Another of the city's impressions - small exterior mirrors. It seems that the sphericity of their reflective elements is chosen so that the blind zones are minimized, and yet every now and then it seems that you do not see something. I am glad that the car is equipped with a blind spot monitoring system.
The maneuverability of a more than 4.8-meter sedan in "narrow" places is not the best. The steering system does not work at low speeds, so you have to be vigilant and careful: it can be difficult to “fit” a long and wide car into a small parking space. Yes, there is a rear-view camera here, and the picture on the top eight-inch screen appears quite good - if, of course, the camera lens is clean. Moreover, it should be noted that the camera can operate in three modes: wide-angle, narrow-angle and in the “view from above” mode. The first mode is convenient when you need to control the situation not only directly behind the rear bumper, but also from the sides. In the second mode, the picture is devoid of wide-angle distortion. And the third mode allows you to control the direct approach to dangerous objects.
In our photo, you can see that the car came close to the curb. When reversing, it is relatively safe, but the front end can also run into an obstacle - the front overhang is long here, the lower edge of the bumper is not high, and it is easier to inflict an “injury” on it. You should not blindly trust the front parking sensors, it is better to get out of the car once again and assess the situation visually.
Two buttons
Urban acceleration and rebuilding on the TLX look like a warm-up before a decisive start. The native element of this car is, of course, the track. I slandered some of my impressions of the movement on the recorder - and now I am happy to catch a distinct background when listening to the recordings: a powerful roar of the engine during acceleration. This sound "turns on" even when instead of the steering wheel and dashboard you have only a desk, a computer screen and a keyboard in front of your eyes. It's just as nice to listen to this background while watching a short video we shot while driving. It shows how the on-board computer display changes when the lane control system is turned on.
The button located in the block to the left of the steering wheel activates the marking line tracking system. After pressing it, any intersection of the markings without turning on the turn signal responds to the steering wheel with a slight but noticeable vibration. It seems like the system reminds: do not sleep, the driver, control the environment on the mirrors. But Acura is capable of more. By pressing a button directly on the steering wheel, the system is activated, forcing the car to keep to the lane. Here, the steering wheel does not just vibrate, but really pushes the car into the lane - again, if the driver, rebuilding, did not give a turn signal.
True, both of these "controllers" make our sedan, I would say, a little "nervous". He doesn’t mind being free with the course of movement anyway, straying from it on bumps and in asphalt ruts, and here two more additional systems impose their ideas about directional stability. Relatively speaking, the car slightly “scours” along the strip between the marking lines, as if trying to “attach” to them once and for all, but for some reason it fails, and the search continues uninterrupted. To be honest, if the Acura were mine, I would somehow deactivate both of these buttons. In the end, I myself still see the marking lines quite well. Let the safety electronics help someone else, for example, girls or novice drivers.
True, I would not advise them to immediately purchase the TLX model. Is this car difficult to drive? No, not at all, but he can show character on the uneven surfaces, and he must be kept from “willfulness”. Its suspension (in front of the MacPherson strut, behind a complex multi-link) cannot be reproached for excessive rigidity, and, nevertheless, it can provoke a sports sedan to "trick" - about the same as the "unbridled" Ford Mondeo Sport hatchback. Drivers who are just starting their “career” may not like this behavior.
With experience, you begin to appreciate this automotive "rebellion" and easily parry it. How pleasant it is to softly and quickly change lanes in a rushing stream, having under your foot an almost constant supply of traction on the “gas” pedals, and under your hands - the “petals” of controlling an automatic transmission in manual mode. No, this Acura is damn good! From turn to turn, I fall in love with her more and more. I like that it has a low center of gravity, it rolls slightly on turns and instantly responds to the driver’s control actions (the steering wheel here is “short”, only 2.5 turns from lock to lock). To drive it along the road with turns, ups and downs - that would be a pleasure. It’s a pity, but there are no mountains and even foothills in the Moscow region, and the Caucasus and the Urals are far away.
