When you go to Krispy Kreme to pick up donuts, it’s more than likely you have a go-to order. Maybe you’re a chocolate icing person. Maybe you put sprinkles on it. Maybe you like cream-filled, or jelly, or devil’s food. Perhaps original glazed is just right for you. It could be you get a dozen original-glazed, or maybe your box has an assortment of sugary seasonal treats.

The truth is, it doesn’t actually matter what flavor you get. What matters is where you go to get it. You don’t stop in to get a chocolate sprinkle donut, or a jelly donut, or an original glazed donut. You stop for Krispy Kreme. You prefer donuts that are fluffy, the kind that feel lighter than air when you pick them up, where the icing crumbles as you take a bite and ends up dotting the front of your shirt. You want donuts that are HOT NOW.

The name Krispy Kreme means all of these things to you. Asked where you’re going, you don’t say you’re going to get donuts. You say you’re going to get Krispy Kreme. So what kind do you want, and how many?

This is an important lesson in brand loyalty that Acura has been putting in motion. Rather than identify the brand by any one model, let all of the models represent the brand. Don’t obsess over the icing and the sprinkles. Get the donut right first. You have to have the perfect combination of eggs, flour, and sugar, or weight, shape, and balance before you add any adornments. When someone takes their first bite, when they first get behind the wheel, they need to know that every car you make is just as good as this one. That first taste has to tell them everything, and after that, you can say “This is an Acura, this is what you’re getting. So what kind do you want, and how many?”

Which brings us to our test-drive of the 2016 ILX, a car that will be many peoples’ first experience driving an Acura. It stands to reason then that the most important thing about this car is how it drives.

A Perfect Circle

The 2015 ILX was a competent car, but its potential was not fully affirmed. We and many others agree on this point, even the sales associate from Leith Acura, Doug Focht, who graciously accompanied us on our test-drive of the 2016 model.

Pulling off the lot, we said to Doug, “This car now has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine compared to the 2015’s 2.0-liter engine. What else has changed?”

“Well the extra power is definitely welcome,” he said, “but the most important change is actually the transmission.” The ILX jumps from a five-speed automatic transmission (with the option for a six-speed manual) to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. This powertrain comes standard with a sport mode and paddle shifters. The result is a 201-horsepower engine with quick, efficient shifts that can be fully controlled by the driver if they so choose (more on that later). This car, like its big brother the TLX, is also equipped with a torque converter, allowing for quick acceleration.

Also like the TLX, the ILX is very adept at getting occupants from point A to point B comfortably. It rides smoothly down the highway, struggling not at all to weave in and out of traffic based on the needs of the driver. For a car of its class, it is also remarkably quiet, or as Doug says, “Just turn the radio up some and then ‘Road noise? What road noise?’”

Where this car differs from its sibling is that it’s much harder to stop driving. To understand what we mean by that, you have to let it loose on the back roads, which made up the bulk of our test route thanks to our guide.

With the refresh, the ILX has become a car that is flat out fun to drive. The powertrain improvements make it zippy, yes, but even the suspension has been given a hard look and a generous tune up. Where the older model pitched and yawed going into a turn or a sudden stop or a minor bump on the road, the new ILX holds an even keel through all manner of obstacles. Now, you can go over a bump and instantly forget it, and turns are an absolute pleasure to accelerate through. The extra power, improved suspension, and overall lightness place the ILX in a category all of its own, and we can’t imagine there’s an entry-level vehicle in this segment that delivers more joy to its driver.

Icing and Sprinkles

Although driving is essential to the experience of the new ILX, and ultimately it is what we think will win people over, the refreshed machinery underneath isn’t the only new equipment to talk about.

Visual updates to the exterior are noticeable mostly in the front and rear. The car’s face has been prescribed Acura’s signature Jewel-Eye LED headlamps, which are underscored by a thinner strip of daytime running LEDs. The power plenum grille goes through yet another iteration into what we think is probably its least divisive appearance, a broader smile as opposed to a pinched beak.

Inside, the cabin is minimalist for a premium brand, and we mean that in a good way. Trends in technology have led to other brands cramming boatloads of stuff into their cars. Visually that just translates to lots of clutter. Not so with the ILX. There’s Acura’s two-tiered display, a minimum of buttons to control the media and climate settings, and a rotary knob to navigate the menu. The driver also has all of the same functionality on their steering wheel.

To get built-in navigation, you’ll need to opt for the tech package, but if you have an iPhone – and a staggering number of you do – then you can plug your phone into the USB port and display your Apple Maps navigation on the top screen. This feature works with Siri Eyes Free to better integrate your phone with your car, and you can just imagine how great it will be when Apple CarPlay arrives.

The overall size of the ILX has not changed drastically post-refresh, but the front passenger seat is now powered, and both front seats have available heating.

[Tweet “How is the 2016 @Acura #ILX like a Krispy Kreme donut? Read our test-drive review to find out.”]

You should also be aware of the A-Spec option package, which adds a number of visual enhancements to the ILX. The most noticeable of these are 18-inch wheels, fog lights, a rear spoiler, perforated suede seat inserts, and a dash of red accents on the instrument panel.

