lim_ah

Hi all,

I've been following this forums for the past few weeks and I'm almost about to take the plunge on a V6 TLX Advance...

To the V6 owners out there - are you happy with the throttle response? When I test drove it I did feel that it did take a few moments after hitting the gas, but I've seen mention of the transmission 'learning' - is this something you've noticed or is it just a matter of getting used to it?

Quandry

I am a leisurely driver and the throttle response is just fine for me, even using ECON mode in city traffic.

Stew4HD

I have no issues with throttle response in Normal mode, but have been driving in Sport and the car jumps.

I am guessing the OP is exaggerating about it taking a few moments to respond. The only time the car seems to not quite get it, will hesitate for a second or 2, is when I'm driving 25-30 and then give it more pedal. It's not abnormal though, a lot of vehicles are unsure how much to downshift at those speeds. The 9 speed does figure it out and gets moving. Sport mode seems to fix that though.

9SpeedTran

After about 700 miles of babying, I started experimenting. It can go zero-60 like a rocket if you punch it, and depending on what gear and what speed you are going, if you all of a sudden punch it, there is a slight lag when it drops gears out of the overdrive gears. But that is barely more than the time it took my TL Type S to drop gears. Upshifting normally is very smooth for me. I love the transmission, and it helps the car get great mileage.

Momyc

I'm one that complain about that and during my test drive i feel it that delay.
My dealer just call me to offer me a TLX AWD for 24h test drive. I should do that next week and probably I'll have more time to evaluate this is issue more deeper.
For me this is a really deal breaker if proved that to be persistent.
I'm spoiled by the way how my 4G drives and I really hope that TLX is on par with 4G dynamically.

Stew4HD

If you do the 24 hr test drive, I think you'll liked it once you learn the little nuances of the car, IDS modes are really helpful. Turn off Idle Stop as well.

In any case, at least you'll have a better feel for the car.

JonfromCB

Throttle can be a little quirky. The "IDS" mode makes a difference and the auto engine stop makes a difference.


For comparison's sake the engine stop is smoother on the TLX than it is on the new Mercedes C class since the engine restarts when the driver's foot is taken off of the brake rather than when the accelerator is pushed making it easy to get used too.


As for immediate response to the a accelerator...it's not in a league with Audi, Infiniti or BMW. It's just not a low 5 second or less to 60 mph car so don't expect any tricks like engine stop off, VDC off, Sport+, the transmission learning, etc, etc, etc to make it one. The trade off is a very predictable non-edgy level of performance that is quicker than 80% of the sport luxury sedan segment ( and most other cars on the road) AND also gets better mileage than any of it's higher performance competitors. Hope this helps answer your question,

lim_ah

Thanks for the feedback! Stew4HD might have a good point - when I noticed it most was when the car was already moving and may have been around the 25-30 mark... Now hopefully I can get a decent deal on the 19" wheels...

Rocketsfan

I've noticed hesitation while accelerating from a stop and accelerating out of a right-turn about 4 or 5 times when I first bought the car. Nowadays, I don't really notice much hesitation out of turns, but I do notice it from a stop sometimes, and it's more frequent when in ECON, I think. I've felt it in Normal as well. The few times I drove in Sport, I felt the hesitation once or twice. One thing I've noticed is that I haven't noticed it much while accelerating from speed... in other words, if I'm going 55-60 and want to punch it to 75, or if I'm going at 30-35 and want to punch it up to 50, the car takes off like a bat outta hell (though I don't feel it much... it just gets there).

If you're looking for a flat out performance-sedan, this occasional hesitation may piss you off. I really don't care since I'm not racing anybody from a stop light. Of course, if you're trying to cross a road or turn onto a road with oncoming traffic, you may be laying your life on the line. lol. I'm exaggerating a bit, of course, since the hesitation has only happened to me a few times, but like I said, I don't generally floor it from a stop in this car.

flagship

although you can't go back, did your 04 have any hesitation?

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

From my experience, econ mode is sluggish, as expected. Normal was fine, and sport was responsible. Sport+ is like holy crap!

