2005 Acura Rsx 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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2019 Acura MDX refresh brings some sharp enhancements

The outgoing Acura MDX has nothing to be ashamed of, but the thing about refreshes is that the engineers and product teams always have something to fine tune. Some of it is planned in advance — the cosmetic upgrades and the A-Spec trim were probably always part of the product roadmap. But there are also some tweaks that seem to be a response to customer feedback. Let's take a closer look. Most important, some of the goodies reserved only for the old Sport Hybrid will now be available on all MDXs. Notably, the Active Damper System — a continuously adjustable valve that controls the flow of hydraulic fluid within the damper — is available on non-hybrid MDXs for the first time. The system has several settings, from plush to firm. We found this system worked very well on the Sport Hybrid during our first drive, so it's a useful upgrade that buyers will be able to readily appreciate. Next up is an A-Spec appearance trim, which looks sportier but doesn't offer any additional performance or comfort features, just like the rest of Acura's A-Spec models at this point. For the MDX, wider 20-inch wheels and a combination of gloss black and "dark chrome" trim compliment a revised front fascia and grille. Inside, the seats get a mix of Alcantara and leather with contrasting stitching, there are unique gauges, sport pedals, and a thicker steering wheel. It looks decent enough, particularly inside, and there's enough there to make the trim stand apart from the more pedestrian trims. Oh, and there's an exclusive color: Apex Blue Pearl. A quick aside on prices: The base MDX without SH-AWD runs an MSRP of $45,295, and the A-Spec (only available with SH-AWD) is $55,795. Normal MDXs get a few more color options, although they'll cost extra: Majestic Black Pearl, Performance Red, and Canyon Bronze Metallic. One no-cost color option that's new is Gunmetal Metallic. Inside, there are some additional interior options, like Desert Olive Ash wood trim, contrasting seat stitching, and standard 4-way power lumbar adjustment on the front seats. Advance Package MDXs get wider 20-inch wheels, too. And now on to those tweaks and enhancements that might not have been planned a long time ago in a product meeting far away. The engine stop/start function has been tweaked to be smoother and quicker, thanks to an upgraded brake sensor and some software tweaks.

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).

2024 Acura ZDX price starts at $64,500 before destination, incentives

When the Acura ZDX was revealed in August, we wrote the A-Spec will be in the $60,000 range and the Type S in the $70,000 range. Official pricing shows that to be the case, the entry-level A-Spec with rear-wheel drive starting at $64,500 before destination. Acura charges a $1,350 destination fee for the RDX and MDX, it's two current SUVs. We'll use that as a placeholder sum for the ZDX, resulting in these MSRPs: A-Spec RWD: $65,850 A-Spec AWD: $69,850 Type S: $74,850 Type S (Perf. wheel & tire): $75,850 Before we get to the comparisons, let's recap what buyers get for the money. The A-Spec comes standard in rear-wheel-drive, its single motor making 340 horsepower. A dual-motor AWD version costs $4,000 more; Acura didn't specify a difference in output, it could be the same 340 hp no matter the number of powered axles. The Type S comes with dual motors producing 500 horsepower to share among the four wheels. The suspension here is upgraded from the A-Spec's multi-link independent with fixed-rate shocks and springs to height-adjustable air springs and adaptive shocks. The brakes go from 12.6-inch rotors to 15.6-inch discs clamped by Brembo six-piston calipers. The A-Spec sits on 20-inch wheels, the Type S wears 22-inchers on tires that are 10 millimeters wider. And that Type S gets the option of Double Apex Blue Pearl from the Precision concept or Tiger Eye Pearl from other Type S models. Inside, there's a a low dash with slim air vents and a pair of split screens for instruments and infotainment; 11 inches and 11.5, respectively. The steering wheel and climate controls come from the related Blazer EV, this being Acura's version of a battery-electric SUV sitting on GM's Ultium platform. Unlike a GM product, though, Acura's back end runs on Google Built-In, and there's an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system as standard equipment. Assistance features include rear emergency braking with rear cross-traffic and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with steering assist, automatic parallel parking and, thanks to being based on a GM platform, hands-free highway driving assist (Super Cruise by any other name). Every ZDX is powered by a 102-kilowatt-hour battery, the onboard charger capable of 190 kW of DC fast charging. Every unit's CCS charging port can plug in at places like Electrify America and EVgo, Acura dealers will provide free NACS adapters for use at Tesla Supercharger stations.