Have you seen the term Super Handling All Wheel Drive when shopping for an Acura at your Atlanta used luxury car dealership? This name is more than a marketing gimmick and explains why Acura is more than just another luxury car. Sure, there are some exceptional luxury brands on the market, but most of them offer the same basic luxury items. Roomy leather interior? Check! Heated power front seats? Check! Advanced active safety systems? Check! Exceptional infotainment with a premium audio system? Check!
So what can a premium automaker do to differentiate itself from the competition in a crowded field of luxury automobiles? If you are Acura, then you make an all-wheel drive system that blows other ones away. Acura Super Handling All Wheel Drive gives the Acura models that come equipped with performance and handling unlike any other luxury car you have ever driven. If you stop into your used luxury car dealership today, you can check out the lineup of Acura luxury sedans, SUVs, and sports cars that come with the Acura Super Handling All Wheel Drive. Test-drive an Acura with this system for yourself to see why this drivetrain sets Acura apart from any other luxury car on the road today.
All-Wheel Drive vs Four-Wheel Drive
One common misconception that many drivers have is that all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are the same thing. This is definitely not the case. Four-wheel drive is great for off-roading and added traction, but it is a part-time system that usually requires the driver to engage it manually. All-wheel drivetrains provide full-time traction with no action needed by the driver.
Both drivetrains also function differently. A four-wheel drive will lock the front and rear driveshafts so the front and rear axles will turn at the same speed. This provides an equal amount of power to both axles, helping you get out of mud and sand or power your vehicle over rocks, logs, and other obstacles. However, engaging four-wheel drive on pavement can damage the drivetrain. In other words, four-wheel drive is designed for off-road conditions.
An all-wheel drive system like Acura Super Handling All Wheel Drive is intended for providing added traction while driving on the road. The concept is to provide power to all four wheels at the same time, giving you the added traction in roads slicked by rain or snow that you cannot get from a front-wheel or rear-wheel drive car. It achieves this by transferring torque to each wheel as needed so each can maintain proper speed. You will feel all-wheel drive the most when cornering, as it helps your car power through the turn.
While four-wheel drives sound cool, if you are not planning to take your luxury car out on a trail off the beaten path, then you really need all-wheel drive. This is why Acura created its Super Handling All Wheel Drive, which takes the standard all-wheel drivetrain to the next level of performance.
How Does Acura Super Handling All Wheel Drive Work?
When you are driving an Acura model with Super Handling All Wheel Drive, you are definitely going to feel the difference. While most all-wheel drivetrains simply send torque to the second axle when the system detects wheel slip, Acura Super Handling All Wheel Drive utilizes advanced torque vectoring to distribute torque to individual wheels. This further improves grip when cornering, giving you greater control over your car.
Acura’s system starts with an intelligent drivetrain that can not only distribute engine power longitudinally between the front and rear wheels but also laterally between the individual rear wheels. It does this by constantly analyzing individual wheel speed, the steering angle you are taking on the turn, the lateral G-force affecting your car, and the yaw rate of the car’s movement. All of this is then computed instantaneously by the system to provide constant adjustments so that it will corner better than any other all-wheel drive system.
When you are driving your Acura at high speed and reach a tight corner, the system will send up to 70% of engine torque to the rear wheels to keep them planted on the turn. It will then make an adjustment to shift more torque to the outside rear wheel, keeping your Acura turning tightly. This will help you avoid understeer and oversteer, while increasing vehicle stability by allowing the outside rear wheel to revolve up to 2.7% faster than the other wheels. By doing this, you will feel that your Acura is holding the turn better than other cars that often have a fishtailing effect unless you apply the brakes, which can be both frightening and dangerous.
Acura has also designed this system to provide enhanced acceleration. When you come off a stop, Super Handling All Wheel Drive will transfer up to 45% of the engine’s power to the rear wheels. This will allow the Acura to spring off the stop and get up to speed quicker than other all-wheel drive cars.
Finally, Super Handling All Wheel Drive will provide improved efficiency. When the system senses that you are on a straightaway in highway driving conditions, it will automatically transfer 90% of engine power to the car’s front wheels. This will improve overall fuel economy since front-wheel drive is more efficient in highway conditions than rear-wheel, all-wheel, or four-wheel drive.
Which Acura Models Feature Super Handling All Wheel Drive?
Now that you’ve heard about it, you are probably going to want to get Super Handling All Wheel Drive on your next Acura. The great news is that Acura offers this system on all of its vehicles, except for the premium sport compact ILX sedan. For example, if you want to drive a great sports car, you can buy an Acura NSX. This hybrid supercar comes with Super Handling All Wheel Drive as a standard feature.
If your tastes run more to luxury sedans, then you can get an Acura TLX with the available Super Handling All Wheel Drive. Acura recently launched the latest generation of the TLX in time for the 2021 model year, and this is a great optional feature to consider if you are buying this car. While it was discontinued after the 2020 model year, the Acura RLX full-size sedan offered Super Handling All Wheel Drive on hybrid models. Buying a used Acura RLX Sport Hybrid with Super Handling All Wheel Drive can be a great way to enjoy this exceptional all-wheel drive system while also getting exceptional fuel economy.
If you are in the market for an exceptional luxury SUV with Super Handling All Wheel Drive, you can buy either the three-row midsize Acura MDX or two-row sport crossover RDX with this excellent drivetrain. Buying either one with Super Handling All Wheel Drive will give you the perfect combination of exceptional performance and luxury detail in a premium SUV. You can also find a used Acura MDX Sport Hybrid with Super Handling All Wheel Drive. Like the Acura RLX Sport Hybrid, this model was discontinued after 2020 but still makes a great buy on the used market.
Push Your Acura to the Limit With Super Handling All Wheel Drive
Now that you know all about Acura’s Super Handling All Wheel Drive, your next move is to head over to your Atlanta luxury car dealership and try one out for yourself. See for yourself why Super Handling All Wheel Drivetrain has set Acura apart from other luxury automakers, providing the ideal blend of safety, luxury, performance, and handling. This system will help you hold the road without excessive braking, giving you an incredible driving experience. You will be hard-pressed to find another luxury all-wheel drive vehicle that can provide the control and cornering of an Acura with this amazing system. Driving truly is believing when it comes to Acura.
