fiatlux

I had the same impression during my test drives. It's a fun car to drive...and 90% of the time the power delivery is fine, but it's just that 10% of the time that it's kind of annoying and makes you think "wait, this is supposed to be a sport sedan?"

Shadow2056

That's why I enjoy my Accord. It's fun around town, where I do most of my driving. Has decent power up top on the highway. Especially after the Hondata. that's the main thing that gets someone to buy a car. The "fun" factor. I don't want to buy a boring car. Lol!

bilirubin

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Yea, it seems like 90% of the reviews agree that the new TLX is a fun car to drive. I think that's a very important factor.

ostrich

I agree with you. That said, as a consumer, I am looking for the "whole package" here. I look at the sportiness as a big factor, but I also want to consider many other factors too, such as pricing, comfort level, design etc. Once I look at all of those factors, I feel that the 2G TLX offers a very strong package. If I were just looking at the sportiness factor, I would have bought an Alfa Romeo Giulia, but would probably be kicking myself when I have to deal with its other issues LOL

Carnage719

It sounds like a lot of people who did a test drive are trying really hard to convince themselves that they like the car.

ESHBG

It's amazing to me the compromises people are willing to make while shelling out $50K. At $30K, yeah okay sure you may need to be realistic and compromise here and there. But at the TLXs current price point there should be little need to have to do that.

Honda430

I’m pretty certain he was being facetious.

kurtatx

Most reviews I have seen are pretty "meh". At $50,000 there are so many better options.

Honda430

Are we all watching the same reviews or do you have some secret stash that you’re keeping to yourself?

Barbecue Tech Tips

I test drove a TLX advanced trim with SH- AWD.

The dealer is situated in the best test drive area I can imagine. The main road is straight out of the ghetto with pot holes and chewed up pavement every where. The side street is freshly paved 4 lane road with center median, that is lined with commercial businesses. That gives me no stop signs or lights for half a mile. There are turn around cut outs every 500ft and a dead end circle at the end.

I tested the cars 0-60 multiple times and the behavior of the sh-awd upon WOT and U turns. I enjoyed the drive more than the haters on the internet would make me think.

I had a flash drive full of surround sound music that sounded as good as my KEF home setup. The thigh entension is a must have for me and the ride in comfort soaked up the pot holes and chewed up tarmac. The car did seem to have a floaty ride in comfort due to the electronic dampers and was refined.

Interior quality was impressive overall compared to the Lexus ES 350 Ultra Luxury.

My only real negative I had was the god awful engine noise pumped in by the speakers in sport mode, plastic rear shelf behind seats, and the seat leather defects on a new car, much like what the press cars have.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for your review! Seems like you enjoyed the test drive of the TLX!

Tesla1856

1. So, how was the acceleration from 0-mph (Did it GO or does it hesitate) ? How about passing or getting on the highway (tranny should down-shift immediately and car goes faster).

2. What format were the files in ?

3. So only the Advance has the nice Active Dampers, huh?

4. So IT IS over the speakers (thanks for verifying). Only in Sport-Mode huh? Bizarre there is no way to disable it. Someone said using the audio system concurrently doesn't help (it's mixed-in then also).

5. So, for $49K, which one are you thinking of buying ?

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

The $52k Mercedes A220 that I just built sure has a lot of compromises....smaller than an Accord, very tight rear legroom, only a 4-banger, jerky DCT, only an A Class, odd exterior proportion, cheap hard plastic all around, etc, etc.

fiatlux

I’m pretty sure nobody buys a loaded to the gills A class when you can get a C class for much cheaper (and cheaper than the sticker price of the TLX to boot).

I keep saying, at around $40K which is what this car will sell for once the initial novelty wears off, it’s a pretty good deal. The problem at the current market price is that you have cars that are arguably better that can be bought for less money. Sticker to sticker it still undercuts the competition, but none of those sell for anything close to sticker these days.

TSX69

leomio85

I guess inventory isn't really an issue. The Acura dealer I bought mine from has 11 in stock. Others have 17, 13, 12 and last one has 14, all in a ~25min drive from me. I thought inventory was going to be more strained, especially with the pandemic still going on effecting production? I suppose not though. I hope this is a good sign for production numbers of the Type-S down the road. Though, if sales don't do well, they might cut production back dramatically on both the Type-S and the rest of the line up in the following year(s). Anyone hear if these things are selling well or not? I know it's only been a couple weeks, but just curious.

MSZ

fiatlux

From a dig, it's soft, but the mid-range is strong, and then it runs out of steam above 5000RPMs. Has this guy been lurking on AZ and reading my reviews ?

I couldn't have said it any better myself. The rest of the car (minus the mindboggling bad tires) is enough for this to be a proper sports sedan, and in some (maybe most) situations the engine is close, but in others...it's just not. A strong mid-range just isn't enough; the power should be tractable and it should pull hard across the entire rev-band, like the CTR does. I'm sure it would make a good canyon carver where you spend a lot of time in the mid-range, but it's a bummer that the torque does taper off so quickly. As is, it's a great commuter car that'll eat up miles and allow you to have some fun in the twisties, and in that regard it's a decent sports sedan, but Acura billed this as a sports sedan that puts performance ahead of luxury, which it frankly doesn't do.

dmski

That tells you something. With an all new Gen they should be moving these first units quickly but they are sitting on the lots. It all goes back to pricing. If the car brings a lot of value for the price they will sell but knocking on German pricing makes potential customers visit German dealerships and they ain't coming back....

