Is Acura Going to Make the All Wheel Drive Standard?

2015 Acura TLX AWD

That the Acura division from Honda has been struggling for years is no secret.

In fact, now it has been several years at a stretch that they it has been striving to gain much traction in the market. However, 2014 has proven to be disappointing too and deliveries have also taken a steep plunge of 1 per cent through September. However, borrowing a few techniques from its most prominent competitors might prove to be beneficial for the company when it is struggling with a clearly troublesome situation.

Subaru has earned quite a name for itself

mainly for its eye catching quirkiness, uncompromised quality, and a commendably unwavering love for what is known as all-wheel drive. Acura is now focused on exploring the very last point. There is no doubt about the fact the premium brand is now eager to incorporate this traction enhancing technology to its line up and actually make the technology one of its USPs.

It must be noted here that Acura already has a number of vehicles that feature all wheel drive. However, the brand is looking forward to make this technology a standard for all its cars and make it a highlight of their product portfolio in the next few years. Experts opine that this plan could potentially a very long time to mature as Acura now has a lineup that is relatively fresh right now. According the experts, a new set of vehicles would have to be re engineered with the all wheel technology incorporated and that is not possible until the next product cycle is in order.

The real question

however, still rings loud and clear. Is the focus on the all-wheel drive going to provide Acura with the much needed competitive edge over its much better established rivals? Now, Subaru is definitely not a direct competitor. Then again, it is to be considered that almost 60 per cent of the BMWs that are sold in the U.S. feature this technology. So do almost 90 per cent Audis. The point is, the market of all wheel drive luxury cars is already more or less saturated.

Even though, in addition to this, Acura executives are also planning go for a significantly more powerful engine but a V8 or even a proper rear-wheel-drive architecture are not really possibilities.