youngTL

It is premium. For a lot of us, that's why we bought. A whole bunch of cars in the actual luxury class are well out of our price range or what we're willing to pay for a car. Premium is good enough. There's always room for improvement though, although I wouldn't want Acura to up the prices too far in pursuit of ostentatious luxury.

finebead

I sold my 07 TL to my son in May and got a TLX V6 Tech. I drove a lot of cars, including V6 Accord. If I didn't have the spare change, the Accord is a fine car. I'm 63, and while I plan to live to 120, I could be gone tomorrow, or in 10 years. This could be my last car, so I ponied up the $ and bought my last Acura in all likelihood. One last round of fun.

I love my TLX. It has many new tech features, I only listen to my own USB thumb drive music, only my favorite songs, I like that. I had a base TL and the sound on the TLX tech is much better. But the TLX is much smoother and quieter on the road. I love the gas mileage on my V6 (part of reason I did not buy a Q50). The IDS comes in very handy, I default to Economy now that the new fascination with Normal and Sport have worn off, then bump up to Normal or Sport if I need to dive out in front of an oncoming car, then I stomp on it and have fun for 15 seconds.

The one thing I miss about my TL is the stiffer suspension and cornering capability. From a brisk driving perspective on a curvy road, and I don't have a lot of experience with the TLX, but I think the 07 TL was a lot better. It feels like the TLX wants to roll over on me a little. I wonder if its the tires, or the suspension? I guess to get the smoother quieter ride they had to give up something.

In houston we don't have that many curvy roads, and I'm getting to appreciate smoother and quieter more, I'm very happy with my TLX.

Stew4HD

finebead, your TLX has P-AWS, right? If so, that could be the "roll" feeling you are experiencing

Nomad346

I came from a TL as well into the TLX as a replacement. While I agree that there have been several cost saving measures implemented, I think they succeeded balancing functional requirements, to the nice to have's.

Cabin noise in particular is one item that is a significant improvement from the TL. Almost everyone who has sat it in my car commented on the relatively noise free cabin. Outside road noise is nicely suppressed.

From my perspective, the TLX base/tech trim has good value because it actually costs less than the TL with more functions (Canada prices). Granted many functions that were high end years ago are now mainstream, but still for a consumer upgrading, it's still valuable.

youngTL

It's probably those tires that Acura puts on it. Swapping them with summer performance tires would improve things a lot. The TLX has less body roll than my 2007 Type-S, so I'm guessing it would have substantially less than a normal 2007.

KeithL

I owned numerous 3G TLs and a 4G AWD TL. I am about to jump back into a TLX. I really think the TLX is a big improvement over the 3G and in some regards it is a flash back to a 3g just much more refined. The 4G was a tank, I loved the build quality and if it were not for the PM color and beak probably would ave kept that a few years. I would have done a 4G MMC AWD in Silver moon, but my Infiniti lease was too upside down. By the time my Infiniti lease was up the TLX was coming within a year so there was no way I would have done a 4G. I jumped to the A6 for last 2 years. Now going back to a TLX is a small step back. I think the TLX definetly has some cost savings measures implemented compared to the 4G that is how they could offer TLX AWD Advance for $45K. I does not feel as tight or bank vault like as the 4G did, but still I am sure it is an excellent car.

Sonor Kid 2

This thread is pointess, I'm still shaking my head...

Another 3G owner telling us how great his car is, LOL!
I guess some things never change...

I liked my 3G too but my TLX is a big improvemet in a myriad of areas, glad the 3G owners like their cars though!

Stew4HD

Agreed. Same with 4G owners feeling the need to do the same.

To me, it's like these constant threads that tell us we should be buying an Accord because the Accord has some things in common with the TLX and to some degree, the RLX because it looks better and is cheaper. I wonder if the Q50 forums get the same about the Altima or the Lexus/Avalon? 5 series to the 3 BMW?