Jayellin

i mostly drive in sport mode. Yes there is a slight lag when I step on it but then it drops out of overdrive and suddenly I'm going 85 Put it in sport+ and no lag . My 2007 TL TYPE S had no lag but never took off like this. Lag or no lag the thing flies

Rocketsfan

This is something I thought about a while back, and realized that, yes, at times there was a hesitation. I noticed it more towards the end of its life, though, so I don't know. My '04 was an automatic, btw. Also, like you stated above, the acceleration in the '04 was never like this. One thing to note is that, outside of the first couple of shifts which can be a bit rough, there's no feel of acceleration for me ... it's just like, BAM! and all of a sudden you're going too fast. lol.

oracion

That pretty much summarizes my feedback too.

NCRaider

In my experience (approximately 800 miles on a V6 SH-AWD) the throttle response is only fair. This is not a performance car and so we can't expect it to respond like one and while it will get-up--and-go it's acceleration is not one of its strong points. It's not terrible, it's just not anything to get excited about. There are plenty of other things about the TLX to get excited about though!

9SpeedTran

So I tried Sport+ mode for the first time today, and that was precisely my thought: Holy Crap! :-)

Stew4HD

HAH! Me too. The car LEAPED from a dead stop!

MedX172

I find the V6 performance and the 9 speed to be a good pair. I disagree about some of the comments regarding the acceleration being lack luster. I guess it depends on what you're comparing it to and what you feel you need. For me 0-60 in the 5's is more than sufficient, since this is something I'm hard pressed to put into action during my urban commute.


After recently having a 2015 ILX loaner with paddle shifters, one thing that I've noticed is that the TLX has some 'lag' when shifting via the paddles. It's like it's a heartbeat late in comparison to the 15 ILX, which feels to respond quicker to paddle inputs, and felt more on point.

weather

Thanks for this post....I agree that the TLX is more than adequate with regard to its acceleration. It is plenty quick, just wondering why the paddles don't react as effectively as the ILX which the g/f and I agree with your assessment.

csmeance

The TLX's 9spd transmission def. shifts slower than the standard Honda transmissions, but this may be because it's built by ZF and not by honda. I had the same issue on my ZF 6-speed transmission in my 7-series and the only thing that would help it would be this "trick" that reset the adaptation values for the cars' "learning algorithm" for the shifting.

Basically you put the car in accessory mode and hold down the gas pedal for 25-30 seconds.


The TLX I currently have seems to shift just as fast as the ZF-6 speed I had but the shifts are somewhat harsher depending on which gear it's going into. I've felt the transmission react slowly in Econ mode, but in Normal, Sport and Sport+ the gas pedal feels great and responsive.

Momyc

Like I mentioned above I have a TLX AWD for 24 hours to test it .
Regarding the throttle response definitely is not on par with my 4g. Even on Sport+ the pedal travel to get the response is way to long for me. On my 4g I just barely push it and you get the push back on the seat right the way.
This is the second car that I tested .I did a test drive few weeks ago and it was on same way. I was hopping that is something wrong with that car , but it seems to be the way they "program" it
I'm sorry to say, it's a nice value and nice car , but now after spending almost a day with the car , it's not for me.
They are many thinks that I like (Jewel eyes , technology , quiet ) but the dynamic of the car is more to luxury than sport.
I have to look somewhere else when it will be to change my 4g. For now I'll stick with it , it's always putting a smile on my face and I'm just anxious to go back to the dealer to take my baby back.


I'll stick aroung if a Type S will surface..

weather

Momyc....I tried to send you a PM but your mailbox is not configured.

JetDriver

This lag is a characteristic of the 9 speed transmission only. ZF has other transmissions that don't do this. Here's a link that explains why.
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...-on-the-leash/
I had a TLX on order, but couldn't make peace with this aspect of the car. Two days ago, I bought a 328i xdrive, which has an 8 speed transmission by ZF. It has no lag when stepping on the gas. It definitely is just a matter of taste, though. I would say the 9 speed is higher tech.

JetDriver

If you paddle shift down to the gear you want and THEN step on the gas, there is ZERO hesitation. Not quite the same type of driving, though….

mapleloaf

Almost all of the people who buy these types of luxury cars are not road racers, so a half second difference in 0-60 is, to me, in the Who Cares category. You make a lot of good points, but I would simply add that for these types of cars that half second difference should not be construed as a "different class". It's a slight difference that is inconsequential almost all of the time.