All that remains is a light “warm-up” on a flat closed area. It is still slippery, the snow has come down, leaving a black and wet “sediment” on the pavement. I sharply add "gas" and throw the car into a turn - but he does not even think of "rushing", but deftly "screws" into the turn and describes an arc of an extremely small radius. Wow! Other cars on this site (I visited it more than once) were only able to write out circles, but Acura easily draws “eights”. More gas! It is difficult to break the rear wheels into slipping, because in fact they are rolling here in the direction in which other models begin to slide. And yet this can be achieved - but the stabilization system does not sleep and prevents my provocations. For the sake of the experiment, I turn it off and again try to “destabilize” the car. No, no matter how quickly the thrusters work, the car “unwinds” without a stabilization system. But not as willingly as many of its front-wheel drive counterparts without a steering system.
On the same black "porridge" I check the operation of ABS. Perhaps, it comes into action a little earlier than we would like, but it performs its functions with dignity. Even in those cases when under the wheels of one side there is semi-liquid mud, and under the other - dry asphalt. Gradually, the car, which until recently shone with whiteness, is splashed to the very roof. What to do, such are the costs of our experiments. Tomorrow it will be washed clean and, not without regret, handed over to the press park. Sad…
To prolong the pleasure, I deliberately delay the time on the road. Looks like a cruise control system is installed here for some reason? Oh, if only its fans would finally be transferred to cars with full autopilots, and for the rest they would start producing models without overly intrusive electronics. Unfortunately, it is not necessary to count on the possibility of acquiring an Acura TLX with mechanics. This car was created for the American market, it will not be sold in Europe, only in Russia. So what, "cruise", are you really that "economical"? Indeed, no stretch. At a set speed of 110 km / h, the engine speed fluctuates between 1800 and 2000, and the instantaneous fuel consumption drops to 5 liters per "hundred" and is held at this level for a relatively long time, at least as long as the road is horizontal. I try to change modes by switching them with the IDS (Integrated Dynamics System) button, and find that the indicators are very close in all of them, except for Sport +: in it, the revolutions reach 2500. The consumption also jumps slightly.
The trunk has a considerable area, its length along the floor is 110 cm. But the sidewalls have very complex (uneven) shapes, and the height under the curtain is small - only 45 cm. Therefore, the volume is small. The parts of the back of the rear sofa can be folded in a ratio of 40:60, and then long lengths up to 192 cm can be loaded.
But to go on a "cruise" in Russia is still a thankless task. For the umpteenth time I am experimenting on the M2 motorway near Moscow: how long can you hold out on this “semi-autopilot”? A third of the 100-kilometer stretch comes out at most. Fuel consumption, therefore, is also far from the record: 9 with a little liters per "hundred". After all, when advancing one way or another, you have to “heat”. And enjoy not only the sound of the engine, but also quite "incendiary" dynamics. In Sport mode, the car accelerates from 80 to 120 km/h in about 8 seconds, while in Sport+ mode, this time is reduced by another couple of seconds. The gear change in the box occurs at the same time at around 5500 rpm. When driving at a speed of 120 km / h in fifth gear, the engine crankshaft rotates at a frequency of 4000 rpm.
Of course, gears can also be changed manually. This feature is always available, but in any mode other than Sport +, as soon as you forget to change gear yourself, the “automatic” will take matters into its own hands. Should I use this mode? Yes and no: the “automatic” shifts gears relatively quickly, but with a sharp addition of “gas”, when you need to drop two steps at once, it can “fail” slightly. In such situations, manual switching is more effective. In other cases, it is quite possible to trust the ingenious “two clutches plus a torque converter” system.
