Overview
The rugged yet elegant body of the SLX has been designed and engineered to provide a comfortable, spacious seating area, an authoritative driving position, ease of entry and exit, excellent visibility, best-in-class cargo capacity and a luxurious, luxury-sedanlike interior ambiance. The lines of the SLX are strong and masculine, yet with the kind of tasteful elegance that feels as at home on the Anza-Borrego back roads as it is in the urban canyons of Manhattan.
Precise Fit and Finish
The SLX is painstakingly engineered and assembled to have a level of fit and finish second to none in the luxury sport utility category. Panels are designed to fit closely together, without excessive gaps or mismatching.
Visibility
The tall, spacious greenhouse is designed to give the driver and passengers a commanding, panoramic view of the surroundings. The driver's front, side and rear views are largely unobstructed, with slim, but highly rigid roof pillars. A bronze-tinted windshield band help to prevent glare. The SLX even offers an expansive view above: the safari-sized moon roof opens more than five square feet in area, giving both front and rear seat passengers a breathtaking view. Privacy glass is used in the moon roof, along with a sliding sun shade.
Paint Process And Corrosion Resistance
Every outer panel in the SLX has been either hot-dipped in zinc alloy or electrogalvanized on both sides. Outer panels are protected by a nine-step paint and coating process; five layers used on the outer surface, and four layers protect the inner surfaces and under-chassis sheet steel components. The outer finish starts with a zincphosphate coating, followed by a high-build-type E-coat primer, a urethane paint surfacer, a color base oat and an acrylic melanine base/clear coat system. Hidden surfaces are coated zinc phosphate, followed by a E-coat primer, a PCV SOL undercoat and an anticorrosion, petroleum-basedwax. A chip-resistant rockerpanel coating prevents damage from flying stones, and overfenders, with rocker sills and integral front and rear splash guards, help to protect the SLX finish while they add an air of rugged capability.
Cargo Capacity
With a generous 46.3 cu ft of seat-uprear cargo area, the SLX offers best-in-class cargo capacity. With the rear seats conveniently folded, there's an impressive 90.2 sq ft of available cargo space due in part to the rear-door-mounted spare tire. The split rear seats fold down separately for added versatility, and a hidden storage compartment under the rear seats give extra security for important possessions.
70/30 Rear Doors
The rear door of the SLX is composed of two separate, vertically hinged panels. The two-piece door is easier to open than a tailgate-type rear door, gives improved access in tight parking situations and provides quick, easy access to the cargo area. This design allows minimum "lift over" depth, adding greatly to the utility and convenience of the SLX. A rear defogger and wiper/washer assembly are standard. An integrated rear air deflector over the rear door helps to prevent build-up of dirt and dust on the rear window during off-road driving.
Power Fold-In Outside Mirrors
The outer mirrors of the SLX can be folded back at the touch of a button. This feature was originally intended for use in extremely tight off-road situations, such as maneuvering between tightly spaced trees or boulders. It is also very convenient in normal city driving and can be used at toll booths, ATM machines or drive-up windows to make reaching more convenient.
Cornering Lights
Special cornering lights help the driver see into dark driveways and parking spots. Activated by the turn signals, these shine a low, wide beam to the side, making maneuvering in tights spots considerably easier and more worry-free.
Structure
Overview
The Acura SLX is buiIt on a box-section steel ladder-type frame, with seven cross members for optimum rigidity and durability. All exterior body panels are stamped from 100 percent double-coated galvanized steel, for excellent long-term corrosion resistance. Exterior panels are created with a nine-step paint and coating process, which includes a zinc-phosphate coating on both the inner and outer surface of each panel.
Box-Section Steel Frame
Unlike many other SUVs which use open, "U" channel frame members, the SLX frame rails are completely enclosed. This makes the frame stronger and much more rigid, in both bending and torsional measures and also aids in corrosion resistance. Designed-in "crumple zones" are configured to help absorb energy in severe front and rear impacts, helping to protect the rigid passenger cabin from distortion. In all, the structure of the SLX is designed to be the basis of a rugged, durable and highly secure on- and off-highway vehicle.
Chassis- Body Isolation
To isolate the body and interior from road noise, vibration and harshness, specially tuned isolation bushings are used between the frame and the stamped-steel body structure. These bushings, used in 14 different locations, are designed to react in both tension and compression, helping todamp out unwanted noise and vibration.