Carnage719

I wasn't.

Again, the prevailing theme...nice car (vs. sport sedan), but changes made from 1G are a compromise not worth the increased cost. My position is as a current 1G owner, there's nothing the 2G offers that's compelling enough to fork out that much money to ultimately feel like I went from one nice car to another, but never improving the overall ownership experience. It's essentially trading one compromise for another, more expensive one.

Let's see if the 2G v2.0 shows Acura listened to its customers and gives the US market an ASpec (or Type S) with all the Advance options (or a PMC), with enhanced 2.0T tuning that differentiates it from the RDX. These changes are necessary to make me consider it.

Honda430

My bad. Another bone picker with an agenda.

Carnage719

Every review I've watched echo that it's a nice car (vs. sport sedan) with engineering/design choices that scream compromise. Nice cars, like nice guys, always finish last in this tightly contested market.

Carnage719

I have no bone to pick. I'm just a man on a forum with an opinion that differs from yours.

Barbecue Tech Tips

I would only buy the TLX with Advanced trim. I like the thigh extention, oak wood trim, metal accents, and adaptive suspension. For $49k I would not buy the car, no one pays MSRP. For $40k it would be a no brainer at 15% off.

Tesla1856

1. Really !? ... huh. I wonder if those first cars that got reviewed had an older firmware on main engine/transmission computers?

2. Really good info, thanks. I'll try to prepare a USB with 320K-MP3, FLAC, and WAV .

3. Right. Still un-clear how this differs from Tech-Package/A-Spec since I thought the suspension was suppose to change on those as well in the different drive-modes.

4. So, Comfort turns them off, thanks. At least that's a start.

5. IIRC, I thought you liked Toyota/Lexus. So, interested to hear if you get a sedan/SUV and which one.

In Texas, only discounts we get on new Acuras are the measly $1000-$2000 incentives (if you are lucky) . My local dealer is also "no haggle" . To give you an idea ... they were selling 2019-2020 TLX at full MSRP up until August-2020 .

Yeah, 2021 TLX-2.0T SH-AWD Advance ... is not only out of my price range (will be easily over $50k drive-off) ... for that kind of money they are many other cars to consider (including Lexus, Audi, and even Acura's own 2021/2022 TLX Type-S ).

sonyfever

Notice the trend here? 1G owners saying 2G changes are not worthy it. Sure I can understand 1G is a good daily driver at a bargain price after discounts, but 1G also lags behind european/korean brands everywhere. 2G closes the gap and finally has its own characters, maybe in areas that don't matter much to many 1G owners. Acura basically changed tune, and want to target a different audience.

You will still find value on 2G later, just wait and the TLX price will come down soon. That is the nature of this doomed segment.

Carnage719

The only trend I notice in the forum is the near universal hate that may be earned for for the 2015-17 MY 1Gs, but the 2018-20 MY is lumped in due to guilt by association. That's all well and fine because I continue to enjoy my 2018 ASpec without regrets. That said, this is what I base all my comments on:

1. Engine: I didn't enjoy my time driving around in the RDX (same engine, similar performance), and I felt the power delivery of the 2.0T was too laggy until boost finally kicked in. As I mentioned in a previous post, if the tuning was similar (or better) than the CTR, that might gain my interest.
2. Interior: Evolutionary but not revolutionary. It eliminates the 2 screen set up, but True Touch is still a mixed bag. The exterior dimensions are stretched, but no improvement to the interior space
3. Model packaging is idiotic.

My overall impression is it's a nice car, but offers nothing groundbreaking to make me, as a current owner, switch. Honestly, if I were in the market, my "perception" of minor improvement over my car would make my consider other brands. Hopefully the next MY offering will include some changes that make it worthy of consideration.

Barbecue Tech Tips

3. Right. Still un-clear how this differs from Tech-Package/A-Spec since I thought the suspension was suppose to change on those as well in the different drive-modes. Any trim under the Advanced trim uses non controllable dampers. Similar to what other models such as the RLX used.Amplitude Reactive Dampers
Amplitude Reactive Dampers provide superior ride comfort and handling in all driving conditions. The dampers have two separate damping mechanisms: one that is tuned for maximum efficiency on smoother roads with small, higher-frequency inputs; and the other that is tuned to handle larger, low-speed damper inputs such as rough roads, potholes, and sudden steering and braking action. The result is a vehicle that remains composed and comfortable in a wide range of driving conditions.

The Amplitude Reactive Dampers are a purely mechanical system that does not require electronic controls. Their core technology is two separate damping pistons, including a main piston and a second piston. To improve overall ride comfort, when smaller inputs occur during normal driving conditions, only the main piston works to provide the ideal damping characteristics. To improve the RLX's ride and handling during more severe conditions, the second piston operates to provide additional damping force."