Why is it important to turn off potential TLX buyers? I just don't get it.. to each their own.

james21_h

Went to dealership to fix a minor electrical issue for my 2012 SHAWD TL Tech ( the courtesy light on the bottom of the driver side door wouldn't shut off when the door is shut. Really annoy while driving at nights). They gave me a new TLX 2,4 Tech with Acura watch to drive home for a day (324 miles on the meter). It is sitting in my garage as I am posting here. I drove it for about 100 miles today and check out the car inside and out for quite a bit. It actually drove my wife crazy...
Here are my thoughts:
1) I was amazed by the MPG. I was averaging 32 for average speed of 35 mph
My TL gets about 24 mpg for that average speed which is not terrible but this TLX beats the Ford Fusion titanium rental I had for a month by quite a bit (I was averaging 25 for about 35 mph mixed driving) and even beats the Chevy Cruze Turbo by 4 mpg.
2) It is quite peppy for a inline 4. Acceleration is great for the small engine. Not quite as fast as my TL, of course, but I felt the TLX has plenty of power for daily driving. It paired up really well with the DCT which I experienced the jerkiness members have been talking about here. Which my wife did not notice at all. It feels weird in the first 10 minutes of the city driving after we got out of the dealership but I don't think it is that bad. Maybe I got one of the better built one (built in 12/2014).
3) I really like the new nav system, especially it shows in the info screen. That is pretty cool, I wish my TL had it.
4) Huge trunk with fold down seats. We actually stopped by Ikea to pick up a baby crib for our future baby which would not fit in the TL...

Here are the not so good things I noticed:
I agree with the OP on the material cutting.
1) The sunroof cover is pretty cheap compared to TL. It feels flimsy when you close it. I did it several times to confirm that.
2) The door panels feel cheap. When I pressed on the leather portion, all I felt was the plastic. Not much padding at all. Plus the leather portion is so little and not as premium as the leather in the TL.
3) The seat feels smaller, smaller bolsters on the sides, and shorter seat cushion.
4) I love all the tech it came with.. well almost every tech. I dislike the lane departure warning. So annoy...
5) Members here mentioned the cabin noise is much much less in the TLX. I disagreed after a long drive of the same route I drive pretty much every weekend with my TL. The road noise is about the same! The wind noise is actually a bit more than my TL. My wife and I also noticed that the car does not isolate the outside noise any more than our TL. It's better than the 2015 Accord loaner we had the other day but it's on par with our TL, which is a little better than Ford Fusion which we were surprised by.
6) Back seat is smaller. Less leg room than TL. After setting up my normal drive position I jump into the back seat, my knees were rubbing against the driver seat. With TL, I have about half inch room between my knees and the seat. Plus my hair is rubbing on the ceiling while I was sitting in the drive seat and the back seat also ( I am 6' tall). I had to lower the driver seat (lower than my normal driving position).
Overall I feel that TLX is not a upgrade for a 4G TL owner. Well, at least for us it is not an upgrade. It is a huge upgrade for a TSX owner for sure. I would buy the 2.4 version if I need a decent commuter but I don't think the 3.5 SHAWD is worth it to trade in our TL for..... I still have an entire day to drive it tomorrow. So I may find few more things to write about. That's just my 2 cents. Bash me if you want...

atl7

james21_h, I think you should compare the V6 SH-AWD Tech with your TL, not the I4 considering it's MSRP is $7k less than your TL's. I don't see how the sunroof cover feels so cheap, it's not flimsy it just feels a little lighter. It's much easier to close and it's padded which the 4G TL's was not.

And your comment about the door panel, the amount of soft touch materials is the same for TLX and the 4G TL. My brother's Porsche Panamera Turbo with upgraded leather interior is only padded on the armrest part of the door and the rest of the leather on the door isn't padded. Why? Because there's no need for any part of the leather to be padded other than where your arm rests. The only part of the car where materials were cut was the rear deck. I wasn't happy about it at first but now I don't care as I'm always in the front and if my passengers even bother to notice, I highly doubt they care.

The jewel eye headlights and all the safety and other new technology come at a cost and it's impressive how the quality is almost completely still there. I think if they would've kept the 4G TL dimensions for the TLX, there would be a difficult sense of identity between the RLX and TLX, as there was between the 4G TL and 2G RL. I loved the size of my 4G TL but I think it was a little unrealistic to expect the TLX to keep those dimensions considering that the model competes in the C-Class, 3 series, and A4 segment. The TLX is definitely an upgrade for a 4G TL owner in my eyes because the car size doesn't mean everything. The car looks much more refined and feels way more luxurious on the inside, the TL's interior felt really sporty.

