4th Place: 2016 Acura RLX
7.5 out of 10 (up .2 from last year)
The Acura RLX is the lowest-ranking Acura vehicle. It’s also one of the lowest ranking luxury large cars, only besting the Hyundai Equus and Lincoln MKS. Although low-scoring, the RLX redeems itself with spacious rear seats, good fuel economy,and a lot of standard features.
2016 Acura RLX Interior
Acura uses high-quality materials, but its execution lacks the panache of the rest of the class. Front seats are good for long drives, and the rear seats offer more legroom than nearly every other sedan in the class. With that much space, something has to give, and in this case, it was the trunk space, which is below average for the class.
2016 Acura RLX Performance
An RLX Sport Hybrid is now available for 2016, which might sound like an oxymoron. But with Acura rolling out the NSX hybrid supercar, the Japanese luxury brand is looking to leverage the addition of a fuel-efficient car that is also fun to drive.
The Sport Hybrid combines a V6 engine with a trio of electric motors, and the combination has some punch. The SH-AWD (Super Handling-All Wheel Drive) system handles pretty well but is still outdone by competitors like the Infiniti Q70. The Sport Hybrid earns an EPA-estimated 28/32 mpg city/highway, which is good for the class. The conventionally powered RLX gets 20/31 city/highway, which is decent.
Despite this, other offerings deliver more inspired performance, and the RLX just can’t hold up in the driving excitement department.
3rd Place: 2016 Acura ILX
7.7 out of 10 (up .2 from last year)
Imbued with great safety scores, the 2016 ILX is refreshed inside and out. The ILX has a nicer cabin than previous models, but still features disappointing interior materials for the class. Luckily, it has a host of safety features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assist.
2016 Acura ILX Interior
Despite the improvement in interior materials, some reviewers found the refreshed ILX interior to be only an incremental jump from some Honda models. Even so, the front seats are comfortable, the rear seats are spacious, and there’s a lot of cargo space for the class. What doesn’t work in the ILX is the confusing display screen layout. It has been noted that the dual screens are redundant and distracting to the driver.
2016 Acura ILX Performance
Reviewers like the poised handling and responsive eight-speed automated manual transmission, which is new for 2016. The 2.0-liter engine and manual transmission have been replaced with a 201-horsepower 2.4-liter for 2016, which delivers good acceleration from a stop but struggles to get up to highway speeds. Factor in strong brakes and precise shifting, and the ILX has overall better driving dynamics than the 2015 model.
Up from last year, the 2016 ILX earns EPA-estimated 25/36 city/highway mpg, which is good for small upscale cars. These changes improve the overall score, but the ILX still falls behind in its class, coming in last in the luxury small car segment.
2nd Place: 2017 Acura RDX
8.2 out of 10 (down .3 from last year)
The 2017 RDX is a strong offering for Acura, even though it ranks only No. 11 out of 13 among luxury compact SUVs. And, unlike Acura’s other offerings, the 2017 RDX’s score is down from last year. New for 2016, AcuraWatch is comprised of a suite of safety features that includes lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and blind spot monitoring. The JewelEye headlights were also a new addition for 2016, bringing the RDX visually in-line with the rest of the lineup.
2017 Acura RDX Interior
The cabin has a premium feel, but the dual digital screens can be confusing. Luckily you can access some features with old school knobs and dials. The cabin is also very roomy for the class. Both rows of seats are comfortable and supportive, and the cabin comes standard with features like push-button start, a multi-angle rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, a seven-speaker stereo, and Siri Eyes Free iPhone integration.
2017 Acura RDX Performance
The RDX has smooth driving dynamics, but reviewers lamented that it wasn’t as fun to drive as the competition. The automatic generally shifts well, but is sometimes slow to downshift. The 279-horsepower V6 makes the RDX feel quick both around town and on the highway.
Most drivers will appreciate how smooth the RDX is over rough patches of road. Though its 20/29 mpg city/highway fuel economy is adequate for segment, the RDX has a hard time standing out against tough competition like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Lexus RX.
1st Place (Tie): 2016 Acura MDX
8.7 out of 10 (up .4 from last year)
The MDX is one of Acura’s strongest scorers, but is still plagued by the confusing touch-screen infotainment system. The MDX comes in at No. 8 of 21 among luxury midsize SUVs, No. 10 out of 35 luxury crossover SUVs, and most impressively, it ranks fourth among 16 three-row SUVs. It is also the winner of the 2016 Best 3-Row SUV for the Money award.
