2012 Acura Tech Pkg on 2040-cars

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Acura Infotainment Review | Just give it some time

Acura’s True Touchpad infotainment system is a hot topic at Autoblog HQ. Some of us utterly detest its functionality. Others, myself included, will plead its case as a worthy alternative to normal infotainment systems. “ItÂ’s not that bad,” IÂ’ll say over and over. I had to eat my words to a certain extent when our long term 2021 Acura TLXÂ’s infotainment system broke recently due to bad wire connectors, but now that itÂ’s up and running again, itÂ’s time to give it a proper shake. The screen in this TLX is a high-resolution, 10.2-inch monitor that sits far from the driver on the carÂ’s dash top. ItÂ’s oriented horizontally in a widescreen format. The controversial bit I mentioned at the beginning is all to do with how you navigate the user interface using AcuraÂ’s unique touchpad. It uses something Acura calls absolute positioning technology, meaning that where your finger is on the touchpad corresponds to the same spot on the screen, allowing you to select whatever is in that location. Press down on the top right corner of the touchpad, and the square located in the top right corner of the screen is selected — no need to “swipe” over to it. This takes a considerable amount of time to adapt to. I didnÂ’t master it or get used to it overnight. In fact, itÂ’s really rather frustrating out of the gate. Virtually all touchpads in cars before this one are more intuitive at first. Just swipe around the pad, and your “cursor” swipes around with you. After a couple road trips, plenty of takeout runs and everything in between, IÂ’ve become a believer in AcuraÂ’s technology, though, with one major caveat IÂ’ll address later on. 2021 Acura TLX infotainment View 7 Photos Once you have enough time and practice to become fluent with AcuraÂ’s way of doing things (something our long-term Acura TLX has allowed us the rare opportunity to do), the absolute positioning strategy starts to make more sense. You can select an app like FM radio or Apple CarPlay in an instant — faster than any regular touchpad or scroll wheel will allow. ItÂ’s no wild speed demon, but you can navigate the main menu structure faster here than you can in most cars.  AcuraÂ’s user interface is tailored to fit its operation with big squares that are easily findable in your touchpad to press. It gets a little tougher once you get into an app like Navigation or Sirius XM, as it requires more precise positioning of your finger to get to the right spot.

GM Ultium-based 2024 Acura ZDX caught undisguised in spy photos

What you see above is our best look yet at the 2024 Acura ZDX. The SUV, while not completely production-ready (mainly the temporary headlights), is completely and totally devoid of line-obscuring camouflage. The resulting vehicle is clearly a toned-down Precision EV concept, and one that does a good job of hiding its GM underpinnings. Like the concept, it has a forward-leaning nose with a blanked-out version of the Acura corporate pentagonal grille. The long nose gives way to a seriously raked windshield and a floating roof. That roof has a distinct rear pillar treatment with a little notch for the rear glass to create that floating look. There are, of course, concessions to reality. The lower front fascia has relatively nondescript grilles, though they also don't detract from the rest of the vehicle. And naturally there are large door mirrors and conventional grab handles to get in. The ZDX will be based on the GM Ultium platform, and considering on the size and likely performance, will probably be closely related to the Chevy Blazer. To the credit of Acura's designers, and also perhaps to GM's architecture, the ZDX does not look like a reworked Blazer. And the differences will continue beyond the exterior. While GM will be dropping Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Honda and Acura versions of Ultium SUVs will keep the phone mirroring software. It will still have Google apps built-in as well as touchscreen support, unlike some gas-powered Acura models. We'll see the ZDX launch next year. It will even have a high-performance Type-S variant like the TLX and Integra. That leads us to believe something like the dual-motor 557-horsepower powertrain from the Blazer SS will be available. We'll be curious to see what the more mild powertrains will be like, if they'll all be dual-motor, or if there will be single-motor setups. And if there are single-motor layouts, whether they'll be front- or rear-wheel drive, as both options are available on Blazer. Related video:

2024 Honda Prologue name announced, and an Acura EV follows

Honda is revealing a couple of little nuggets of information about its future EVs today, shedding more light on the partnership between it and GM on electric vehicle technology. The big news is that Honda’s first new EV made in this partnership will be called Prologue, and it will be an SUV produced for the 2024 model year. HondaÂ’s “Prologue” logo is revealed with this news, and a few additional details about the car itself are, too. On the obvious front, Honda says the Prologue will ride on GMÂ’s global EV platform and use GMÂ’s Ultium battery technology. The company is also promising “versatility and driving range on par with our current lineup of rugged SUVs.” “Our first volume Honda BEV will begin our transition to electrification, and the name Honda Prologue signals the role it will play in leading to our zero-emission future,” says Dave Gardner, executive VP of American Honda. “The Prologue will provide our customers with a battery-electric SUV with the excellent functionality and packaging theyÂ’ve come to expect from Honda.” ItÂ’s not just Honda that will join in on the fun, though. An electric Acura SUV was also announced today. Just like the Honda, it will use GMÂ’s electric vehicle platform. A model year for the Acura wasn't promised, but Honda claimed it would be revealed “in the 2024 calendar year.” Any details beyond what you see here are being kept under wraps by Honda. WeÂ’re told to expect more “specific details” to be released over the coming months. Basically, expect a slow drip of information about the Prologue leading up to a full reveal where Honda finally shares all there is to know about the SUV. Looking even further into the future, Honda promises EVs based on an in-house-developed EV platform sometime in the second half of this decade. For now, itÂ’s calling this future platform “e:Architecture.” Ultimately, Honda promises that 100% of its auto sales in North America will be fully electric by 2040. The 2024 Prologue is the brandÂ’s first step toward this ambitious goal. Related video: