DLM1213

I am looking to replace my 2005 TL(3rd Gen) with a TLX-AWD or a Lexus IS350F-AWD; may also consider the Accord Touring Model (FWD)
I have owned Honda/Acura for 30 years and really wanted to buy the TLX-AWD. I have heard rumors the 2018 TLX was not getting any major changes other than the new grill similar to the MDX, which I do not care for at all, so if I buy a TLX then it would be the 2017 model. However after reading several of the posts in this forum and other reports, I am beginning to think that would be a mistake. It looks like in 2016 this service bulletin addressed the transmission issue: TSB 16-012 - Transmission Function Improvements: Sensation of Surge While Braking, Slow Downshift Response at Low Engine Speeds, DTC P2638 and Other Listed Symptoms. Did it really resolve the issue?
Looking at TSB 16-057 - Vibration Felt In Front Seats and Floor at Highway Speeds in 2016, it looks like they made an improvement on the vibration however it does not look like it was totally solved for all TLXs.

I see no 2017 TSB concerning these issues.
I read the navigation is not that great, it takes 70 minutes to do an update and you have to leave the car running the entire time?! What a major change from the 2005 TL Navi.
The ELO sound system is weak on the low end, and suspect the ANC is part of the problem. ELO sound system on my 2005 TL is excellent.
Consumer Report prediction for reliability for the Luxury Compact Cars group: Lexus IS scored first with a 86, the TLX was the worst in the group with a score of 19. They repeated the transmission was the biggest issue.

Could I have some feedback from the owners of the 2017 TLX-AWD models, is this model year still plague with poor transmission performance and vibrations on the expressway? Is the Navi and ELO as bad as it sounds? Thanks for your information.

KeithL

I don't have a 2017, but honestly the IS350 AWD will be substantially more. Lexus Ana I is far better than Acura and if you get Mark Levison Audio while pricey will be superior to the ELS in the TLX. The other big difference is the AWD systems. The Acura is more proactive and working under many situations and if I recall the Lexus IS strictly passive reactionary when wheels are loosing traction. Personally if you purchase is money driven the Acura will save you money.

JAB00

Acura continues to regress. Lexus and Infiniti are mechanically better cars however they've been hit with the ugly stick for this current generation. I'd go with an Audi. Good reliability now. Good looking. Good power train. Only limiting factor is it can get pricey above base model. I've have an 05 TL, I bought it new. It's a great reliable car. However in the next year or so when I am ready for a new one, I likely will not stay with Acura.

Saintor

Well TL 4th gen was a mistake. TLX 5th gen sells better than any year of that TL 4th gen. I disagree about "mechanically better". It comes down to pricing vs content.

My TLX was around $40K. Would I be interested in a TT Q50 or A4 for $50K? Not even sure that I would want either one at the first place. Who wants to endure a tin-can sounding 2.0T when you can have that sweet 3.5L? It sounds so much better, Never got warmed with the Q50, clearly un-polished. The IS is an abomination. Don't like the front end and interior. At $50K maybe a 340i, but no Infiniti/Lexus or 4-cyl. Audi that sounds like a Civic, thanks.

pyrodan007

Design wise, yes the 4th gen was so-so. You always say your 16 TLX is perfect, nice that you like it. But to say that all the other cars are not worth it and are mechanically inferior is pure bullshit. To say the Q50 is unpolished whereas the TLX has all kinds of ongoing problems totally disproves your reasoning. I would instantly pay 10k more to have a top of the line A4 versus my TLX. Money to me is not really a problem (even less when spread over a few years), stayed with Acura because I once was happy with them.

Acura shifts like a drunk driver, your point being? They have the S4 that sounds magnificent!

Saintor

1. Where did I say that my TLX was perfect? NEVER. For example, I don't like the dash, yet the cockpit has nice ambiance. But I maintain that it is a greatly balanced car.

2. A $63KCA 2018 S4 and interestingly, Audi switched back the S-tronic for a ZF8. The ZF9 is fine - my 2016 ZF9 is awesome, I can't believe that you have a 2015 that has not been fixed/updated.

weather

DLMN1213...Welcome to Acurazine and you are doing the correct thing by asking for some input but be prepared to hear conflicting data and in the end, still make a decision based on your own preference based on what is important to you.

For the record, I owned a 2012 TL SH-AWD (as with a 2006 TSX, 2009 TSX, 2013 RDX and a 2014 ILX) so I have driven a few Acura products. I LOVED the brand and especially my dealer but I have to admit that a test drive of the 2015 TLX when it came out was enough of a sow stopper for me and why I don't drive one. I test drove the the 2016 TLX and while I know the tranny is not as clunky, its the slow responsiveness of the tranny that just made me dump the brand for now. I like the exterior proportions of the TLX and overall, I love the exterior styling but I am so so on the interior styling - The push button transmission is a turn off for me, as with the wood interior and the "not as bolstered" seats as my 2012. The ELS system didn't sound as good on the TLX as my TL and the while the SH-AWD may be as good as the TL, the slow to react 9 speed unit just took the thrill of driving.

So what do I drive now you may ask? A 2015 Lexus IS 350 F Sport with AWD (in white). Is it perfect - Of course not....NO CAR IS PERFECT. In the end, you pick a car based on what matters to you and what are the short comings you can live with. I know many hates the styling but I personally like the styling and many around here do too as evident by the many "OMG I love your car" comments I get but again, looks is purely subjective. I love the interior dimensions and how cozy the cockpit feels but I am tall and very slim so I don't feel the lump of the AWD that many dislike. I don't have the Mark Levinson system so my stereo sucks compared to the ELS of the TLX or TL but I knew that going in. I MUCH MUCH prefer the MP3 interface compared to my TL and I don't find teh mouse difficult to use at all. I love the 6 speed - you step on the pedal and it goes and it has a nice engine noise.

Now for the AWD between the TLX and the IS, no doubt that the AWD in my former TL was incredible and was fun for cornering in dry roads and the IS doesn't have that same system but I could live without it as I am not a super aggressive driver and it is planted enough for what I need. I don't drive my cars in the rain or snow so the AWD feature was only to be used for cornering and this is where the SH-AWD excel (at least in the TL - the TLX feels so neutered that I couldn't feel the rush of the SH-AWD as well as my TL).

So all and all, as you see, my IS is not perfect, and I do get decent mileage (10l/100km on average mixed conditions) which is similar to what my TL was getting but not as good as what the TLX would get. Better discounts are to be had for the TLX but resale value will reflect the discounts earned at purchase. Do your list of what you need and what matters and then take two lengthy test drive.

Best of luck and keep us posted....if you have more questions, please let me know. Hope it helped....

weather

...and for those saying the ZF unit is not as bad as what the reality is, in the problem section, there are ~600 posts for the 8 DCT unit versus ~2400 posts for the 9 speed ZF unit.

pyrodan007

I'm so jealous about this feature of your IS!!! Joking aside, the TLX does have great fuel mileage but some of it is achieved by throttling back on hard acceleration. Any car could do this, technically cheating in my eyes.

weather

DLMN1213 - Please send me a PM if you want some information - I would be more than happy to help.

DLM1213

All,

Yes I am very much interested in hearing if these issues mentioned have been addressed with the 2017 model year.

The Lexus IS350F-AWD is the other car I am considering. It seems to have better reliability and customer satisfaction. However as I said I have been with Honda/Acura for 30 years. For the features/options Acura offers more for the money and a much better deal than the Lexus. But I don't want to be plague with issues that I am reading on this website. The fact there has not been any positive comments makes me believe that there are a lot of dissatisfied owners out there. Have these issues been addressed for 2017?

Thanks for your feedback 2017 owners.

wyliec2

I'll throw in my .02 although I cannot respond to the OP's specific question - I have a 2015 TLX AWD Advance that I've owned for 20 months. Is it perfect - no. Am I concerned about reliability - no. For my wife and I (normal size adults), it is our vehicle of choice for short or long trips. AWD, ACC, LKAS, heated and ventilated seats were all requirements as was good acceleration (practical need, not bragging rights) and handling (again practical and not track BS). Coming off of a 2010 RL which was nice but had terrible mileage, I looked at MB, Lexus and Audi and while nice, when you priced them out, every feature was an add-on price (ACC, navigation, keyless entry...). At the time (early 2015), there was nothing else that touched it for features @ price IMHO.

Is there anything I would trade it for - no, not in good conscience - we get a comfortable ride. With long drives and sparse traffic at 75-80 mph speed limits, we utilize all of the features, get great mileage. I could spend more to purchase and/or use more fuel to have a vehicle with performance that has no practical merit or a 'prestige' factor that would cause me to see an idiot in the mirror.

Again, speaking of a 2015 so not directly answering the OP request. I do appreciate the moderator cutting out the 'usual noise' from the 'usual suspects' - not that this should be a fanboy-only forum by any means - the endless diatribe does get old. Like the OP, I am a long-time Honda/Acura owner. Anyway, that my 'cents' FWIW.

wlkeel

I also don't have a 2017, but since I was just at the my dealer yesterday for maintenance I thought I'd chime in. My Service Advisor (very well respected by all) discussed the V-6 transmission problems. They've replaced four transmissions at that dealer and all were 2015 models. He said the transmission complaints have all but died out except for earlier versions of the TLX. In his opinion, Acura seems to have the major problems sorted out for the 2017. Just another bit of info to throw in the decision making process.

As an aside, Acura maintenance (both schedule and cost) appears to be better than my Lexus IS250 which I had for 5+ years. Probably not enough to influence a buying decision, but just thought I'd mention it.

VTECMAN

I have a 2015 Elite model. I really like the IS350 AWD. The only thing I don't like is that the engine and tranny are the same as a 2006 IS 350. I need a bit more advancement in technology than 11 years ago. I understand the adage "if it ain't broke" but in today's day and age technology is moving fast. The TLX isn't state of the art, but it is more advanced than the IS. Just my 0.02.

DLM1213

My 05 TL has been very reliable as well, which is why I was considering going with the TLX. I too am struggling with the IS350F front end, but the rest of the car looks fantastic. I will give Lexus credit for making a bold move and really doing a good job of defining their "look". The sides and rear looks good especially with the brake lights. Acura still seems lost on what they want their cars to look like, I was hoping the TLX would have been so much more. But it's Lexus reliability and customer satisfaction that is putting them on the list.

I considered the Audi A4 but to get one of them with all the options on it comparable to the TLX and you go over the $50k mark pretty quick. More than I care to spend.

DLM1213

Good to hear some feedback on the transmission from your dealer. I've talked to my service manager now and get a similar response; was hoping to hear some 2017 owners confirm this.

DLM1213

wyliec2 you bring up all the qualities that I am looking for in a car as well and the TLX does seem to deliver that at the best price. I am looking for good handling and acceleration as well from the practical standpoint. But it concerns me when I read that the transmission is sluggish and if you are needing to make a quick lane change, there may be hesitation in the transmission to get the job done.

Have you experienced any of the vibration issues on the expressway that I am reading about?

wlkeel

I don't know how many 2017 models have been sold, but not many compared to 15/16. There may not be many 2017 owners that read this forum, especially if they are not having any problems (forums appear to be a haven for those with problems, not happy owners). Just a guess, however.

LiQiCE

Would you consider CPO? A 2015 Lexus GS350 F-Sport AWD doesn't have the full spindle grill - so it doesn't look as extreme as the IS350. It also should be very reliable and would be in the realm of the price of a TLX (seems to be less than $40K with around 30K miles on it). I leased a 2014 GS350 F-Sport AWD (recently replaced with a BMW 340i xDrive) and the GS was a great car - other than perhaps a slight lack of power (306hp / 277 lb-ft - same engine as the IS350). I was a big Honda/Acura fan myself - but after test driving the GS350 I was really happy with the way it drove.

