Consumer Reports Take on the New TLX
12-08-2020, 04:27 PM
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Acura hopes to position its new 2021 TLX luxury sports sedan as a tweener: priced like a compact luxury sedan, but sized to compete with more-expensive luxury midsized sedans.
Initially, the 2021 Acura TLX will be offered with front- or all-wheel drive and a 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. In spring 2021, a high-performance Type S version with AWD and a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine making approximately 355 hp will be available.
Even though SUVs continue to proliferate, Acura says premium sedans still comprise enough of the market today that it makes sense for the automaker to invest in the TLX.
While we have plans to buy one as soon as they go on sale, we took the opportunity to rent one from the automaker to get some early first impressions.
If you’re a Consumer Reports member, our initial assessment of the 2021 Acura TLX is available to you here. We plan to put it through more than 50 tests at CR's Auto Test Center, including those that evaluate acceleration, braking, fuel economy, handling, car-seat fit, and controls. CR members will get access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available.
If you haven’t signed up to become a member yet, you can click below to do so and access this full article and all our exclusive ratings and reviews for each vehicle we buy and test. Joining also gives you full access to exclusive ratings for the other products our experts evaluate in several categories, including electronics and home appliances.
Sign up for CR's Cars email newsletter to be notified when we post our latest road-test results, including when we have our full test results on the 2021 Acura TLX.
What we drove: 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD A-Spec
Powertrain: 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine; 10-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive.
MSRP: $46,250
Options: Performance Red Pearl paint ($500)
Total options: $500
Destination fee: $1,025
Total cost: $47,775
The new car is roomy and has sharp styling inside and out. But it's saddled with Acura's unintuitive touchpad-based infotainment system and push-button gear selector, both of which require extra attention to operate. Acura does include a variety of advanced safety equipment, including forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, as standard equipment. But, disappointingly, blind spot warning isn't available on the base version.
Transmission: Historically, Honda (Acura’s parent company) was known for making excellent transmissions. It seems that the automaker got its gearbox mojo working with this 10-speed automatic. In our brief experience, the automatic worked very well, with well-timed part-throttle downshifts and fast gear changes when accelerating.
Fit and finish: Acura has said that one of its goals is to lift the quality of its interiors throughout its model line. So far, at least with this A-Spec trim, the automaker seems to have succeeded. There are attractive leather panels throughout, with actual soft-touch surfaces where you'd expect them, such as on armrests and the tops of door panels. The padded wrist-rest on the center console, to support the driver’s arm when using the touchpad, is a nice touch. Company representatives pointed out that the metal trim is real metal and the wood trim is the genuine thing—no wood- or metal-look plastics or stickers.
Seat comfort: All of the CR staffers who drove the TLX praised the firm seats for being comfortable and supportive. There are plenty of adjustments, including standard four-way lumbar support for the driver and passenger. The head restraint was well positioned, and the seatback was comfortable for even the most broad-shouldered drivers.
Cabin room: According to Acura’s measurements, the TLX is competitive in exterior dimensions with the midsized Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. At the least, the TLX is quite roomy inside, with plenty of space up front for the driver and passenger. Much like the Cadillac CT5, the Acura’s interior skews larger than its competitors in the compact luxury sedan segment. Of course, we’ll test how comfortable the car is during our interior evaluations.
Visibility: The TLX has good visibility to the sides and rear. Its roof pillars are mostly slim, and the windows are decently sized, even with the sleek styling. The backup camera and rear cross traffic warning come in handy when reversing, however. A few drivers noted that they felt the dashboard and hood are quite high, particularly because you sit low in the TLX.
Ride comfort: While Acura says it chose to skew the 2021 TLX’s ride to be more sporty than previous models, so far it doesn’t seem to have resulted in an overly firm or rough ride. In fact, ride comfort is good, with most bumps smoothed out by the suspension.
Safety: All trim levels come standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance, as well as adaptive cruise control. However, there could be improvements.
Controls: The TLX is the second model to use Acura’s True Touchpad Interface, after the system debuted on the RDX SUV. We still find the system’s controls to be extremely distracting to use. Even after a number of software updates, the touchpad is very sensitive and jumpy. It forces drivers to divert their attention from the road too often and for too long.
Unfortunately, the touchpad is the main way to interact with the system. Unlike most competitors, Acura doesn’t use a touch screen as an alternate way of using the system. It also makes interacting with Apple CarPlay very difficult, because the “cursor” moves linearly, from row to row, instead of being able to jump to a specific selection. Even the addition of a volume knob and rocker switch to change audio stations doesn’t do much to lessen the driver’s distraction and frustration. The system can also be interacted with via voice commands.
Engine sound: The tinny engine note is completely out of place for a car that’s positioned as a sporty, almost aggressive option in the class.
