ACC

Hello, I'm new to Acurazine! I am shopping for a used CPO TLX with SH-AWD, and my only concern was the transmission. I have test drove two 2018, one 2019, and one 2020, and didn't find any transmission issue, but felt they have different characteristics. Like in the same drive mode, 2018 TLX reached high RPM really fast and did not up-shift, while 2019 and 2020 shifts in a more "expected" manner.

I heard some owners report transmission hesitation/hunting as long as 2-3 months into the ownership, so I wonder if there is something I wouldn't notice in test drive. Is there a model-year based characteristics/tuning? Which year is most immune to the transmission issue? Is there something else that I should consider when deciding the model years, other than the obvious different price? From the spec, they seem really identical for Tech package other than 2019/20 dropped the spare tire.

Thank you.

Chargersix

Have a little over 40k miles on our 2019 V6 with the SH-AWD and have experienced no issues with the transmission. Have not driven any other year TLXs. Like all vehicles, as you get towards the end of a generation the manufacturer tends to get all the issues worked out. So I would expect any of those you drove to be reliable for long term ownership. But I cannot address whether Acura changed the transmission programming for more responsive/sportier shifting over those three years.

Icculus

The issues are real, my friend. I have a 2015 V6 and the transmission is quite jerky/hesitant/slow, but I'm used to it. I've had to adjust my driving style to cope with the transmission so I can be smooth with it, but people driving it for the first time would probably think it's quite annoying. Apparently the programming/logic is better year-over-year. I also have a 2018 MDX with the same transmission. It's noticeably better but still not perfect. Apparently the new models with the Honda-developed 10AT is much better.

dezymond

The ZF9 is just not a good transmission, just do a quick google search and you'll see complaints from owners of Jeeps and Acura alike.

2015 was the worst year, hands down. Slow to shift, jerky shifts, sometimes it would even felt as if the clutch was dumped like in a manual, and overall just not a smooth transmission. There were revisions to the ZF9 starting in 2016 for the TLX which made things a bit better, but it is the same ZF9 essentially, so slow shifts, sometimes jerky shifts, and overall just was never in the right gear unless you're going for fuel economy (which the TLX goes for anyway, VCM is more than enough proof that this isn't a sport sedan as they advertised it to be). As the years went on the ZF9 got a bit better and better with software updates and I'm sure some hardware updates, but in all, just not a good transmission.

Starting in 2018, there was a facelift as well as an improved headunit, but otherwise it's the same vehicle as it was from 2015, just more refined.

ESHBG

I was reading recently that the '18 MDX was added to the "best to avoid" list and the transmission being updated but still not quite as good as '19-'20 was one of the reasons so it's possible that this same advice could apply to the TLX and it does sound like your experience would support this.

18TLXAspec

I can say that the transmission hesitation is there in my 2018 A-Spec V6 SH-AWD. It's most notable when you slow down and almost come to a stop, but don't and press the gas to start accelerating. It'll literally do nothing, as if you didn't press the gas pedal, for a couple seconds which can be a little nerve wrenching if there's any sort of traffic coming at you.

DaFunk_80

I've got a 2019 TLX A-Spec tech since new and this is exactly what my transmission is like. If you are driving around a residential neighborhood or shopping area with stop signs and speed bumps, you press the gas pedal and the car does absolutely nothing for 1-3 seconds which feels like an eternity. If you're rolling at a somewhat low speed and decide to accelerate, the car hunts for a gear and takes forever to downshift. It is absolutely dangerous if you live in a busy area. Overall it's extremely frustrating because it's hard to hustle the car through situations and varrying terrain (pot holes, speed bumps, aggressive inner city lane changes) when the car doesn't respond to you feathering or pressing the gas pedal. Makes the car feel extremely sluggish like piloting a boat.

I always tell my wife that I love driving her base model 2006 Corolla because you can feather the gas pedal and the car responds immediately. So easy to drive her car around the city. It accelerates, turns, and stops on a dime. The TLX is best for highway cruising and passing. Not fun for a guy like me who lives in a busy city (greater Toronto area).

Bleskguy

I must have good luck with My 2015 tlx v6. I think it's the feel of a dog clutch people don't like how it feels like your lagged but the clutch is engaged early to just drop off at redline.. It's meant to shine at wide open throttle. I used a stock ktuner flash and it just goes once you get through higher speeds. At 90 you're at 2k rpm on the highway and still has the power to pull vcm on eco. Takeoff had a lag, but after sprintbooster it's instant feedback. I notice if You drive it slow and easy it responds jerky, but if You're trying to avoid rush hour traffic, jamming it on a back road, or doing a few pulls to scare my passengers.The car likes the revs and the ecu logs it and responds. There was an initial issue with a crimper that messed up transmissions before mine. Mine was after the issue, and the factory did a full flush at infancy.