Wow...just reviewed the 2020 TLX on Acura.com and I was kinda shocked....nothing new! Question is, will there be a "mid year" release of a Type S....or are they now putting off until a 2021 model.
Still, I'm disappointed since all "indications" were pointing to cool stuff for 2020. The '18 and '19 A-Spec versions are pretty nice....I had an '18 white/red. For me...only issue with all Models is the push button trans!! But, the car
overall was quiet, comfy, quick and fun to drive with the SH-Awd system. I miss mine, but, it sat too much in the garage and....life happens. Sometimes I move on too fast....and some times for necessary reasons. Love my
new '19 MDX Advance.

 

yeah, it's that kind of thrill

 

$400 premium paint for red, black, etc. is the only change until next year. Similar to the new colors on the RDX and MDX. An April release for a simple carry over would suggest an all new model for early next year.

 

Yeah, the push button trans is one of those items that to me was a big fail and I would pay extra to have a lever with a manual mode. Actually outside of the trans in general the TLX V6 A-Spec is pretty decent. I was told many months back that the A-Spec will be released most likely near the end of 2020 as a 2021 model. Many people think or thought a new model was coming out for 2020 but that we now know is not the case. Do hope they dump the push button in favor of a lever but suspect the push button will stick around like the beak did. Precision crafted performance should have a shift lever. The buttons in general feel very cheap and like the shifting suffer lag from reverse to drive and are not responsive at all if shifted from park to reverse too quickly after starting the car. The lever never had those issues. The idle stop re-enabling every time you drive is another "feature" I could do without.

 

I actually love the push button, makes the front feel so much more open and airy vs. the way the lever sticking ups seems to create an implied boundary.

 

Looks wise its fine and I am certain it was done for aesthetics over performance. Functionally I find it not so great. As I stated reverse will not engage right after you start the car without some time delay (it often remains in park and you have to pull up the button a second or third time) but I do tend to try and engage reverse without waiting a few seconds after starting it, from reverse into drive the car will completely stop before engaging drive even if you're barely moving backwards to any degree (another delay that feels very awkward), also the lever you can use without looking down at it and slap shift with the lever to me is way better than the paddle shifters. If you want to make a quick k-turn it's not possible. I don't even bother to attempt one any longer. I know some prefer it but outside of looks the only plus I see with it is that you can just push the off button and it goes to park automatically so there is that on the plus side. All other operations are slower and less fluid. I am most likely in the minority on the buttons as it seems outside of some reviews that mention disliking the buttons I don't see much mention in the threads in comparison to trans lag in general.

I would be disappointed if and when the type S comes out if it has them. I suspect it will since I think the NSX went that route. I don't think BMW, Audi or Lexus went to the multiple button approach for their transmissions but I may be wrong. One lever with instant response over 4 buttons (not counting the drive mode, idle stop and parking brake buttons that are clustered down there as well) to me feels like a better way to go.

 

you are right

 

The buttons aren't going anywhere unfortunately. I hate the delay too. They weren't put there just to open up the space as much as it was to allow them to program certain changes that you can't do with a lever. Like making it go into Park automatically if you open the door. I just wonder if you could program that into a lever that doesn't physically move up or down, but stays in place and flick up or down depending on desired gear.

 

You mean like BMW shift levers?

 

Never driven one with the new shifters. Are they more responsive than the TLX push button transmissions? That's really all we want is a responsive transmission. Like jhb31 mentioned something simple as a K turn is an exercise in patience. Forget about doing that quickly if you have oncoming traffic coming.

 

The BMW shifter is a digital lever with no direct mechanical linkage like Acura’s push buttons. I could turn off the engine in D and it would automatically put itself in park. The shifter on my 2011 X3 was definitely more responsive than my TLX. I didn’t mind the lever at all. It was kind of weird at first but you get used to it quickly.

 

Surprising how Acura did not even upgrade the dashboard and upper door panels with leather or faux leather wrapping, nowadays pretty much a must even in mainstream midsize sedans....heck even the Dodge Charger now offers starting with the MY 2019 faux leather with contrast stitching dashboard and upper door panels.

 

They never do. The current TLX sales are in free fall and by not making changes their cost to build the car is lower and thus they can incentivize it more.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with it. I never dealt with the push buttons on the Acura, I was of the mind set ‘if it doesn’t have 3 pedals, why does it need a lever”