2018 Acura RLX Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
byWill Kaufman
Content Strategist and News Editor
Throughout his career, Will Kaufman has been making sure shoppers get the best car for them by creating automotive content, product news, and robust content strategies for the site and social media.Pros
- Sport Hybrid model offers fast, fuel-efficient acceleration
- Long list of standard safety and convenience features
- Spacious cabin and seating, especially for rear passengers
Cons
- Dual-screen infotainment system isn't intuitive to use
- Interior design looks dated
- Steering feels disconnected from the road
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren't available
What’s new
The Acura RLX receives a variety of updates for 2018. They include new front-end styling, new front seats, an upgraded suite of driver safety aids, a retuned suspension, a new 10-speed transmission for the front-wheel-drive trim (called P-AWS), and a slightly smaller battery in the Sport Hybrid. Acura has simplified the RLX's trim levels as well.
Vehicle overview
The 2018 Acura RLX is quiet and comfortable and offers an impressive mix of power and fuel economy from the Sport Hybrid version. But this year's updates (read more about them in our RLX First Impression review) just don't go far enough in addressing the issues that make the RLX hard to recommend over similarly priced luxury competitors.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD (3.5L 6cyl gas/electric hybrid 7AM) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.10 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$180/mo
RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD
vs
$222/mo
Avg. Large Car
Certainly, there are positive aspects to Acura's top sedan. The Sport Hybrid is pretty cool. It's all-wheel-drive, and each rear wheel is independently driven by an electric motor; an electric motor in the transmission helps the V6 drive the front wheels. This system produces a total of 377 horsepower and returns an EPA-estimated 28 mpg combined. The Sport Hybrid is smooth and unobtrusive in city driving, and it provides competent handling when you're driving on twisty roads.
The rest of the RLX is a mixed bag, however. Although Acura packs in plenty of features as standard, the overall interior design comes off as dated. The biggest offender is the dual-screen infotainment system. It's frustrating to use, lacks many of the bells and whistles that other luxury marques offer, and belies all the other impressive technology that's available in the RLX.
We think it's worth checking out a few other midsize luxury sedans even if they cost a little more. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class was recently redesigned and sports a richly appointed interior. The Volvo S90 offers a likewise impressively modern interior and a hybrid option. The Audi A6 offers one of the best tech interfaces in the segment, while the venerable BMW 5 Series and value-packed Genesis G80 are also great choices. Overall, the 2018 Acura RLX is likable enough, but the competition is generally more desirable.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
7.3 / 10The 2018 Acura RLX is quiet and comfortable and offers an impressive mix of power and fuel economy from the Sport Hybrid version. But it comes up short in cabin design and infotainment. Overall, the RLX doesn't really stand out from the pack.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our First Drive of the 2018 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD as well as prior full tests of a 2014 Acura RLX Advance (3.5L V6 | 6-speed automatic | FWD) and a 2016 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid SH-AWD Advance (hybrid 3.5L V6 | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | AWD).
Scorecard
| Overall | 7.3 / 10 |
| Driving | 7.0 |
| Comfort | 8.0 |
| Interior | 7.5 |
Driving
7.0The RLX is relatively nimble and wields enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease. Although it's dynamically competent, others in the segment offer a more engaging driving experience and a wider selection of powertrains.
Comfort
8.0RLX ride comfort varies between models, but seat comfort falls below our expectations at this price. Noise and vibration, however, are kept at bay, which helps preserve some cabin serenity.
Interior
7.5The RLX interior is best described as functionally pleasant; there isn't much of a wow factor. The top infotainment display has a lower resolution than the bottom touchscreen, and the controls look dated and lack an intuitive flow. You'll find better interiors at this price.
Utility
The RLX offers generous amounts of passenger space but fails to impress with its trunk accommodations and in-cabin storage for personal effects.
Which RLX does Edmunds recommend?
The RLX Sport Hybrid makes an impressive case for itself with its acceleration, handling and efficiency gains over the base model. It also comes fully loaded for a reasonable price. The one drawback is that total trunk space is reduced by the battery pack. Otherwise, this is the RLX to get.
2018 Acura RLX models
The 2018 Acura RLX comes in just two trims. The base front-wheel-drive version (referred to as P-AWS) comes with a list of features that's more comprehensive than what you'll get on many competitive base models. The Sport Hybrid comes with an impressive all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain and even more premium features.