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2020 Acura RDX Driveway Test | How does a stroller fit?

From the people who brought you the Luggage Test, it's the Stroller Test! I know, sequels, right?  However, as someone who was recently in the market for a stroller and didn't want to buy a new/gigantic family vehicle to accommodate it (not to mention needing to potentially store it in every vehicle currently sold), knowing how big strollers were and how they might fit in cars was important.  Now, I can't do much in terms of testing a variety of strollers. For that, I would direct you to Baby Gear Lab, which has quite the comprehensive stroller testing program (Wire Cutter is another good source). One of the things I appreciated about Baby Gear Lab was their independent measurements of each stroller, which through the magic of maths, they translate into more easily comparable cubic-inch measurements.  I ultimately chose the new Thule Spring, which is one of the most compact regular strollers on the market, with a folded volume of 5,402 cubic inches (my own independent measurement based on 30 inches long, 16.75 inches wide and 10.75 inches tall). By comparison, the comparable Baby Jogger City Mini 2 when folded is 8,300 cubic-inches according to Baby Gear Lab, while Thule's top-rated jogging stroller, the Urban Glide 2, is 15,388 cubic inches. In other words, if the Thule Spring takes up a lot of space in a trunk, virtually everything else apart from ultra-compact travel strollers will take up even more. This is essentially a best-case scenario.  First up, the 2020 Acura RDX, which is one of the most family friendly compact luxury crossovers. Actually, "compact" is almost a misnomer given how much passenger and cargo space is present. And don't you worry dear friends, that cargo space will be fully put to the test soon with good old-fashioned luggage. Since the RDX is first to be tested, we'll just have to consider it in a vacuum. Not many words to spill here. Now here's the Spring on its side. I already know that it can't fit like this in my Audi Allroad when the cargo cover and cargo net cartridges are in place. It would in the RDX with its cargo cover.  And that's all she wrote. Hopefully this series will prove helpful. Please let me know if there's anything else to be considered — I'm new to this. 

NSX, S660, and a 4-motor CR-Z EV that goes like hell

AutoblogGreen Editor-in-Chief Sebastian Blanco was my road dog while visiting Honda's R&D center in Tochigi. Over the course of a long day of briefings, driving demonstrations, and a variety of strange-flavored candies, we saw quite a lot of what the company is planning for the next generation and beyond. Of course, Sebastian and I see the world through very different eyes. So, while he was busy getting details about the FCV Clarity successor, and asking tough questions about electrification (in other words, the important stuff), I was fixating on a tiny, two-seat sports car that will never come to America. Oh, there was an NSX, too. Honda's pre-Tokyo Motor Show meeting really did have plenty to offer for all kinds of auto enthusiasts, be they focused on fast driving or environmentally friendly powertrains. Seb's attendance let me focus on the stuff that's great for the former, while he wrote up high points of the latter. View 15 Photos S660 I joke about salivating over the S660, but honestly I was at least as excited to take a few laps in Honda's Beat encore, as I was to sample the Acura supercar. Conditions for the test drive weren't ideal, however. Two laps of a four-kilometer banked oval is not exactly nirvana for a 1,800-pound, 63-horsepower roadster. Still, I folded all six feet and five inches of my body behind the tiny wheel determined to wring it out. The immersion of the driving experience was enough to make it feel fast, at least. I shifted up just before redline in first gear with the last quarter of the pit lane rollout lane still in front of me. The 658cc inline-three buzzed like a mad thing behind my ear, vastly more stirring than you'd expect while traveling about 30 miles per hour. The S660 is limited to just around 87 mph, but the immersion of the driving experience (note: I was over the windscreen from the forehead up) was enough to make it feel fast, at least. Even after just a few laps, and precious little steering, I could tell that everything I grew up loving about Honda was in play here. The six-speed manual offered tight, quick throws, the engine seemed happiest over 5,000 rpm, and the car moved over the earth with direct action and a feeling of lightness. Sure proof that you don't need high performance – the S600 runs to 60 mph in about 13 seconds – to build a driver's car. I could have used 200 miles more, and some mountain roads, to really enjoy the roadster (though I would have wanted a hat).

Acura is livestreaming an augmented reality race on Facebook

Honda's luxury car brand Acura is set to livestream an augmented reality race featuring its 2018 TLX A-Spec sedan. The event will see four drivers hit a real track while wearing AR helmets that will create new virtual environments for each lap. Aside from spectating, viewers will also be able to interact with the racers on Facebook Live. The race will see each driver attempt to clock the fastest overall time during a three-lap time trial. That sounds simple enough, until the AR environments come online and really begin altering what the drivers see. As a result, each lap will trigger a new mixed-reality environment, visible to both the drivers and viewers. Central to the virtual experience will be the computer-connected helmets worn by the racers. Within each helmet is a HD screen with a two-way mirror that allows the driver to see the AR overlaid onto the real track. A computer rig in the backseat, powered by the Acura's battery, will generate the environments. To ensure the experience runs smoothly, Acura will have to track the objects on the tarmac and the movement of the car itself. Of course, this isn't Forza, so you can't just rewind the action should something go wrong, so Acura will use custom-made tracking gear to ensure the drivers don't plough into a wall because their eyes deceive them. You can tune into the race on Monday at 8pm ET on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Viewers will be shown the action courtesy of cameras placed on the drivers' helmets and around the track. Facebook Live audience members will also be able to offer hints and tips. Acura claims the interactions will transform viewers into a virtual pit crew. But all you'll really be doing is smashing a Facebook reaction at a given time to reveal a shortcut to the driver -- which isn't quite the same, is it?This article by Saqib Shah originally appeared on Engadget, your source for this connected life.Related Video: Marketing/Advertising Motorsports Acura Racing Vehicles Sedan augmented reality acura tlx