What is Super Handling All Wheel Drive?
Super Handling All Wheel Drive or SH-AWD is Acura’s all wheel drive system which is currently outfitted on the Acura RL, RDX and MDX models.
In conventional all wheel drive system sports a front and rear differential and a center differential that can direct power to the front or rear wheels only depending on where traction is most required.
The disadvantage of this setup is during cornering. In order to compensate, a traction and/or stability control system that provides yaw control is mated or paired to this system.
If and when the steering wheel does not match the actual direction of the vehicle, traction and stability control systems can apply brakes to individual wheels in order to turn the vehicle in the intended direction.
SH-AWD on the other hand has what Acura calls “Torque Vectoring” wherein up to 70 percent of the power can either be directed to the front or rear wheels or if needed to the individual rear wheels.
During cornering, the system reduces understeer by turning the outside rear wheel faster by as much as 5 percent than the rest of the wheels thus rotating the vehicle during the turn and thereby increasing stability.
Your Houston Acura dealer can tell you even more details.