Terdbath

I really like the new TLX but this was my main complaint after test driving a V6 FWD Tech. Slow gear selection.

mapleloaf

For me the choice was simple….the 2.4 with the 8 speed or the 3.5 with SH-AWD. I wouldn't get the 3.5 without the SH-AWD. It's a different car. As I have previously noted, I find the throttle response excellent but then I am not a road racer and I have only driven 4 cylinders until I got my 3.5 SH-AWD Tech. If throttle response is your main criteria, then perhaps the car is not for you. The TLX does everything well with lots of goodies for a more than competitive price. The overall improvement in performance that you might get from a 328 will be invisible to almost all drivers. Some reviewers who pushed the 3.5 SH-AWD suggested it outperformed the 3 series. Regardless, for me it was a no brainer…..and I prefer the looks.

oracion

I'd think most TLX a owners don't drive theirs as a race car. There are lots of choices out there if you're looking for more responsive throttle response.

MedX172

I'd say the throttle response is fine from my perspective, but I'm not often demanding spirited response from it. It's definitely more refined than my V6 Accord Touring was, that's for sure. The Touring required deft foot skills to keep it from surging forward to the point of being annoying. Sometimes I left it in Eco mode just to take the edge off of it.


While all of the IDS modes have distinct characteristics, that V6 is going to walk away from any normally aspired 4 banger if you drop the hammer on it.

DJ Low Freq

Yes, turn idle stop off!! I have the SH-AWD Advanced w/ Tech and so far my best 0-60: 4.3 Seconds
0-120: 18.5 Seconds

Run it in Sport+ mode and disable traction control. Only mod is K&N Air filter. Not that quickest but, it's a luxury Sedan.

a35tl

I would totally love to believe that you hit 60mph in 4.3 seconds but I think you've got an error in your calculations or mistyped that figure. Hitting 60mph in 4.3 seconds would be awesome for the TLX.

JonfromCB

As I said, the TLS is still "quicker" than 80% of what's on the road. The reason I say it's in a different class is the TLX just doesn't have the lateral stick, chassis performance, acceleration, braking performance, or steering precision of many of it's competitors....and that's exactly what Acura was going for and what makes it a very appealing car at a very attractive price point. I would say it's "athletic" but not a performance contender. It is what it is. Would most buy it over a base C Class or 3 series and be delighted with it?...Yes
But, likewise it's road performance isn't in a class with a C Class V6 or a 330i...or several others.

DJ Low Freq

I have a video I don't want to upload it to YouTube though. Is there a way to upload it here?

JonfromCB

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not doubting that you have a video or some sort of measurement. What I am saying is it's not accurate. It's not physically possible for a 4450 pound normally aspirated automobile with 270 lbs/ft of torque and 290 horsepower to accelerate from 0 to 60MPH in less than the mid 5 second range. With less than 1 horsepower for every 15 pounds of weight not including gas and passenger it's not realistic even with a tail wind, going downhill...even with a K&N air filter (chuckle).

Stew4HD

^Even with a category 5 hurricane at your back?
Here in Houston, I may need to try and outrun one!

Monte TLS,MAX

That's good

DJ Low Freq

Sorry I haven't had the time to come back to the forum in a while. So, I've uploaded the video to Youtube temporarily because this is my business page. I'll need to delete it in a couple days. I'm getting a 4.3 to 4.5 0-60 time. If I'm wrong on the stopwatch time let me know and I'll go with that time ... it's always good to get a couple of extra eyes on it.


By the way I LOVE this site!!

accord1999

Wow, that's really impressive. Did you try testing without brake torquing and with VSA enabled, I'm curious on how they impact the 0-60 times as the previous video of a 0-60 run by a SH-AWD launched from idle and had VSA enabled.

epa

The tranny does in fact learn your driving habits and will alter how and when it shifts. For me it took about 1000 miles, but it is much better in regard to throttle response now. I came from a BMW turbo 4 and the throttle response was much different. The bimmer responds much faster although only about 3 tenths of a second quicker. The Acura has a more "refined" overall response.

BEAR-AvHistory

No disrespect I am sure you believe you have good results. That said your car is not as quick as either of my current ones or almost as quick as my old one.