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Acura hopes to position its new 2021 TLX luxury sports sedan as a tweener: priced like a compact luxury sedan, but sized to compete with more-expensive luxury midsized sedans.
Initially, the 2021 Acura TLX will be offered with front- or all-wheel drive and a 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. In spring 2021, a high-performance Type S version with AWD and a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine making approximately 355 hp will be available.
Even though SUVs continue to proliferate, Acura says premium sedans still comprise enough of the market today that it makes sense for the automaker to invest in the TLX.
While we have plans to buy one as soon as they go on sale, we took the opportunity to rent one from the automaker to get some early first impressions.
If you’re a Consumer Reports member, our initial assessment of the 2021 Acura TLX is available to you here. We plan to put it through more than 50 tests at CR's Auto Test Center, including those that evaluate acceleration, braking, fuel economy, handling, car-seat fit, and controls. CR members will get access to the full road-test results as soon as they’re available.
If you haven’t signed up to become a member yet, you can click below to do so and access this full article and all our exclusive ratings and reviews for each vehicle we buy and test. Joining also gives you full access to exclusive ratings for the other products our experts evaluate in several categories, including electronics and home appliances.
Sign up for CR's Cars email newsletter to be notified when we post our latest road-test results, including when we have our full test results on the 2021 Acura TLX.
What we drove: 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD A-Spec Powertrain: 272-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine; 10-speed automatic transmission; all-wheel drive. MSRP: $46,250 Options: Performance Red Pearl paint ($500) Total options: $500 Destination fee: $1,025 Total cost: $47,775
CR's Take
Following the demise of the RLX, Acura sees the TLX as a viable option in both the compact sports sedan and midsized sedan classes. The 2021 Acura TLX skews larger than its direct competitors, such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But given the TLX’s driving experience, we think it also straddles high-end nonluxury sedans such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
The new car is roomy and has sharp styling inside and out. But it's saddled with Acura's unintuitive touchpad-based infotainment system and push-button gear selector, both of which require extra attention to operate. Acura does include a variety of advanced safety equipment, including forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, as standard equipment. But, disappointingly, blind spot warning isn't available on the base version.
What We Like So Far
Engine: The turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder feels eager and energetic, similar to how the same engine performed in the RDX that we tested.
Transmission: Historically, Honda (Acura’s parent company) was known for making excellent transmissions. It seems that the automaker got its gearbox mojo working with this 10-speed automatic. In our brief experience, the automatic worked very well, with well-timed part-throttle downshifts and fast gear changes when accelerating.
Fit and finish: Acura has said that one of its goals is to lift the quality of its interiors throughout its model line. So far, at least with this A-Spec trim, the automaker seems to have succeeded. There are attractive leather panels throughout, with actual soft-touch surfaces where you'd expect them, such as on armrests and the tops of door panels. The padded wrist-rest on the center console, to support the driver’s arm when using the touchpad, is a nice touch. Company representatives pointed out that the metal trim is real metal and the wood trim is the genuine thing—no wood- or metal-look plastics or stickers.
Seat comfort: All of the CR staffers who drove the TLX praised the firm seats for being comfortable and supportive. There are plenty of adjustments, including standard four-way lumbar support for the driver and passenger. The head restraint was well positioned, and the seatback was comfortable for even the most broad-shouldered drivers.
Cabin room: According to Acura’s measurements, the TLX is competitive in exterior dimensions with the midsized Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. At the least, the TLX is quite roomy inside, with plenty of space up front for the driver and passenger. Much like the Cadillac CT5, the Acura’s interior skews larger than its competitors in the compact luxury sedan segment. Of course, we’ll test how comfortable the car is during our interior evaluations.
Visibility: The TLX has good visibility to the sides and rear. Its roof pillars are mostly slim, and the windows are decently sized, even with the sleek styling. The backup camera and rear cross traffic warning come in handy when reversing, however. A few drivers noted that they felt the dashboard and hood are quite high, particularly because you sit low in the TLX.
Ride comfort: While Acura says it chose to skew the 2021 TLX’s ride to be more sporty than previous models, so far it doesn’t seem to have resulted in an overly firm or rough ride. In fact, ride comfort is good, with most bumps smoothed out by the suspension.
