The TLX Type S was hyped up to be a phenomenal luxury sport sedan, competing with vehicles like the Audi S4 and BMW M340i. Instead, many have concluded that Acura’s vehicle has under delivered on its promises, having lackluster performance at best. Those people couldn't be more wrong. The TLX Type S has more up its sleeve than what first meets the eye, and (perhaps at the fault of Acura’s marketing team) many are unaware of just how special the TLX Type S is.



Addressing the elephant in the room, a stock TLX Type S is slow on paper compared to competitors. But Acura understands the purpose of its vehicle. It’s fast enough and handles well enough to give plenty of thrills as you commute or go on a spirited Sunday drive. It also has all the creature comforts one naturally expects from a luxury brand, and is a reliable car in a segment where competitors’ vehicles are infamous for becoming maintenance headaches. In short, the TLX Type S is a car that offers just as much fun, comfort, and convenience as competitors while also being more affordable (both upfront and in the long run). Most TLX Type S owners aren’t going to be taking their car to the track or drag strip, so does it really matter if some competitors inch it out in races?



But for those who really do need the car to be a bit faster, the big kicker is how much power and torque Acura has left on the table. Saying the car is under tuned from the factory is an understatement. Just a couple of cheap bolt-ons unlock an almost unbelievable amount of increased performance. So if you want equal (or even better) performance than competitors, you can get it. The Type S engine also has a forged crankshaft and connecting rods, which should give those that want to add some performance mods some peace of mind.

But Acura does not soup up its engines like this from the factory as it could risk tarnishing the company‘s reputation as a reliable brand. Additionally, more power means lower fuel economy. So Acura was smart in giving customers a car that is good enough from factory, but with strong enough internals that those who want to go crazy are absolutely able to. Another factor to mention is that the company honors a lengthy 6-year or 70,000 mile powertrain warranty on all vehicles, and adding unnecessary power just puts the company at more risk.



Here’s some numbers that might surprise you:

- A bone stock TLX Type S hits 0-60 in 5.1 seconds (not horrible but definitely slow compared to some competitors).

- Throw on a catless down-pipe, P2r throttle body, and custom inlet pipe and that’s good for a 0-60 time of 4.26 (pretty huge difference for such simple mods). Source

- Get rid of all of those mods and just use a plug and play JB4 chip and you get up to 80 more whp and 100 extra wtq. That's good for a 0-60 time of 4.58 seconds. Source



With the car being so new there will surely be even more affordable and simple performance mods that come out, and based on what we’re seeing so far, this car has HUGE potential. It’s fair to assume that getting the catless down-pipe, P2r throttle body, custom inlet pipe, and then also getting a custom chip (such as the JB4 one, or K-tuner also has a stage 1 chip coming soon and will likely be making a stage 2 in the future) could easily put you in the mid to high 3s in terms of 0-60 times. That is some serious performance!



So there you have it. If you want a super reliable luxury car that’s a little more thrilling than your every day commuter, but don't want to spend thousands more for a competing brand, this is a perfect car. If you really need the performance to be equal to or better than rivals, the option is there for you. But again, most will be perfectly happy with their stock TLX Type S.

UPDATE

Edit written below for the sake of clarification:



The mods mentioned above are negligibly cheap. The primary point being made in this article is these very cheap and easy to install mods allow the TLX Type S to deliver a huge bang for buck compared to competitors. That is, one can get this car and install these mods, and have a car quicker than more expensive competitors while still having spent less money overall.

These simple mods make the Type S significantly quicker than cars like the G70 and Kia Stinger, two cars that are often compared to the Type S, and cars that have caused the Type S to receive criticism. With a combination of a performance chip and some simple components (e.g. throttle body), the car should be in the 3s as it relates to 0-60 times. For the price point that is phenomenal performance for doing so little to the car so cheaply. There isn't any data out yet that shows numbers for a TLX Type S with both a chip and some bolt-on mods. The car is very new so with time we will get to see exactly what is in store!



For those who don't care about the actual numbers on paper as it relates to performance, the secondary point being made is that the TLX Type S is perfectly adequate if you're looking for a fast sedan that handles great, but still gives you top-notch luxury/creature comforts. That is - while on paper something like a Stinger or G70 might be marginally quicker and cheaper, the speed difference isn't noticeable unless you're on a drag strip. With that said, Acura has an undeniable edge over the Korean cars when it comes to other aspects (like build quality)!



As a final point, this article is not meant to claim competing cars are not good. The Kia Stinger is arguably the best car in its segment, and the M340i is a MONSTER. This article is meant to squash the claim that the TLX Type S is a bad car. The TLX Type S does absolutely everything Acura promised - and then some. Some of the criticism the car has received may be warranted, but not to the point its at now, where there's a public consensus that this car is a flop. After reading this, the hope is that the car has at least a little more respect as a great option for those looking for a luxury sport sedan without breaking the bank.



If you’re interested in ordering a TLX Type S or any other new Acura without paying a dealer markup, you can contact me by emailing louis.levene@leithcars.com or hitting the “contact us” button on the website!