2018 Acura NSX Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byJason KavanaghSenior Vehicle Test Engineer

　　Jason joined zzdcar' testing team in 2006 as a vehicle testing engineer. Jason believes true appreciation of modern cars stems from owning really, really bad old ones.

　　

What’s new

　　The Acura NSX is unchanged for 2018.

　　

Vehicle overview

　　The 2018 Acura NSX is an all-wheel-drive, mid-engine hybrid supercar that sits at the top of Acura's product range. It's a formidable technical achievement and a potent performer but is flawed in a few ways, and we think it could benefit from a dose of emotion.

　　The 2018 NSX's power starts with a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 and a nine-speed transmission that are purpose-designed and -built for the NSX. On top of that, there are three electric motors: one to assist the engine and two at the front axle to provide traction and to influence its handling. Meanwhile, its chassis is a mix of aluminum and steel, and it has magnetorheological variable dampers all around.

　　The NSX's advanced design makes for an exotic sports car that is easy to drive quickly every day. Forget that it will hit 60 mph in about 3 seconds and get the fuel economy of what an Acura TL used to get back in the 1990s. Its organic driving experience in the face of enormous complexity is probably the most striking accomplishment of the NSX.

　　And yet, as sophisticated as it is, the NSX lacks a sense of occasion. Its V6 doesn't have a particularly exotic sound to it, its cabin borrows elements from Hondas in the $20,000 range, and the car's styling, while safe and well-proportioned, does not invite you to linger or admire. Meanwhile, its extensive hardware is totally concealed. That the NSX has a Quiet mode but not a Loud mode speaks volumes.

　　The NSX has personality but not attitude. It's a supercar without swagger.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

6.9 / 10

　　The 2018 Acura NSX is an all-wheel-drive, mid-engine hybrid supercar that sits at the top of Acura's product range. It's a formidable technical achievement and a potent performer but is flawed in a few ways, and we think it could benefit from a dose of emotion.

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2017 Acura NSX (turbo 3.5L V6 | 9-speed dual-clutch automatic | AWD hybrid).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	6.9 / 10
Driving	8.5
Comfort	7.5
Interior	7.5
Utility	4.0
Technology	5.5

　　

Driving

8.5

　　The breadth of performance capability in the NSX is nothing short of astounding. But in this class it's not just about capability; it's also about the way it does what it does. What the Acura lacks in flair for the dramatic it nearly makes up for in technical sophistication and overall competency.

　　

Acceleration

9.0

　　Exhilarating acceleration is the standard for this class, and the NSX does not disappoint. More impressive is the way it can accelerate out of low- and medium-speed corners with full confidence in all conditions. In zzdcar testing, the NSX posted an impressive 0-60 mph time of 3 seconds.

　　

Braking

8.0

　　You might never know the NSX is brake-by-wire, such is the natural feel of the pedal. There's good initial bite from the optional carbon brakes, along with easy modulation. In our panic-braking test from 60 mph, the pedal did feel soft, but the NSX managed to stop in a short 100 feet on the base tires.

　　

Steering

8.5

　　Both the effort and the ratio are just right in the NSX. More impressive is the feel and accuracy of the steering when you consider the colossal amount of work the front wheels do in and out of a corner. The steering loses little for having two electric motors attached to the front wheels.

　　

Handling

7.5

　　Despite our test car's all-season tires, it showed high levels of both grip and confidence until it got close to its handling limit. After that, it demonstrated lots of understeer and then disconcerting oversteer. The stability control is effective, but its operation is frustrating and heavy-handed.

　　

Drivability

9.0

　　Acura focused on making the NSX easy to drive, and it shows. Around town, it's smooth and quick, and stop-and-go traffic can be handled largely under electric power. Back roads and racetracks can be tamed with unbelievable efficiency. This might be the NSX's strongest feature.

　　

Comfort

7.5

　　The NSX strikes a rare balance between epic performance and passenger comfort over long distances. However, the climate controls look out of place, and the piped-in engine noise grows tiresome on long drives.

　　

Seat comfort

7.5

　　There's a mix of excellent and merely good. While the seatbacks are grippy, very comfortable and highly supportive, the seat cushions seem a bit short on length and adjustability. While not ventilated, the seats are heated and breathe well.

　　

Ride comfort

8.5

　　Though there are only two suspension settings — both tied to driving modes — they handle most every surface, road irregularity and cornering force with aplomb. Long distances won't wear down the passengers, even on a choppy freeway, while the firmest setting still has compliance for maximum traction.

　　

Noise & vibration

7.0

　　One of the quietest cabins in the class is somewhat spoiled by the piped-in intake noise. That's not befitting a supercar at all, even with the occasional wastegate whoosh. There's noticeable wind noise from both outside rearview mirrors.

　　

Climate control

5.5

　　Frustratingly, the climate control has both physical and touchscreen buttons. The air vents are too small, lack articulation, and look to have come from another, older Acura. Even though cabin cooling and heating are adequate, the system is largely disappointing in a car of this price.

　　

Interior

7.5

　　For a car as clever as the NSX, its uninspired hand-me-down (or is it pass-me-up?) touchscreen interface pilfered from a Honda Civic seems a missed opportunity. While the driving position and the view out are excellent, a major part of the car's usability doesn't seem up to par.

