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About to jump on a call with Assistant VP of Product Planning and Business Development at Honda/Acura Canada, Hayato Mori. He's about to talk to us about AWD, winter-ready cars and how important those aspects are to consumers these days. Any questions?
As part of the @AJACanada #AJACwinterrally journalists are jumping into the new @AcuraCanada MDX, and TLX, not to mention the @HondaCanada Passport, Pilot, CR-V and HR-V. I've got the MDX coming in a few weeks, and can't wait to see what the story behind it is.
Honda Canada is happy to remind us that they're ready to tackle anyones needs come winter - whether its cars, trucks, SUVS, ATVs, Snow Blowers, and more.
For 2021 and 2022 @HondaCanada and @AcuraCanada has four different AWD systems. Be ready for some acronyms:
There's "Real Time AWD w/Intelligent Control System" in the HR-V and CR-V. Its descibed as a light-duty AWD system, a traction assistance sort of thing
There's "Real Time AWD w/Intelligent Control System" in the HR-V and CR-V. Its descibed as a light-duty AWD system, a traction assistance sort of thing
The @HondaCanada Real-Time AWD system on the CR-V and HR-V works on front-wheel-drive oriented vehicles, by detecting slippage between the front and rear wheels, then triggering a hydraulic clutch that sends power to the rear wheels.
Others have described this as a slip'n'grip sort of system. But its designed this way to be fuel efficient, and light weight.
At a launch from a stop light, and during acceleration, the system will send about 25-40 percent of the available engine power to the rear wheels.
At a launch from a stop light, and during acceleration, the system will send about 25-40 percent of the available engine power to the rear wheels.
When cruising around, all the power goes to the front wheels. That's 100% to the front to be efficient. Every nce in a while, when accelleration is anticipated, or there's slippage detected, it'll send some power to the rear wheels.
On an uphill grade of 15 degrees or above, the system will send 40 percent of the power to the rear wheels.
Honda also offers the Intelligent Variable Torque Management AWD system, known as i-VTM4, which is found on the Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline. This system is an all-time all-wheel-drive system. All four wheels are powered.
This system has a front differential, and two clutches in the rear. You can send up to 70 percent of the torque to the rear wheels, and those twin clutch can vary the torque to the left and right wheels (up to 100 percent of that power to either wheel as needed)
Honda is comparing its system to the competition, that may boast torque vectoring, but through braking and an open differential, which impacts performance.
"Our system can plow through a corner" "It's quite capable of handling most Canadian terrains and climate variations.
"Our system can plow through a corner" "It's quite capable of handling most Canadian terrains and climate variations.
Now onto the @AcuraCanada Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, or SH-AWD, which is now in its fourth generation. This is similar to the last system, and is described as "i-VTM4-based" but is more tuned for handling.
This is important. Acura markets itself as being fun to drive, and SH-AWD accomplishes this. Honda is designed to be safe and secure, and thats how i-VTM4 is designed to feel.
SH-AWD has been around since 2004/2005, and before that it was known as ATTS in the Honda Prelude Type SH.
The latest generation has more torque, new gear ratios, increased clutch capacity and a smaller clutch pack. Of course, new software makes it all behave quicker and anticipate torque vectoring conditions better.
The SH-AWD system is like a beefed up i-VTM4 system. It can handle more torque, responds quicker, and vectors the torque more reactively.
Acura has one more system: Sport Hybrid Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive, which is found on the Acura NSX.
This is meant for race-track ready handling.
This is meant for race-track ready handling.
This uses a hybrid electric motor between the front wheels, and it works in tandem with the rear-mounted gas engine.
Due to the electric motor, the torque vectoring is instant. It can also provide negative torque, improving the yaw, basically the rotation of the vehicle.
At any speed, at any moment it will provide torque vectoring. Cool!
Okay, I'm being corrected. It DOESN'T spin backwards, but it feels like it.