It is also possible the 2018 TLX will have more than just a new grill. Possibly an engine and transmission upgrade, and I would expect an upgrade to the Infotainment system perhaps with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Might be worth waiting until details on the 2018 model are released if you can wait.

The 340i xDrive is a nice ride too

wyliec2

Depending on which direction I'm heading, there are 55, 65, 70, 75 and 80 mph speed limits - no vibration in any situation.

F23A4

This right here is one of the bests posts I've read to date in the TLX forum and pretty much sums up how I feel about my TLX V6. My only regret is not getting SH-AWD. Other than that, I have ZERO regrets on this purchase.

pyrodan007

Question for DLM1213, did you have a chance to test drive both the TLX and IS350? We could go on and on about pros and cons but at the end of the day, do you physically like it
Some people mentioned the seats/position as being deal breakers, so if not conformable in it then the tech and mechanics may not be so important.

TacoBello

You're car must've been built on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. It's those Monday or Friday cars that I'd be afraid of.

DLM1213

wlkeel, I think you make a good point. There may not be a lot of 2017 owners out there and they may not be experiencing any issues. I continue to read other posts I find on the transmissions and it sounds like Acura started replacing some of them instead of just a software update. Those owners reported back that they were happy with the TLX and transmission now. So I would think any car being built for 2017 should have this issue resolved. That I am glad to hear because I really want to keep this car on my short list for a test drive.

DLM1213

I have driven the 2015 TLX AWD for a short while, from the dealer to work and back while they serviced my 05 TL. It was not enough of a drive to really test it out, it felt comfortable driving it. The IS350 I have only sat in so far, seemed ok, so I do want to test drive this one. Right now I have been trying to read all the reports I can find and going over Acura and Lexus Forums to see what owners are discussing about the two cars. But your right, it will take driving them to determine what I really like. I just don't want to get my hopes set high on a model then come to find out it's a lemon. I have an employee that reports to me that bought a Ford Fusion 2015 and having issues with the transmission....now when he goes back to read the forums to find out there were a lot owners complaining about the transmission. Now he is sorry he let his emotions get to him about the car without checking it out. He is counting the days to when he can get rid of it. I am a person that don't mind spending a little more money to get something that I really like, and will be reliable because I keep my cars for 10-12 years because I really enjoy driving them. But as you know, there is a limit on the money, that's why I am leaning toward the TLX, more for the money.

DLM1213

KeithL, I read your original post on your TLX and then your 1 year update. It sounded like you were pretty happy with it at first until you started having issues and they were not addressed by Acura. I understand yours and other owners frustrations. It now sounds like Acura is now replacing those transmissions and the complaints are starting to drop. It is a shame it took so long for them to act on it and the damage they have done.

I have continued to read other posts and it looks like there are owners out there that are happy with their TLX and wouldn't trade them for anything else. I am like you I will probably only buy another 1 or 2 cars since I keep them for 10-12 years so I want a car that is reliable, and fun to drive. Thanks for your detailed summary you gave on some of the major key points of the car. I'll be looking for those items as I test drive both cars. If it comes down to the TLX then I am going into the dealer with the knowledge of what I have learned from the owners on this forum and discuss it with them. If they act like they don't know what's going on then it's time to find a new dealer. You definitely need to have a dealer admit there was some short comings at the beginning, admit it, then be willing to help you resolve it with Acura if something comes up. The purchase will be money driven but it will be more based on what I really like when I test drive them. 10-12 years is a long time so I better like what I buy. That's why I bought a 05TL new instead of another Honda Accord.

DLM1213

Thanks.....that is great news, then it sounds like that issue may be resolved as well. Feeling much better about the 2017 build of the TLX.

Mr Hyde

I am pretty much in the same boat, and purchased the same exact model. The TLX had everything I needed, and was a bargain when comparatively equipped. My only irks are the outdated software, and appearance of the Navi/entertainment setups, and the horrible tires that came on the vehicle stock.

The IS didn't do it for me. Inherited, and drove my wife's 1st gen IS, and I didn't care for the similar looking interior, and also wasn't a fan of the exterior styling. Like the original, I tired of some of the more exuberant syling elements. The rear seat, and trunk room didn't fit my needs well either.

In the end, OP should take both on extensive test drives, and see for himself.

BEAR-AvHistory

I would expect there is no difference between a 16 & a 17 regarding the transmission. If it was me & I did not need a car right away looking for a long tern buy (not me ) I would wait for the 2018 which will have the mid cycle upgrades. If I could not wait for whatever reason I would buy a 2016 leftover on price. I don't like used cars, have only had a very small number, but regardless even if I did like them I would not buy a CPO for a 10+ year keeper car.

Robs252

Me too! It's a great car...

Mr Hyde

This is the same advice I would have for anyone buying any car, regardless of the make, and model.

Adoniram

I'll just throw my own 2 cents in here:

The IS is smaller on the inside. The front feels less spacious than the TLX (though not necessarily cramped). Back seat area was an issue for me and my 21 month old who will be in a car seat for some time come, plus another on the way. No way you could comfortably fit 2 adults in the back with a car seat (but the TLX does that just fine).

TLX SH-AWD w/ advance was $10k less than an IS 350 F sport (I took a 2016 last month at significantly reduced price).

The only advantages the IS had (that I could see) was:
1. Better navigation, but still not better than a smartphone (by a long shot)
2. Heated steering wheel option

Disadvantages:
1. Remote start only works via a wonky smartphone app, and you have to pay like $300/year for that. (TLX has it on key fob, always works, free)
2. ~$10k more for a very similar car
3. Smaller interior
4. Worse gas mileage

If my kids were out of car seats, I might have gone with the IS, but instead I took the TLX and will be going to the Caribbean a few times to do some scuba diving with the savings haha.

My last car (05 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT limited) blew up another turbo, had 93k miles, and was in dire need of a full suspension replacement. I couldn't wait until the 2018 model showed up, unless I wanted to sink $3-4k into a car that I sold for $6.5k. So the 2016 unit was perfect for me at the time.

Rocketsfan

No, they are replacing transmissions in some cases, but not others. For others, they are still releasing software updates that may have improved some of the issues and done nothing for other issues. I've attempted a transmission "fix" with 3 different dealers with no luck. I was told by a service there is another software update coming (unknown if it's true or not). What the criteria for replacement of transmissions is unknown. I drove a 2016 TLX as a loaner once back when my car's issues were really bad and it drove perfectly fine. Both cars were FWD. I haven't driven a 2017 yet. I haven't been able to get a loaner V6 TLX since that loaner a bit over a year ago to compare again.

I pay cash for my vehicles, buy them new, and drive them until they start causing too many problems. My last car was a 2004 TL that I drove for about 11 years and almost 250,000 miles, so I'm like you in that regard. I don't know if I'll keep this car that long, to be honest, and I doubt my next car will be an Acura, but that's more because of how Acura has handled my situation and the fact the initial quality on the car wasn't that great. Since then, outside of the navigation unit and the crappy transmission, the car hasn't been too bad, to be honest. If Acura loses reliability as a selling point, then they've got nothing for me because I can find a "sorta reliable" car with much better performance and/or luxury in other makes. One of my primary purchase considerations is reliability, which is why I came back to Acura for this purchase after initially wanting to buy a Q50 or ATS.

We seem to have a lot in common in terms of purchasing cars. Good luck on your next one whatever it may be.

Energia

If the things you care for the most are tech gadgets, you could shop a mainstream sedan that has the same tech if not better compared to Acura and save the extra $$$.
If you care about fit and finish and how a sport sedan drives, after few curves you will understand why a Lexus IS 350 F-Sport cost 10 grand more....

Adoniram

Mainstream sedans don't have AWD (mostly). Basically, it was Subaru or luxury sedans only. Acura had a much better looking and better equipped vehicle than the Legacy (to say nothing of the lack luster performance of the Legacy). I'm moving in Colorado in a year, so AWD is important to me, and having extra features like remote start, heated/cooled seats, etc, is great.

Anyway, fit/finish is very comparable between the two. You would be hard pressed to justify the differences. The moving gauge cluster in the IS F sport is a gimmick (albeit a cool one). The dash-- who cares? I don't spend much time lying my face on it. The TLX powers through corners better with the SH system.

I dunno, maybe for the 2WD models, the IS is a better overall vehicle, but comparing the SH-AWD adv with the IS F sport, $10k was not justified at all. Especially when space is considered. That's not a "nice-to-have" thing for some people (i.e. those with car seats).

oo7spy

DLM1213

I test drove 4 cars on Saturday and had my consultants with me, the wife and 20+ year old daughter. Good to have the daughter along to handle setting up all of the technical stuff while I was enjoying the drive. Not only that, she also is a sports car fan so she can help sway the wife. (2012 Subaru Outback)
First up, the TLX-SH-AWD + Technology + Advanced package:·

• The engine was very responsive and the transmission shifting was smooth. The car ride was quiet and smooth. I did not notice any hard shifting in the transmission and I also had the car up to 80mph (only for a short while) but did not notice any vibration issues either.·
• I changed the setting to the Sport+ mode and got on it a few times, really nice. One time I did notice after letting off the gas it seemed to get lost on what gear it wanted to move to, but for me this would not be typical driving.·
• Couple of items I did noticed. I am not a big fan of the engine shutting down about every time I came to a stop light. So if that is how they are getting to get 25mph combined on this car, (21/31/25) I guess mine would not be that good, I will turn this off. I would like to find a way to permanently turn that off.·
• The other thing we noticed is the audio system was lacking major depth and this had the ELS system in it. Having just come out of my 05TL with the ELS system there was a noticeable difference. So this is where I put the daughter to work. We increased the BASS and the SUB to the MAX and could not hear any difference. In the 05TL the music just totally surrounds you and is hard to tell where it is coming from; almost like being in the room with the musicians. The TLX just sounded totally flat and no low end. Are we missing something on the set-up? This is a very key issue for me.·
• The car salesman said, I could make an appointment and take the demo car overnight if I would like, I think I will take him up on his offer at a later date.·Outside of these two issues, I would agree with some of the other owners on this forum. A really nice car with lots of features for the money.

Next up was the Lexus IS350F-AWD Navi/upgrade sound system·

• First thing we notice when getting in, the seats are lower to the ground and definitely smaller inside than the TLX. This may be a minor thing to some, but since we are somewhat smaller in height, we pulled our seats up. When we do this, the cup holders are actually at the same place as our elbows or behind them, so trying to put a drink in them, we would actually have to reach behind us to do it, not very comfortable.·
• Also the joy stick for managing the electronics settings a little touching to use.May get used to it but required too much eye contact on that instead of the road to do something. I had read on the Lexus forum to make sure you try out the joy stick if you were considering this car.·
• Glad we had the tech wizard with us to get this one set up, nice new wide screen display for the 2017.·
• The drivers display looked great but the electronics in the center stack was such a mess, not sure who laid that out but we all thought that was just a disaster, looked cheap and things just added on as an afterthought.Interior was just terrible looking, and add in the front grille, not sure what Lexus is thinking. Could I live with this car for 10+ years, doubt it.·
• Now for the drive. What a blast, this car can really haul; great handling definitely feels like you are more in control of the car than the TLX. Good ride and quiet as well. I did notice one time in the sport mode after a fast acceleration the transmission seemed lost after I let up on the gas. So is this just something with the “sport mode’ settings on both cars? Really a fun car to drive.·
• Sound system is outstanding, sounded like I was back in the 05TL.·
• Put this motor/transmission along with the sound system in TLX, done deal for me.

