Tony Pac

[QUOTE=amcobra;16646305]ya Acura needs to put Recaro Sportster Nurburgring Limited Edition. But the price should remain under $40K hahaha!

KeithL

seems like every gen they have leather issues initially.

Tony Pac

Great review! https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews...-drive-review/

fiatlux

Wow, I completely missed that. To me, that's huge because the singular thing keeping me from any modern Lexus is the god-awful infotainment system. I suspect it's still bad, but at least now having touch capability makes it a heck of a lot more usable. Hopefully Acura takes notice and does the same thing, and quits being stubborn trying to push TrueTouch on everyone. Stop trying to make "fetch" happen, it's not going to happen!

Legend2TL

ESHBG

What's interesting is that Lexus kept the touch pad so now you can use either that or the touch screen which I think is a great compromise and Acura could do this as well if they really wanted to keep their system in place. It would be totally fetch

GhostTL09

iTrader: (1)

I honestly feel it should be $52k loaded Type-S. I absolutely am waiting on a sweetheart deal to pull the trigger. I think it's about $3k per trim level to high. Deals will be available in the Spring & Summer as dealerships steer people down to the Aspec/Advance trims to save $5k off the Type-S

bilirubin

At 7:20 he really does a good job of testing that throttle response. There still seems to be a little lag in Sport mode, but it's better when you put the transmission in Sport mode as well.
Hopefully Acura has this better sorted out on the Type S.

fiatlux

The delay isn't actually not so bad at speed where it only needs to kick down to 3rd or 4th gear, on par with what you'd experience in an Aisin 8AT or the Ford-GM 10AT, but if you're cruising at around 15mph-20mph and you stomp on the gas, kicking down to 1st or 2nd takes abnormally long. That to me is the Achilles heel; 90% of the time the responsiveness is totally fine, but it's that 10% of the time that's really annoying. I suspect, however, that most people will never even experience or notice that 10% because evidently quite a few people never actually go WOT as they're afraid of "hurting the car".

Edward'TLS

Will the gear downshift happen faster if you use the pedal shifter to pedal down 1 or 2 gears, than by meshing the gas pedal to the floor ?

GhostTL09

iTrader: (1)

No, they are saying while a little quicker there is still some delay.

mapleloaf

Certainly one of the most thorough reviews I have seen, particularly given the follow-up after a week of use. Well worth the time if you are interested in this car.

GhostTL09

iTrader: (1)

I watched this yesterday in its entirety, but let me ask. Looking at reviews from the past 2 weeks from reviewers from the first week of release do you feel there is a shift in opinion? I feel like the reviewers who have more time with the car are liking it more (not just basing off 0-60) than the 24 hour reviewers that were out in California or wherever they were. Thoughts?

Tony Pac

100%. it's always like this.

Watch AoA's review. He rushed it so much that he did not even have a proper opinion. Again, I don't want to start the conversation of defending the new TLX. But the car is very good, it's the first Acura to have this much premium material. I did two test drives and the car is really good. There are two issues with the new TLX:
1. The back seat is small if you are comparing it to Accord.if you compare it to A4, 3 Series or C class, there isn't any issue.
2. It's a bit pricy and we cannot deny that. I think instead of $4.5K increase from the base of previous Gen, Acura should have increased no more than $2-2.5K.

GhostTL09

iTrader: (1)

Yeah this isn't about defending the brand at all. It was just my observation about reviews. I feel, Redline always does multiple reviews of Acura over the life of the generation which is cool.
1. Back seat: If you love the TLX and want more room (guess what, ever heard of our RDX? Same price, more value, I'll get the paperwork started) lol, but take someone like me, I have a wife & 2 kids and we are all RARELY in my 07Type-S. We hop in the MDX, problem solved. But when I want to feel great out on the road with my wife or 1 of the kids we jump in the sedan.
2. I agree.

Tony Pac

true. We have a Mazda CX-5 and the TL. Honestly when I drop the kids, definitely not easy with he TL. I was very determined to get the new TLX. But no sedan for the next 4 years. I need a SUV. CX-5 isn't too big either. I need a MDX

Tony Pac

He did a great job overall. Very well done review. He took his time and made a quality review unlike some others. Like TSP, those guys are awesome but their TLX review was a joke. It was like they were paid to bash the car....lol

pyrodan007

I quickly watched review, and unless I'm mistaken he never showed himself sitting in the back seat or opening the trunk. He did complain about the hesitation, that part is present in all reviews. This thing is still too long for what it is. And if people are buying it as a fun second car, the options out there far outway what Acura presented in it's latest model.