Paddle Shifting Lessons

We kind of breezed over it earlier, but we want to mention again that the 2016 ILX comes standard with paddle shifters and a sport mode. Paddle shifters are more than helpful indicators of where your hands should line up on the steering wheel. They are meant to be used, and if you’re out driving with a responsible and patient sales associate, like Doug, he’ll teach you what to do with them.

“The dual-clutch transmission is amazing,” he said, “but you’re still smarter than the car.” What he means by this is the transmission is very adept at responding to your acceleration and braking, shifting according to the stimulus it receives. Still, this is just a response. You know well before the car when you are going to slow down or speed up. When you need to pass someone on the highway, one or two quick clicks with your left hand will put you in a lower gear and give you a quick boost to pull ahead of them. Then you can click back up with your right hand and go back to cruising.

In many ways, this is what the ILX has always been missing, and now that it has this sport mode, you can unlock the potential, hidden in the upper bands of the tachometer. Under Doug’s guidance, we let the engine go above six thousand RPMs before shifting. You get to hear the engine sing and the car gets to go fast. Win, win.

Hot Now

The 2016 ILX is a critical vehicle for Acura. We said before that this will be the first Acura that many people drive, so it’s important that it makes a good first impression.

We’ve also said that Acura believes in creating a complete experience for its customers, offering a full product without sequestering options and features away in obscure packages. The ILX comes standard with a more powerful engine, a more advanced transmission, and a fine-tuned suspension. Sport mode and paddle shifters are standard, which means the fun factor is standard. Visual updates make this car look aggressive, and your friends will be impressed when you pull up, engine growling with each downshift.

To us, the ILX makes an excellent first impression, and when you sit behind the wheel, you’ll know that this is an Acura. So what kind do you want?

We have to thank Doug Focht and the staff at Leith Acura for making this test-drive review possible. If you’re interested in the 2016 Acura ILX and would like more information or your own test-drive experience, call or visit our dealership today.

The post Driving the 2016 Acura ILX: An Excellent First Taste appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

When we were test-driving the 2015 TLX the other day, the question of identity came up. We were talking to Doug Focht, our sales associate, about how it can be difficult to pin down Acura’s identity when writing about the brand. He was riding shotgun with us, and we could tell he was thinking about it as we whipped around another corner, feeling the TLX’s Precision All-Wheel Steer kick in.

“Believe it or not, it can be difficult to be excited about Acura,” he said. It’s actually possible for the incredible reliability of an Acura to work against it. You can buy a car and never have to do anything to it for as long as you own it because it just holds up. They’re built to last, and they sure do last. Doug said that the main reason people bring their Acuras back to the dealer for trade-in isn’t because there’s anything wrong with them. They just want to stay ahead of the wicked rate of depreciation.

So how does a brand like Acura fix that? What do you do when you’re too reliable to talk about? The rebirth of the NSX is likely to help. A car that not only brings super-performance back to the track, but also one that is environmentally conscious will do well on the current world auto stage, and the NSX was the car that put Acura on the map in the first place. So that’s one way to do it.

The other way is with the car we just drove, the 2015 Acura TLX.

Pick Your Power

The all-new TLX is offered in two variants. There is a 2.4L straight four-cylinder paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, which delivers 206 horsepower and 182 pound-feet of torque. Then there is the car we tested, which is a 3.5L V-6 with a nine-speed automatic transmission that makes 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque.

Now clearly the V-6 gives you substantial power bonuses, but you’ll have to decide for yourself whether you’re actually getting a performance boost, too. If you’ve been reading the reviews we posted on our Facebook page, you’ll know that the four-cylinder TLX has become the darling of many an automotive journalist, and there’s good reason for that. It might pack less of a punch, but it’s also packing less in general. The result is a car that is lighter weight and easier to handle, which will make you a better driver.

The TLX is not a sports car, and that is all right. As we’ll discuss, you don’t need the added performance factor to enhance your driving experience any more than the car already does.

That being said, if you want a little bit of “that kind of thrill” and you think you can handle it, the V-6 is still a fun drive. It’s undoubtedly the faster car and on the highway it’s going to hold onto its momentum more readily than the four-cylinder. Once you’re up to cruising speed, Variable Cylinder Management kicks in, dropping the powerplant to three-cylinders and greatly reducing the fuel you consume. High performance and high efficiency are made possible by the engineers at Acura.

The V-6 TLX is also the only variant that will have the option for Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, a traction system that has to be experienced to be understood. TLXs with SH-AWD will be available later this fall.

Whether you’re driving the four-cylinder or six-cylinder TLX, Acura’s Integrated Dynamics System, or IDS, comes standard. IDS gives you access to four driving modes with four distinct purposes, all of which we were able to experience on our test-drive.

Normal: We started by pulling out of the dealership in the default mode, which is said to temper the powertrain for the perfect balance of performance and efficiency. We were able to get up to speed quickly once we pulled on the highway and stayed there with little to no trouble. The steering is light and responsive, and we had the sense of total control.

Sport: Doug motioned us to pull off the highway, at which point he pushed the IDS selector to put us in Sport mode, just in time for the first set of curves. Brake before, accelerate through the curves, and listen to the gears shift. Sport mode gives the TLX a new sense of agility, augmented by a heavier feel from the steering-wheel and the Precision All-Wheel Steer system, which keeps the car level and corrects any understeer.