As for the road noise and how your head was touching the ceiling, maybe it was due to the tires on the 17's you were driving because the tires that came with the 18's on my V6 are almost silent. My TL was pretty quiet but not silent like my TLX. I'm 6'2" and not matter how high or low I set my seat, my head never touches the ceiling. I have no clue how it's possible that your head is touching the ceiling with the seat being on an even lower setting than your TL.

I hope I don't sound too bitter, I'm just tired of hearing people say that their 3G or 4G TL is just so superior to the TLX. The 4G TL and TLX are very different vehicles, one is a luxury sport sedan and the other is a sporty luxury sedan. I think this difference is causing the conflict.

james21_h

I gotta say my hair tend to stick up for a inch or so... I bet the roof line of the TLX is lower than TL. My wife was trying to figure out as well. Well, I believe the interior quality is about the same between I4 and V6. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I am not complete sold on the luxurious of the TLX. If TLX is on the luxury side, why is the back up camera quality is worse than the one in the accord and CR-V? Plus the leather is not as soft and smooth as the TL. It's more like the leather in a Accord.
One other thing I found was the plastic trim that is on the front bottom end of the seat cushion, it is so thin and the gap is big enough that you can poke your finger in.
I actually do like how the car drives (I4). It drives like a compact sedan with a composed ride. But I had a pretty bad wheel spin when I push it from a stop and made an immediate right turn. I had to ease my foot to bring back the control. It's gotta be the bad tires they put on it. I believe 17" tires are suppose to be quieter than 18" because the higher profile??
Today i felt the DCT jerkiness much more in a stop and go traffic. Acura got to fix that issue.
I am not trying to bash the car but I just think Acura should've done more to it. Look at the new Nissan Altima, the interior is much much better than both TLX and TL and yet it is not a luxury brand (or premium). I think TLX (I4) is a pretty decent car. I have not driven a SH-AWD version but based on the material they used, I think I would keep my TL for another 5-7 years. If I am looking at another luxury sports sedan, I would look at Q50, IS, GS. That's just what we felt about the TLX. Our next vehicle might be a RDX if the price is right!! I think that is probably the best model of the Acura lineups at this point.

james21_h

BTW, the new accord touring is hitting 35K (with LED fog lights !!!). If Acura is trying to be a luxury brand, don't they need to differentiate them self from their brother Honda (now less than $5K difference)? They gotta use more premium material!

james21_h

I meant Nissan "Maximum" in post #51.

CheeseyPoofs McNut

I suspect AHMC doesn't care if you buy an Accord Touring or a TLX for 35K as long as you buy something from them. In fact they may prefer the Accord as you have more of an upgrade path to the SHAWD TLX at some point in the future.

atl7

Yes the interiors are almost totally the same on the I4 and the V6, other than the fact that the V6 comes with the electronic gear selector. I think the the V6 interior looks a tiny better since the electronic selector cleans it up a little bit. The backup camera quality is irrelevant to the luxurious factor, that plays more into the technological side. It's nice how Acura gives the multi-view camera as a standard feature though.

The TLX and TL both come with premium milano leather in the tech pkg so it seems like a texture difference in the new TLX. Honda doesn't even offer milano leather so saying that it feels like an Accord is not true. And the only thing the Maxima has superior to the TLX is the leather stitching on the upper door trim and dashboard. Other than that I think the TLX's looks are significantly better.

If you were to compare a FWD TL to a FWD TLX I could understand your statement about the tire spin, considering both cars seem to do that. But you need to be comparing the SH-AWD TLX to your SH-AWD TL. You won't feel any tire spin if you drive the AWD TLX. I just don't think it's fair to compare the I4 model to a SH-AWD TL, especially since that TLX is $7k less than yours new.

The TLX definitely looks more luxurious on the inside, with it's wood and aluminum trim and overall design. Yes you’re going to find the IS, GS, and Q50 more luxurious (well Q50 slightly more) as their price tags for the same features as the TLX are significantly higher. I think it's being forgotten what segment the TLX competes in. $41k will get you a base model 4 cyl C300 Benz with the only options being upgraded wheels and keyless-go. In the TLX you get a near loaded V6 FWD with too many options to list.

atl7

And I wasn't referencing to the while size having any relation to the road noise. I was saying that the 18" wheels on the V6 model probably have better quality tires if you're hearing a lot of road noise on the 17" wheels. 18" tires will definitely be quieter than 17" tires if the 18" are of superior quality.

