1997 Acura Tl Base Sedan 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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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.

Acura TLX Luggage Test | Perfectly reasonable trunk space

The Acura TLX has a 13.5-cubic-foot trunk according to the spec sheet. That would be comparable to a typical compact mainstream sedan despite the TLX's exterior dimensions being more akin to a midsize sedan (its 194.6-inch length is right smack between a Toyota Camry and Honda Accord). Luxury cars usually sacrifice utility for style, and by adapting cab-rearward proportions for this latest generation, it shouldn't be surprising that the TLX follows the trend.  However, how much utility does the new TLX sacrifice and is the trunk still useful? Let's find out. It's a fairly deep space, but the amount of width and space behind the wheel wells is also reasonably generous and seemingly useful. As with every luggage test, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).  To start off, I lined the biggest bags on their sides to demonstrate the difference in the trunk's width relative other sedans. Only three can fit, whereas you can fit four in the majority of midsize sedans. Nevertheless, all the bags fit. That's not the case with the Cadillac CT4 or CT5, or the big fibber, the BMW 3 Series and its "17-cubic-foot" trunk.  Basically, the numbers make sense here. While it can hold all the bags, there really isn't any leftover space as there is in a midsize sedan. That said, I should note that there are plenty of compact crossovers that can't fit all these bags below their cargo covers, including the Mercedes GLC and Alfa Stelvio.  OK, one more trunk-related note. While there is a spare-tire-shaped hole under the trunk floor, there is no spare tire. Instead, you get a compressor encased in foam covering the car's battery. Putting the battery in the trunk is totally normal, but there's something a tad bootleg about this placement. It seems like an afterthought. It almost certainly has to do with engine compartment packaging and/or weight distribution, but it does mean you do without a spare tire. Or, I suppose as BMW is apt to do, extra under-floor cargo space.  Related Content  

Acura recalls 10k RLX models for headlight replacement

Acura is recalling 9,700 examples of the 2014 and 2015 RLX in the US to replace their headlights. The problem is that the reflective backing material inside the units can potentially delaminate. If this happens, then the luxury sedans no longer conform to federal safety guidelines. The automaker knows of no injuries or crashes related to this issue, though. The 2014 RLX has been subject to two other recalls. One covered loose bolts in the rear suspension, and the other was to replace the front seat belts. RLX owners should receive mailed notification of the recall around February. This campaign comes hot on the heels of Acura issuing a stop-sale for the TLX V6 for a risk of possible rollaway. Scroll down to read the company's entire announcement of its latest recall. Statement by Acura Regarding Headlight Recall: 2014-2015 Acura RLX Approximately 9,700 model-year 2014-2015 RLX vehicles affected in the U.S. Headlight assemblies in affected vehicles to be replaced, free of charge TORRANCE, Calif. – Dec. 11, 2014 – Acura will voluntarily recall approximately 9,700 model-year 2014-2015 RLX vehicles in the United States to replace both headlight assemblies, free of charge. The reflective film backing material inside the headlights may delaminate, which may result in the vehicle no longer conforming to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to this issue. Acura is announcing this recall to encourage all owners who purchased an affected vehicle to take it to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification of this recall from Acura. Mailed notification to customers will begin in early-Feb. In addition, owners of these vehicles can determine if their vehicles require repair by going to recalls.acura.com or by calling (800) 382-2238 and selecting option 4. # # #