2016 Acura MDX Interior
Decked out with standard features, it comes with a rearview camera, tri-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and auxiliary inputs, satellite radio, an infotainment system with an 8-inch touch screen, and proximity key and push-button start.
There’s good legroom in the second row for adults, something that can be a challenge for designers when trying to squeeze in three rows. Drop the second and third rows, and there’s 68.4 cubic feet of cargo space, which is great for the class.
2016 Acura MDX Performance
While the infotainment system is cumbersome, the handling of the MDX is certainly not. It feels very nimble for a vehicle its size and offers handling that is more crisp than many of its competitors, thanks in large part to a new version of the available SH-AWD.
The MDX features a 290-horsepower V6 engine, and when paired to the new nine-speed automatic transmission, it provides great acceleration. The 19/27 mpg city/highway is among the best in class.
Some test drivers love how the MDX drives over rough patches of road, but others think the ride is too firm. You can choose your own driving feel with the Integrated Dynamics system: Normal, Sport, and Comfort. It adjusts the steering and throttle response for each mode. Shoppers would also do well to consider the Volvo XC90 or BMW X5. But for the money, it’s hard to beat the MDX.
1st Place (Tie): 2016 Acura TLX
8.7 out of 10 (same as last year)
The TLX is tied with the MDX for the best-scoring Acura, and the TLX is the winner of the 2016 Best Upscale Midsize Car for the Money, because of its extremely quiet cabin, slick eight-speed transmission, and plentiful standard and available features.
2016 Acura TLX Interior
Some interior materials on the TLX are top-notch, but others are made with chintzy materials. The TLX also has less-than-stellar rear-seat headroom. The TLX suffers from the same infotainment woes but, generally speaking, tech features are abundant. The list of standard features is long, and includes a moonroof, a rearview camera, proximity key and push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, satellite radio, smartphone app integration, a dual-screen infotainment system, and a seven-speaker stereo.
Available features include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic monitoring, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, pre-collision braking, as well as a host of other tech-savvy luxury options.
2016 Acura TLX Performance
The base engine is a 2.5-liter I4 that makes 206 horsepower, which some critics say does not measure up to the turbocharged engines offered by the competition. Luckily, the available 290-horsepower is more than enough, and routes power through a silky eight-speed automatic transmission.
Critics say some rivals are more fun to drive, but the TLX is no slouch. It provides overall poised handling, but if you opt for the all-wheel steering system there is a noticeable difference in hard cornering. A new nine-speed automatic transmission is available, providing incredibly smooth shifts. The TLX gets 24/35 mpg city/highway, which is just a bit over the average for the class.
Honorary Mention: 2017 Acura NSX
We don't yet rank the 2017 Acura NSX, but we couldn't create a list of the best Acuras without it. Acura’s top-of-the-line supercar is back for the 2017 model year. The original NSX was built from 1991 to 2005. All 9,000 of those original cars were built in Japan, but the new car will be built in Ohio and features a very different powertrain than the original.
While the first NSX featured a straight six engine and a manual transmission, the new NSX goes high-tech, with a turbocharged V6 mated to a hybrid setup that includes three electric motors and the nine-speed DCT. The whole system makes 573 horsepower.
2017 Acura NSX
The NSX has four drive modes. In Quiet mode, hybrid system uses battery power under 50 mph, which keeps both noise and fuel consumption down. Other settings are Sport, Sport+, and Track, all of which are said to unlock the full spectrum of performance capability.
The electric motors work in unison to provide incredible acceleration from a standstill, and can put power to different wheels to achieve incredible cornering. With a starting price of $156,000, we expect the looks and the performance of the NSX to blow anyone’s hair back!
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We Rank the Acura Lineup from Bottom to Top
Acura is a great bargain in the luxury marketplace, with multiple vehicles earning finalists positions or outright winning their respective categories. Acura’s portfolio of three sedans and two SUVS scores consistently well, with scores ranging from 7.5 to 8.7.
Acura SUVs are more consistently positive scorers than Acura cars, but there is some good news for the brand as a whole. Two of the three lower-scoring models have increased their score from last year. What is the best Acura? Read on to find out.