As many of you will remember, last spring I was given the opportunity to test drive some of the 2011-12 fleet of Ford vehicles including, but not limited to, the Ford F-150 SuperCrew. Solely to give my thoughts on the Bluetooth functionality of the car itself. Needless to say, the experience opened some doors for me.

Fast forward 6 months and an idea struck me: “why not compare my experiences with Ford’s Bluetooth technology to that of another industry leading car manufacturer?” So I did. Using the power of social media, I was able to reach out to the fine folks over at Honda Canada who were all for the idea of me giving my “two-cents” on their Bluetooth embedded Acura line-up.

And like the excitement only found from beginning a long road trip with the buddies, it was show time.

Starting with the 2011 Acura TL and working my way through the MDX, ZDX, RDX, 6-speed TL-S, and of course the well-rounded TSX, it really has been a love affair; one which my friends - and frankly anyone who has ridden with me in the past few weeks - will attest to.

Care to find out what I fell in love with? Read on to find out.

All. Bluetooth. Everything: At the risk of sounding too bias, I can’t really find a negative thing to say about the Bluetooth integration; it simply works. From connection, to placing the first call, to even just listening to music via A2DP (Bluetooth wireless connection); everything was crisp, clear, and most of all, concise. Thanks in part to the fact that the system is the same across every single car in Acura’s fleet (with exception of the RDX, but i’ll explain that after), the consistency helps a great deal. Even when I was driving 120KM on the highway with the window down, my caller was none-the-wiser and talking to me as if I was right beside them.

Now back to the RDX and the beef I had.

The model I was given to drive had Bluetooth/media functionality that was completely voice-activated - unlike the others which were activated manually. While most would look at me as if I were nuts to be bothered by such a trivial issue, I found myself to be disgruntled and annoyed every time I used the car. Often it wouldn’t respond, or I would need to go in circles to get the simplest of tasks done. Yes, this issue may seem a bit eccentric, but to be blunt, sometimes a guy just wants to do things himself or at very least have the option to.

Truth be told, the aforementioned is quite literally the only issue I had while driving the fleet. In fact, my experience has been quite the opposite; I have grown an attachment to the brand. Of the models my favorite - by a long shot - being the ZDX crossover (hence it being the highlight of the post). It drives like a sedan, has the space of an SUV, yet the power and performance (and fuel economy) of a sports car.

Overall, Acura hit the nail right on the head with their fleet and I was humbled at the opportunity to test drive them during the time I did.

Learn more about all the aforementioned cars via Acura Canada here