Sport +: It’s Sport mode but everything is faster. Gear shifts, throttle, and the rate at which your knuckles tighten on the steering wheel. You’re still totally in control of the car. It’s just the adrenaline coursing through your body that you won’t be able to help. Doug knew the perfect stretch of road to shift us up to this mode, and he told us not to hold anything back. We only made the tires squeal once, and even then the TLX didn’t show any signs of slipping.

Econ: This was a nice way to end our drive. This is your “I don’t care to stop for gas today” setting, which tones everything down in the name of fuel economy. Steering is lighter but not flimsy, acceleration is more modest, and perhaps best of all, the inner quiet of the TLX is even more redolent. We coasted back into the dealership in this eco-friendly mode, and it was a great way to come down off the Sport + high.

Inner Peace

When Acura builds a car, they don’t start with the base product and dream up a bunch of options to add in after the fact, nickel-and-diming you for all the things you want. Instead, they start with a vision of the finished, perfect product and let you decide which features you need. The 2015 TLX is that vision to a tee.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, everything is remarkably close at hand. You don’t even have to move your torso in order to reach the touch screen, the shifter, and the full telescopic steering wheel. The ergonomics are excellent.

You’ll have to look at the push button shifter a couple of times to get your bearings, but after that it’s easy to use. Just remember, push for park, drive, and IDS, and pull for reverse and the electronic parking brake. It frees up a lot of space between the driver and passenger and gives you easy access to the media compartment, which is capped off with a non-slip surface to rest your phone on while it’s plugged into the car.

If Siri is your right-hand-virtual-intelligence, you’ll feel at home in the TLX. You can link your iPhone to your car and use Siri to navigate traffic, send and read text messages, update your calendar, or do just about anything else that you normally would with phone in hand. Android users will be able to connect their phone and use Google Maps if they so choose, as well as other applicable applications. This is certainly a car that is in sync with the technology of its model year.

We’ve spoken to people who were iffy about Acura’s two-screen infotainment display at first, but we have to insist you try it. The TLX has reduced a lot of the clutter from the previous iterations of this system and integrated hard buttons into the On Demand Multi-use Display touchscreen, which in our opinions is one of the fastest, lagless touchscreens you’ll find in a car. After that, it just makes more sense to have the navigation and systems information on a secondary, higher touchscreen that is more within your peripheral vision. That way, you don’t have to go back and forth between GPS and your preferred radio station.

Everything within the TLX is designed to give you a more comfortable and comforting experience on the road. There are cars that will wear you down and fray at the ends of your sanity just with you sitting behind the wheel. Usually the noise of the highway and the din of the engine will get to you, but the TLX has triple-sealed doors, noise-dampening acoustic foam, and a sound-absorbing acoustic glass windshield. Only Sport mode will let you know what the engine sounds like, and even then only when you gun it.

This car is not the first to employ the Jewel Eye LED headlamps, but they do add to the sense of peace this car gives you. Normal headlamps will project two points of light that fan out of the road in a cone. This works, but it leaves dimmer places that your brain has to work to fill in and your eyes have to strain to see. Plus, those are especially bothersome to drivers approaching from the other direction. The Jewel Eye headlights project an array of light that illuminates the road in front of you in broad strokes, which is easier on your eyes and the eyes of others.

Stepping out of the TLX after our test-drive, we were greeted by an absolutely stunning Summer day, complete with the bluest sky and zero humidity. Yet compared to our seat at the helm of the TLX, this was still a return to a much harsher, blander reality. The engineers and designers at Acura have really shown their work with this car.

Whether you realize it or not, the 2015 Acura TLX is a car that we’ve all been waiting for. It offers something that many cars claim but that few actually deliver on: balance. The V-6 version is a car that is capable curvy roads and slalom course, and it doesn’t kick around. It keeps its wheels planted on the ground. Most people who drive it will not need the 290 horsepower offered, but it will be there. This is a vehicle that excels at getting its occupants from point A to point B with them barely noticing the passage of time or the distance covered. The performance points of this car serve to make the driver’s experience safer and easier.

Does this solve Acura’s identity problem, though? Is a true sense of calm on the road something that people can get excited about?

We know how we answer that question, but it’s really something you have to decide for yourself. That’s why we encourage you to stop by Leith Acura of Cary for your own test-drive in the TLX. We have to thank Doug Focht, and the rest of our incredible staff for making this review possible, and we hope to see you soon.

The post Test Drive Review – 2015 Acura TLX appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

For every brand of car, you’ll likely find a handful of dealerships who sell its makes and models. There are several Acura dealerships within a relatively short commute of each other. The vehicles on each lot offer the same body styles, features, and options; that begs the question of “what makes the difference?” It all boils down to the culture fostered by the management and embraced by the staff.

At Leith Acura in Cary, we believe in the Leith Cars mission: to be the name you can trust. Our team of brand ambassadors all work earnestly to maintain a customer-oriented approach. Luckily, we have a great online resource to lend credibility to our claims. Our dealership is listed on DealerRater, a website that allows consumers to post reviews about their experiences.

