2018 Acura NSX

Just like the last year, the 2018 Acura NSX comes with the same hybrid powertrain coupled to a nine-speed automatic gearbox with the power being sent to all four wheels. The NSX is Acura's fastest, most powerful, and priciest model to date. However, with the likes of Audi R8, Nissan GT-R, and McLaren 570s also in the foray, the road ahead for the NSX isn't easy at all. 

On top of that, the Acura NSX is docile and not as aggressive as some of the above-mentioned rivals. The majority of sports cars lack practicality but the NSX seems to fare even worse than its rivals in that aspect. While there are a couple of things that make the NSX a unique proposition although the hefty price tag of the NSX has already set the bar high for it.

The two-door two-seat coupe 2018 Acura NSX comes in only one single trim priced at $156,000 with an optional technology package and a couple of standalone optional features. As standard, you get a twin-turbo hybrid V6 engine mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission with power going to all four wheels. The base trim gets a lengthy list of standard features which will suffice the majority of the customers.

While those looking for a premium ELS sound system with satellite radio, navigation system, and parking sensors will need to pick the technology package. Other standalone options worth mentioning include carbon-fiber roof, engine cover, interior trims, and rear spoiler, carbon-ceramic brakes, leather-trimmed power-adjustable front seats, performance summer tires, etc.

 We Recommend:

Since the NSX is offered in only one trim there isn't much to recommend here. Those looking for some suggestions on the optional features and package should consider the carbon-ceramic brakes and the Technology package both of them are worth the premium. Although one should keep in mind that the base price of the NSX is steep in the first place and adding anything extra will breach the price bracket of exotics and offerings from premium sports car brands.

“The way it responded to steering inputs, hung on around curves at speed, rocketed out of bends, allowed late braking for corners and planted a smile on my face won me over -- for the most part.” - CNET

2018 Acura NSX Engine and Transmission

The 2018 Acura NSX packs in a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine assisted by three electric motors. The combined output of this setup peaks at 573 hp and 476 lb-ft of torque. The first two motors individually power the front wheels while the third motor sends power to the rear wheels. The nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission ensures a seamless power transfer working in conjunction with the third motor. Thus the complete setup makes the Acura NSX an AWD sports car. 

The twin-turbo V6 with the hybrid setup is a cracker deal for NSX with short city rides being purely handled by the electric motor optimizing gas mileage while for spirited driving the complete setup works together to give you unmatched performance and seat pinning acceleration.

In this comparison, none of the rivals sports cars get a hybrid setup like the NSX. The McLaren 570s commands the highest premium for its base trim while the Audi R8 is the only sports car with a naturally aspirated V10 under its hood. That said, the NSX due to the hybrid setup has an edge here with the highest power and torque figures among all.

2018 Acura NSX Acceleration

The 2018 Acura NSX goes from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds and covers a quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds while 0-100 mph comes in 7 seconds flat. The hybrid setup eliminates any weak spots in the powerband and at a slight dab of the throttle, the NSX leaps ahead without any delay.

Nissan GT-R and McLaren 570s are quicker than the NSX with the 570s being the quickest and beating the NSX in 0-60 mph by 0.4 seconds and in quarter-mile run by 0.5 seconds.

2018 Acura NSX Ride and Handling

The active torque vectoring and the AWD system ensure the 2018 Acura NSX has commendable handling and leech-like grip even around corners with standard rubbers. Whether you are doing freeway speeds or just trotting around town the NSX is a bliss to drive. Further, the Acura NSX satisfies some fundamental requirements of a good handling car made possible with a low center of gravity and weight distribution. The NSX's engine uses dry-sump lubrication and hence can be buried deep within the chassis low to the ground. This along with low-mounted heavy components like the battery pack helps it achieve an extremely low center of gravity.

Owing to the mid-engine layout and careful placement of heavy components means the NSX does not roll much or yaw much during hard cornering or braking. The ride quality of the NSX also remains respectable with sports car standards. Regular city roads are handled with ease by the NSX while the occasional rough patches and bumpy roads are taken care of without filtering much inside the cabin. Thus the overall ride quality remains above-average and particularly long-distance hauls remain comfortable in the NSX.

