ShiftinAt8600

Or do the 2.4 wheels look way better in person?

So I finally took delivery of a GLM 2.4 Tech after almost 6 weeks of wait since ordering in early August (I'm in the SF Bay Area) and first thing I noticed are the wheels. They are not as bad as they look in pictures and I actually like them. The design imo, is pretty nice and I like the two-tone. With that said, they're at their best with tire shine, but I do think Acura should've made these wheels larger, maybe in 18's.

Other things that I've noticed are the sound system is pretty clear and crisp, but lack the low end bass. I'm not necessarily asking for two 12's in my trunk type, but tbh, the audio doesn't sound FULL, if you know what I mean. So what you get is real clear mid's and high's. I had cross-shopped this car with a 2015 Forester XT Limited (believe it or not, they have Harman Kardon), and the sound is much fuller (without needing a sub), and they offer an EQ as well. Keep in mind I adjusted the base, treble, subwoofer, and SVC on the TLX but it still sounds like it's lacking in the low end.

Going by all the reviews back in early August when the embargo was lifted, I blindly ordered the 2.4 without test-driving as my dealership only had 3.5's available. So, I test drove a 3.5 and it was real nice, and provided plenty of power. The transmission did feel a bit weird shifting and some cases, searching for gears. I did experience the occasional lag, but these two things weren't as big an issue as some of the threads I've read made it out to be.

After driving my TLX for a few days, I'm glad to tell you imo, the 2.4 and DCT are a great combo. Not going to lie, I had slight fear that this engine might've been too anemic for the size of this car, and also the DCT being Honda's first dual clutch (and that other thread about clunkiness) would've made me second guess my decision. The engine feels like it has enough power for it's duties, and is actually pretty torquey for what it is. The DCT shifts QUICK, and on normal driving, feels like a regular auto.

With that said, I'm still figuring out all the crazy tech stuff inside (still getting used to the lower touch screen for HVAC controls, I find it a little tedious while driving) but I am totally enjoying the car (I'm coming from an '02 RSX Type S w/ 217k original miles, an '06 S2000, and a '12 WRX Limited that I recently sold to get this car.

My overall impression, this purchase has well exceeded my expectations, and I think this is the step in the right direction for Acura.

Stew4HD

Congrats!

I, too, found the i4 wheels much better looking in person

ShiftinAt8600

One other thing, the reflection of the vent off the driver side window and onto the side mirror is also a non-issue in my opinion. Not distracting at all, and it's mainly depth perception. If your looking at the window, you will notice it slightly. But if you're looking at the mirror itself for cars, etc, you will look past it.. if you get what I'm saying.

slats

Agreed. In person they are quite nicely finished but I still don't like the design. Give me a good five spoke like BMW 328i and I'd be very happy.

Quandry

Your conclusions about the 17" wheels are spot on as has been noted several times before on this site, and the vent reflect is a non-issue.

Read the Handbook, make notes, play with the tech features while parked, and not while driving. It may save your life or better yet someone else.

jayb082

A friend of mine that saw my car for the first time the other day actually complemented the rims on the car saying they were really nice. I enjoy them myself and I'm completely happy with them.

CheeseyPoofs McNut

I've gone from thinking the wheels look better in person to actually liking them quite a bit. I think they fit the white exterior very nicely and look quite sporty. I have no interest whatsoever in exploring aftermarket wheels even though I saw some photos that looked pretty nice over here: click -> The Temple of VTEC - Honda and Acura Enthusiasts Online Forums > TLX > > Re: Project TLX 2.4

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

I finally saw one in person this week-I liked the wheels too.

MardiGras

IMO, it's not the I4 wheels so much as it is the damn tall 55-series rubber sidewalls. If you do the math, the ratio of rubber to rim on the I4 wheel/tire assembly is a whopping 9.75:17 = 57.4%. More than half of the assembly is rubber! Almost looks like the ratio of most SUVs and pickup trucks.