You can find all of our reviews here, but we wanted to provide a few of the highlights:

According to Stephanie Nesbitt, “[Tom King] fought for me and helped get me an interest rate that actually REDUCED my monthly payment. On top of that, he came to my house and programmed my new vehicle to open my garage door! I will NEVER go anywhere else to purchase a vehicle again!”

Jack James had a great experience with Bill Moore. “From the moment we stepped in the showroom, Bill greeted us with a friendly smile and was very professional throughout our entire transaction,” Mr. James explained. “He knew the product well and assisted us with every part of the sale.”

One customer, who used the screen name FBreen, worked with Tim Hicks. “I haven’t purchased a new car in 12 years and was very happy about how the process went. I was working with 4 other dealers before settling on Leith and Tim and it wasn’t price that tipped us to them.”

These are just a few of the many great experiences people have working with us. Each serves as an example of the diligence Leith Acura’s staff demonstrates in promising an enjoyable car buying process. You know the cars are quality, so stop down to speak with us and discover that our people are quality, too.

The post “Never Go Anywhere Else” than Leith Acura appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

It may have been some preliminary luck of the Irish, but our content team had the pleasure to participate in a sporty, yet luxurious, set of test drives at Leith Acura in Cary a week ago. A clear blue sky and warm sunshine certainly paralleled the feeling of driving these high-end models would come to evoke. If you have not taken the time to experience driving an Acura, we strongly urge that you prioritize it in any search for a new car. It easily rivals any in its class.

When we first arrived at the dealership, we noted the ample inventory of models that range the gamut from small sedan to full-size SUV. The inside of the dealership is unostentatious, for it is adorned with only a few banners touting vehicle specifications and displays two of its current best-selling models. The fact of the matter is that these cars sell themselves, so there is no need for design extravagance. People come here for the cars, which comes as no surprise to us.

It was quite fortuitous for us that Tom King, a brand ambassador for Leith Acura, would act as our docent – a guide to demonstrate and explain all of the benefits of this particular make. His breadth of knowledge impressed us, and his delivery of content was so rich and well spoken that we knew we had the right man to facilitate our test drive. In his eleventh year at Leith Acura in Cary, one could tell that Tom didn’t just sell the brand. He believed in it.

With no time to waste, we were ushered into a chic 2014 Acura RLX for the first part of the test drive. He would allow us the ability to take notes while he explained the various features, options, and perks offered by the Japanese automaker. Don’t worry: we’ll describe the stunning exterior in just a bit. We’re just trying to write this in the same manner we experienced it.

Options and Features

This particular 2014 Acura RLX was equipped with the Advanced Package, which includes the highest level of options and features. If you want a superior sedan, this is the model and package you seek. One of the most impressive features of this RLX is the sound system. Acura has an exclusive partnership with Krell Audio Systems to manufacture the brand’s excellent audio networking.

We asked Tom to describe what distinguishes the Acura brand from other luxury automaker. He said that one of the keystones for the company “is extensive safety content.”

Here is a litany that breaks down some of the safety content offered by the brand:

• Adaptive Cruise Control – the car recognizes the speed, or even if a vehicle is stopped, and adjusts automatically adjusts the cruising speed to help avoid collision;
• Collision Mitigation Braking – a sibling of the cruise control, this applies brake pressure to help mitigate the damage of a collision as you are still ultimately responsible to stop the car;
• Forward Collision Warning System – a camera located at the front of the car identifies when you are approaching a vehicle at too quick of a speed, making a collision almost imminent;
• Lane Departure Warning System – the vehicle alerts you as you drift out of a lane without signaling, which you can also enhance to include Lane Keeping Assist that will autonomously move you back into the lane;
• Blind Spot Indicator – a warning light located on the bezel will illuminate when cars are in the blind spot, and should you place on your turn signal, it will flash and the car will give an audible warning;
• Precision All-Wheel Steer – the vehicle will turn the rear wheels opposite of the front wheels for maneuvering, and it will turn the rear wheels in the same direction as the front wheels avoid collision.

Drivers also enjoy all of the creature comforts of traditional luxury, such as seats that heat and cool, a back-up camera, audio options, and connectivity. Interestingly, Acura also boasts in-car technology that has a less steep learning curve, allowing people to acclimate to it and feel more comfortable in less time. We must note, all of the tech and controls are well-marked and intuitive.

The Interior

Upon first entering the car, its elegant interior was visually striking. We ogled over the two-toned black and cream interior with wood accents that gave it a truly regal appearance. In the midst of all this were two screens: one installed over top of the other. The top screen was devoted to navigation, which was uncannily visually crisp. The other hosted all of the audio and tech features displayed through a colorful LCD screen.

Below the screens rests a well-designed instrument cluster with large buttons and a dial knob for very primary functions. Referring back to the second LCD display, it also served to provide secondary and tertiary functions; in other words, the buttons allowed you to make general selections while the screen delved deeper into the car’s tech package.

Actual stitching throughout the leather interior illustrates the depth of care the engineers and designers employed to make a luxurious and valuable investment. Plush leather seats perfectly nestle you in for either an extended drive or just a sporty, adventurous trip, such as to the beach or park. We felt completely comfortable while seated in the 2014 Acura RLX, and it seemed unlikely that any of us would engage in the customary ritual of squirming and adjusting to once again find comfort – this car is opulence manifested.

