2003 Acura Mdx on 2040-cars

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Ford tumbles to second worst in Consumer Reports reliability survey, list dominated by Japanese [w/video]

It's no secret that MyFord Touch has had its share of problems since being introduced, but the most recent reliability survey from Consumer Reports shows just how much this infotainment system has affected Ford. Just two years ago, the automaker was in the top 10 for the institute's reliability rankings, but since then, it has tumbled to the second-lowest rung just above dead-last Jaguar. In addition to MyFord Touch, CR also attributes a handful of new products that have had issues right out of the gate.
Compiled from 1.2 million subscriber surveys, this year's auto reliability survey heavily favors Japanese automakers, with eight of the 10 spots hailing from Japan. Toyota brands grabbed the top three spots (Scion, Toyota and Lexus - in that order) with Mazda, Subaru, Honda and Acura filling the next four spots. The only non-Asian automaker cracking the top 10 was Audi at number eight.
Audi climbed a total of 18 spots from last year, and Cadillac and GMC round out this year's top gainers breaking into the top 15. Helping Cadillac's upward movement, the CTS Coupe was named the most reliable domestic car. Lincoln, Volvo and Chrysler join Ford on this year's biggest loser list.

2013 Acura ILX Hybrid

This Is Not The Acura You're Looking For
Mid-level luxury brands have always had to do a bit of leg work to distance themselves from their more common cousins. Thanks to generation after generation of pervasive badge engineering (much of it from the Big Three), buyers can't be blamed for looking at brands like Buick, Lincoln, Infiniti, Lexus and yes, Acura as tarted up versions of Chevrolet, Ford, Nissan, Toyota and Honda products. For much of its lifetime in the automotive landscape, however, Acura has excelled at putting distance between its offerings and that of its parent company thanks to cars with superior driving dynamics, quieter cabins and clean, attractive aesthetics.
Yes, outliers and dull spots can be found in the company's recent track record, but by and large, Acura products remain situated well above the Honda rabble. When the brand announced it was getting serious about the luxury small car game with the ILX, those of us with a set of the company's keys in our past couldn't help but envision an honest successor to the long-dead Integra. Turns out, that wasn't what Acura had in mind.

2014 Acura MDX Prototype is exactly what we expected

Yep, it's the new MDX. And despite being totally redone, it looks exactly like we expected. That is, it's an up-sized version of the RDX crossover with fancy LED lights stolen from the RLX sedan. And while that might not sound too exciting, we have to say, it is handsome - certainly a more cohesive, refined design than the angular, beak-tastic model that's currently on sale.
Acura is calling this 2014 MDX a prototype, but that's only because it isn't 100-percent finished. Everything you see here will likely carry over to production, maybe with a couple small tweaks. Under the hood is the same 3.5-liter V6 that we know and love from the Honda group, and while we don't have power figures just yet, Acura says it will deliver more torque while improving efficiency. In redesigning the MDX, the Japanese automaker has managed to lighten and stiffen the chassis, improving driving dynamics. More interestingly, for the first time Acura will offer a front-wheel-drive version of the MDX, but don't worry, the automaker's SH-AWD all-wheel drive will be available.
Inside, the usual smattering of tech goodies will be on hand, including the next-generation AcuraLink system, satellite radio, tons of comfort amenities and every single alphabetic safety device known to man (okay, maybe not all of them).