Drove the IS300-AWD Navi/upgrade sound system·

• Same issues as above with the IS350F.·
• Same motor as the IS350 V-6 3.5L but only 255hp not the 306hp but what a difference in the car. What surprised me was the gas mileage for the IS350 it is 19/26/21 combined and the IS300 was the same and both needed premium gas. I’ll give the TLX the points on this one because of the poorer gas mileage on the IS350/300. TLX is certainly a better engine than what is in the IS300.

The last car was the Accord Touring. ·

• Having driven (2) Accords for nearly 25 years and then switched over to the TL because the 05 Accord was too ugly for me. I decided to give them a test drive since I think the current model year looks pretty good. As said previously, been a Honda fan for years.·
• The interior was much nicer looking than in the pictures.We also noticed how much bigger the inside was compared to the Lexus so that was a plus; same with the trunk space.·The car drove very well and is a great family sedan but a totally different car than the IS350/300. The TLX almost seems to me to be a mix between a sports sedan like the Lexus and the family sedan from Honda. (I am not sure why everyone buys the Camry over the Accord? The Accord is so much better.)·
• What was a bit confusing to me was the two screens. The top one seems to be information only except for video for backing up or a display for the right side when that turn signal is turned on. I was hoping you could set it up to have the maps on top and the audio display on the bottom like the TLX.·
• Advantage here was a V6 with 278hp compared to the IS300 255hp and it runs on regular gas with better gas mileage (21/33/25). The dis-advantage of the Accord is there is no AWD.

So the winner of my test drive…..the 2005 TL! Has the looks, inside and out (IMHO). Super sound system and a blast to drive. The car show is coming up in February so I’ll look around some more. I will probably take the Acura salesman up on his overnight offer, and try to resolve the sound issue with the ELS system. (Any current owner feedback here as to what the issue may be? This is important issue for me to resolve to buy this car.) Right now I am leaning towards the TLX because I think it meets my needs the best. It’s a good mix of both worlds, a sports sedan and family car and has more of a classic look that won’t look outdated in 10 years or I’ll tire of. My consultants seem to agree.

pyrodan007

The sound issue cannot be fixed, they cheapened out on sub for sure but maybe even on the drivers. It also sounds worse than my 12 TL Tech. Even when increasing the bass, it just gets more distorted.

BTW, please add some spacing/paragraphs to your post. I almost gave up half way due to my eyes hurting

Momyc

Pyrodan, you are right. Both my 2007 and 2009 TLs sound systems were better than TLX. I find that even my wife's Santa Fe system (it's true is the limited version) sounds better than TLX due to better speakers and sub.

Adoniram

Regarding the sound system:

This had bothered me to no end after buying the car but there is a solution. I will be posting much greater detail in the future once I have the kinks worked out, but here's my band-aid fix:

-First, the DTS neural sound seems to improve sound quality quite a lot. Make sure it's on (or off, whatever your preference).
-Next, you should definitely be noticing a significant difference in sound by adjusting the bass and sub. There might be something wrong with that unit if you really can't hear a difference.
-My band-aid fix: I really wanted to believe the equipment was high quality, and it was just bad processing that was causing flat/boring sound, and I believe I'm right. I have been spending time in the car using my laptop with the car's aux input. I am adjusting a number of MP3's to sound more full and inspiring. I'm using Audacity to adjust the equalizer and gain settings, saving those settings to the MP3 directly, and then playing that back. I have yet to finish dialing in my ideal settings, but having better equalizer control was the key for me. The sound is MUCH richer; you just have to "fool" the car into playing something pre-adjusted.

Is that ideal? No. But, if you load up a USB stick with 1000+ songs all pre-set for the TLX, it'll be a major improvement. Otherwise, Pandora already sucks with its down-sampled and compressed audio. Bluetooth might be taking a little quality off the top (not sure which Bluetooth version the car has). Audiobooks don't need rich bass (probably better without over-driven bass anyway). Radio isn't exactly hi-def, even for so-called HD channels. So for me, having powerful, booming music from the USB drive is enough. I just have to batch-edit and copy files every now and then. I can live with that... The rest of the car is so great I couldn't hold this one thing against it in terms of a purchase decision.