A slim steering wheel adorned with the Acura calipers, well-lit odometer clusters, and a convenient gear shift were designed well and had an element of class to them.

The RLX is also ergonomically superior compared to its competitors. Everything, from the steering wheel to the arm rests, was placed almost as if they were designed for us. With a multi-way adjustable seat, there’s no way a driver couldn’t find the sweet spot.

Its cabin space is more than ample, and it is designed for best-in-class comfort for those seated in the rear of the car.

The Exterior

Nobody can deny the gorgeous curves and lines of the 2014 Acura RLX. Despite its slender and aerodynamic appearance, this car still has aggressive characteristics, such as the muscular fascia, wing-angled grille prominently displaying the calipers, and the angled jewel-eyed headlights. Subtle low-body lines crest upward along the car and hit their peak just behind the rear wheel well, optimizing aerodynamics. The tail end rivals the aggression of the front with sharply angled brake lights and a trunk lid that arches upward, almost resembling a spoiler.

An almost imperceptible line begins at the base of the hood, curves around the jewel-eyes, and beautifully swoops over the front rear wheel well and along the side of the car just beneath the handles.

From every angle, this car has the shapeliness and curvature that make it visually irresistible.

The Test Drive

Getting behind the wheel of the 2014 Acura RLX is a treat. From the moment you grip the steering wheel, there’s a certain aura that captivates you. It might be the gorgeous interior or the exceptional space and comfort or its responsiveness, but the RLX elicits excitement.

Driving this car, you get to enjoy a very reactive experience, especially when it is set in Sport Mode. While this mode is engaged, the accelerator becomes a bit more sensitive and the wheel tightens to increase is feedback, so you know exactly what the wheels are doing. In either mode, this car exerts smooth, powerful, and manageable acceleration that inspires confidence in its ability to perform. When you add reactive turning that creates an enjoyable and easy ride, it becomes evident that this model can satisfy both luxury and sporty, adventurous drivers.

The aforementioned ample cabin space is rather quiet due to Acura’s design that mitigates wheel, engine, and wind noise. You, however, may also adjust this by engaging Sport Mode to allow greater feedback that alters the experience of the drive. Do not mistake that for a disruptive drive, as everyone in the cabin can participate in conversation and relish a still relatively quiet ride.

Not only does this car have great acceleration, which we somewhat exploited while entering the highway, it also has seamless shifting and silky deceleration. There is not one facet to this car that doesn’t illustrate the meticulous care placed into precise engineering.

One of the most striking features is the 2014 Acura RLX’s back-up camera. It maintains three views through which you can toggle: a standard view, a wide view for blind spots, and a straight-down angle. The purpose for the straight-down angle is to show clearance behind the vehicle, such as needed when parking in a garage to ensure that the car has cleared the garage door. This, other technology, and the open design makes us feel as though our safety is assured.

When we returned to the dealership, it was disappointing to place it in park and step out of the RLX. This vehicle made an indelible mark on us with regard to luxury vehicles, and it certainly should become a priority for all car consumers seeking reliability, luxury, and performance. We vehemently encourage you to visit Leith Acura in Cary to speak with one of the great brand ambassadors, like Tom King, to determine which model best suits your needs.

The post Test Drive: 2014 Acura RLX- Chic and Luxurious appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

The 2014 Acura TL is the focal point of the Leith Acura Cary showroom, residing in the center display spot. The whole space is an altar to Acura’s acuity, highlighting a long tradition of excellent automobiles. Leith has captured the overall aesthetic of Acura in its showroom design as well. It’s a room that combines contrasting bright and dark surfaces, high-minded seating areas, and sharply dressed sales representatives.

Helping us get acquainted with the TL was Brad Rogers. Brad is from Chapel Hill originally and has been with Leith Acura for two years. Before that he served in the United States Navy and worked in the hospitality industry. What’s important is that Brad has driven Acura’s ever since he got his license. His first car was an ’89 Integra, and he’s been devoted ever since. Brad gets especially excited whenever he has a chance to introduce someone to Acura for the first time, so we were grateful to be driving with him.

Without further preamble, Brad grabbed the keys and led us to a TL waiting out front.

Razor Sharp

When you look at an Acura, the first thing you notice is the angles. While most other brands are moving toward corners that have been sanded down and edges that are smoothed over, Acura rejects such child-proofing in favor of a sharp, dramatic exterior. Their cars look like they cut through the wind and leave lacerations on the road in their wake.

The 2014 TL may be the embodiment of this design philosophy. Ours has a glossy coat of white paint and so much chrome. Chrome on the distinct Power Plenum grille. Chrome bordering the side windows. Chrome along the bottom edge of the trunk lid. Chrome dual exhaust tips. The styling allows the TL to shine in a literal sense in addition to its many other merits. Xenon HID headlamps play a part, too.

In the back, the TL’s trunk is fairly large for a sports sedan, enough for some luggage with a bit of girth. The back seats do not fold down, but there is a pass-through window behind the armrest if you need to transport something longer like skis or golf clubs.

Pop the hood and you’ll see the outer casing of a 3.5-liter VTEC V-6 engine, which delivers 280 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of torque. It’s made entirely of aluminum and has a hollow camshaft to reduce overall weight, and it’s hooked up to a high-flow exhaust system. Everything else is covered up like you would expect in a sports car, providing noise insulation and keeping the engine clean. A 3.7-liter V-6 is also available for a power bonus, and you can choose between a six-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed manual.