"Silver" middle
So who is this new sedan? In terms of equipment, it’s not quite “business”, in terms of general characteristics it’s not quite “sport”, but in terms of handling it’s “sport plus”. Gourmets will appreciate - and will certainly forgive him some shortcomings. Well, what if the electronic "handbrake" does not turn off automatically when you start moving? But it is electronic, not foot, which is still found on cars intended for the overseas market. There is no “contactless” opening of the trunk lid, you have to look for the button on the key fob with busy hands. "Music" in the cabin is excellently good, but the sound insulation is not very good. In terms of space in the back seat, the Acura TLX clearly loses to its closest competitors. In addition, a passenger who intends to sit more freely, crossing his legs, will certainly “activate” the rear sofa heating by touching the keys with the toe of his boot. The navigation system reports traffic jams by radio, but it doesn't shine with graphics and looks old-fashioned. But, most importantly, the “double-acting” transmission works funny. It seems that at low engine speeds, two devices - a torque converter and a pair of clutches - cannot decide among themselves who will transmit torque. Hence - jerks and jolts, albeit not sharp, but still present ...
Edition site Photo photo of the author
Acura has teased the world for years by constantly showing different versions of the NSX hybrid supercar. But if you think you've been waiting a long time for the NSX to hit the streets of your city, consider the Nissan GT-R R35, which has been waiting for a worthy opponent for almost 12 years of its existence.
The new Acura NSX is heavy. It exceeds the weight of the 1990 car by more than 360 kg; it is 136 kg heavier than the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The NSX is insanely complex, with an auxiliary motor between a twin-turbo V6 and a nine-speed dual-clutch transmission, and two electric motors on the front axle to precisely dose torque to each wheel. And the NSX is expensive. It will cost approximately $170,000 when it goes on sale next spring. You can start slandering.
Luxury car manufacturers love young buyers. Of course, high-priced flagships like Mercedes-Benz's S-Class, BMW's 7-Series, and Lexus' LS are more likely to find their owners among a more mature, well-grounded crowd. But, as the late Miss Houston (famous psychologist) said, children are our future, especially those who opt for entry-level premiums like the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA.
If we are talking about an automobile "business class", then the image of some German rear-wheel drive sedan with a V6 engine, at least, immediately comes to mind. However, the market shows that things can be quite different. Instead of V6 - atmospheric "four", and the drive - to the front wheels. It is this set that the participants in our today's comparison have.
Three seven-seater crossovers. Three power plants - hybrid, turbodiesel and gasoline. Three different all-wheel drive systems. Three very different cars, three completely different concepts, three dimensions. But we still decided to bring them together and check - who wins? Who is faster, smarter, more comfortable, roomy and, of course, more economical. And at the same time find out whether the truth is said about the Acura MDX, that this car handles better than any other hot hatch?
Starting to attack the Russian market with powerful and well-equipped crossovers - MDX and RDX - Acura continues its expansion. By the New Year, Acura's "army" is coming replenishment: the new TLX sedan enters the battle for its buyer. the site went to a meeting with even pre-production versions of the novelty in the vicinity of Italian Milan.
The fact that American cars are well suited for our market, marketers have understood for a long time. Since then, a string of adapted machines has been pulled from across the ocean to the expanses of Mother Russia. So today we will talk about models that were originally developed for the United States. And if the first participant in the test, Toyota Highlander, has already managed to quite successfully light up with us in the last generation, then Acura RDX is a novelty on the market of officially sold cars, as well as the entire brand as a whole.
As you can see, the cool Bavarian X6 does not let competitors sleep well. Take a look at the new model from the Japanese-American Acura - under the meaningful designation ZDX. Do not already familiar features appear in the peculiar appearance of the “adapter” (crossover)? Probably, there are more than one point of view here, but the passenger car is undeniably interesting. It is worth it to deal with it in more detail - in detail.
Stylish toy
Like the BMW X6, Acura's "adapter" is a rather big car: almost 4.9 m in length. Although it takes only 5 adults on board - and even then ... The roof line is much lower than that of the "bimmer", and therefore the "Akura" looks much slimmer. A sort of "fastback" of the late 60s ... I must say, American auto reviewers really go in from the appearance of the ZDX. Like, among other “adapters”, the new Acura looks like an Armani product in a ready-made dress store. So yes - another 5-door "sport coupe", which are now in vogue.