Road noise: Road noise is very evident, particularly on coarse pavement. It doesn't befit the compact sport sedan class, and it's out of place for the midsized luxury sedan class that Acura is aspiring to challenge.
Size of text & icons: Some of the information in the instrument cluster is oddly small, making it a real challenge to read at a glance. The fuel economy data and some of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) information is made up of thin, tiny letters that are a challenge to read even when the car is parked, let alone while driving.
Drive mode knob: This prominent device first appeared on the RDX, and it takes up an equally sizable piece of real estate in the TLX. We can’t believe that drivers are using the modes so often that Acura dedicates a big piece of the dashboard to it—space that would be better served for more conventional controls or a storage cubby.
Cabin access: Similar to the Honda Civic, the TLX is quite low-slung and has prominent door sills. Some drivers may find it challenging to get in and out of the sedan. The comfort exit feature on our rented TLX, which pulls the seat back when the ignition is shut off and slides it forward when the car is restarted, might make access easier for some.
Fuel economy: Acura said the base FWD TLX will get an EPA estimated 22 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined, while an AWD one will get 21/29/24, respectively, on the recommended premium gasoline. We’ve seen some of the competitors that Acura calls out do well in our fuel economy tests, such as the Audi A4 (27 mpg overall), BMW 330i (29 mpg), and Mercedes-Benz C300 (26 mpg). So we’re interested to see if the TLX can approach or meet those mpg figures in our tests.
Controls: Acura says that it has issued a number of software updates to the infotainment system, so we’ll definitely be looking to see if they have addressed any of the headaches we experienced with the system in our tested RDX and this borrowed car.
Value proposition: The TLX not only straddles the compact and midsized luxury car segments but also can be considered against some top-trim midsized sedans, like the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, and Mazda6. In addition, the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Subaru Legacy all can be equipped with AWD. And the top trimlines of these cars cost the same or less than the base TLX.
Initially, the 2021 Acura TLX will be offered with front- or all-wheel drive and a 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. In spring 2021, a high-performance Type S version with AWD and a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine making approximately 355 hp will be available.
Even though SUVs continue to proliferate, Acura says premium sedans still comprise enough of the market today that it makes sense for the automaker to invest in the TLX.
While we have plans to buy one as soon as they go on sale, we took the opportunity to rent one from the automaker to get some early first impressions.
If you’re a Consumer Reports member, our initial assessment of the 2021 Acura TLX is available to you here. We plan to put it through more than 50 tests at CR's Auto Test Center, including those that evaluate acceleration, braking, fuel economy, handling, car-seat fit, and controls. CR members will get access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available.
If you haven’t signed up to become a member yet, you can click below to do so and access this full article and all our exclusive ratings and reviews for each vehicle we buy and test. Joining also gives you full access to exclusive ratings for the other products our experts evaluate in several categories, including electronics and home appliances.
Sign up for CR's Cars email newsletter to be notified when we post our latest road-test results, including when we have our full test results on the 2021 Acura TLX.
What we drove: 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD A-Spec
Powertrain: 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine; 10-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive.
MSRP: $46,250
Options: Performance Red Pearl paint ($500)
Total options: $500
Destination fee: $1,025
Total cost: $47,775
CR's Take
Following the demise of the RLX, Acura sees the TLX as a viable option in both the compact sports sedan and midsized sedan classes. The 2021 Acura TLX skews larger than its direct competitors, such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But given the TLX’s driving experience, we think it also straddles high-end nonluxury sedans such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.The new car is roomy and has sharp styling inside and out. But it's saddled with Acura's unintuitive touchpad-based infotainment system and push-button gear selector, both of which require extra attention to operate. Acura does include a variety of advanced safety equipment, including forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, as standard equipment. But, disappointingly, blind spot warning isn't available on the base version.
What We Like So Far
Engine: The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder feels eager and energetic, similar to how the same engine performed in the RDX that we tested.Transmission: Historically, Honda (Acura’s parent company) was known for making excellent transmissions. It seems that the automaker got its gearbox mojo working with this 10-speed automatic. In our brief experience, the automatic worked very well, with well-timed part-throttle downshifts and fast gear changes when accelerating.
Fit and finish: Acura has said that one of its goals is to lift the quality of its interiors throughout its model line. So far, at least with this A-Spec trim, the automaker seems to have succeeded. There are attractive leather panels throughout, with actual soft-touch surfaces where you'd expect them, such as on armrests and the tops of door panels. The padded wrist-rest on the center console, to support the driver’s arm when using the touchpad, is a nice touch. Company representatives pointed out that the metal trim is real metal and the wood trim is the genuine thing—no wood- or metal-look plastics or stickers.