Sound Design

Brad opened the driver’s side door to let us get settled in while he took a seat on the passenger side to show us around the interior. The first thing you notice sitting down is the wealth of soft surfaces. Plush Milano leather covers not only the seats, but also the center armrest, the door insets, the steering wheel, and much of the dashboard. Metallic accents fill in the gaps, giving the center stack and shifter definition, and throughout there is a pleasing contrast of light and dark materials.

Slipping into the driver’s seat, we found it very easy to get comfortable. The seat had 10-way powered adjustment with memory settings – the passenger’s seat is 8-way – and two levels of heating. You can also upgrade to ventilated seats with the Advance Package. Sitting there we felt enveloped by the car. It’s not claustrophobic – it just fits.

We really like how the central display is put together. While touchscreens are nearly ubiquitous today, Acura has opted for an intuitive rotary scroll wheel. The screen itself is higher up on the dashboard than most cars’ and recessed in a way that puts it into your peripheral vision, minimizing the degree to which your eyes would have to leave the road. The rest of the console is made up of the TL’s dual-zone climate controls and a CD player. If you’re looking for power outlets, there’s a 12-volt outlet underneath the armrest and another one tactfully concealed behind a sliding cover next to the shifter.

With the Technology Package, this TL had a full array of features including GPS navigation, Bluetooth phone pairing, and a 15 gigabyte hard drive. You have voice controls for all of the above, and you can tell the car where you want to go even when you’re in motion. The navigation system also includes a unique weather forecast and radar system. Any CDs you put in can be copied to the hard drive. There’s also a USB input if you’d rather listen to music on your MP3 player.

Regardless, you’re going to want to be listening to music when you drive the TL. Acura’s partnership with ELS Studio Premium Audio Systems gives you one of the best mobile surround systems on the market. We asked Brad about the speakers and he responded by picking a song and cranking the volume. Each of the ten speakers cycled on in order, bathing us in a lush, 5.1 surround soundscape. We say he cranked the speakers, but we found out that they were only outputting a third of their power. If you’re looking at a TL, you’ve got to get these speakers with it.

Going Out on Top

With a firm grasp of what the TL is inside and out, all that was left for us to do was put the car in gear and see how it handles the road. Well, perhaps it would be more accurate to say “how the road handles the TL.”

With barely any pressure on the gas pedal, we whipped out of the dealership and down the road. “Don’t be afraid to drive it like you own it,” said Brad. “Dare” is part of Acura’s campaign this year, and he was daring us to push it. It’s a very responsive ride with quick pickup and easy braking. The steering is some of the smoothest we’ve encountered, allowing us to take crisp, clean turns. Though it’s a six-speed transmission, you’ll barely notice unless you want to. The TL’s Sequential SportShift paddle shifters can be used in either Drive or Sport mode, and with the computer monitoring the gearbox, you won’t have to worry about tearing anything up.

One of the reasons Brad probably felt so comfortable telling us to push the TL is its five-star crash-test safety rating. The Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure utilizes eight-point crumple zones to distribute the energy of an impact away from the passenger compartment. There’s also a six-airbag system in place to brace occupants.

Now, Acura has a wide array of quality sedans to choose from, so we asked Brad, what makes people choose the TL? After driving it, we were hardly surprised by his answer: Performance. While the ILX gives Acura adoptees a robust entry-level experience, and the RLX represents the very best that the brand has to offer, the TL is a car that is meant to be driven. People who want a sportier, less pampered feel will opt for the TL thanks to the extra control and grip on the road it provides.

Of course throughout the drive, there was an elephant crammed into the back seat. We’ve said plenty about the upcoming 2015 TLX, a car that is destined to replace both the TL and the TSX. Brad thinks “replace” is the wrong word, though. He’ll be sad to see the TL go. It reminds him of when the Integra was discontinued. Nevertheless, he thinks the TLX will be an exciting new beginning and that it will more than fill the gap in Acura’s sedan spread. It just arrives under bittersweet circumstances.

Verdict

The 2014 Acura TL is an impressive car. It perfectly captures the attitude of Acura’s racing tradition while infusing the brand’s present aura of luxury into an artfully crafted performance vehicle. TL drivers will experience comfort and control, poise and power, intelligence and invigoration.

We want to thank Brad Rogers for showing us what the TL is capable of, and the rest of the staff for making our test-drive possible. If you want to drive one yourself, all you have to do is visit Leith Acura of Cary. We can’t wait to see you.

The post Test Drive Round Two: The Sleek 2014 Acura TL appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

The Acura ILX is a curious move for the automaker because Acura has not historically attempted to fill the small sedan market segment. Of course there was the Integra throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, but that was always seen as a more upscale version of the Honda Accord. In some ways the ILX is a nod to the increasingly fuel-conscious nature of modern society, which is encouraging people to go smaller, consume less, and promote a harmonious and positive life.

