2009 Acura Tl Base Sedan, Gray, 4dr, 3.5l, Fwd on 2040-cars

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2023 Acura Integra First Drive Review: Just what we wanted

AUSTIN, Texas — Getting caught up in the hype machine of retired car names pulling a Tom Brady is easy to do these days — there are so many examples to point at, and they just keep coming. The 2023 Acura Integra adds to this growing list. Expectations are high; unreasonably high if you listen to internet commenters. An entire generation grew up, got their driverÂ’s licenses and graduated high school in what weÂ’ll call the Integra Drought that began when the last Acura Integra rolled off the line for the 2001 model year. And while Acura likes to think of the 2002-2006 RSX as the “fourth generation” since it was called Integra overseas, itÂ’s meaningful that it was not called that here in the United States. You can tell how meaningful it is by observing how big of a deal Acura is treating the revival of the “Integra” name today — at this point, youÂ’ve surely seen one of its numerous advertisements. In short, it symbolizes AcuraÂ’s serious return to a small, sporty and enthusiast-focused compact car. The outgoing ILX never captured the zeitgeist of sport compacts in the 2010s, and it faded into the background of a much larger and better small luxury car scene. It wasnÂ’t an Integra, and Acura never pretended that it was.  To sort out what the new 2023 Integra is and isnÂ’t, Autoblog sent me (a longtime and current 2001 Acura Integra GS-R owner) to Austin, Texas, where I was able to drive it in the city, on wide-open Texas highways and through winding switchbacks. Unlike some new Acura models that were largely developed in the U.S., the Integra was developed in Japan. The design was handled at the Wako Studio outside of Tokyo, engineering work was done in Tochigi. Meanwhile, production is exclusively taking place in Marysville, Ohio, on the same line as the TLX. Many of those involved in the development of the new Integra also worked on previous generations of the car, so you can trust that Acura/Honda developed the new one with its history being top-of-mind. Just like Integras of the past, everything starts with the Civic. It shares a 107.7-inch wheelbase with the Civic, as both cars ride on the companyÂ’s Global Small Car Architecture. However, donÂ’t think that the Integra is just a Civic Hatchback with an Acura badge on it. Every single body panel on the car is 100% exclusive to the Integra, and the carÂ’s overall length and width are larger than any Civic — itÂ’s 6.8 inches longer than the Civic Hatchback and 1.8 inches longer than the Sedan.

2014 Acura MDX priced from $42,290*

The fully redesigned 2014 MDX goes on sale in July, and Acura has now confirmed that its largest crossover will be priced at $42,290 (*plus $895 for destination). Unlike previous MDX models, Acura will offer the 2014 model with both front- and all-wheel drive (the automaker's fantastic Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, at that), and this base price is for the standard, two-wheel-drive MDX model. At the base level, this new pricing represents a $990 decrease over the outgoing, AWD-only 2013 model.
Four trim levels will be offered across the range, all of which use Acura's direct-injected 3.5-liter V6 engine good for 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Standard features include things like push-button start, Acura's fancy new Jewel Eye LED headlights, the next-generation AcuraLink system, an eight-inch multi-function display screen, blind spot monitoring and a premium sound system.
Moving up from there, the Technology package ($46,565) gains 19-inch wheels (18s are standard), forward collision warning, lane departure warning, a color TFT display, rain-sensing wipers and more. The Entertainment Package (bundled into one $48,565 model) adds rear seat entertainment to all of that. At the top end, the MDX Advance model gets unique wheels, remote engine start, 12-speaker ELS premium audio, adaptive cruise control and more. Adding Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive to any of these models results in a $2,000 price jump.

Acura will show all-new MDX Prototype in Detroit

Acura says it will show a prototype of its 2014 MDX crossover at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, and we'll admit that the announcement has left us in a bit of confusion. See, the Acura press release says that the MDX proto will present "Aero Sculpture" design language, "alluring proportions" and "arching body lines." It has been accompanied by a sketch (above, click to enlarge) that, indeed, shows off a swoopy, alluring CUV.
Yet we have spy shots from two months ago of what is supposed to be the 2014 MDX, and unless the camouflage is actually some sort of vehicular moo moo, there isn't really a swoopy line on it. It is stout and substantial, but not in a way that makes us think of "Aero Sculpture." We'll know in a few weeks where the truth resides. It would appear that Acura's rendering artist has done a masterful fade on the rear glass/D-pillar area of the vehicle.
If you want to see the answer in real time, the reveal will be broadcast as it happens on Acura's webcast site. There's a press release below with the details.