2014 Acura RLX vs. 2013 Cadillac XTS4
Elements of Style
Specs-wise, the 2013 Cadillac XTS4 and the newly released 2014 Acura RLX almost are twins. Each sedan is powered by a midsize, 24-valve V-6 mated to a six-speed automatic. The Acura's wheelbase is a mere half-inch longer than the Caddy's, while exterior dimensions are within inches of each other. (The XTS is a bit longer and wider.) Comparably equipped, both cars wear stickers just above $60K. Yet in execution and character, the Cadillac and the Acura turn out to be surprisingly different machines, each offering a decidedly different take on what a sport-luxury four-door should be. So which one best delivers? With a full battery of track-test results in hand, executive editor Ron Kiino and yours truly spent a full day gunning back-to-back through the serpentine mountain byways above Malibu to find out.
Shapes Up
Acura's now-defunct flagship, the RL, embodied the word "bland." You could park one in a warehouse full of toasters and never find it again. Thankfully for Acura devotees, the new RLX represents a step up in exterior appeal. Still well short of what anyone would call "bold," the RLX is nonetheless edgier, crisper, with dramatic "jewel-eye" LED headlamps and standard 18-inch, seven-spoke alloy wheels. (Our test car, with the Advance package, wore 19s.) For Acura, the RLX represents a stylistic step in the right direction -- albeit not a very big one. No such concerns for Cadillac: The XTS is a stunner. With its broad stance, muscular wheels, sharp body-side creases, and chiseled headlamps, the XTS radiates drama and athleticism. "Very upscale, refined, modern look," noted Kiino. "The edgy Art & Science design language translates well to a biggish, long car." Indeed, comparing the XTS with the RLX is like holding a pair of Manolo Blahnik pumps alongside a pair of Hush Puppies.
| |
Subscribe to Motor Trend