5. IIRC, I thought you liked Toyota/Lexus. So, interested to hear if you get a sedan/SUV and which one.

I test drove the advanced trim TLX yesterday. Sat in a A spec TLX in the showroom today and I had no issue fitting in the rear with the front seat adjusted for me being 5' 10". I had plenty of leg room and 2 inches of rear headroom. I drove the ES350 Ultra luxury 5 minutes later for comparison.

The ES350 didn't sound as solid as the TLX doors being closed and didn't feel as it had a stiff chasis like the TLX. I'd say materials were comparible inside of both cars. The TLX does have that plastic rear shelf and seem to have seat defects which are my only negative.

If I can't get 10-15% off MSRP i'll walk away at the end of the year. These cars aren't hot sellers from what I have seen, but i'll prbably have to special order the spec I want.

leomio85

I'm trying to be optimistic, lol. Maybe they're moving inventory well, but Acura's churning them out and they're hitting dealer lots faster than they can get rid of them? That, or they're not budging off sticker or asking for mark-ups when you actually walk in to buy/lease?

Carnage719

So the rear shelf isn't stamped metal, but made of plastic? More details, please.

What are the seat defects?

Barbecue Tech Tips

The rear shelf is stamped metal underneath, but the aesthetic cover with sub woofer grills are a big chunk of plastic. I was suprised since a bare bones camry has a carpeted rear shelf.

The seat defects ive seen in multiple cars looks to be much what reviewers had. The leather is lose in the seat bolsters area on the front seat and the upper section of the rear seat showed this. Since the seats are "Nappa trimmed" Is it possible the leather is too soft?

I forgot to mention the paint defects I saw from contamination during the painting process. The TLX had this, as well as a PMC RDX in the show room.

Barbecue Tech Tips

Another picture.

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

Eventually most cars will have some sort of discount. But exactly what kind of discount one gets varies. It depends on so many things:
- how many units manufacturer wanna sell
- how good you are with negotiating
- does the customer have some sort of loyalty credit
- did the deal screw the customer over on a trade in and so they are willing to offer more discount on the new car
- what time of the year is the car being purchased,
- how old is the car into its model cycle

As a result, once can compare the MSRP as that's the only thing that is set in stone. And I don't know if it's really fair to compare a discounted price vs the msrp of another car.

The C Class mentioned would have a big discount since this is like its 5th model year.

Acura, just like others, will set the MSRP such that they can take advantage of the early adopters. Over time, they too will offer incentives, just like others.

We don't go saying the A220 is overpriced when it's over $50k once loaded, as we know there will be discounts. Likewise, I don't know if it's right to say the TLX advance is overpriced at $49k when eventually that will have incentives too. Essentially, many cars in this segment would be overpriced at MSRP.

Hmm, I have both a CTR and RDX. The CTR definitely has more turbo lag given that it has a larger turbocharger. Its peak torque doesn't come on until 2500rpm. The RDX makes its peak torque at 1500rpm and it spools faster. In fact, I can barely detect any turbo lag in the RDX. It's got good torque pretty much all the way from idle. If anything, it runs out of steam at high rpm, whereas the CTR would keep pulling all the way to redline. I think the lag that you feel in the RDX is more of a throttle pedal lag. It's sort of like the car is asking you, hey you really wanna accelerate that quick? Well, okay then, here you go.

fiatlux

I agree it's not fair to compare MSRP to market price, but that's not what we're doing. We're comparing market price to market price. Sure, you can say the TLX is new so there are no discounts, but if we're saying that this car is marginally (if even) better than the competitors cars that have been out long enough to start seeing steep discounts, who's fault is that? Just because they're older into the model cycle suddenly they have an unfair advantage? One could say Acura should have an unfair advantage by virtue of their car being more recent/modern which should offset the higher market price...but it isn't.

SebringSilver

I think the people who accuse other forum members of having an agenda against Acura should put themselves in the shoes of an Acura salesperson trying to address a potential buyer’s concerns with the new TLX.

It would be interesting to see how they answer questions associated with all the complaints that many people seem to have. My most hotly anticipated would be:

Q. “Can I get the Advance features on the A-spec?”

A. “No, you’ll just have to learn to live without them.”

kurtatx

Hopefully Acura moves on from that touch pad thing as soon as possible. It seems to be almost universally hated.

Carnage719

Here's a good one...

Q: You're telling me the A-Spec doesn't have rain-sensing wipers?

A: No worries, when you sense it's raining, turn on the wipers.

a35tl

How about:

Q: Why can’t I get a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats in my Type S?

A: Acura doesn’t recommend having rear seat passengers when the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit and we will throw in a pair of genuine Acura driving gloves for those frosty mornings.

Tesla1856

Well, it's is only 2 years old (IIRC 2019 RDX was first) so it will be around for another 5-6 years on RDX (until 4G RDX comes out)

It's in the all-new 2G TLX and Type-S ... so about 6-8 years there (until when/if 3G comes out).

Best I can tell, general public opinion is only thing worse is Lexus' TouchPad .