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Detroit, 11:01 PM
Fri Nov 20
28 posts in the last 24 hours
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09/27/09
09/27/09
There are instances where the interior truly blows the mind. My first time sitting in a Jaguar XF naturally springs to mind. But in that instance, I didn't find myself saying, "Well, this is awkward, but cool, and once you're used to it, I'm sure it'll work great." That's not a phrase you'd use to describe a fantastic interior. That's an interior built around a huge compromise that also happens to be pretty.
I return to Jaguar as an example, because I adore their interiors. The first time I sat in a new XJR, even before I started the engine, I remarked aloud that they were some of the best seats I'd experienced. The feel of the shifter and steering wheel were amazing. Smooth, firm and luxurious. They made you realize how much you had been missing in every car you'd driven up to that point. They made your mind frantically begin searching for superlatives to help describe it to people later. The XF, later, made me think, "Everything I said about the XJR, but better."
In honesty, I feel like I need to cut through the writing here. Clearly, they had to give a positive review, as Acura gave them this for a tester. But if those aren't the kinds of superlatives that spring to mind, then clearly spending most of the article talking about the interior, while referring to the drive as "uninspiring", and saying the car has "enough" power... well, that's a smokescreen.
When I re-read this, filtering out the half-hearted positivity, my interpretation of the car is that it is ugly (it is), pointless, uninspiring, underpowered, and a general failure. A Volvo C30, a Z3 Coupe, a two-door Audi A3, or really any Shooting Brake, are perfect cars for DINKs. Room for the couple, and enough gear for a weekend getaway. This... well, is none of those things.
09/26/09
since you are speaking for gay people, i hope you are. i am one of the DINK who happens to be gay and i think it's a very nice ride. Maybe i'm obsessed with style but i also prefer a car, its no offensive to me.
09/26/09
09/26/09
Who's really going to buy this? Who knows. It's not prestigious enough for daddy's sorority girls, not roomy enough for soccer moms, and too ugly for most people with eyes. I just don't see a market for it.
And God damn it, I hope I'm right.
09/26/09
09/26/09
09/26/09
Love that! My 1987 Accord did this, too, with the dual-function buttons along the bottom of the radio. When a cassette was in the player, the words above the buttons (rew, fwd, eject, etc.) lit up. When the player was empty, the radio presets (1 thru... 5?) below the buttons illuminated. I thought that was a very clever bit of design.
But that same radio bizarrely abbreviated "memory" as "memo" on another button, reminding us that even Honda designers aren't perfect...
09/26/09
Wait, who am I kidding? Anyone who buys a new Acura isn't doing it for the driving experience, and they've got a cell phone welded to their ear.
09/26/09
09/25/09
In all seriousness I actually like this design, and it sounds like a great car inside. Yeah it's a bit of an ugly duckling, but that sort of gives it a quirkiness that's gone the way of AMC.
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
Being a SAPAK (Small Asian People With A Kid), I don't see any problem with the rear seats.
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
What happened to simple, understated, tasteful cars?
My 05 TL is due for replacement and I will buy an Infiniti if you force me to.
And yes, I'm going to say this in every Acura thread.
09/26/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
09/25/09
07/20/09