Others manage to see in the ZDX a “civilized” incarnation of the Mitsubishi combat vehicle that shone at the Dakar rally. That is, in the stylistic vein of shogun warrior (warrior of the shogun), now adopted by Acura. "Fastback", slightly raised above the running surface - with powerful, widely spaced wheels. Confident staging, aggressive intentions. Sovereign ruler from the battle of the territory taken ...
One way or another, it is difficult to pass by the new "adapter" and not notice. This is what the Californian designers of the Japanese-American brand wanted: to create a cool multi-purpose passenger car that can attract the attention of others. Apparently, they succeeded ... And, which is typical, the leading role in the team was played by Michelle Christensen, who was only 26 years old when she performed the first sketches of an extraordinary "adapter". The new generation prefers Pepsi...
The interior of the ZDX matches the expressive exterior: perhaps the most elegant interior of all modern Honda models. Leather-wrapped front panel? Run your hand and see. Leather upholstery on interior door panels? Of course, - not to mention the decorative inserts of natural leather on the seat upholstery. Even the luggage compartment is covered with carpeting of such quality that they are not ashamed to lay the floors in a 5-star Hilton. Speaking of the luggage compartment: although its capacity is within 745 liters, the compartment is equipped with interesting devices - for ease of placement (and fastening) of luggage. Flexible variability.
Above the heads of the driver and passengers - a full-sized panel of athermal (self-darkening) glass; you rarely see that anywhere else. And in general, in terms of infotainment and comfort equipment, the test-ZDX (with the optional Advance Package) is impressive. "Premium" radio ELS, Bluetooth headset, navigation (voice control) ... The front seats, of course, heated and ventilated, in the "state" adaptive "cruise control" - plus proprietary CMBS (Collision Mitigating Braking System - brake control electronics to mitigate the consequences of a collision, uh). Numerous "pillows" (including knee - both for the driver and for the front passenger) and "curtains" ... Little remains to be desired, although the list of options is decent.
Comfort, safety, convenience and somewhere even luxury. Do not think, however, that Acura's "adapter" is perfection itself - without fear and reproach. Unfortunately, not quite: an extremely attractive car, but not without weaknesses. So, rear visibility from the driver's seat is limited by powerful rear pillars and a strong slope of the rear window. The defect is partly compensated by a rear-view camera; how did you manage without wonderful electronics before?
Space in the 2nd row is limited (the wheelbase is a little short) - and the fastback roof falling back hangs low over the heads of passengers. It's about as spacious as the rear seats of a Mazda RX-8 sports coupe. In addition, entry and exit through the rear side doors is not particularly convenient ... It's funny: the same claims are made to the ZDX as to its direct rival, the BMW X6. As they agreed - both the creators of the two "adapters" and the observers. That's the idea of a kind of passenger cars: a cool means of transport for individualists with imagination (and means). And for a family with children and households - Acura RDX or MDX; exceptionally practical vehicles.
Corporate unification
No matter how extravagant the ZDX looks, typical Honda tricks are still hidden under the exterior. And if you scrape, then the technique of the “premium” Legend sedan will come through. Naturally - cooperation and unification. Or rather, the units and components of the medium-sized "sports manager" Acura MDX: engine, transmission, chassis.
Under the hood of the new “adapter” is mounted (transversely) a V-shaped “six” J37: an all-aluminum 24-valve design. Just from MDX. Honda-like peculiar: there are only 2 camshafts (and not 4, like others). But at the inlet, a 2-mode VTEC timing works; is worth a lot. With a cylinder diameter and a piston stroke of 90 x 96 mm, the engine displacement is 3664 “cubes”. With a compression ratio of 11.2, it develops up to 300 hp. (SAE "net") at 6300 min -1, the highest torque is 366 Nm. The “Six” is docked with the new hydromechanical “automatic” SportShift (allows forced switching from the paddles) - for the first time in Honda Motor 6-speed. As with MDX sample 2010.
The transmission of the two models is also the same: all-wheel drive SH-AWD. An extraordinary design: it doesn’t have a central differential, it doesn’t even have a rear one! Instead, the rear axle has a pair of electronically controlled multi-plate clutches. A unique solution (although not new) and deserves a separate discussion - some other time. In general, by default, the ZDX goes to the front drive, while the rear axle is connected only occasionally (but often). In addition, SH-AWD transfers part of the torque from the left rear wheel to the right one all the time - and vice versa. Active control of the "yaw" of the car.
Weak dynamic potential. And the running gear to match him - borrowed from the same MDX. That is, as usual, the McPherson suspension is in front, and in the back - on double wishbones (“spatial” scheme). Coil springs, transverse stabilizers. But! The high-speed ZDX is equipped with a hi-tech package called IDS (Integrated Dynamic System - integrated dynamic system), which includes ADS (Active Damper System - active damping system). The system employs single-tube shock absorbers with a magnetorheological working fluid: the stiffness changes at least 1000 times per second! Fantastic ability to quickly adjust the suspension to rapidly changing driving conditions - and, probably, outstanding driving performance. Let's see.
Acura's adapter rolls on 255/50R Michelin Latitude tires mounted on 19-inch alloy wheels. The steering mechanism, of course, is rack and pinion, of course, it works with a servo amplifier (under the control of ECPS electronics). Brake discs in front with a diameter of 330.2 mm (ventilated), rear - 332.75 mm; servo booster. And of course, 4-channel ABS, EBD - complete with VSA (dynamic stabilization program).
ZDX units and assemblies are assembled on a rigid supporting structure (ACETM proprietary philosophy) - with zones of programmable deformation upon impact. "Passive" safety equipment. ZDX length - 4887 mm, width - 1994, height - 1595; wheelbase - 2751 mm (one to one with MDX), wide track - 1720/1720! Overall vehicle. And massive: curb weight - from 2010 kg (with a "weight distribution" along the axes of 58/42%). Hence, some features of the behavior of the "adapter" on the road.
Mobile nature
Grab the "steering wheel" (it just falls into your hands) and step on the "trigger". The passenger car of exquisitely aggressive appearance will show what it is capable of in business. The throttle response is not weak: for example, from zero to 96.5 km / h (60 miles), the “adapter” accelerated in 6.5 seconds. He walked a distance of 1/4 mile (402 m) from a place in 15 seconds. level, the speed at the end of the short segment is 150.3 km/h. Try to "make" such a ZDX from a traffic light ...
A dynamic car - and not only on a straight line. The SH-AWD transmission actively suppresses the "adapter"'s (overloaded front axle) natural tendency to understeer. ZDX tenaciously holds the road and accurately writes a curvilinear trajectory. We can say, excellent handling - do not be too light steering wheel in your hands. In high-speed maneuvering, the lack of feedback creates some kind of uncertainty and limits the driver's capabilities.
However, in the standard skid pad exercise, the car held 0.83 g of lateral acceleration; "adapter" with a raised center of gravity! Not every passenger car can boast such road holding (although the X6 showed all 0.86 g). And one more typical exercise - "MT eight": Acura performed a difficult "figurine" in 27.2 seconds. Not bad either, but just a second worse than the humble xDrive35i. It turns out that ZDX is inferior to its Bavarian rival in key test modes? Judging by the dry reporting data, it is inferior.
