Hi all,

Went to the Acura dealer as we are contemplating getting an SUV or a sedan, this will be wife's primary car replacing her BMW 328i. We don't want to spend so much this time so first decided to get the Honda Accord EX-L V6 and while doing research the TLX came up in comparison so I was curious.

While reading some some I found out the base is a I4, which i was comparing to the accord V6 and thought that it will not drive as nice as the V6 accord. Today while at the dealership, we decided to test drive the TSXi4 with tech package and was very presently surprised with this car. It was peppy and felt good in the seats, they were comfortable and the ride was great too. i did feel more luxurious than the Accord.

So then we test drove the MDX and, its a nice SUV, but somehow felt it did not have great acceleration, last time I test drove it it felt nice, this time not so much, it was the 2016 MDX.

Anyways, then we thought we would test drive the RDX but the 2016 are not there. Now we can't decide if we should spend the $36,000 MRSP on the TSX or get the RDX which will give us more utility as we have a child too.

But I wanted to know from the owners of the i4, how do they like their TLX, and if there are any issues with the car. Also hows the MPG and can you add heated steering to it. the sales man said it can be done but I am not sure.

Also, are dealers discounting the TSX, how much can i expect? lastly, is the Accord V6 a better buy for less money than the TLX i4?

 

^^ I had a 2009 TSX (same generation just a little different in front/rear bumper) and it was a great vehicle. The technology in the car is a little behind the time as this car came out in 2009 or so. Surely there are amazing deals on the TSX as its been discontinued so if the dealer is not offering huge savings, run away!

If you are going to remain in the I4, the TLX is an amazing "bang for the buck" and is much newer and up to date. There are a few glitches (mainly software) with its transmission but if you live near a dealership, that would put my mind at ease. I live quite far (4h away) so I can't deal with a few trips to the dealer without being a pain.

I also had a 2013 RDX and the 2016 will offer some improvements, the biggest in my book is the height adjustment on the passenger seat. This is a GREAT CUV with lots of refinement and as much as I hate to say this, a good ol' 6 speed transmission that is quite good! If you like the convenience of CUV, this is quite a good vehicle although the rde can be a bit jarry at times (depending on the road).

If I was in your shoes:

1. TSX if you don't want the latest tech and want a GREAT discount.
2. TLX if you want a bit more refinement and updated tech
3. RDX (2016) if you want space and a modern and updated CUV

Best of luck....The TSX, in my opinion, will be the most reliable.

 

I apologize, I meant TLX, not TSX, How can I edit the thread title?

 

^^ Moderators will do that for you....I was curious if you meant TLX but at times, the reference to a TSX sounded appropriate so I was a bit confused.

 

Posted this in another thread, but it might be useful....

As many have said, both of these cars are great. But to answer the question of whether the TLX is "worth it" compared to an Accord, I tried to add up all the features and things you get with the TLX, and tried to imagine what I'd pay for them. This is obviously very subjective and would be different for each person, but here's what I came up with.


206 hp engine compared to 185 for the Accord: $600
8-speed dual-clutch transmission compared to CVT: $600
PAWS precision all-wheel steering: $400
IDS: $400
JewelEye LED headlights $400
60/40 split fold down seats: $200
Acura Premium Audio system: $300
Premium interior/added soundproofing: $600
Very nice exterior/more high grade steel: $600
longer warranty: $400
tilt down memory mirrors: $200
paddle shifters: $300
larger performance tires: $400
larger and more powerful brakes: $400
capless fueling: $100
advanced TPMS: $200
electric parking brake: $200
etc.

But you lose compared to the EXL lanewatch (-$400) and FCW/LDW (-$400)


Adding it up, seems like very subjectively the Acura TLX would be "worth" to me c. $5000 over an Accord EXL. Since the Accord EXL lists for $28,420 and the Acura TLX lists for $31,445 there's a difference in msrp of about $3k. And so the TLX seems like a compelling car for the price.

 

There have been several discussions on Accord vs TLX. You might want to do a search and check them out. At least one of them goes on and on and on, so be prepared.

There have also been some reviews of the I4 written by members, including me.

 

Can someone confirm, if you can get the Heated steering wheel in the TLX?

Also, what kinda discount can I expect?

 

If you're Canadian I think you can get a heated steering wheel. If you're in the USA you can't.

In terms of a discount, most Acura dealers have a very good supply of the TLX at this point, and so you should be able to get a discount of maybe c. $2000 or so. Try using Truecar or some other discount buying service:

www.truecar.com

If you can get two Acura dealers competing for your biz, however, you might do better.

If I were buying now, I personally would go for a VIN with a later (newer) production number. There might have been a software update for the transmission on the more recently built TLXs.

 

I am in the US, and the sales rep gave me the wrong info, he did say he was new to the job. Oh well, I guess I can live without the heated steering wheel, if we decide to go with the TLX.

 

All good choices, so it really depends upon what you value most. The 2.4 TLX Tech is an excellent vehicle and will give you lots of goodies with excellent fuel economy. Drive all of them at least twice, make a list of the features that you really care about, decide what your reasonable payment budget is - if that's an issue - and then make your decision as to which vehicle gives you the most of what you need and want.

As for the TLX, I would drive the one you are contemplating buying, if at all possible. I originally drove the TECH 2.4 TLX and loved it. The car I drove had a very smooth transmission. If I could have got it in SSM with grey leather, I would have purchased that car. I then drove the 3.5 SH_AWD and decided the extras were worth it for me, given that I could get the colour combo I wanted.

ENjoy the process and good luck with your final choice.

 

I really enjoy my I4 Tech. It has everything I need for living in South Florida. It's peppy enough for me. I leave it in Sports mode all of the time. MPG was really great until I resumed driving like a race car driver and even then it is good.

 

We own a 15 TLX and 12 RDX - both are SH-AWD. I also have two kids (they are college age, but we made some poor vehicle choices when they were smaller). Couple things to think about IMO - first is if you need a car to haul something the RDX has a clear advantage. Seats fold down and you have lots of space, plus it can take a roof carrier. While the TLX seats fold down, there is actually a fairly narrow opening. I'd never be able to get the kids back and forth to college in my car (the TLX).

Second, I'm not sure what your family plans are but we made a mistake early on by going from a min-van to a 5 passenger car (Subaru Forrester at the time) too soon. Small kids can't ride in the front seat until they reach a certain height/weight, so you are limited to the three back seats for small kids. If you plan on having a second, you are really limited when it comes time to start carrying their friends around. Even with one, you're going to be limited to the one child and two friends. It's surprisingly limited. When my kids were 6 and 7 we had to go with something that had a third row - first a Honda Pilot and then an 06 MDX, which we had until last Summer when we got the RDX.

So if you're really after a family car, and you want to own it a while, I'd really consider something with a third row. We were surprised how limiting the Forrester was. We loved both our Pilot and MDX. The Pilot was a surprisingly capable work horse.

But if you don't need all that, consider a 2012 RDX. I love ours - it's a 4 cyl turbo, a lot more fun to drive than you'd think. They are out there, gently used (usually 2 year lease returns).

 

We are thinking of leasing, whichever car we decide to get, unless there is a really good financing offer for lower payments.


Good point about expanding family, but if we lease we will have the car for 3 years and I think we will be able to manage with the TLX or the Accord.


Will the FWD TLX be adequate in the snow, we live in the northeast, Philly area and the last couple of years the kind of snow we got, I want to make sure that my wife's car can handle snow.


As far as the RDX, in the RDX forum some people said that it had a jarring ride compared to the MDX, so I don't know if I will feel the same. I wil test drive RDX and the TLX 2.4 again.

 

Jarring ride is subjective. I have had an RDX as a loaner several times. I'd buy one in a heartbeat if I was in the SUV market. Lots of power and nice inside and out. The ride is firmer than the MDX but certainly not jarring.

I don't know where some of these people get the term jarring from. Are they driving full speed over speed bumps?

 

I have a question regarding the TLX 2.4 color combo. Can I get the black with brown interior or is it dependent on the trim level?

 

It all depends on the amount of snow and the hills. I have winter tires on an have no concerns about going out in a snow storm, but there are not many hills or steep grades here.

 

Have tried to build that combo on the Acura.com site?

 

Yes, I did see it in Acura site but the two dealers in my are did not have that combo unless it was a 3.5 TLX.


I have also read a little about the transmission issue, is it on the 2.4 or the 3.5 TLX?

 

If you search the forum, you will see. I have read about reports on both...

 

If you live in an area where snow is a concern, then you should get winter tires. While AWD would help, it's only good for accelerating. If you run summer or all-season tires, AWD would not help you with slowing down or turning.

I had a 2002 TL and 2007 Yaris, both were FWD. Winter tires were definitely a big help for getting around safely. On the other hand, I currently have a 2007 RDX with SH-AWD on new all-season tires. While I can accelerate without any issue in the snow, slowing down and turning are worse than my TL and Yaris with winter tires.

In short:
AWD+Winter Tires > FWD+Winter tires > AWD+all-season tires > FWD+all -season tires

As for the RDX, there are two generations. The 1st gen (2007-2012) has SH-AWD, 2.3L Turbocharged engine, and a stiffer ride. This generation is considered more fun to drive. The 2nd gen (2013-Present) RDX has a regular AWD system with a 3.5L V6 engine. Its suspension system is tuned to provide a more supple ride.

The 2016 RDX has several updates such as LED headlights and taillights, revised bumpers, and more features. I think it will be coming out soon. I'd wait for it to come out before making any purchasing decision.

 

Yep. I'm in Center City Philly, and have had no issues with my TSX in the winter, even on all-season tires. I've even gotten through hilly areas of the Main Line in light snow, but if I lived out there I'd definitely get winter tires because it can get dangerous very quickly. My business partner lives in Gladwyne on a steep hill, and even with an AWD Infiniti she sometimes gets immobilized because she doesn't have winter tires. Her son's old FWD Saab on winter tires does much better.

 

I think I am now leaning more towards the TLX than the Accord of the RDX.


I was wondering what would the owners recommend the 2.4l or the V6 given that now you have spent more time with the car and the problems.


