower-priced, mid-luxury sedans like the Hyundai Azera, Toyota Avalon and Chevy Impala. The one thing all of these cars have in common is a reputation for being an old man cruiser.
I spent a week with the new RLX to see if it could shake the stigma of its outdated predecessor or if it would just leave me searching for the nearest early bird specials.

2023 Acura Integra Review: Can it possibly fill an icon's shoes?

Pros: Civic Si performance with greater refinement; sweet manual transmission; thrifty fuel economy; versatile hatchback Cons: Underwhelming base equipment; cramped rear headroom; some cheap interior bits in back; a CVT, really? For those of a certain age and/or certain automotive fandom, the 2023 Acura Integra represents the return of an icon. Yes, the Integra is back, and as it was in the very beginning, it’s a four-door hatchback that can be both an enthusiastsÂ’ darling or just a well-made, well-equipped compact car for those who want something a little more premium than a Honda Civic. And that last comparison is key, because the Acura Integra is basically a Honda Civic thatÂ’s been thoroughly worked over with a totally different body, stiffer structure and different(ish) interior. Admittedly, the Civic is a great place to start, as itÂ’s a terrific little sedan/hatchback that arguably outpaces its competition and does a pretty good job of being a well-made, well-equipped compact car itself. There really wasnÂ’t that much for Acura to do to rework the cabin for luxury duty, though itÂ’s certainly best realized with the optional Technology package and there are some areas (like the back seat) where the luxury touches could have been further applied. From a mechanical perspective, the Integra specifically builds off the Civic Si. It has the same 200-horsepower turbocharged engine and front-wheel drive, but with a saucier exhaust and CVT as standard. A six-speed manual is available, but only on the range-topping A-Spec with Technology package. The A-SpecÂ’s adaptive dampers also do a better job of both road-holding and ride comfort. Honestly, thereÂ’s nothing wrong at all with seeing the Integra as a more refined Civic Si. As it was in the past, the new Integra is both a luxury-adjacent sedan and a sport compact car. That means it can be a ritzier alternative to the Civics of the world, a more budget-conscious alternative to the Audi A3s, or Acura/HondaÂ’s answer to the Volkswagen GTI and GLI. No matter what you compare it to, though, we think the new Integra is a winner. Welcome back, old friend.   Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Trim Levels   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? The Integra is an all-new model. It technically replaces the ILX, however, which was similarly a Civic-based compact Acura.