New CU2 Lux Auto

[tony1234]

CU2 auto has less power/torque than the manual!!

[IVTECS4]

Hi all, I have just picked up a new CU2 Luxury (no sat nav) Auto. I have been reading with interest the comments on this forum for a few months, and was pretty much sold on the car as long as it drove half decent. Have found this an excellent resource so thanks to everyone that has provided info on this car! I know very little technically about cars, but just love the features in this car - it has a very luxurious feel to it.

One little quibble I have: I live in the hills of Perth and when driving up a steep hill and accelerating around a bend, the steering is feeling very odd. It feels like it is fighting my attempts to turn into the bend and accelerate through it. It's like the wheels want to keep going straight rather than turning in. I'm not sure if this is something to do with the VSA, or whether it's something to do with the 18" wheels on the luxury, or something else. I read somewhere that the steering wheel will prompt you if it senses you are under or over steering, but thought that feature was part of the safety systems which were omitted for the Oz version.

Any ideas?

The EPS has a fancy tech name calling it "Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering" - which works in conjunction with VSA... - it's purpose is to detect instability in slippery conditions in both cornering and under braking and it automatically initiates steering inputs giving assist to the driver to steer it in the right direction. So that could the reason why you feel the steering trying to fight you in the inputs.

[ABS121]

They have a First Drive of the new Euro in Wheels magazine this month and the one major complain they had was the weird sensation through the steering wheel. Apparently they spoke to some honda engineers and it was going to be looked at prior to production. The cars tested were preproduction models at the official launch in Austria.

....maybe it still needs work.

bring on the 2010 update

[Type R Positive]

They have a First Drive of the new Euro in Wheels magazine this month and the one major complain they had was the weird sensation through the steering wheel. Apparently they spoke to some honda engineers and it was going to be looked at prior to production. The cars tested were preproduction models at the official launch in Austria.

....maybe it still needs work.

bring on the 2010 update

I do get that feeling of vagueness when cruizing along in a straight line. It just tracks so well. Like it's floating. Hit the corners and it is all good though. I read here that people have described that they have felt tugging or twitching? I am yet to experience this, or anything like this.

The feeling changes from 'light' to 'firm' when you're at speed. It is not a night and day change, and I am yet to actually notice the point when it firms up.

Is there a lack of feedback? Well I do get a weird sensation (you get used to it very quickly) because it it so smooth. You only really feel bumps through your seat, not through your hands. I guess this is where the 'lack of feed back' comes from. The steering reacts very sharply to driver input, and you can feel what the car is doing. The CU2 has a great turning circle by the way...

I am still getting used to my CU2, and the steering. I must say, it definately grows on you. I can really tell the difference when I jump in another car. I like the electric steering.

[SPQR]

My 2001 5 Door Civic VTi had EPS. It could be caught off guard when twirling the wheel quickly in that the assistance would suddenly disappear and the steering would go heavy. Strangely, without me asking, the dealer that let me take a CU2 Luxury auto for a drive warned me that it is possible to catch the EPS off guard. He said don't worry if you suddenly lose assistance as it was normal for the new CU2. He said they experienced it on their pre-release drive program in Adelaide (which is where the NT gets supplied from by Honda). I did not experience it on my test drive which was mostly on straight roads but I did like the Accord-like dead but direct feel of the steering. There's not much feedback through the steering but plenty where it counts in the "seat of your pants".

[bk212]

A bit of an update - have driven about 600km now including a 180km round trip on country roads last weekend. I'm getting much more used to the steering feel now. I think in hindsight I was being a bit thrown by the very different feel of this steering to what I was used to - haven't driven a Euro of any description before. Appears to be more a matter of getting used to it than anything else. I'm loving the car in general - very smooth and refined drive. The country trip was effortless.

[Type R Positive]

Yeah, the extreme smoothness is weird at first!

[VTECJimStar]

A bit of an update - I'm getting much more used to the steering feel now. I'm loving the car in general - very smooth and refined drive. .

Hi There, Will be following your findings carefully as am close to buying a Lux version in a week or so. Have the 2006 auto Lux and will look at the upgrade. The only thing I dont like about the present car is it does tend to be a firmer ride and I get a fair amount of road noise probably due to the low profile tyres/rims. Will finally get time to do the test drive this Friday amd looking forward to it with all the basically good reports.

[unity]

Had a 40 min drive in the new CU2 Auto Luxy with Nav.
Overall a nice drive. Not keen on the navigation unit. Actually heard one of the Honda sales person on the phone today describing the nav system as a "bit of a gimmic"
The steering was light and easy.
The engine sounded quieter than CL9.
Road noise was less and ride was smoother, but that may just be due to the difference in performance between the Michelins and the Dunlop Sport Max 2050 that come stock on CL9.
The interior feels about the same size and you really dont notice you are driving a slightly bigger and heavier car.
I find the interior a bit complicated - lots of buttons and knobs everywhere

[VTECJimStar]

Had a 40 min drive in the new CU2 Auto Luxy with Nav.
Overall a nice drive. Not keen on the navigation unit. Actually heard one of the Honda sales person on the phone today describing the nav system as a "bit of a gimmic"
The steering was light and easy.
The engine sounded quieter than CL9.
Road noise was less and ride was smoother, but that may just be due to the difference in performance between the Michelins and the Dunlop Sport Max 2050 that come stock on CL9.
The interior feels about the same size and you really dont notice you are driving a slightly bigger and heavier car.
I find the interior a bit complicated - lots of buttons and knobs everywhere

Finally had a test drive of an Cu2 Lux Auto on Friday. No problems with the steering, felt very good to me, I didnt get any sense of vagueness ot floating.
Yes is quieter and smoother, but not like a spongy couch lol and I really liked the car. Thought the engine note was better than the CL9. Maybe a bit more pedal needed to take off but I didnt get to use S mode much. The paddles worked well. Probably need test drive 2. I thought the buttons were easily accessible on the dash and easy to use. Didnt notice the feeling that it was bigger car, and it feels roomier inside.
Would be interested to hear from anyone who has the present CL9 sat nav as I do, and has seen the new car sat nav system, as I wonder what differences there are.
I personally am happy with the sat nav, so not sure about the ' bit of a gimmick' comment as sat nav is common on many vehicles now, and found it useful. I know you can buy a tack on GPS but I prefer not to.
Now just have the dealer, trade-in lets make a deal showtime bs game that I REALLY hate about buying a new car. When will sales people learn that not everyone wants to go though all that false crap. The dealer knows EXACTLY what the trade is worth and the margin in the car...

[Type R Positive]

Now just have the dealer, trade-in lets make a deal showtime bs game that I REALLY hate about buying a new car. When will sales people learn that not everyone wants to go though all that false crap. The dealer knows EXACTLY what the trade is worth and the margin in the car...

I know what you mean! I just went through that crap. I just write down on a bit of paper exactly what I want for the price I want and leave it up to them. Emails are good place to start, then go to phone calls, then visits.
Redbook guide seems to be the go for trade in prices.

[unity]

I personally am happy with the sat nav, so not sure about the ' bit of a gimmick' comment as sat nav is common on many vehicles now, and found it useful. I know you can buy a tack on GPS but I prefer not to.
...

I think the customer was tossing up between the nav model and the model without the nav. I think the dealer was trying to make a point that for the extra $3000 you were not getting that much in return.

I found the throttle more responsive in the CU2 than the CL9