2018 Acura NSX Braking

The 2018 Acura NSX comes with a 14.5-inch front disc and 14.2-inch rear disc that work in conjunction to rein the 3,803 lbs beast from 70-0 mph in just 142 feet. While the NSX managed to stop from 60-0 mph in just 100 feet during panic braking.

The above numbers are for the NSX with regular tires and a standard braking setup. While the NSX equipped with high-performance summer tires and carbon-ceramic brakes further reduce the stopping distance.

In this comparison, the NSX took the least distance to stop from 70-0 mph followed by the McLaren 570s and GT-R. That said, the McLaren 570s sports the biggest brake setup and is the lightest yet it took 2 feet more to stop compared to the NSX.

The 2018 Acura NSX engine is tuned for performance and not good gas mileage. The 2018 NSX has an EPA estimated gas mileage of 20 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 21 mpg under mixed driving conditions. The NSX has a 15.6-gallon fuel tank meaning you can blast away on the freeways for up to 340 plus miles before requiring a fuel stop while puttering around town in the NSX will get you 310 plus miles from a full tank of gas.

In this comparison, the NSX has the edge of the best gas mileage in the city and mixed driving conditions while on the highway the McLaren 570s betters the NSX gas mileage by 1 mpg. Audi R8 and Nissan GT-R return a similar gas mileage on the highway as the NSX while in the city the Audi R8 is the least efficient sports car among all.

"Acura’s designers have managed to create a warm and welcoming cabin with a modern, high-tech vibe. There’s nothing retro about it; still, the shapes and overall design offer a connection to the interior of the original Acura NSX, which was introduced in 1991"- KBB

2018 Acura NSX Seating and Comfort

The cabin of the 2018 Acura NSX remains unchanged from last year thus there is nothing much to talk about. Don't forget to read our impressions on the cabin of the 2017 Acura NSX. That said, the cabin of the NSX doesn't justify the hefty premium it commands and looks inspired by more budget-friendly offerings from Honda stable. While the overall ergonomics of the NSX are similar to what we see in other Acura cars.

Complaints aside the outside visibility is phenomenal because of the unusually thin roof pillars while the perfect seat height ensures you have a good view of what's ahead even though the NSX has a low ride height. The seats of the NSX are praise-worthy for the comfort and support they offer.

Both the front seats offer adequate bolstering to hold you snug while the leather and simulated suede-trimmed seats have a nice feel to them. Acura also offers an option of getting full leather-trimmed seats with power-adjustability while as standard you get manual adjustment only, a glaring omission on a six-figure car.

In this comparison, only the Nissan GT-R offers seating for four while the rest of the sports cars only offers seating for two. That said, the head and shoulder room are among the best in the Acura NSX. While the front legroom is best in the Nissan GT-R followed by NSX and Audi R8.  

Interior Features:

• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Push-button start
• Available carbon fiber interior trim
• Available simulate suede headliner

2018 Acura NSX Infotainment System

The 2018 Acura NSX gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with an AcuraLink smartphone connectivity system. The first impression of the touchscreen is not good and feels like it has been lifted from a budget-friendly car. On top of that, the interface is unintuitive and there are several buttons and dials thus making it an uphill task to operate the infotainment.

That said, there are a couple of standard features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a couple of USB ports, an 8-speaker sound system, etc. While if you go for the Technology package then you get a 9-speaker ELS audio system with satellite radio.

2018 Acura NSX Cargo Capacity

The 2018 Acura NSX offers only 4.4 cubic feet of space in its trunk. Even though it has a rear-mounted engine the placement of electric motors in the front takes away the front trunk thus limiting the available space to only the rear trunk. 

The trunk of NSX is close to the engine and for that, it has a heavy felt lining provided to reduce the amount of heat getting transferred yet the trunk gets comparatively hot over long drives.

In this comparison, both the Audi R8 and the Nissan GT-R offer better trunk space with the longest in length GT-R offering almost double the amount of cargo space compared to the NSX.

"Low and hard-edged with a wide stance and a cornucopia of scoops and flares, when it comes to design the new 2018 Acura NSX checks all the supercar boxes"- KBB

2018 Acura NSX Dimensions and Weight 

Just like the interior, the exterior of the 2018 Acura NSX remains unchanged. Don't forget to check out our detailed review for the exterior design of the 2017 Acura NSX. That said, the exterior design unlike the interior does justify the hefty price tag of NSX and easily lets it blend in with the exotic car segment. The front fascia has the characteristic Acura grille which has grown in size and covers the entire central part of the front fascia. While the jewel-like LED headlights still manage to grab the eyeballs. 