It’s this type of tranquil, “How are you, man? No, I mean how are you really?” conscientiousness that pervades the ILX. Need to give your friend a lift, but she’s a little self-conscious about being tall? No problem—all five seats are geared for maximum head and knee room. Want to support the environment but feel guilty about enjoying the responsiveness of a purely gas-powered engine? Relax your vibes—the 35 mpg overall rating is just 3 mpg short of the hybrid version.

Leith Acura

Our guide on this test drive is Kerry Leeburn, a senior sales consultant with Leith Acura who has been with Leith since 2011. Kerry has the professionalism and easy confidence that is typical of people who have a real respect for their product, and it was a pleasure to learn about the ILX with him. As he walked us around the car and pointed out the various features and design decisions that have been made since the ILX was introduced just two years ago, we were struck by how much character the car possessed for something of its size. Size usually means economy, not luxury, yet the ILX is fearless in retaining that upscale nature.

Let’s face it: buying a luxury car has a certain stigma because of the Recession and economic downturns around the world. No one wants to say that they flat-out just want a luxury car, but at the same time leather seats are really nice, our smartphones have Bluetooth streaming anyway, roadside assistance is a gem when you’re out of gas, and acoustic noise cancellation makes having conversations with your friends that much easier. The ILX is about making luxury available in a vehicle segment that most automakers don’t see as part of the luxury class.

The ILX

From the push-button start, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder kicks off with basically no more than a hum, a cheerful confection of murmurs and pulses, as well it should. This is no enormous engine that demands reverence and awe from everyone it meets. It’s a modern, highly-efficient engine that’s been refined by a company with decades of experience producing reliable, effective motors. Because the ILX uses the I4 engine derived from the Honda Civic’s, the amount of torque—mechanical-speak for power—available at any given moment is almost always the maximum amount possible.

Unlike the Civic, the ILX uses a traditional five-speed transmission. Using a fixed number of gears allows for better performance than a continuously variable transmission like the Honda Civic’s can produce, at the cost of somewhat reduced fuel economy. The car still wants to operate as efficiently as possible, however, which means that when you really want to go, there is no subtle or gradual way of doing so. Push the gas pedal way in and the ILX will get the hint that power is needed. A millisecond of gear selection and now the murmuring is a rankling of buzzsaws, a tearing through speed and sunlight that surprises you because up until now the car has been so, well, sedate.

The Ride

What is sedate though but another way of saying too skillful to brag and too modest to care? Slide the ILX across several rows of railroad tracks and the suspension blots up their ripples like a rag on a wooden table. A couple smears of vibrating bumps and you’re back on plain asphalt, if you ever noticed you’d departed. Get caught up talking about True Detective and what it all means, deep down in its core, then slam on the brakes when the next car stops short, and find the ILX choosing to bring you to a nimble halt with a smoothing, chillaxing motion. Slamming? That’s what brakes from the ‘90s did, right?

On the city streets of Apex and Cary, we found the instant mileage bar—a slight rectangle of white light reminiscent of 8-bit video game systems—an easy indicator for our fuel efficiency. Coast a bit on the 45 mph lanes and the white rectangle lights up in full, showing how much inertia can save on gas. Accelerate hard in a turn and you’ll see the bar illuminate to maybe about one-third its capacity—around 13 mpg. It’s an easy way to keep track of how efficiently you’re driving, and is just a flick of the eyes away from the road.

The Controls

The experience of adjusting controls while driving is a simple affair thanks to the style-heavy design of the interior. Acura certainly has a thing for V-shaped design decisions, which means that the pleasingly narrow center console slants upward with sharp diagonals, leaving space for only the most essential of controls. Many cars throw you into a veritable McDonald’s ball-pit of switches, buttons and touchscreens. The ILX, by contrast has three tightly-gathered clusters: climate, navigation and audio.

And honestly, after sinking back into your firm leather chair and sending the soft-bore hefted steering wheel toward your destination, is there any reason you’d want to fight your car just for a bit of music? It’s much simpler to click the command button and ask the car to play some Coldplay, but not too much Coldplay, just enough Coldplay to get you onto the main roads and ready for something a bit more spirited.

The Joie de vivre

The voice command interprets this without a problem, and the tremulous existential notes proceed whether from a CD or USB-connected flash drive or MP3 player. For us it was wireless streaming via our Bluetooth connected iPhone. And it was Bat for Lashes, not Coldplay—we didn’t want to lose face in front of Kerry.

Other things we appreciated were the three angles the rearview camera in the dashboard showed. You had your standard backup view, a top-down view to show how close you are to the next bumper, and a wide-angle view to help you see around rear corners. We can picture the lens of the camera contorting itself into all sorts of funny faces to give us these vantage points, but in reality it’s just a beep of the console’s main button as you cycle through the different perspectives.

We also liked the unusually tall V-shaped instrument panel which is visible through the generously-gapped steering wheel to see how fast we’re going and the like, no craning or seat-shifting required. The two-tone black and tan color of our interior made the inside look like it was straight out of a magazine when you open the door, helped by the silver accent metals and dark carpets.

Conclusion

All in all the ILX puzzles because while we expect to see amazingly high-quality materials in historic buildings and art museums, but we don’t expect them in our gas stations and our drugstores. It’s a challenging car because it consolidates the luxury experience into a form so minimalist and lightweight that it upends the association that luxury=size. How has this not been done before? We’re not sure. But we’re glad that it’s here now.

