Dim tunnels, desire and god: What people are saying about Acura's Precision concept

Acura’s Precision Concept is one of the buzzworthy vehicles at the 2016 Detroit auto show. With a striking red paint job and sleek styling, it signals that the days of Acura’s controversial beak grille are coming to an end, and it previews future styling cues coming to the brand’s sedans. Here’s what reporters, critics and others are saying about the concept.

“Few automakers need a breath of fresh, creative air as much Acura does. Sure, the upcoming NSX helps -- but the rest of the lineup (read: the part that normal people can afford), peppered with boring blocks of angular metal, just doesn't inspire much emotion. That's where the Precision Concept comes into play .... It looks almost nothing like an Acura, and there are very, very few design elements that evoke any Acuras that are currently on the road. As the name implies, this isn't a real car -- rather, it's a design study that gestures toward "a bolder, more distinctive future" for the brand's upcoming models. Basically, it's a near guarantee that you're going to see bits and pieces of the Precision Concept in the next several cars that Acura introduces.” -- Chris Ziegler, The Verge

“ … one of the best-looking Acura concepts of all time, and that includes the fabled NSX. The hope is that it will be the precursor of a well-accepted production sedan, which is something the Acura brand needs.” -- Jack Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst at Kelley Blue Book

“Ultimately, the Acura Precision concept represents a bold styling step for a brand that has been teetering on irrelevancy for far too long. Let’s hope the attractive Precision follows the Honda/Acura tradition of appearing as a little-changed, genuine production vehicle soon after its show-circuit debut.” -- Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver

“The Acura Precision Concept is supposedly a design study for future Acura sedans. And let’s just say: if future Acura sedans look like this, then it’s official: there is a god.” -- David Tracy, Jalopnik

“When it comes down to it, I am absolutely floored by this car. Frankly, I figured Acura simply didn't get it anymore -- you know, aside from the NSX. This Precision concept shows that it's listening to its critics and it's capable of responding in a smart, modern and compelling way. Now, for the big question: will Acura build it?” -- Nick Jaynes, Mashable

“ … a bold, edgy, supercar-styled sedan that follows the underlying motif of this year’s Detroit auto show, which seems to be luxury and rebirth. As Hyundai takes a significant chance in crafting a narrative to justify the creation of Genesis as a standalone brand, and Lincoln presents the production-bound Continental sedan, Acura would like you to believe that there is some DNA from the NSX in all of its products.” -- Jeff Jablansky, New York Daily News

“Acura's California Design Studio was responsible for the look of the sedan, which features a sharper grille than we're used to seeing on the automaker's production cars, though the sedan is very recognizable as an Acura -- something that automakers at times fail to achieve with concepts not slated for production. There are fairly obvious design themes that Acura owners will find familiar with this concept, even if the interior looks 10 or 20 years ahead of its time. The vents below the sharply sculpted taillights carry over the theme well, and lend balance to the appearance of the rear fascia, while the character lines on the sill and the shoulderline are nicely integrated into the rear fascia and serve to create a muscular appearance.” -- Jay Ramey, Autoweek

“The first thing you’ll notice about the Acura Precision Concept is its striking shape. Taking a page from the now well-worn four-door coupe book, the new concept’s wide, low stance and long dash-to-axle ratio give it a strong sense of presence. Swept-back A-pillars flow smoothly over a narrow greenhouse with invisible B-pillars, before joining with the rear haunches and terminating with a short decklid. Chunky five-spoke, 22-inch wheels and aggressive, no-nonsense Michelin Pilot Super Sport summer tires complete the package.” -- Eric Weiner, Automobile

“Can we go ahead and declare Acura saved? Not just yet. There's still a lot of ground for the company to make up, but the new grille shows that Acura's at least listening to criticism. Maybe production cars with the new design language will have the performance to back up the new look. At this point, who knows?” -- Collin Woodard, Road and Track

“Inside, the cabin is equally extreme, yet inviting. Materials comprise stitched leather, wood grains (including those for the front door speakers, which resemble ripples in a pond) and spare use of metallic accents. A floating center stack controls an enormously wide, curved central display screen that rests near the base of the windshield. It's high contrast meets high style.” -- Jason Kavanagh, Edmunds.com

“With Jon Ikeda now running Acura in the U.S. we'll likely see an increased focus on design and how it plays into the brand's future product plan. Acura's styling language has improved in recent years, and the Precision concept looks like an excellent direction for Honda's premium brand.” -- Karl Brauer, senior analyst at Kelley Blue Book

“Now that the dust from the Detroit Auto Show has settled, and our hangovers have subsided at least a little bit, we can step back an examine what we learned from the show. And I’m a bit surprised the Acura Precision Concept didn’t get more traction in the car world. Maybe it’s because it’s very clearly a concept and a design study, not a production model like the Lexus LC 500. Maybe it got overshadowed by big surprises like the Buick Avista or even the Honda Ridgeline. I don’t know. Journalists, industry types and bystanders on the show floor seemed to stare at it for a moment, say “hmm, neat,” and move on to something else. (I also heard “it looks like a Mazda” more than a few times.) I dig this thing. I’m not blown away by it, but I am largely a fan of the design.” -- Patrick George, Jalopnik

When Acura released a teaser image of its new Precision concept in December, we could see it was going to be a sleek-and-sexy futuristic luxury performance car. What we couldn't glean from the shadowy rendering was how beefy and brawny this bad boy would be — not until it was fully unveiled.” -- Matt Schmitz, Cars.com

“With its wide stance, chiseled bod and cabinet doors, the Precision is an old-school, wow-‘em concept. Beginning with its ‘Diamond Pentagon’ grille, Precision aims to ban the beak and redefine Acura.” -- Henry Payne, The Detroit News

“Designed in Acura’s California studio, the low, wide Precision concept sets the tone for the looks of upcoming models from Honda’s luxury brand. The deep, sculpted lines and open grille are a marked departure from the looks of Acura’s recent sedans. Acura executives promise the first production car influenced by the Precision will be on sale soon. That suggests fans of the ILX and RLX sedans are about to get lucky.” -- Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press

“The Precision Concept represents for Acura a light at the end of a dim product development tunnel, and in a way that the Continental doesn’t for Lincoln. Sure, the new NSX sports car is fantastic, but the halo effect from this vehicle won’t sell Acura’s volume models. Design will. And if the Acura RLX looked anything like the Precision Concept, you wouldn’t even be thinking about how to swing the lease payment on a new 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Nobody needs an Acura. They’ve gotta want one. The Acura Precision Concept possesses the power to inspire that desire.” -- Jeff Youngs, J.D. Power and Associates, for Yahoo Autos