On the other hand, the rubber-to-rim ratio on the V6 is 8.85:18 = 49.1%. A much nicer looking ratio IMO. If the I-4 had a similar ratio, I'd get one in a heartbeat. Instead, I'll either get a SH-AWD or wait for the 2018 MMC.

Then you have the 225/40R18 Civic Si tires. Ratio is 7.08:18 = 39.3%. Even better looking.

ShiftinAt8600

I agree. I think the reason behind this is that it's a pretty big car, and in order to fill the wheel wells, needed larger tires on 17's. I posted this elsewhere, but I think Acura should have gone with 18's and 19's for the TLX. Something along the lines of 2.4 with 18's and 3.5 with 19's.

I read somewhere that the 2014 Civic Si's (18in) 0-60's performance is worse compared to the outgoing 2013 model (17in) due to the size and weight. Could be the reason behind the 17's on the 2.4 TLX, that and they needed to increase MPG as well?

smoooov

Well Acura does offer other 18s or 19s but they are expensive and not really my style. I do like the OEM V6 18s quite a bit. They work well with the style of the car. Also 19 inch wheels are going to ride rougher and probably be noisier so maybe that's why Acura made them an accessory.

Cmyoung

Verrry nice. This is the color I'm getting as well in less than 2 weeks. What is the interior color? Oh, btw more pics please!!

ShiftinAt8600

I'll def try to post more pics when I get the chance!

Sonor Kid 2

I don't mind the design of the wheels but 17's just don't work given the the size of the sidewall.
I had the same problem with the 4G TL, the profile of the wheels make a big difference in the way the car looks IMO.

Maybe Acura will rethink the wheels at some point, I'm a bit surprised they stuck with the 17's as that was a major complaint on the TL...

Stew4HD

The question is: Was 17" wheels a major complaint by the majority of buyers? I still see plenty of TLs with stock wheels, in fact nearly every TL I see is bone stock with the original wheels.

Enthusiasts don't like the look and will change. Many will change no matter what the manufacturer puts on the car. The 4G I had was the first car in a long time that I liked the stock Advance 19" wheel.

Acura doesn't seem to gear their products towards the enthusiasts so much. We don't buy enough cars to keep them afloat but they could certainly sell more if they did.

Sonor Kid 2

I understand your point, not all buyers look at things the same way...

There are a few dealers I have purchased Acura's from over the last 15 years whom I know well and they both confirmed the wheels on the Base and Tech 4G TL were one of the major complaints.

Keep in mind that most buyers aren't going to run out and spend $1,000+ on new wheels and tires even if they weren't happy with what came on the car, the folks here might but we are the exception to your point.

The other thing to consider is that there is a high number of 4G TL's on the road that are leased, most people aren't going to buy new wheels and rubber for a leased vehicle even if they were unhappy with what came on the car.

I lease both my ILX and my RDX and wouldn't change the wheels for the same reason...

DavidsTLX

Agreed that they are better looking in person than in picture. Something about the 2.4L wheels still looks cheap to me and I opted to buy the wheels off a V6 on eBay

CanTex

We just took delivery of a 2.4 Tech in Black Copper Pearl and are very pleased with the standard wheels. They're basically glossy black with brush-polished outer surfaces. They go so well with the BCP color.

I asked the sales guy if these were the optional wheels but he assured me they were not. Then we looked at the bigger wheels on a V6 and I really didn't like them. I also think of the money I saved.

ConradValmont

How do the 18's drive on the 2.4L?

ShiftinAt8600

I actually have the V6 18's on mine and although I don't 'feel' any differences, there is a noticeable 1-2 mpg difference in my gas mileage. I think that might be one reason Acura put 17's on the 2.4 to achieve better mpg.

Quandry

The net weight of the 17" wheel/tire will be slightly less than the equivalent 18" and will result in slightly better mpg, but likely not as much as 2 mpg. There are so many factors involved (temperature, driving style, road conditions, traffic) that make the difference in mpg from a simple switch from 17" to 18" difficult to justify/measure.

I think the 17" wheels were threefold; help reduce costs, differentiate the models, and to improve mpg (likely less than 1 mpg).