Honda430

Didn’t he also say the car was a home run and in that segment of vehicles it was his favorite? In the interior review he did with his wife he noted that the back seat, as it is in many of it’s rivals, was marginal, but front seat roominess was best in class.

pyrodan007

Depends what people count as a home run, it's the best at nothing.
Well, maybe handling ... provided you change the tires. But if people don't care about 0-60, they also don't care too much about handling if not pushing it. Any suspension will do.

Honda430

We got the strangest thing going on here. Some posters are fully embracing any negative review they can find while choosing to downplay or find fault in the positive reviews. What’s up with that?

As I’ve been saying for three weeks now go take an extensive test drive of the car then comeback and provide your unbiased opinion. Unfortunately you’re not going to appreciate the attributes of the vehicle on a short test drive where you’re basically looking to see how fast the 0-60 is or how abruptly you can whip it around a corner.

pyrodan007

I don't need a test drive, it's too big outside and too small inside. The rest doesn't sell me at all: interior is meh, performance is meh, price is meh. I don't care about the outside, it's not the part I use.

Honda430

Then why do you feel the need to be here ragging on the vehicle and essentially attacking any information that doesn’t reinforce your opinion. I completely understand that the car doesn’t fit your needs, but your needs are not universal. I’m not a fan of the Ford Mustang, but I’d never see the need to go on a Mustang forum and bash the vehicle because it doesn’t fit my needs. That would be just be hating for no valid reason.

Tony Pac

hahaha!
Nailed it!

TLX doesn't fit a few members' need here but they want to be here and comment on every positive and negative review! Love your message! NAILEEDDDD ITTTTT!

pyrodan007

You still didn't find the one's here saying Type-S should be 40k, so your opinion of member's shouldn't be mentioned

pyrodan007

Same as your biased opinion agreeing that the TLX is a home run just because you have one and SOME reviewers saying it's ok. They don't pay for stuff, any luxury car is ok. Give a reviewer 50k, I can assure you most if not all of them wouldn't buy a TLX.

Tesla1856

Thanks. Just saw this. I watched the one where he and his wife were sitting in front seats (not my kind of review), but I didn't know he did this one also.

This one was a much better review. We seem to have similar curiosities, interests, wants.

So, if I do a second test drive, I will be sure to press transmission Drive button twice to get to Sport Mode. I mistakenly thought that was only for Paddle-Shifters (and I was really more interested in testing 10-AT). There is so many features to test in a short period of time in a single test-drive (at least when the wife is along). But I'm sure you married guys know how important "WAF" is.

Since this is just an "electronic switch" I wonder why it is not a setting on Individual-Mode like the Engine and others?

GhostTL09

iTrader: (1)

What's the issue? I think you have moved on from Acura i believe, I don't do too much background here on people, but read my post about not defending the brand or personal feelings about the car. It was about compare/contrast reviewers with short possession of vehicle vs. those with a week or longer with the vehicle. However, you have made this all about you and your feelings. We don't care if it's Meh for you. Cool. I drove an A4 back in the day like 2005 as a 2006 model. It was Meh to me with the Quattro. Never been interested since. But like the other poster I didn't join the forum to give my opinion about Audi being Meh. That's just not interesting and it tells me there is a cover up for being so emotional bothered by a car you aren't even interested in. Remember that wasn't the purpose of my post. If you don't want to discuss that portion then this is the wrong thread honestly. There is an active bash 2G TLX thread going on right next door. So I ask again, do you feel there is a difference with type of review vs. length of time reviewer had the car? Some are extremely positive, some are neutral and some say Acura is still off the mark.

pyrodan007

Read my original comment, I clearly said I don't think he filmed himself in the back of seat. And review also mentioned hesitation. Of course every fanboy screams bloody murder when saying something slightly negative about it from review. Then you have Tony Pac saying every review is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Pretty desperate we can no longer comment on reviews. My following comments came after other's reactions to my comment.
I said not one word about my A4 today yet it's always assumed. I taking about the TLX versus everything.

fiatlux

Great review!

liquidh2o

If memory serves me right, Pyrodan was a pretty cordial poster until a dealer didn’t accommodate his request to buy out the remaining months of his TLX lease. Ever since then his TLX posts have been generally negative in nature.