　　

Ease of use

5.5

　　The inside of the NSX will look familiar if you've driven other recent Acuras because it shares many of the same controls. It also means the NSX inherits most of the flaws. The touchscreen has too many menus to go through, and the transmission selector buttons seem unduly fussy.

　　

Getting in/getting out

7.5

　　The seat cushion bolsters not only have a bit of give, but they're also wrapped in leather, making them easy to slide past while getting in and out. The car and the roofline are very low, so taller drivers will have to bend down quite a bit and watch their heads when exiting.

　　

Driving position

8.0

　　With the exception of the seat cushion not being adjustable for angle or height, it's a quick process to find a seating position that allows for any type of driving. The seat bolsters never interfere with driving. The slightly squared-off and aggressively contoured steering wheel feels natural.

　　

Roominess

7.0

　　There's adequate shoulder and headroom for most drivers, though taller drivers might run out of legroom before anything else. The airy cabin doesn't feel claustrophobic.

　　

Visibility

8.5

　　The very slim front roof pillars and a low cowl make for fantastic forward visibility. Visibility to the sides is also very good, and the outside mirrors are well-placed and nicely sized. Rearward visibility is decent for an exotic sports car.

　　

Quality

6.0

　　Exterior tolerances and paint quality are what we've come to expect from any Acura, and the quality of interior surfaces is generally good. There is some inexplicably downmarket plastic around the interior door latches. And the plastic on the passenger door of our test car rattled over bumps.

　　

Utility

4.0

　　It might seem unfair to expect a supercar to have much, if any, real cargo capacity, but most of Acura's rivals offer enough cargo room and small-item storage for a weekend trip for two people. The NSX lacks any real interior storage, and the trunk is heavily compromised by excessive engine heat.

　　

Small-item storage

5.0

　　Only the most minimal of storage is available in the cabin. There's room for a phone, sunglasses and maybe some breath mints, but not much more. The cupholders are detachable. Installed, they intrude on the passenger's space. When stored, they take up most of the glove compartment.

　　

Cargo space

3.0

　　There's a paltry 4.4 cubic feet of space between the engine compartment and the rear bumper. Two small bags will fit, but their contents will be subjected to quite a bit of heat due to poor insulation. There's no front trunk, so anything remotely heat-sensitive needs to be kept inside or left at home.

　　

Technology

5.5

　　With the rest of the NSX so intriguing and clever, having what amounts to the same infotainment system from a Civic is unacceptable. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, but even the excellent ELS audio system cannot rescue the parts-bin interface.

　　

Audio & navigation

4.5

　　With the exception of the animated NSX logo displayed on the screen, the touchscreen is obviously from Honda, and the interface is dated and clumsy. At least the ELS audio system is crisp, powerful and certainly makes the most of the small cabin. Competitors are simply better.

　　

Smartphone integration

7.0

　　Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported and much preferred to the native interface. Pairing your phone with just the basic Bluetooth is more complicated than it should be.

　　

Driver aids

6.0

　　Beyond the multimode stability and traction control and the ability to fully disable it, the NSX offers few of today's driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control or collision mitigation braking.

　　

Voice control

5.0

　　The elevated cabin noise in the more aggressive driving modes make it difficult for the voice controls to work effectively. Even when it's quiet, the voice controls need too many steps to complete a simple process. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are better options.

　　

Which NSX does zzdcar recommend?

　　The NSX is at its most convincing when you keep the options to a minimum. Most of them are dress-up items and don't influence the way the car goes anyway. OK, the carbon-ceramic brakes save some weight, but they're quite expensive, and the numerous carbon-fiber trim packages are cosmetic only. Tick the box for the Technology package for its navigation, parking sensors and connectivity. Finally, for those looking to maximize resale value, consider opting for one of the two premium Pearl paints.

　　

2018 Acura NSX models

　　Unlike some of its competition, the 2018 Acura NSX is available only as a two-door, two-seat coupe in a single performance specification. There are no other body styles or trim levels. It comes standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, a nine-speed transmission, and a trio of electric motors that continually monitor and optimize the NSX's traction.

　　The V6 powers the rear wheels alone, and each front wheel has its own electric motor. This lets the car's onboard computers carefully accelerate or decelerate each wheel to keep the NSX on course during high-performance driving. A third electric motor pairs with the V6 engine in common hybrid-electric fashion, adding torque at low speeds and enabling very smooth engine starts. The combination of gasoline V6 and electric motors generates 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque.

　　Standard equipment includes LED headlights, adaptive suspension dampers (magnetorheological), 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, keyless ignition and entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather and simulated suede upholstery, manually adjustable seats with heating, an eight-speaker sound system with two USB inputs, a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and the AcuraLink smartphone connectivity system.

　　There are a few features that are optional. Its main optional package is the Technology package, which gets you a navigation system, parking sensors, and a nine-speaker premium ELS sound system with satellite radio. A couple of packages that outfit the NSX with extra exterior and interior carbon-fiber trim are also available.

　　Stand-alone options include carbon-ceramic brakes, upgraded performance summer tires, premium paint hues, a long list of cosmetic carbon-fiber components (roof panel, interior trim, engine cover, rear spoiler), a different style of wheels, power seats in two leather choices, and a simulated-suede headliner.

　　

2018 NSX Highlights

　　

Base MSRP	$156,000
Engine Type	Hybrid
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$220/month
Seating	2 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	4.4 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles