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2019 Acura RDX infotainment first impressions | A first step into the touch pad world

One of the greatest design challenges in the modern automotive industry is an infotainment system that provides loads of capabilities, but is also easy-to-use and not overly distracting. Touch screens have been leading the way as the favored option, but Acura is trying a new design that relies on a touch pad with some unique tweaks to separate it from similar systems, such as those seen in competing Lexus models. And we got to try it out in the first production application, the 2019 Acura RDX compact crossover. The key feature of the touch pad is its one-to-one position functionality. What that means is that, if you have a grid of function buttons on the screen, tapping on, say, the upper left corner of the pad will highlight the button in the same area on the screen. And if you were to take your finger off the pad and tap in the opposite corner, that section of the screen would immediately be highlighted. You don't have to slide your finger across the pad to reach selections if you don't want to, and you don't have to slide back from the last function you highlighted. It basically does away with the need to move a cursor around like you would on a laptop with its mouse pad. In practice, it's a little odd to use at first because we mentally connect using a touch pad with the traditional cursor interface of the laptops we use day in and day out. As such, we forgot that we didn't have to scan the screen for the cursor every time we needed to select something. But once we remembered we could skip that, we found it quick and easy to drop our finger down and slide to our preferred function quickly. We could occasionally even pick something on the corners without having to slide at all. This is partly because Acura designed the interface to work with this pad. A representative from Acura's R&D center explained that they tried to put common functions on those corners because they're easy to reach without looking or thinking much. Another bonus to this system is that you don't immediately go to the function the second you press the pad. Instead, the feature is highlighted and still needs a physical click to enter. This is enormously helpful, since it virtually eliminates the chance of going to the wrong selection because you hit a bump or just got lazy with finger placement. Instead, you can get your finger in the right spot and then commit with a button press.

2022 Acura MDX revealed with official pricing and specs

The 2022 Acura MDX has finally been unveiled in production guise, and no surprise, it looks just like the prototype that was shown a couple months ago. Inside and out, there doesn't seem to be any difference. It also turns out that most of the details given regarding the prototype are the same for the production car. But we do have some more details and specifications, and we even have pricing. The MDX is completely redesigned from the ground-up. It is the first vehicle to use a new platform for light-truck use, and is not shared with the also recently redesigned Acura TLX sedan. There are similarities, though, as the MDX has a double-wishbone front suspension and multilink independent rear suspension as the TLX has. Acura notes that the chassis is the stiffest crossover/SUV chassis the company has ever created. Acura also added larger front brake rotors; they're 1.2 inches larger in diameter. It's a bigger body than the previous MDX, too. It's 2.2 inches longer overall, with a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase. It's 1.4 inches wider than the old model, and is about half an inch taller. The proportions have changed significantly with a longer dash-to-axle ratio that gives the new MDX the look of a rear-drive vehicle. The hood is more horizontal, adding length visually. The sheet metal is clean and smooth with only a handful of creases and pieces of trim adorning it. As for the interior, the design is very similar to the TLX and RDX with chunky, curvy panels. Six different leather colors are available, with the selection varying by trim package. Ambient lighting with 27 different color combinations is also available, and besides the combinations based on the drive modes, they're all named after race tracks and roads such as Suzuka and Route 66. Only one seating combination is available and it's unique. Rather than offering a choice of a second-row bench seat or captain's chairs, the new MDX effectively offers both. It has a second-row bench in which the middle seat can fold down to provide a large center console, or it can be removed entirely to provide access to the two-seat third-row bench. This versatility means every MDX can hold seven passengers. The third-row bench has also gained 2.4 inches of leg room, and the seat sits another 1.4-inches off the floor, all of which should make the way-back more comfortable. Not only that, but cargo space has increased.

eBay Find of the Day: Ayrton Senna's 1993 Honda NSX

It's not often that things owned by the late Ayrton Senna come up for sale, but the seller of this black-on-black 1993 Honda NSX (aka, Acura NSX) eBay find claims it was once owned by the Formula One legend, and that he left a footprint on the factory carpet that can still be seen today. (Footprint, or vacuum lines?...)
NSX no. T000999 was given to Senna as a gift from his mentor and sponsor, Antonio de Almeida Braga, the seller claims, and it was stored at a palace near the Estoril F1 circuit in Portugal. He also was known to drive two other NSXs, a black one and a red one - the latter in which he was seen often.
The seller claims to have owned T000999, which is still in Portugal, for 17 years, and the 31,000-mile odometer indicates it was driven about 1,500 miles per year on average. Thankfully the car has been kept stock, so whoever buys it can enjoy driving it just as Senna did - that is, if the car actually is what it's claimed to be. If the story checks out, then this is one valuable NSX, which is reflected in the high minimum starting bid of 47,500 pounds ($73,620). There have been no bids at time of writing, but with nine days left in the auction, we'll be keeping our eyes on this one.