He and another poster (forget his name but he’s since been banned) stand out as two who are overtly negative without (IMO) trying to really further actual discussion. Part of what turned me off from posting, still like to lurk though!

pyrodan007

Really, my comments turned you off not Acura's so-so reaction to the market. Right, it's my fault. I stand by my comment on the review. Not all of them are legit, the more positive they are the fishy-er they read. Alex on autos, red flag reviews, and straight pipes have actual reactions and not marketing bullshit.

I'm still pretty cordial, just now I don't assume anything from Acura. Products, service, and reliability have gone straight to the bottom. But not the prices.

Tesla1856

Welcome back.

Do you still own your Acura ?

liquidh2o

I left her in Germany but not before driving through most of Europe, was a blast. Been looking to jump back to Acura but life/family haven’t aligned with what Acura is pushing out. Almost jumped on the new RDX but the Hawaii markup and no AWD availability turned me off and ended up buying a used CX-5 to hold me over.

The new MDX may change that but we already have an Odyssey. Really want to pick up a 1st Gen TSX as well, that’s the Acura car that really won me over.

liquidh2o

Acura has done well enough, middling with the car lineup and advancing their SUV lines. I was hoping the new team in charge would bring back the TL/TSX magic but I feel like the ILX and TLX are missing the mark in terms of Price vs size/performance/quality, that’s what initially attracted me to, and why I fell in love with the TSX.

TLX (4-cyl) was alright, she checked the boxes but wasn’t one I’d bring home to mom and dad. I still like to keep tabs on Acura though.

And yes, I think when posters tend to inject overall negativity without much in the way of substantial discussion it can ruin the spirit of posting. Part of the fun is in sharing experiences together. Not saying critical discussion cannot take place but there’s a noticeable difference between that and bitterness/spite. I won’t say that’s what drives your posting, but you’re one of a handful whose posts have stood out (does Stew still post?).

Tesla1856

Could be, who knows.

I'm glad my infamous (deposited) white TLX finally got built, showed-up, and I got to go test-drive it finally. I ended-up telling them "it's OK, but no thanks ... show me something better". So, the Advance SH-AWD is even better ... pretty nice for $49k. If you are in the market for a new mid-sized sedan, and you liked Acuras at one time ... I suggest you at least go test-drive one.

I think some of those first demo cars were running old firmware versions on engine and/or 10-AT . Thing is, the over-air System Updates ... I think that is only for Infotainment, and interior cockpit stuff. I think any engine/drive-train/steering stuff still has to be updated by the Service Department with their Diagnostic computer. It should have all the 2021 TLX 2.0T files by now, but who knows.
And then, someone has to actually run the questionable cars through Service-Dept.
There is also the question of how the IDS and transmission were actually set during those runs in question.

Did you see the Matt Maran Motoring review on YT ? If so, turns out that my test-drive was more like that.

Tesla1856

We liked our 2014-MDX but situation changed and we were ready for a 5-seater. Since RDX is not a hybrid (and a little creature-comfort stripped), we ended up buying our first Audi.

Not sure if you heard, there is supposedly an all-new ILX coming soon . I think it might also be exclusive platform and all that.

mapleloaf

Best to not respond to negative or positive opinions expressed here by folks with no actual experience with the car. It becomes a pointless exercise, one that is repeated in many types of forums.

florissant

Link

The 2021 TLX Is What an Acura Sport Sedan Should Be

We've been waiting a long time for Acura to make this sort of car again. It was worth it.



Enthusiasts fell in love with Acura because its cars offered excellent Honda engineering with more luxury at an attainable price. But like its parent company, Acura drifted from the original formula in the 2000s and 2010s, and while sales remained strong, the thing that made Acura special faded away. But over the last few years, Acura has tried to win back enthusiasts. First with the amazing NSX, then with the surprisingly sporty RDX crossover, and now this, the second-generation TLX.

Here's how you know Acura is serious—the new TLX has a double-wishbone front suspension. It’s more expensive and harder to package than a McPherson strut, but it also provides superior ride and handling characteristics. Throughout the Nineties, Honda and Acura bucked the compact-car norm with double-wishbone front axles, but eventually switched to simpler, cheaper setups. The 2021 TLX rides on a dedicated platform with double wishbones at the front and a five-link setup out back. This is no fancified Accord, proof that Acura is putting in the work.