However, observers note the special liveliness of the Japanese-American passenger car in a bunch of fast turns. Driving pleasure that Acura supposedly delivers even beyond a BMW. The point is the mass difference: the test-ZDX is a good 2.5 centners lighter than the xDrive35i. So it turns out (although the “bimmer” has a cool chassis and “weight distribution” is much better). In addition, observers pay tribute to the smoothness of the car - both on a flat highway with improved coverage and on a dirt country road. It can be seen that it was not in vain that Acura used IDS (with magnetorheological damping); strong thing. The brakes are smooth and stable, but the car slows down - even with the pedal to the floor - not too strongly. So, from a speed of 96.5 km / h (60 miles), the ZDX stopped, according to tests, at a distance of 39.3 m. Too much ...
And the “adapter” is not particularly different in terms of fuel economy. From Acura, gasoline consumption is declared (EPA) as 14.7 liters per 100 kilometers in the city - and 10.7 liters on the highway. On average, according to tests, ZDX burned 13.75 liters of gasoline per "hundred". The weight and considerable frontal area of the car affects; you can’t fasten it to the “green” ones.
And if you squeeze out the “dry residue” from the impressions of the observers, then it turns out something like this.
- attractive appearance - the most interesting of the Acura models;
- cool interior.
Contra:
- inconvenience of entry-exit in the 2nd row;
- limited load capacity - less than Fit/Jazz;
- somewhat nervous handling.
Verdict: ZDX is a cool "liner" for flights (preferably together) over long distances. In life, not as aggressive as the BMW X6 or Infiniti FX.
The ZDX is produced at the Honda Motor plant in Alliston, Canada. In the USA, for an “adapter” they ask from 44 thousand dollars, a well-packed test car cost 48 thousand. That is, 12-15 thousand dollars cheaper than a comparable BMW X6 xDrive35i. This answers the key question...
Special opinion. The embodiment of the idea of a "ladies" car: stylish, large, all-wheel drive. Comfortable and impractical, stable and safe. Automatic transmission without options; the passenger car is obviously not for the "driver". And that the steering wheel of the ZDX is “empty”, because beautiful (and wealthy) ladies are not inclined to have fun with high-speed maneuvering. The main thing is to look like an akura flower.
Photo Acura, Honda.
MagneRide shock absorbers from the American Delphi. Already the third generation of wonderful hi-tech monotubes: they do without mechanical valves and allow you to adjust the damping degree many times on each wheel stroke.
The other day, Acura pleased with a press release that the new MDX has become the most popular premium seven-seat crossover in the US. Let's not count how many of those seven-seater premium crossovers are in total, but instead get acquainted with the new MDX in our test drive.
Everyone wants to be the best at something and one can only be glad for Acura, which was able to get record sales in the USA, for which this car was created in the first place. The figures there are really serious - about 30 thousand cars in the first half of the year, which is 64% more than last year. But then the United States, where such cars are extremely popular, and this is Ukraine, where Acura is much more premium in price and is just starting its official path on the market.
The test was crossover Acura MDX 3.5 AT Advance worth 972,600 hryvnia.
The Acura brand is well known to Ukrainians, despite the fact that it officially came to our country only this year. With him, as in his time with Lexus, we were introduced to gray dealers. Their most popular car was the MDX. On the streets of Kyiv, it is not as common as the Lexus RX, for example, but still noticeable. And finally, Honda decided to bring its premium brand to the Ukrainian market.
Design
The company calls the new MDX the third generation, although the car looks like a restyled one. True, this is only until you put it next to the last one, fortunately, we had such an opportunity. The cars differ significantly not only in details (optics in the first place), but also in the general image. If you look closely, there are practically no identical body parts. The past MDX crossover was a big badass, a little aggressive, a little brash. The new car has become calmer, the sharp edges have been filed and smooth lines have been added.
As for the details, in addition to the very unusual headlights, for which they even came up with a separate name Jewel Eye ™, you can see a new false radiator grille. In general, even non-specialists in the Acura brand can easily recognize a new generation in this car; questions about it were often asked during a test drive.
