2016 marks the tenth anniversary of Acura’s presence in China, but despite its connection to the country, the brand has never actually built a vehicle there. At the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, that all changed.
The luxury automaker debuted the all-new CDX SUV at the event, one that the manufacturer hopes will carve out a new market in China and increase its worldwide presence overall. Based on the same platform that underpins the Honda HR-V, the CDX is noticeably larger than its more frugal cousin, measuring in at 176.9 inches long, 72.4 inches wide, and 62.9 inches tall. For reference, that’s just a few inches smaller than the CR-V all around.
“In this milestone year, we will take new challenges for the Acura brand and products including the start of local production in China,” said Takahiro Hachigo, president of the Honda Motor Company. “With the ‘Acura Precision Concept’ at the core representing the future direction of Acura design, we will evolve the Acura brand and accelerate the localization of Acura business so that we can continue delivering products that go beyond the expectations of our customers.”
Powering the CDX is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that produces approximately 182 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. That power is transferred to either the front or all four wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, resulting in what Acura calls “a powerful driving experience.”
Related: Three’s company: Electric and Plug-In Hybrid models will join Honda’s Clarity Fuel Cell
Styling-wise, the CDX is heavily inspired by the striking Acura Precision Concept, right down to the huge front grille and gargantuan Acura emblem. It looks a little clunky at first glance, but we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
The CDX goes on sale in China this July, with prices ranging from 250,000 to 300,000 yuan ($38,000 – $46,000). A version for the United States is rumored as well, but no official word on that yet.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.