Best Values in New and Redesigned Car Models, 2015

Cars $40,000-$50,000: Acura TLX

image: http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/c.../Acura-TLX.jpg
Honda

Sticker price: $43,420 (3.5 w/Advance package)
Invoice price: $40,736
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $41,531
Resale value: 3-year: 51%; 5-year: 36%
MPG: City: 21; Hwy: 34
Acura’s all-new TLX midsize sedan combines the best of the previous-gen TSX and TL models, wrapped in a new, elegant exterior. The TLX has a fuel-thrifty but potent powertrain, optional all-wheel drive and a host of high-tech features. It earns a Top Safety Pick from IIHS.


Read more at Best Values in New and Redesigned Car Models, 2015-Kiplinger


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2015 Acura TLX Earns Best Value Award in Luxury Category from Kiplinger's Personal Finance TORRANCE, Calif. - 1/22/2015

The all-new 2015 Acura TLX has been recognized by Kiplinger's Personal Finance with a 'Best Value Award' from the business and financial organization for 2015. The TLX has been named 'Best New/Redesigned Car' in the $40,000-$50,000 category.
Kiplinger's Best Value Awards are the result of a comprehensive review of hundreds of vehicles that reveal the best values among the newest models. The award winners are selected based on a number of qualifications including price, performance, value, safety, roominess and driving impressions. Photos and information on the 2015 TLX and the other winning cars can be viewed at Car Rankings - Special Report-Kiplinger.
"The all-new TLX delivers thrilling performance with impeccable style, an extensive list of luxury features, and of course, value on a luxury scale," said Michael Accavitti, vice president and general manager, Acura Division. "As Acura's sedan line-up continues to strengthen, the marketplace is taking notice, and we are honored to receive this recognition from Kiplinger's."
In addition to being named a 'Best Value' by Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the all-new 2015 Acura TLX recently earned the TOP SAFETY PICK+ designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2015 Acura TLX is the first Acura model to be equipped with AcuraWatch™, a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies with leading-edge road-sensing and collision-mitigation capabilities, including pedestrian sensing.
Since the arrival of the TLX to dealerships in August 2014, the TLX has quickly become one of Acura's best-selling models. Designed to deliver a unique and compelling blend of sports-sedan dynamic proportion, premium luxury refinement and super-handling performance, the TLX is appealing to a broad cross-section of luxury customers with three all-new powertrains and advanced chassis technologies that respond intelligently to the will of the driver. The TLX lineup features three distinct model offerings that deliver new levels of quietness and ride comfort for a luxurious driving experience.

 

Congrats

 

Amazing! TLX deserved it. I went to Montreal Car Show and TLX is one the best in its category.

 

Well deserved. I think, for the most part, the car is being well recieved by the general public. Its a very crowded segment. Congrats Acura!

 

I bought my TLX for just those reasons - features and value. It's a great car, and they chose the right color to show it off in! :wink:

 

Congrats Acura....There is no question that you have an amazing package and at an amazing price point! Great styling (inside and out), great features, price very aggressively....You have done your homework and it paid off.

 

Congrats Acura and well done.
I know this is very much an enthusiast (I am one and drive a 6MT Type S)board and there are lots of threads about how Acura has lost it's way. "Acura should have a performance coupe," "Acura needs to be more luxurious and/or have more HP," "Acura can't compete with the Germans.". It may and could very well be that this award shows/points out where Acura is/and wants to be - a feature laiden value leader. Again this is an enthusiast board and represents only a small portion of the buying public. Much of the public are going to be just like our good friend Narnia who are looking for a safe, fuel efficient, reliable, feature laiden vehicle which also represents a good value.

 

well said!

Acura deserved this award.

 

It goes back to the point many people, myself included, have been trying to make for a while. You can't have the sexiest, fastest, best handling and best equipped car for $5-7k cheaper than everyone else. All you can hope for at that price point is to have a product good enough in each category so that it represents the best value to consumers. I think Acura is doing just this right now and from an economical perspective it should work although it is not the most glamorous business practice around and doesn't build a brand image like Lexus, MB or BMW have right now.

 

Agreed

 

Hello, anyone know if this resale calculation means the TLX would retain 51% of it's original MSRP @ 3 years and 36% @ 5 years?

Resale value: 3-year: 51%; 5-year: 36%

Purchased the V6 Base TLX about 3 weeks ago, love the car. Fun to drive!

 

Another "agree" here!!

 

+1

 

You know what's funny? Hyundai and Kia are in the same boat.

 

Don't get me wrong- I really like the exterior of the TLX. I think it was nicely shaped, from all angles- it sucks there are no pipes in the back, but beyond that, it looks great, and I bet sooner than later there will be aftermarket options to correct that, or even a MMC refresh from Acura itself.

But being a "value" car is something the entry level manufacturers strive for, not a premium brand, as Acura intends on being.

 

 

it's the value premium brand. Even as one of the most ardent supporters of reviving acura as a performance oriented brand, I can almost accept that strategy. Their best seller, the MDX, is absolutely the epitome of value-premium... you get something that has more features than any of the mainstream brands, you give up the tank-feel and maneuverability of the german rivals. It's value-premium, and people buy it up.

It's a bit more difficult of a proposition in the tlx's segment, where there is a lot more competition and a much higher percentage are buying the car as their only car or at least someone's primary car. But it may be fair to say that acura has successfully made the mdx equivalent in the tlx's segment. I'd argue that that niche is a whole lot less desired in that segment than the mdx's in the SUV-world... but I can't deny that it's a nice car at a decent price point. Nicer than the mainstream cars, missing some things from the germans. Priced right between the two groups.

 

Award was given to them by kiplinger.com. LOL

But an "award" wink wink. Is and "award". Wink wink.

 

Yeah, I saw that but an award is an award..................

 

The award is....well, it is what it is. Case in point, Chevrolet advertises that they are the most "awarded" manufacturer and I'm sure it's true....are there awards for the highest number of successive recalls on the highest number of individual models and issues??? That's certainly not the case with Acura, but awards are in a word "Subjective".

What I find most interesting is the projected residual values. Given the value decreases in this market segment over the last two years, those projections are completely out of touch with reality. The low end luxury segment has been bombarded with incentivized short lease volume that has caused two to five year values to drop like rocks.


In comparison, USAA and NADA project first year depreciation on a V6 AWD Advance at over $18K.