the turbos taking over. Shifts from the
close-ratio nine-speed gearbox snap off
instantly as the V-6 growls to its 7,500-
rpm redline, and the whole process
begins again. The end result is a tremen-
dously powerful drivetrain that feels,
well, naturally aspirated.
Aside from the obvious acceleration
advantages, the NSX’s motors also make
it a better handler. Just as the Polestar’s
twin rear motors provide instant torque
vectoring, the Acura’s twin front motors
do the same, independently distributing
power through bends and helping give the
NSX a disgusting amount of midcorner
grip—providing the driver with a magnifi-
cent amount of confidence while pushing
the car harder down a back road.
Inside, the interior interfaces are
beginning to look a bit dated compared to
the Polestar’s Volvophile user experience,
but ultimately it’s the NSX’s confi-
dence-inspiring performance, combined
with the engineering voodoo that turned
the Acura’s four separate powerplants
into one cohesive team, that helped Team
Acura earn its redemption and victory.
On nearly every metric, both objective
and subjective, the NSX outclasses the
Polestar, BMW, and Lexus. It’s quicker,
sharper, and sportier than its electrified
rivals. Most important, it’s more fun to
drive. Although the Acura is the least
fuel-efficient car here, the NSX’s seamless
powertrain integration ought to providea good model for others to follow as we
enter a new decade and inch ever closer to
an internal combustionless future.
Sharp-eyed readers will notice that our
order of finishing also matches the field’s
escalation in as-tested price. That is coin-
cidental. Our grading in performance,
drivability, and livability among our
finishers was more about how well the
hybrid technology was applied than about
optional features and benefits (though
the Lexus’ 50 grand discount from the
rest of the field is indeed notable). In the
case of the NSX, however, the quality of
its hybrid technology easily distances it
from the rest of the field.
If you’d asked any one of us a decade
ago if an electrified sports car could ever
be as engaging as a gas-powered car, you’d
have gotten a resounding no. (Call it the
Prius factor.) But as the NSX, Polestar 1,
i8, and LC 500h prove, the future doesn’t
have to be scary. Or boring. QON NEARLY EVERY METRIC, THE ACURA NSX
OUTCLASSES THE COMPETITION.Front-engine, AWDTurbo- & s’charged I-4, alum block/head,
plus 1 front/2 rear electric motors
DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
120.2 cu in/1,969 cc
10.3:1
326 hp @ 6,000 rpm (gas), 71 hp (front elec),
2 x 114 hp (rear elec); 619 hp (comb)384 lb-ft @ 2,600 rpm (gas), 119 lb-ft
(front elec), 2 x 177 lb-ft (rear elec);
738 lb-ft (comb)
6,500 rpm
8.3 lb/hp
8-speed auto (front); 1-speed
auto (rear)3.20:1/2.15:1 (front)Control arms, coil springs, adj shocks,
anti-roll bar; multilink, transverse leaf
spring, adj shocks, anti-roll bar15.6:1
2.8
15.7-in vented, drilled, 2-pc disc; 15.4-in
vented, drilled, 2-pc disc, ABS
9.0 x 21-in; 10.0 x 21-in, forged aluminum275/30R21 98W; 295/30R21 102W
Pirelli P Zero VOL107.9 in
64.8/65.2 in180.5 x 77.1 x 53.2 in
37.4 ft
5,155 lb
47/53%
4
38.0/33.3 in
42.0/20.9 in
56.3/49.7 in
4.4 cu ft
1.6/2.3 sec
3.0/3.8
4.7/5.8
7.1/8.4
12.3/1.6
12.0 sec @ 119.1 mph/102 ft
0.98 g (avg)/24.5 sec @ 0.83 g (avg)
1,400 rpm
$156,500/$156,500Yes/Yes
7: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain,
driver knee
4 years/50,000 miles
4 years/50,000 miles;
8 years/100,000 miles
4 years/50,000 miles
15.9 gal/34 kW-hr
65 mpg-e (comb, est)
52 kW-hr/100 miles (comb, est)
0.30 lb/mile (comb, est)
Unleaded premium, 240V electricity2020 Polestar (^1) COMPARISON
APRIL 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 41