Although the brake pedal lacks feel under hard braking, it is beautifully linear all the way into the ABS. The stopping power is always at the top of the pedal when driving hard on a good piece of road, and the brakes are easy to modulate. The more you press the pedal, the more braking you get.

Around the figure eight, the new NSX posted a 23.8-second lap, six-tenths off the pace of the 2017 car—keep in mind the old car's racy tires, though. It also pulled 1.00 g around the figure eight, three-hundredths down from our previous test. Testing director Kim Reynolds noted abrupt brake fade, though.

"I had to bail out of a couple of corners because I couldn't stop soon enough," Reynolds said. Maybe the ceramics would have been a good idea. "Good power, though, and shifting is really great. This car used to have an overwhelming video game quality to its handling, but now it's genuinely authentic and fun."

Read our full2020 Acura NSX interior reviewhere.

Less video gamey though it may feel, the NSX's quirks still abound. The rinky-dink cupholder (which feels like it's been lifted out of a Honda Insight) means you're guaranteed to spill your grande mocha latte all over the Ivory leather interior—as I did, twice. There's still no place to put your sunglasses, and the trunk is so small it borders on useless.

The inclusion of Honda's previous-gen infotainment setup is almost inexcusable at this price, and we're thankful for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Look into the driver's-side footwell, and you'll no doubt notice exposed wiring looms and frayed carpeting. Interior quality simply doesn't befit the $160,000 price tag. Much nicer insides can be had for the same money (@AudiR8, @Porsche911, @AMGanything). Oh, and fuel economy doesn't really say "hybrid," either. We averaged just 17 mpg in our time with the car. Luckily, the rest of the car makes up for these faults.

Despite the quirks and the unfinished interior, the NSX is plugged in. The second your butt finds its way into the low-slung seat and your hands wrap themselves around the cold leather steering wheel, the NSX knows what to do. Gas mileage and cupholders be damned, let's just gofast. And after carefully chaperoning the NSX to the test track and wowing my girlfriend, her parents, and my parents, I decided that was enough showing off. It was time to see if the refreshed NSX drove as sharp as it looked.

On a good road the NSX isn't just quick, it's a bully. The two electric motors up front claw at the road in the quest for extra grip at all times. The SH-AWD system overdrives the outside front wheel, and the effect is, essentially, added turn-in. The NSX is easy to push, even if your fists are made of ham, and as features editor Christian Seabaugh noted, there's a truly disgusting amount of midcorner grip.

Though it bullies a road into submission, the NSX is always friendly to its driver. Perhaps the best thing about driving the NSX is you're rarely penalized for making a mistake on the road. Overshooting a slow corner isn't met with punishing understeer. Being too enthusiastic with the throttle won't result in a big slide, or worse. Instead, the NSX calmly puts its hand on your shoulder and urges you to give the road and the car your full attention. It's for the best.

When we first drove the NSX in 2015 we said Acura let us drive it a few years too early. Now that those years have passed, we're left with the car we wanted in the first place. Even if the interior is still an ergonomic nightmare and the mpg is still awful, the changes Acura made to the 2020 NSX turn it into a $160,000 super-hybrid that's worth its price tag. Oh, and your R8 can't cruise around in EV mode, can it?

2020 Acura NSX
BASE PRICE	$159,495
PRICE AS TESTED	$164,695
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Mid-engine, AWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe
ENGINE	3.5L/500-hp/406-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve V-6, plus 2 x 36-hp/54 lb-ft (front) and one 47-hp/109-lb-ft (mid) electric motors; 573 hp/476 lb-ft combined
TRANSMISSION	9-speed twin-clutch auto
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	3,930 lb (42/58%)
WHEELBASE	103.5 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	176.0 x 76.3 x 47.8 in
0-60 MPH	3.0 sec
QUARTER MILE	11.2 sec @ 124.0 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	101 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	1.00 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	23.8 sec @ 0.87 g (avg)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON	21/22/21 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY	160/153 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB	0.90 lb/mile