Acura presents a streamlined 2018 RLX luxury sedan buying experience

Visually, the redesigned Precision Crafted Performance injected 2018 Acura RLX is awe inspiring. Sporting a redesigned front, and rear architecture, showcasing Acura’s well received diamond pentagon grill, and redesigned lighting, Acura’s full size RLX premium 4-door sedan retains exceptional NSX inspired sports hybrid technology. Furthermore, Acura simplifies the buying experience by streamlining trim options and reducing the RLX Sport Hybrid beginning MSRP by $4,050, when compared to the outgoing model. The first time Torque News experienced Acura RLX.

Sport Hybrid and convention V6 gas RLX buyers discover premium value throughout the lineup

Acura simplifies the RLX buying experience for 2018 buy reducing option package choices to 1. That’s correct. In a bold, yet proven successful marketing move, Acura takes the guess work out of the RLX buying experience. Bringing an exceptional hybrid drive and ride experience to the premium sedan segment, Acura RLX is a recognized frontrunner in near autonomous drive technology, active and passive safety features, as well as driver convenience and is exceptionally interior quiet. We spend a week on the road with Acura RLX.

As in 2017, the refreshed Acura RLX presents a real wood and burnished metal accented dash, concert sound integrated ease of personal connectivity, and a leather clad cabin comfort experience second to none in the premium full size sedan segment. Based on our extended test drive, RLX when equipped with the SH-AWD Advance package, is the best handling, full size sedan on the market today. For 2018, Acura presents a much improved, road dynamic RLX now offering a no-compromise buy and ownership experience regardless of trim level.

The options: Hybrid Sport SH-AWD, or 3.5 V6,10 speed automatic P-AWS

For those that have experienced seat time behind the wheel of Acura NSX or MDX Sport Hybrid, you already have a sense of the performance experience that is Acura RLX Sport Hybrid. Claiming a combined peak horsepower of 337, and 341 lb-ft-torque, the all-weather electric motor motivated SH-AWD (smart handling all-wheel-drive) RLX Sport Hybrid is unique to the segment and has no peers. The icing on the cake for top rung RLX buyers is a beginning MSRP price reduction of $4,050, bringing the bottom line down to $61,900 +.

For buyers that prefer the comfort and drive feel of a full size premium sedan, but don’t require the all weather traction of all-wheel-drive, you may wish to explore 2018 Acura RLX with the road holding property of P-AWS. (power-all-wheel-steer,) You will discover a powerful, fuel efficient, premium featured non-hybrid RLX for $55,865 +, a bargain in this segment.

I truly appreciate the premium, tech rich, drive and ride experience that is RLX. A relatively affordable premium car offering presented with no compromise.

A bullet point or two

Trim: *MSRP Including $965 Destination Charge

EPA MPG Rating3: City/Highway/Combined

RLX P-AWS

$54,900

$55,865

20 / 29 / 23

RLX Sport Hybrid

$61,900

$62,865

28 / 29 / 28

*Standard features on the 2018 RLX Sport Hybrid include a head-up display (HUD), premium Krell Audio System with 14 speakers, Surround View Camera, front and rear parking sensors, LED fog lights, remote engine start, ventilated and heated front seats, heated rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel and more.

Both 2018 RLX models feature the unique AcuraWatchTM suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies as standard equipment, enhanced by the addition of the new Traffic Jam Assist, a first for Acura. Working in conjunction with Adaptive Cruise Control and Low Speed Follow, Traffic Jam Assist (TJA) reduces driver stress in highly congested traffic situations by helping keep the vehicle centered in the lane and at a set interval from a vehicle detected ahead.

The AcuraWatchTM suite also includes:

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow

Collision Mitigation Braking SystemTM (CMBSTM)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS)

Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Stay tuned. We hope to drive review the refreshed 2018 Acura RLX soon.

* Acura Division 2017