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2017 Acura MDX has a sharper face and Sport Hybrid option

The 2017 Acura MDX's new face takes inspiration from the more angular nose on the Acura Precision Concept, but there are even bigger changes under the skin. All models now have the full suite of AcuraWatch safety tech, and the available MDX Sport Hybrid is the third model from the brand to get its three-motor all-wheel drive system, after the RLX and NSX. The powertrain in the 2017 MDX Sport Hybrid pairs a 3.0-liter V6 with hybrid assist and a seven-speed automatic at the front and two more electric motors at the rear axle. Acura claims the system offers a total output of 325 horsepower, 35 more than the non-hybrid, and estimates that it gets 25 miles per gallon city, 26 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. If buyers spec either the optional Technology or Advance packages, they also get an Active Sport Suspension with Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport+ modes. Regardless of powertrain, all versions of the 2017 MDX now come standard with a suite of active safety systems. The huge array of tech includes Collision Mitigation Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Road Departure Mitigation. An electric parking brake and auto high beams are now among the regular features, too. Customers that opt for higher trim models can choose to replace the second row bench seat with captain's chairs and a center console with extra USB ports. The 2017 MDX also has a fresher style thanks to its diamond pentagon grille and more angular hood. To fit the new look, the LED headlights have a sharper design. The chrome sills had an extra visual flourish. The upgraded rear bumper with even better integrated dual exhausts looks great, too. Get a good look in the gallery above. Related Video: Refreshed 2017 Acura MDX Makes World Debut in New York with Bold New Styling, Upgraded Features and Sport Hybrid Powertrain Mar 23, 2016 - NEW YORK 2017 MDX showcases new diamond pentagon grille first seen on the Acura Precision Concept New Sport Hybrid powertrain delivers the ultimate in power and control while gaining 35 horsepower and anticipated to add 7 mpg to city fuel economy rating AcuraWatch™ safety and driver assist technology to be offered as standard equipment on all 2017 MDX models Acura today unveiled the restyled and refreshed 2017 MDX luxury SUV featuring bold new styling, added luxury features and available Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®) powertrain technology.

Acura rejoins with Seinfeld, sponsors Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee [w/videos]

We enjoyed the opening season of Seinfeld's offbeat Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee web series, a video serial where Jerry Seinfeld picked up his friends in some of his classic cars and... chatted. It was a simple premise that offered some genuinely enjoyable moments, even if the 'cars' connection was often a bit incidental. In any case, Acura must have felt the same way, as it has just inked a deal to be the sole sponsor for the series' next season.
Acura, you may recall, already enjoys a relationship with the comedian - Seinfeld starred in the company's 2012 Super Bowl ad alongside the NSX supercar concept. So perhaps it's no surprise that it has signed on to sponsor 24 episodes of the series, due to roll out this year and next. Naturally, with any title sponsorship these days, you can expect to see some integration of the sponsor - in this case, Acura says such measures will involve its new 2014 MDX crossover, integrating "short, contextually relevant ads at the beginning and end of the episode."
Will you watch? For a refresher on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee, check out a couple of our favorite first season episodes with Michael Richards and Alec Baldwin by scrolling below.

Acura NSX will use Cosworth block, plus other neat tidbits

The blue NSX you see here was built just two weeks ago. Prototype number six, it rolled off Acura's newest assembly line in Ohio and was rushed out to the Monterey peninsula for various car week activities. We had a chance to sit down with several members of the NSX team to discuss the car, the long road from concept to production, and some interesting details. Below are some choice bits from our conversations. Acura is pretty proud of the fact that NSX version 2.0 was designed and is being built in the US. The new assembly line, called the Performance Manufacturing Center, is in Honda's hometown of Marysville, Ohio. While the line is brand new, the building has seen many uses over its lifetime, most recently as a warehouse facility. PMC staff numbers about 100, with 60 technical and 40 non-technical associates. The car uses parts sourced globally, and one of those sources is Cosworth. The engine blocks and heads come from the English firm and get assembled into twin-turbo powerhouses at Honda's nearby Anna, Ohio, engine plant. The Cosworth name is rarely associated with a bad engine, so we were geeked to hear the NSX's 550-plus-horsepower hybrid powertrain has good genes. Acura hasn't decided how many cars will come to the US each year, but supplies will be limited. We're told there is a total figure for global sales – basically anywhere Honda and Acura vehicles are sold – but they're not ready to divulge that number. Dealer allocation is also yet to be sorted out, although we're told that any dealer that has the necessary tools and equipment to service the new NSX will be able to sell them. Acura currently has 272 US dealers. The switch from the transverse engine originally planned to a longitudinal twin-turbo engine threw everyone involved for a loop. The designers had to lengthen their nearly finalized design, and the engineers working on the production process had to revise or redo much of their work. Though we've been waiting a while for the car since the concept first surfaced in 2012, it's pretty amazing to think that the car was engineered one and a half times and a new factory was built in about three years. But yeah, it's delayed, with series production now set to commence in the spring of 2016. One result of the switch to a longitudinal engine is a transmission hump in the cargo area aft of the engine. The hold is still sized to fit a bag of golf clubs, though it will be a tight fit.