The latest surge in fossil-fuel prices means it is now up to nine times cheaper in the UK to drive an electric vehicle (EV) than a petrol or diesel car, shows Carbon Brief analysis.
We thought about it…my wife has a short in-town commute and we considered it…but two things nixed it for us. The Internet-connected car, and the lack of physical door releases. There is no good reason the regular door-handles have to be electric, and it’s inherently unsafe.
Add that to the fact that the Condo association at our house doesn’t allow external chargers to be installed, makes it a non-starter.
My wife has a 2019 MDX, no internet at all. Must have been an option… We wouldn’t have bought it if it had it…
Now they have an option for bluetooth and an app if you install it on your phone… but that’s not a car connected to the internet, and we never installed the app.
My plan is to rip out their shitty infotainment system and replace it with something better as soon as I can figure out how to not break everything in doing so…
Now they have an option for bluetooth and an app if you install it on your phone… but that’s not a car connected to the internet, and we never installed the app.
From what I’m seeing its installed on all cars. The app was the primary way to interact with it, and it is indeed internet connected, including location services (so you can find your car on an internet map if you lost it) in 2019 models. The useful features required a subscription, but the basic features showing when you need an oil change (from vehicle telemetry) and being able to schedule service are apparently free for life. However, Acura disable the paid service July 21, 2025. I wouldn’t have any faith they disable the telemetry though.
The mobile phone radio is apparently in the TCU (Telematic Control Module) which was not an option but installed in all vehicles.
Looks like you aren’t driving any car made after 2018, so why say you aren’t driving an EV?
We thought about it…my wife has a short in-town commute and we considered it…but two things nixed it for us. The Internet-connected car, and the lack of physical door releases. There is no good reason the regular door-handles have to be electric, and it’s inherently unsafe.
Add that to the fact that the Condo association at our house doesn’t allow external chargers to be installed, makes it a non-starter.
My wife’s 2019 Acura isn’t internet ready…
I drive a 2014 and probably will until the end. This need to buy a new car every few years baffles me.
I love my V8, manual transmission mustang and will drive it until the end.
Acura has been putting mobile data connection and collection devices in their cars since 2014. They call it their subscription service AcuraLink.
It was even installed on their lowest end car in 2014, the ILX:
My wife has a 2019 MDX, no internet at all. Must have been an option… We wouldn’t have bought it if it had it…
Now they have an option for bluetooth and an app if you install it on your phone… but that’s not a car connected to the internet, and we never installed the app.
My plan is to rip out their shitty infotainment system and replace it with something better as soon as I can figure out how to not break everything in doing so…
From what I’m seeing its installed on all cars. The app was the primary way to interact with it, and it is indeed internet connected, including location services (so you can find your car on an internet map if you lost it) in 2019 models. The useful features required a subscription, but the basic features showing when you need an oil change (from vehicle telemetry) and being able to schedule service are apparently free for life. However, Acura disable the paid service July 21, 2025. I wouldn’t have any faith they disable the telemetry though.
The mobile phone radio is apparently in the TCU (Telematic Control Module) which was not an option but installed in all vehicles.
Here’s a youtube video of someone taking their TCU out of their 2020 RDX if you’re interested.