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2014 Acura MDX goes for a camouflaged cruise

While the often misunderstood (and infrequently purchased) Acura ZDX may be going the way of the dinosaur, the company's far more conventional and successful MDX SUV is evolving. In fact, the 2014 MDX seems to be coming along rather nicely, if this latest set of spy images is any indication.
In the camouflaged prototype we see here, it is evident that Acura designers are going for a beefier look for the MDX front end. The current car's pointed and beaked nose are nowhere in evidence on this tester, though some version of Acura's prominent shield grille does seem to remain.
It's a bit difficult to tell if the shape of the glasshouse is much revised on this new car, as the camo is applied in such a fashion as to obscure the post C-pillar design. But it does seem as though, when we look hard at the full-profile shots of the MDX, that the wheel-arch bulges and side character lines of the current vehicle have been replaced with much simpler surfacing.

Next-gen Acura TLX spied out testing in heavy camouflage

We’re sure you all remember that stunning Acura Type S Concept from yesterday. Acura said itÂ’s meant to influence the next-gen TLXÂ’s design, and lo and behold, here is the next-gen TLX. Of course, Acura has no intentions of letting us see the production car anytime soon, so weÂ’re treated to a heavily cladded prototype in the photos here. Looking at it in profile, the camouflaged car looks a whole lot like the Type S Concept we saw yesterday. The short rear overhang is similar, but the front of the production car looks like it hangs out over the front wheels a little further – it still shares the concept's overall long-hood/short-deck proportions, though. The roof tapers down into the decklid at a shallow angle, similar to the concept car. WeÂ’re sad to see the same quad exhaust isnÂ’t protruding from the rear bumper of this tester. Instead, it gets a dual exhaust with wide, rectangular outlets on both sides. We think the car weÂ’re looking at here is likely a regular TLX, and not the spicy Type S variant most likely seen last year. ThereÂ’s one interior photo our shooter was able to snag, showing a similar infotainment screen as that used in the new RDX, something we fully expect for the production car. That touchpad system is far superior to Acura infotainment systems of the past, but it still isnÂ’t perfect. An analog tachometer is visible off to the left, indicating that the regular TLX trims probably won't introduce a fully digital instrument cluster. Not that we'd expect that; even the new RDX maintains analog gauges in its top spec. However the TLX story plays out, it wonÂ’t hurt if the production car looks just like the well-received Type S Concept. ItÂ’s unclear how long weÂ’ll have to wait to see the car in full, but we'll keep you posted.

Acura ILX headed for Civic-like early upgrades

The not-yet-ready-for-primetime 2012 Honda Civic saw it quickly returned to sender for refurbishment, now the Acura ILX is headed in the same direction in its very first year. Automotive News reports that the small, Civic-based sedan from Honda's luxury brand isn't meeting sales expectations, with an annualized rate of 22,000 to 24,000 sales instead of the 30,000 the company is after. More telling is that the ILX "is being outsold by the Buick Verano, Volkswagen CC and Audi A4," and, except for two months since it launched, it has also been outdone by the Acura TSX it is meant to replace.
Part of the cause has been the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine: its 150 horsepower to motivate a sedan that can weigh up to 2,970 pounds doesn't offer the kind of performance or value experience that buyers in the segment respond to. Another big issue is that the top-level 2.4-liter engine is only offered with a six-speed manual even though most buyers of the highest trim don't really want to shift their own gears. Lastly, the ILX might not put enough space between it and its frugal underpinnings - our first drive review pegged it as "the world's nicest Honda Civic."
An automatic transmission is on the way for the 2.4-liter, but it isn't clear when. And while Honda admits that the 2.0-liter is underpowered and Automotive News says it's on the way out, the company hasn't yet said how that situation will be corrected.