The front wheels are 19-inch alloys while at the rear you get 20-inch wheels both the alloys are forged aluminum wheels. In between the wheels, the NSX has 103.5-inches of wheelbase with the NSX measuring 176-inches in length. While the Acura NSX looks tasteful in the standard avatar, Acura does give you a choice of swapping the standard engine cover, roof, rear spoiler, etc with ones made with carbon fiber to further reduce the weight and improve its looks.

In this comparison, there is no doubt the Nissan GT-R is the one with the longest wheelbase, tallest height, and length. While the NSX is the widest car among all, it is the Audi R8 that offers the highest ground clearance of 6.3-inches which is 2.6-inches more than that of NSX.

Exterior Features:

• LED headlights
• Rear spoiler
• Flush-fit door handles
• Available carbon fiber exterior trims
• Available parking sensors

Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has crash-tested the 2018 Acura NSX and nor has the previous year model been put to test, so judging the NSX's safety based on the safety scores isn't possible yet. That said, the 2018 NSX has a comprehensive list of safety features including airbags for driver, passenger, side, and driver's knee, stability control system, ABS, etc. Despite having a steep MSRP, the NSX does not get advanced driver-assist features like adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, or automatic emergency braking which is the case with the most sports car.

Safety Features:

• Rearview camera
• Available front and rear parking sensors

2018 Acura NSX vs 2018 Audi R8

Audi R8 and Acura NSX are both sports cars that offer similar engine layouts and thrilling performance. Be it outright acceleration or hairpin bends both the cars handle it like a charm. The exterior design of the NSX and the R8 are appealing in their respective sense while on the inside the NSX offers better cabin space while the R8 offers better cargo capacity.

The city fuel economy of the NSX courtesy of the hybrid setup is far better than what the naturally aspirated V10 of the Audi R8 can deliver. While on the highway both the NSX and the R8 offer similar gas mileage. That said, as a daily driver, the R8 and the NSX are on an equal footing and you won't go wrong with either of them.

2018 Acura NSX vs 2018 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R is a completely different beast with brute power and big dimensions at a budget price being its definition. While the Acura NSX is expensive but isn't as practical or quick as the GT-R although the NSX puts out more power and torque compared to the GT-R. The gas mileage of the GT-R just like the R8 remains lesser than the NSX's city gas mileage and equal to its highway gas mileage.

Coming inside both the cars have their hits and misses where the GT-R boasts of seating for four with better legroom space in the front seats compared to the NSX. The cargo capacity of the GT-R is also almost double what NSX offers. But the overall comfort and material quality are better on the NSX. Even as a daily driver it is easy to be in NSX than the bigger GT-R. Thus making the NSX a better pick between the two.

The 2018 Acura NSX is unchanged for this year thus the 2017 experience of the NSX remains as it is. This means there is an immediate torque-rush from the electric motor assisting the twin-turbo V6 with the new NSX delivering tremendous thrust at any speed. And with technologies like torque vectoring and AWD, the NSX holds the tarmac with immense resolve. Although if you are spending such amount of money to get the ultimate hair-raising motoring experience, competitors like the McLaren 570s, Nissan GT-R, and even the Audi R8 overshadow the relatively discreet NSX. The NSX may be supremely capable both in a straight line and through the corners, but it lacks the playfulness many desire from a mid-engine supercar. That said, what sets the NSX apart from its rivals and other sports car is the better gas mileage and comfortable ride quality, the combination of both being a rarity in the segment.

More from Acura:

• 2021 Acura NSX Review: Release Date, Prices, Specs, and MPG
• Check out more details on the upcoming Acura NSX

FAQs on the 2018 Acura NSX

What is the top speed of the 2018 Acura NSX?

The 2018 Acura NSX can hit a top speed of 191 MPH.

How much does the 2018 Acura NSX costs?

The 2018 Acura NSX starts at $156,000.

Where is the 2018 Acura NSX built?

The 2018 Acura NSX is built in the Honda's Performance Manufacturing Center located in Marysville, Ohio.