The overall impression is slightly spoiled by assembly flaws, with the naked eye it can be seen that the rear doors adjoin the body in a strange way, there is an offset in the lower part in the area of the wheel arch, as well as a noticeable difference between the plane of the door and the wing. You don’t expect this from a Japanese car at all, especially when it comes to a premium car that is seriously going to compete with the Lexus RX and BMW X5.
Interior
Fortunately, the flaws found on the outside did not spread inside. The interior of the MDX is very solid, leather, wood, everything as befits a premium car. The car inside has changed fundamentally and unlike the exterior, you notice it right away. The architecture of the panels is fundamentally different, the owner, to whom we gave the car for a couple of days, got used to everything again.
The ergonomics of the interior are so Honda, and this is no doubt a compliment. In the car, you quickly begin to feel at home, you don’t ask yourself unnecessary questions about how to do something, where to click, and so on. A little too smart only with the climate system, far from immediately I found seat heating and climate control readings.
For some reason, the armrest made a special impression. Although "for some reason" is inappropriate here, its non-standard implementation deserves special attention. A huge niche is hidden under the curtain, the wide top cushion moves so that you can put your elbow on the driver of any height, in general, everything is well thought out.
The multimedia system deserves special mention. As I wrote above, according to the new Honda tradition, she has two screens at once, which at first introduces certain difficulties, you have to scatter attention between them. With one large display, it is much easier, but apparently, integrating a system with one large screen here was much more difficult. Yes, and at the moment the company does not have such a system, so ready-made developments are used.
The lower display is touch-sensitive, its main task is to control all multimedia and climate. The top one is responsible only for the output of information. A 500-watt acoustic system with twelve speakers is designed to please the ears of the driver and passengers. She really pleased my unprofessional ear. In addition to music and navigation, there is also a camera system that gives a circular view by default and five more options for viewing the environment at the request of the driver. All this greatly facilitates the life of the driver in the metropolis, the car is rather big.
The rear row of seats has its own entertainment center, the display leans back from the ceiling, it is possible to connect various playback sources via HDMI or regular “tulips”, but you can’t just plug in a USB flash drive and turn on the movie. Once again, automotive multimedia systems demonstrate a technological backwardness of 3-5 years from the real world, which cannot be explained in any way. I sincerely see no reason to overpay for such functionality, a normal person will use it at best once to try it. No one will constantly fence a garden with a third-party playback source. Yes, you can watch videos from DVDs, but in the age of digital content distribution, this is again an anachronism.
As for the comfort of second-row passengers, everything is fine with him. Plenty of space, comfortable seats, business class practically. The long road will not tire. The seats naturally move and tilt.
The car is seven-seat by default, there is no five-seat option. The third row is not too spacious, children will be fine there, tall or even medium-sized adults can be sent for re-education if they talk too much. The third row has speakers and cup holders, but I didn’t notice any additional air ducts for the climate system.
As is usually the case in seven-seat cars, the volume of the trunk depends on the number of people in the cabin. In the maximum passenger state, the luggage compartment becomes very small, but if you fold at least one seat, you can already load a lot of things. I managed to take away in this car five people besides myself, of which two children were in chairs, as well as a pram and a couple of bags. Fold down both rear seats and the trunk volume will be 676 liters. If you fold the second row, then you can already load 1,344 liters, but the minimum volume here is only 234 liters.
Drive
Six-cylinder 3.5 under the hood for 290 hp provide according to the passport 7.6 s up to 100 km / h. A six-speed classic automatic transmission is responsible for transmitting torque to the wheels, as well as a proprietary SH-AWD torque redistribution system, which is paired with a dynamic stabilization system. They can transfer the moment not only between the axles, but also between the wheels. By default, the front axle receives 90% of the moment, and the rear 10%, if necessary, this ratio can change up to 30/70 in favor of the rear axle, and between the wheels up to 0 to 100 in the right direction. Why is this needed? In theory, to provide a massive crossover with handling comparable to a sports sedan.