Booya4139

I was in the same boat while my 09 TL was in for a new tranny. I thought the TLX was a pretty nice package overall and felt good even with the 4cyl. but my biggest gripe was how downsized it was. Love the size of the 4g TL, its a big solid feeling car. TLX felt more like a compact car to me. I left with a good impression of it, and would have to drive the V6 to see if the bigger engine in smaller car moved the needle for me a bit more.

Booya4139

Those ZF trannys are garbage... All these manufacturers that bought on got taken. Good for cafe standards but bad in day to day driving in town. Much rather have a solid 6 speed. Will be avoiding ZF on my upcoming SUV purchase. New pilot elite gets the 9 speed, would rather have the 6 speed on the touring for example.

rocket_pup

I've had a 2012 TL Advance, a 2014 TL SH-AWD Advance, and now a 2015 TLX Tech. Of all of these, I would be driving the 2012 now still if I hadn't been in an accident (not my fault) and totaled it. That's not to say the 2012 was perfect...

For the 2012, I was having thoughts on how to make it sportier and more responsive. But then I had the accident, so I trade up.

For the 2014, I was deciding between the TL SH-AWD and the all new (then) Infiniti Q50S. I ultimately decided on the Acura because Infiniti (Nissan) don't retain good residual value, and the new infotainment system did not seem as intuitive as I would have liked. Also, my (potential) buying experience was bad. (Metro Infiniti in Monrovia, CA) The 2014 had good power, and I love the comfortable and supportive seats. The AWD system was excellent, and I like the overall proportions/size. But, alas, the fuel economy was not so great.

For the 2015, a little smaller than the out-going TL, but I like the newer exterior, particularly the jewel-eye LEDs. The fuel economy is better, and I like the 4 driving modes. I still miss the 2014 TL SH-AWD seats!!! And why is the infortainment system so slow??? Plus, voice commands frustrate me more than help. But, all in all, the TLX is a car I can live with and enjoy for the next few years. (I had to finally ditch those aweful Bridgestone Potenzas though!)

KeithL

I agree, I miss the 4G SH-AWD seats they were awesome, and the leather quality was far superior.

youngTL

I think there's a HUGE difference between the leather quality in the 3G and the 4G TL. Like humongous. The leather in my 3G feels like rubber. I have both cars still side-by-side in my garage. The TLX leather is MUCH nicer. So the 4G must have been punching above its weight in leather quality if it was that much nicer than the TLXs. The Q50 didn't have any nicer leather than the TLX did either. And the IS350 had Nuluxe with no leather option (but the Nuluxe is nice). Only disadvantage with Nuluxe is that it gets pretty rubbery feeling in the winter (in the summer it feels excellent).

BTW I recently sat in a BMW 2-series and the leather in that was worse than what you'd find in a Mazda 3. It was extra grainy and felt hard.

Tony Pac

Great post but it's your opinion OP!

It might help those buyers who share the same taste as you. I don't have a TLX but I think it's a very good car...

LaCostaRacer

The TLX is considered a compact car by EPA standards as is the Honda Civic. In fact the Honda Civic has more Passenger Volume than the TLX: 98 cuft .vs. 93 for the TLX. As a comparison the 3G TL has 97.9 cuft. The Civic has grown larger over the years and is almost as large as the Accord which weighs in at 103 cuft. Even the BMW 3 Series is larger than the TLX at 96 cuft.

I like the size of the TLX- particularly the length of it now.

alpha0

I dont like rear leg room in TLX. How come civic with 10 inch less length has 2 inch more rear leg room compared to TLX? My only guess - Acura designed it that way so that people wanting more rear leg room move up and consider RLX. Since that did not happen, i hope they take care of rear leg room in MMC.

KeithL

I agree. I am disappointed in the shrink of the the TL. The TLX should have maintained the 4G TL's exterior dimensions. Fortunately I don't use the back set, but the front seat area seems a tad smaller than I recall from the 4G as well as that I prefer.

