Acura’s all-wheel-drive technology translates to confidence on the road.
By Louis Marroquin
Illustration by Stuart Bradford
Safety comes first for Acura. In this world of faster speed limits and distracted, multi-tasking motorists, the carmaker has suited up its 2007 models with the ultimate in driver and occupant protection. You can check off dual-stage, dual-threshold front airbags, side airbags, and side curtain airbags. In the MDX luxury sport utility model, you can even count on front-occupant knee bolsters and active head restraints. (In fact, the MDX and RDX both recently received five stars in both front and side crash tests from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — that’s the government’s highest rating.) But the hope, says chief engineer Ted Klaus, is that none of these devices will ever have to be deployed. Not with the introduction of Acura’s cornerstone technology: Super Handling All-Wheel Drive.
Once you get past the mouthful of its name and whittle it down to its bare initials, SH-AWD is pretty easy to understand. The technology, which was under development for 16 years and introduced in Acura’s 2005 RL luxury sedan, is now standard in the SUV models. Basically, the system distributes the optimum amount of torque between not only the front and rear wheels, but also the right and left wheels too, favoring whichever wheel or wheels have the best traction. Say the car you’re driving hits a wet patch on the driver’s side. Power transfers automatically away from that front tire to the tires that have more traction, and it keeps the car firmly planted on the surface. Should all four tires hit a slick surface simultaneously, the power balances continuously among all the wheels and maintains the car’s stability.
To test the mettle of Acura’s SH-AWD system, this writer took to the negative-degree clime of Montreal, Canada, last winter and drove the MDX, RDX, and RL on a series of ice- and snow-slicked courses. Not your typical driving conditions, to be sure, and for this born-and-raised Texan, not accustomed to such hazardous circumstances, a bit of an eye-opener. But what is nice about this system is that as long as you’re cautious and drive smart, the vehicles do a lot of the work for you. As I took one sharp turn on a hilly course that weaved and wove upon several inches of ice, I felt the unnerving feeling of the rear of the MDX slipping. And just as quickly, I felt the car find its traction and grip whatever road it could find as I accelerated up the approaching slippery incline. Quite the confidence booster.
Similarly, on a circular “skid pad” course — basically a 230-foot sheet of ice — I felt the RL start to spin out from under me. My tendency, as a novice in such conditions, was to oversteer. The car compensated for my miscalculation, redistributing the torque to the front of the car and stabilizing the vehicle. I just had to remember not to lay on the brake (always a big mistake in slick conditions, because locking the wheels turns your car into a massive sled). Best of all, there are no switches to flip or gears to toggle; the SH-AWD system is always active and ready to respond automatically to unexpected conditions.
For control panel fanatics, there’s even a display that shows which wheels are being apportioned power at a particular moment. While I preferred to keep my eyes on the road, it’s a fascinating device that adds to the state-of-the-art luxury of the vehicles. Add to that: Bluetooth cell phone integration, voice recognition, and a navigation system with live traffic reporting.
So what does this mean today, with summer fast approaching and nary a flurry in the air? Just that if this SH-AWD technology can instill confidence in a nervous driver in such extreme conditions, imagine how these vehicles can handle in dry-weather conditions — sharper cornering, maneuverability, and above all else, precision.
Did I say safety comes first for Acura? Well, maybe it’s precision … but with SH-AWD, the two go hand in hand.
HAZARDOUS DRIVING
Here are a few tips for driving in harsh conditions.
• In all hazardous conditions, slow down, assess the situation, and drive cautiously.
• Clear windshield and windows of all snow, ice, or frost before driving.
• Turn on your low beams when driving in fog.
• Don’t brake on slick surfaces. Ease off the accelerator and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the skid. If you must, brake in slow, steady strokes.
• Increase the distance between your car and the car in front of you. Keep in mind that in normal conditions you should allow at least one car length between vehicles for every 10 mph you are moving.