In practice, if you drive within the framework of the traffic rules and do not act recklessly, then you will notice the operation of the system only on impassable roads or in winter. On asphalt, as part of normal driving, the car behaves exactly the same as any other. The effect of SH-AWD can only be seen in driving modes close to the limit. I went too far with the speed of entering the turn - it’s better not to let go of the gas, the smart car will redistribute the moment in such a way as to “screw” itself into the turn. The main thing is to have enough rubber grip and courage for the driver. In general, both in a calm ride and in a fast one, the crossover is perfectly controlled. He would have even lower tires, but more wheels, but then the price will step over a million hryvnia, and comfort will suffer.
Acura MDX allows you to go fast, aspirated behaves honestly, no trendy turbo stuff, real old school. Hold the momentum and he will honestly give you everything he is capable of. The crossover is good both in an imposing and calm ride, and in a fast one. In the second case, I was pleased not only with the dynamics, but also with good brakes that could stop the car before someone in the cabin had time to get scared. Of course, you have to pay for fast driving, a consumption of 15 l / 100 km here can be considered the optimal minimum for a comfortable “non-nauseous” ride. You go faster, you pay more.
Now about comfort. About the acoustic part has already been written above, the suspension is trying not to lose face. You don’t notice every little thing, like tram tracks or joints on bridges, but potholes are still better to go around. Akurovtsy themselves believe that their competitors are Lexus RX and BMX X5, and so in terms of comfort the car is somewhere between them, yielding in smoothness to Lexus, but surpassing BMW in the same parameter. With handling the same picture, just the opposite.
Especially for the markets of the former USSR, the clearance of the new MDX was increased to 20 cm, and the same SH-AWD all-wheel drive is effective not only for sports driving, but also for overcoming difficult surfaces. Unless, of course, the driver wants to drive this car off the asphalt. First of all, both the clearance and the drive will be useful in winter for making your way through uncleaned yards and alleys, as well as parking in snowdrifts. If the winter of 2013-2014 did not frighten with snowfalls, then March 2013 will remain in the memory of the people of Kiev for a long time.
If we again draw parallels with the past MDX, then the difference is very noticeable. The new generation car is perceived almost as a passenger car, while the previous one is very “crossover”. There is no longer any roll, the reaction to the steering wheel and gas is much sharper, there is practically no feeling that you are driving a large crossover. The dynamics have also improved.
Eventually
The car is good and perfect for a large non-poor family. Interior decoration, equipment, dynamics, handling - you can list the advantages for a long time. There are also some unique features, such as driver identification by one of the two keys and automatic adjustment of the driver's seat parameters without pressing any buttons. There are two drawbacks in my opinion - not enough new appearance and conspicuous flaws in body assembly, which are unacceptable in a car of this class.
It cannot be said that Acura should have entered the Ukrainian market earlier, along with Lexus and Infiniti. If it weren't for the gray dealers who made a certain start, it would be difficult for the company in general. But it just won't happen anyway, and not even because of the crisis, when cars are practically not sold. Lots of strong competitors. If earlier the “gray” MDX successfully hit a niche where premium crossovers either did not exist or were just starting, offering almost “empty” basic versions, now the choice in favor of MDX is far from being so obvious. Yes, in a head-to-head comparison in terms of equipment, it will offer many more machines and options. But how many people buy cars from us on the principle of “better to be than to seem”? More often it is just the opposite.
What can you buy for a little less than a million hryvnia? The system of automatic selection of competitors of our Automarket offered many interesting options. Here and Touareg, and Infiniti QX70 (former FX), and even Mercedes ML in lower trim levels. Of the seven-seater options - the cheerful old man Volvo XC90, the production of which, however, has already been completed, and the direct competitor of the Infiniti QX60 (former JX), which in the top version is cheaper by almost 100,000 hryvnias. In general, there is plenty to choose from and Acura still needs to try to convince the buyer to choose the MDX. But on the way and the new Volvo XC90, which can be a very strong offer in this class.