Saintor

I would have never guessed. I checked with Edmunds and although their figures are different, the 2016 Civic has indeed a larger interior (112.9 vs 106.5 cu.ft) than the TLX.

mojo_79

I used to hate the ZF transmission too... Until they replaced mine with a new one. It shifts smooth and quickly in all gears, and gives the car quick acceleration and great highway mpg. The only thing that keeps it from being great is the downshift lag. But this is probably an Acura programming issue because this lag does not exist in Sport+ mode, only in the other 3 modes.

dwest1023

No dual exhaust finishers, size and the lack of hard buttons is the killer for me on the TLX. I'm waiting until they put the finishers back! The TLX looks like an economy car from the rear instead of sport luxury. I know hard buttons are old school now, so I will have to live with that. Staying with my 09 with 60K until Acura get the dual finishers back!

aggybong

As a 3G owner for 6 years (who had numerous 4G loaners) and now a 2016 TLX i4 owner for about a month....I really wish I would have gone with a used 4G.

All the little quirks or cost-cutting measures previously mentioned add up, but for me, the biggest issue is the unpredictable 8sp DCT.

I will give it a few more months, but after that, I may trade it in and get something else. It's just not as enjoyable as the TLs, but that's just my opinion. Some of you obviously love the TLX, and I wish I was one of them since I'm currently stuck with it.

RDX10

Did the TLX A-spec get adjustable thigh support?

https://www.facebook.com/story.phpstory_fbid=10154661598751312&id=183324663 11

In this video by motor trend it shows the driver seat with a thigh support sticking WAY out while the passenger seat is not. What do you guys think?

rocket_pup

Yes, the A-Spec gets a motorized driver's side thigh support, red ambient lighting, and power folding mirrors.

RDX10

WOOT WOOT! Good for acura! About damn time man! Thanks for clarifying for me man

Also, I fricken hate the garbage Acurazine mobile site. Absolutely despise how it rolls into another thread when you scroll down. My previous post was supposed to be in the TLX news thread, not this one. Sorry OP.

jhb31

I agree with your comments. I went from a 2007 type S to the 2017 TLX and while the OP has some points, many which I noted and caused me hesitation on trading "up" for the TLX, it's a pretty solid car overall. I agree the sound system is not as good which is a weak point as well as the lack of soft touch panels on the doors but things like the sunroof cover I never gave a second thought to. I did spent close to a month on deciding what to do but I read the forums and spent did a lot of test drives before buying so I knew what I was giving up and getting. As a side note the dealer sold the type S in 3 days so there is still a lot of people that like the older TL. If they made a retro 3rd gen Type S I would have bought it over the TLX but you can only buy what they sell.

Christopher.

It's a taste of the future - I didn't know I wanted an automated driving mode option until I got my TLX and watched the car steer itself.

However, I don't think it's fully capable of staying in a lane/on the road in many situations so it's best to think of it as a "helper" and/or something that you hope works when you need it, like if you glanced down at the radio and started to slightly drift out of your lane or such...

I do like to use it on highway trips in this way: I "watch" the road and stay ready to steer but let the car drive some, when I'm on a wide open highway and not heavy traffic. Sometimes the car didn't seem to know it should turn so it's a good thing I had my hands on the wheel.

I wouldn't say it's "close to autopilot", no, I'd say it gives you a bit of a taste of autopilot, you'll probably like it, and probably want more.

Jordan Triggerstein

nothome17

Either its a Honda Accord or a different gen TL/TLX, etc.. The 5th gen TLX is the best car over any other car, hands down lol..

Christopher.

This really irritated me also. I got a clip that goes on the vent with a magnet that holds the phone (with a thin steels sticker on the back of my phone under the case).

That's because they added Direct Injection to the engine.

Try driving with Traction Control turned off - with it off, the car becomes what it should be, performance wise IMO. Otherwise the acceleration is too smooth, lacks that peppy feeling I want.

Honda430

mongold88

I have an 05 with Nav... I'd like to install the 07-08 navigation drive and screen bc it can be updated to current year. I don't need the live traffic, I just want to be able to navigate to new roads and still have radio and xm functions. Is there an easier install than messing with the HFL and all that

9SpeedTran

Definitely the tires. Put some Michelin Pilot Sport A/S3+ on there, you will be *amazed*.