The post The 2014 Acura ILX Is Consolidated, Decided Luxury appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

It comes easy for us to tout the many noteworthy characteristics of the Acura brand. Whether it’s the award-winning MDX or the highly anticipated TLX, there is much we can boast about across the line. A lot of emphasis, however, has been placed on the Acura TLX – it is replacing the TL and TSX, after all. The task of replacing other models may seem daunting, but the engineers at Acura feel confident that the new design and bevy of technology will satisfy any loyal customer.

We could talk about the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with direct-injection technology and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, or, for the more spirited driver, you could opt for the 3.5-liter V-6.

Our article could relay information, such as the Acura Precision All-Wheel Steer that comes standard and the Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive System (25% lighter with torque-vectoring) that is available in this model.

Or maybe we ogle over the Jewel Eye LED headlights and the Acura Athletic Pearl Red color of the prototype that has been at both the 2014 Detroit Auto Show and now the 2014 Chicago Auto Show.

We don’t want to create the perception of being braggarts. Instead of doing all of that, we will let reviewers at Cars.com tell you about the TLX, especially since the review speaks about the roomier cabin, angular symmetry of the body, and a “whole kitchen sink” of technology.

Should you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate contacting us through comments@leithmail.com. We also encourage you to visit Leith Acura Cary to speak with one of the knowledgeable members of our staff.

The post Cars.com Provides Initial Review of Acura TLX appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

When you have a class-leading vehicle like the 2014 Acura MDX, it is difficult not to gloat. Sophisticated systems, unparalleled fuel-economy and safety ratings in its class, and absolute luxury all give us reasons to smile and wave goodbye to the competition. Instead, we will … Hmmm … humbly brag.

Yes, consider this our humbled brag.

So why should you consider an MDX as your next vehicle? Let’s try these five reasons:

1. It earned the Best Value Award from Kiplinger’s Personal Finance based upon performance, safety, value, and driving impressions.
2. Acura’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering: solid body structure and hot-stamped one-piece steel doors earned the MDX a TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
3. The powertrain is a direct-injected i-VTEC V-6 with fuel-saving Variable Cylinder Management technology, and it still churns out 290 horsepower.
4. Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive: The signature system created by Acura that responds to the driver and the road conditions.
5. The covey of other standard and optional features:
   • AcuraLink – connected car services
   • Agile Handling Assist – synergy between car and driver
   • Keyless Access System with push-button start
   • LED headlights
   • Interior LED lighting
   • Extended Slide second-row seats
   • 8-inch On-Demand Infotainment Display
   • 432-watt sound system
   • Acoustic glass front windows and windshield
   • Lane Keeping Assist System
   • Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow
   • Remote engine start (up to 300 feet)
   • Ultra-wide DVD Rear Entertainment System with HDMI connectivity
   • Front and rear parking sensors

Okay, so that is far more than just five reasons – and not even all that this SUV has to offer! We hope you don’t blame us for being slightly deceitful, but it proved impossible to pare down the lavish, innovative 2014 Acura MDX.

Should you want to drive in such comfort and luxury, we encourage you to stop down at Leith Acura in Cary, North Carolina – just a few minutes from downtown Raleigh. If you have any questions or comments, you may also contact us through comments@leithmail.com.

Prior to e-mailing us, you can also check out our previous blog about the MDX, found here.

The post Five Reasons Why You Should Purchase a 2014 Acura MDX appeared first on Leith Acura of Cary, Blog, News & Research.

You are already familiar with the quality of an Acura. Whether you own one or want to, there’s no question that it is unmistakably luxurious and chic. The level craftsmanship in design and fabrication has consumers naturally gravitating toward their new Acura. What keeps them coming back to Leith Acura Cary is the customer service.

In fact, we have enjoyed working with many long-term customers. One of them, Matthew, just purchased a new Acura at the beginning of November. What he said can be found in full here, but we felt compelled to give a few snippets!

“We have purchased four cars from Leith Acura in the past ten years, and we will always use them when we are in the market for a new Acura.”

Our intention is to not make a sale, but to make a lifelong customer. With the strength of our brand and reputation of our staff, we maintain every intention to live up to “lifelong.”

“Buying car is not about balloons and inflatable gorillas and neon price stickers. A vehicle is the second largest purchase most family’s make outside of a home, and it requires a quiet and detailed conversation with a knowledgeable professional, which is exactly what you will get from sales team at Leith Acura.”

Balloons and, especially, inflatable gorillas sound really appealing, but it seems our customers like our current approach: knowledge, honesty, and integrity. We know the gravity of purchasing a car all too well, so each member of Leith Acura Cary enthusiastically engages in a dialogue with customers that builds confidence in the brand. There are no bells and whistles or sign spinners, and there are certainly no primates, but there are professionals who want to help you make the best possible decision.

“The service team at Leith Acura is also first class. They are always on time with quality service and repairs and take the time to listen to and work with the car owner to ensure the car is in perfect condition.”

From our service department to our showroom to the car lot, you’ll never encounter anything less than first class. We are glad that the efforts are yielding results.

“There is just no point in going anywhere else.”

Stop on by to see us here at Leith Acura Cary, and leave those neon price stickers behind.

As always, the Leith Cars family encourages you to…

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