We appreciate the effort, and the chassis is the highlight of this new TLX. Our top-spec Advance trim tester felt more sport than luxury sedan, with a reassuringly taut ride. It's a little harsh on bad city roads at low speed, but opens up beautifully as speeds rise. Acura engineers worked on stiffening up the body structure for the new TLX, and this has provided the best combination for a great ride/handling balance—a stiff shell, with suspension that actually suspends. Advanced models also come with standard adaptive dampers that never feel too firm, even in their sportiest setting.



As standard, the TLX drives its front wheels, with Acura's Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) a $2000 option. You should tick the box for SH-AWD. This isn't a system that simply sends a little torque rearwards when it detects wheelspin. It can push 70 percent to the rear wheels, and of that, 100 percent can be split to either side. The effect? Amazing agility. Maintain a decent amount of throttle mid-corner, and the TLX will overdrive the outside rear wheel to help the car rotate. You can feel it working, especially in Sport mode, and it's great. SH-AWD makes the TLX corner unlike any other sport sedan, contributing to a wonderfully neutral balance.

The steering is lighter than you might expect, but it's quick and accurate. Like the NSX, the TLX uses a brake-by-wire system, and just as with the supercar, it's flawless. If no one told you it was by-wire, you'd probably never know. Pedal feel is excellent, with great bite right at the top, and even after some spirited runs on great sports-car roads outside of New York City, there was no fade.

I had higher hopes for the engine, though. The TLX comes standard with a version of Honda's familiar turbocharged K20 2.0-liter four-cylinder, here making 272 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. Peak power comes at 6500 rpm, though torque is a plateau from 1600 to 4500, and there's not much point (or fun) revving beyond that point. It's effective, if a little joyless. You could accuse us of being too nostalgic for old Honda screamers, but this engine is a lot more fun in the Civic Type R, where it wants to rip to redline as soon as it comes on boost. Engine sound is also digitally enhanced in the TLX's Sport mode and the digital augmentation is so coarse and unmusical, you might be tempted just to leave it in Normal. It's not a rough engine, so why give it a fake, gruff character?

Looking under the hood reveals something interesting—a lot of space between the engine and the firewall. Acura wanted to give this car the long "dash-to-axle ratio" traditionally a hallmark of rear-wheel drive cars, and to do that with this transverse-engine application, the firewall was simply moved further back. In engineering terms, this is silly, but the result is a great-looking car. The extra space will be filled somewhat by a twin-turbo V-6 in the upcoming Type S model. This muted gray doesn't do the car justice, but this is a handsome machine, with a far more purposeful, refined look than the previous TLX.

Back to mechanicals for a moment. The engine is paired with Honda's 10-speed automatic, and while 10 gears seems too many, you hardly notice the surplus. The paddles on the steering wheel feel cheap, but they actually respond well to driver commands, and the programming in auto mode is very good. You're never left wanting for a downshift. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to dream of what this car would be like with the Civic Type R's manual.

As much as Acura focused on winning over enthusiasts with this new TLX, the folks there know this car has to tempt people out of their BMWs and Audis. The exterior styling helps in that regard, as does the interior, which feels nicely premium. Perhaps not BMW or Audi good, but much better than the last TLX. I'm not yet convinced by the infotainment system, with its center-console trackpad control, though the heads-up display in this Advance trim car was excellent. With steering wheel controls, you can use the HUD to control navigation and media settings, and while the response times are a little slow, it's a very clever thing. Also available in the RDX, this HUD is useful beyond simply repeating information.

Oh, and the car makes cool sci-fi noises when you cycle through drive modes.


Old-school Honda and Acura fans will find a lot to like here. The new TLX is a very good sport sedan with a standout chassis, and sharp looks. And the price is very appealing. MSRP for a base model is $38,525, while our loaded tester stickers for just under $50,000. A TLX is cheaper than a similarly equipped A4 or 3-Series, while offering a bit more room and Honda's excellent reputation for reliability.

And if you don't think the engine is special enough, the V-6-powered Type S arrives next year.

bilirubin

I wondering that too. I'm hoping the "Sport+" mode in the Type S will also put the transmission in Sport Mode as well. Although double tapping the drive button is an easy solution IMO.