Someone said search the forum, but apart from the V6 recall, the one thing that I read about the 2.4 was the issue with jerkiness.


This will be wife's car and I know she will probably not need the v6, but I want to make sure that's besides the engine there is not additional difference between the 2, also noticed that the 2.4 had a shifter vs the v6 which has buttons.

 

It really depends on your needs and wants in a car. The V6 and 4cyl use different transmissions. There is no Advanced or SH-AWD for the 4cyl.

I have not driven a 4 cyl but hear it's fun to drive and has plenty of power for daily driving.

 

I have not driven the 2.4l as it does not have the feature that I want. Spent a few hours at the dealer today for the V6 transmission recall inspection. They replaced transmission fluid, inspected, and there was no problems detected. From all accounts the number of vehicles actually affected is very small, and a process is in place to fix so this is a non issue.

 

It's really personal choice between the 2.4 and 3.5 - you'll have to drive both to help decide. I went with the 2.4 since it just seemed a bit more nimble than the heavier V6, and it has plenty of power for us. And yes, I like having a shift lever. Many of us have no problem with a jerky transmission, and it looks Acura is addressing the problem for those that do.

Of course the V6 has more get-up-and-go and I understand the SHAWD is wonderful (didn't test drive one with it).

You have a tough decision, but it will be fun checking them out!

 

Yes, when I went in to test drive I made sure that I test drove the 2.4 and it was nimble and light with enough power to get up and go.


I have one more question, this is about the blind spot monitoring.


Does it activate only when you have the turn signal on. I see other cars on the road and their BSM lights up on their side view mirror whenever a car is passing, but the sales guy told me that on the Acuras, I think all models its only when the turn signal is active.


I hope he is wrong.

 

The BSI lights up anytime a vehicle is in your blind spot, it will blink on that side if you turn on your turn signal. Mine will beep as well if the light is on and I turn on my turn signal. I don't know if all models beep but all should!

 

Another sales rep that should be sent back for more training.

The system in the TLX is different to some other as it only operates while you are moving. With other cars if you are stopped and the vehicle beside you is in the blind spot range the indicator will be on. Also, the range on the TLX seems to be fairly short as the indicator will be off when a vehicle is close but not "fully" visible in my mirrors. But maybe that is because I am extra careful and sensitive about cutting into the other persons space.

 

He is - he's confusing it with other models. I think the Accord operated that way, and also only had BSI on the passenger side, not the drivers. That said, it does everything Stew4HD just said. Mine go solid -> blinking if someone is there, and beeps if I turn the signal on and someone is there.

I've always aimed my side mirrors at the blind spot anyway (I guess that's the "European" way of setting your mirrors, where the left, center and side mirrors really act as one mirror). Between that and the BSI, blind spot coverage is excellent.

 

Never seen BS monitoring in an Accord....? Just has the lane watch camera on passenger side. Maybe in Non North American markets it has proper BSM. I think there is some degree of user control on how BSM operates in the TLX....I need to check it...nice having the manual on your phone....yep it is user selectable audible/visual alert on/off.

 

^ I misspoke. I meant the lane watch camera. I guess I put that under the broad category of "blind spot indicator", but it's different.

 

Another difference in the TLX system is the the indication inside the car as opposed to in the rearview mirror itself.

 

I think is better inside as it happened many time with my wife's Santa Fe to don't see the light in the mirror when is dirty or the sunlight is directly on the mirror.

 

I expect my fluid replacement soon. On a related note, i haven't noted any Canadian programming fixes yet for the oft discussed two hard shifts. My Service Manager says they have heard nothing from Acura Canada yet, evening though a number of our US friends have had the programming fix done. Did your Dealer have any information for you on that issue?

 

The shifting is not a major issue for me so did not ask. While I generally go for all s/w updates, eg. running Win 10 on PC & phone, I am a bit more cautious about wanting any trial/interim updates on my car.

There were no other service updates listed for the car. Would love some insight on how s/w is managed/controlled between models for US, Canada, Mexico, Russia, and China.

 

Agreed not a major issue, but it would be nice to smooth them out a little for harder acceleration. However, you raise a good point about being leery of potential issues with interim updates. BTW, I called Acura Canada Customer Service asking for an update and also asking about a Navigation update re the 1 step voice search our US colleagues enjoy. Waiting for a response. These are all minor things for me, but a few improvements are always nice. One must be careful though, like nagging your spouse too much for little things

As for coordination between different Acura national offices, I suspect like most large organizations, there isn't a whole lot.

 

Would love to hear the response from ACCR on the 1 step voice search. This is the single improvement that should be provided to all Canadian owners.

 

Will keep you posted. Even if it's a English and French issue, just update both of them. Perhaps they want us to maintain our Acura Link use after the one year ends.

 

^^ I am a French guy and I wouldn't care if the command wouldn't be available in French...That is unfortunate that we deprive all Canadian TLX owners of a functionality because you can't offer the same thing in French...

Think about it...all the buttons on the TLX are not bilingual to begin with anyway (Phone, Setting, Back ....)

 

Weather, you went to opposite extreme, is that a Chevette!!!! LOL