Seat comfort: All of the CR staffers who drove the TLX praised the firm seats for being comfortable and supportive. There are plenty of adjustments, including standard four-way lumbar support for the driver and passenger. The head restraint was well positioned, and the seatback was comfortable for even the most broad-shouldered drivers.
Cabin room: According to Acura’s measurements, the TLX is competitive in exterior dimensions with the midsized Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. At the least, the TLX is quite roomy inside, with plenty of space up front for the driver and passenger. Much like the Cadillac CT5, the Acura’s interior skews larger than its competitors in the compact luxury sedan segment. Of course, we’ll test how comfortable the car is during our interior evaluations.
Visibility: The TLX has good visibility to the sides and rear. Its roof pillars are mostly slim, and the windows are decently sized, even with the sleek styling. The backup camera and rear cross traffic warning come in handy when reversing, however. A few drivers noted that they felt the dashboard and hood are quite high, particularly because you sit low in the TLX.
Ride comfort: While Acura says it chose to skew the 2021 TLX’s ride to be more sporty than previous models, so far it doesn’t seem to have resulted in an overly firm or rough ride. In fact, ride comfort is good, with most bumps smoothed out by the suspension.
Safety: All trim levels come standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance, as well as adaptive cruise control. However, there could be improvements.
What We Don't Like
Blind spot warning not standard: For some reason, Acura doesn’t equip the base-level TLX with blind spot warning. Buyers are forced to move up to the Tech Package/trim in order to get this feature. This means that the TLX won’t be able to get full safety points in its Overall Score when we test it.Controls: The TLX is the second model to use Acura’s True Touchpad Interface, after the system debuted on the RDX SUV. We still find the system’s controls to be extremely distracting to use. Even after a number of software updates, the touchpad is very sensitive and jumpy. It forces drivers to divert their attention from the road too often and for too long.
Unfortunately, the touchpad is the main way to interact with the system. Unlike most competitors, Acura doesn’t use a touch screen as an alternate way of using the system. It also makes interacting with Apple CarPlay very difficult, because the “cursor” moves linearly, from row to row, instead of being able to jump to a specific selection. Even the addition of a volume knob and rocker switch to change audio stations doesn’t do much to lessen the driver’s distraction and frustration. The system can also be interacted with via voice commands.
Engine sound: The tinny engine note is completely out of place for a car that’s positioned as a sporty, almost aggressive option in the class.
Road noise: Road noise is very evident, particularly on coarse pavement. It doesn't befit the compact sport sedan class, and it's out of place for the midsized luxury sedan class that Acura is aspiring to challenge.
Size of text & icons: Some of the information in the instrument cluster is oddly small, making it a real challenge to read at a glance. The fuel economy data and some of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) information is made up of thin, tiny letters that are a challenge to read even when the car is parked, let alone while driving.
Drive mode knob: This prominent device first appeared on the RDX, and it takes up an equally sizable piece of real estate in the TLX. We can’t believe that drivers are using the modes so often that Acura dedicates a big piece of the dashboard to it—space that would be better served for more conventional controls or a storage cubby.
Cabin access: Similar to the Honda Civic, the TLX is quite low-slung and has prominent door sills. Some drivers may find it challenging to get in and out of the sedan. The comfort exit feature on our rented TLX, which pulls the seat back when the ignition is shut off and slides it forward when the car is restarted, might make access easier for some.
What We'll Keep Our Eyes On
Handling capability: The TLX uses an all-new platform, and with that Acura went back to using a double-wishbone front suspension for the sedan. This is a more complicated and expensive design than they used in the last TLX, and its main advantage is that it should improve the car’s handling. In everyday use our testers found that the TLX was quick to respond to steering inputs, whether on fast sweepers on the highway or tighter, slower ones on back roads. That said, it didn't possess a particularly sporty character like that of a competing BMW, Cadillac, or Mercedes-Benz. We’ll see how it truly handles when we put our own TLX through its paces on our track.Fuel economy: Acura said the base FWD TLX will get an EPA estimated 22 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined, while an AWD one will get 21/29/24, respectively, on the recommended premium gasoline. We’ve seen some of the competitors that Acura calls out do well in our fuel economy tests, such as the Audi A4 (27 mpg overall), BMW 330i (29 mpg), and Mercedes-Benz C300 (26 mpg). So we’re interested to see if the TLX can approach or meet those mpg figures in our tests.
Controls: Acura says that it has issued a number of software updates to the infotainment system, so we’ll definitely be looking to see if they have addressed any of the headaches we experienced with the system in our tested RDX and this borrowed car.
Value proposition: The TLX not only straddles the compact and midsized luxury car segments but also can be considered against some top-trim midsized sedans, like the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, and Mazda6. In addition, the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Subaru Legacy all can be equipped with AWD. And the top trimlines of these cars cost the same or less than the base TLX.
12-12-2020, 07:07 PM
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