Safety: All trim levels come standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance, as well as adaptive cruise control. However, there could be improvements.
What We Don't Like
Blind spot warning not standard: For some reason, Acura doesn’t equip the base-level TLX with blind spot warning. Buyers are forced to move up to the Tech Package/trim in order to get this feature. This means that the TLX won’t be able to get full safety points in its Overall Score when we test it.
Controls: The TLX is the second model to use Acura’s True Touchpad Interface, after the system debuted on the RDX SUV. We still find the system’s controls to be extremely distracting to use. Even after a number of software updates, the touchpad is very sensitive and jumpy. It forces drivers to divert their attention from the road too often and for too long.
Unfortunately, the touchpad is the main way to interact with the system. Unlike most competitors, Acura doesn’t use a touch screen as an alternate way of using the system. It also makes interacting with Apple CarPlay very difficult, because the “cursor” moves linearly, from row to row, instead of being able to jump to a specific selection. Even the addition of a volume knob and rocker switch to change audio stations doesn’t do much to lessen the driver’s distraction and frustration. The system can also be interacted with via voice commands.
Engine sound: The tinny engine note is completely out of place for a car that’s positioned as a sporty, almost aggressive option in the class.
Road noise: Road noise is very evident, particularly on coarse pavement. It doesn't befit the compact sport sedan class, and it's out of place for the midsized luxury sedan class that Acura is aspiring to challenge.
Size of text & icons: Some of the information in the instrument cluster is oddly small, making it a real challenge to read at a glance. The fuel economy data and some of the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) information is made up of thin, tiny letters that are a challenge to read even when the car is parked, let alone while driving.
Drive mode knob: This prominent device first appeared on the RDX, and it takes up an equally sizable piece of real estate in the TLX. We can’t believe that drivers are using the modes so often that Acura dedicates a big piece of the dashboard to it—space that would be better served for more conventional controls or a storage cubby.
Cabin access: Similar to the Honda Civic, the TLX is quite low-slung and has prominent door sills. Some drivers may find it challenging to get in and out of the sedan. The comfort exit feature on our rented TLX, which pulls the seat back when the ignition is shut off and slides it forward when the car is restarted, might make access easier for some.
What We'll Keep Our Eyes On
Handling capability: The TLX uses an all-new platform, and with that Acura went back to using a double-wishbone front suspension for the sedan. This is a more complicated and expensive design than they used in the last TLX, and its main advantage is that it should improve the car’s handling. In everyday use our testers found that the TLX was quick to respond to steering inputs, whether on fast sweepers on the highway or tighter, slower ones on back roads. That said, it didn't possess a particularly sporty character like that of a competing BMW, Cadillac, or Mercedes-Benz. We’ll see how it truly handles when we put our own TLX through its paces on our track.
Fuel economy: Acura said the base FWD TLX will get an EPA estimated 22 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined, while an AWD one will get 21/29/24, respectively, on the recommended premium gasoline. We’ve seen some of the competitors that Acura calls out do well in our fuel economy tests, such as the Audi A4 (27 mpg overall), BMW 330i (29 mpg), and Mercedes-Benz C300 (26 mpg). So we’re interested to see if the TLX can approach or meet those mpg figures in our tests.
Controls: Acura says that it has issued a number of software updates to the infotainment system, so we’ll definitely be looking to see if they have addressed any of the headaches we experienced with the system in our tested RDX and this borrowed car.
Value proposition: The TLX not only straddles the compact and midsized luxury car segments but also can be considered against some top-trim midsized sedans, like the Honda Accord, Kia Optima, and Mazda6. In addition, the Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry, and Subaru Legacy all can be equipped with AWD. And the top trimlines of these cars cost the same or less than the base TLX.
Blind spot warning not standard: For some reason, Acura doesn’t equip the base-level TLX with blind spot warning. Buyers are forced to move up to the Tech Package/trim in order to get this feature. This means that the TLX won’t be able to get full safety points in its Overall Score when we test it.
Last I checked, the Germans upcharge for this too.
Blind spot warning not standard: For some reason, Acura doesn’t equip the base-level TLX with blind spot warning. Buyers are forced to move up to the Tech Package/trim in order to get this feature. This means that the TLX won’t be able to get full safety points in its Overall Score when we test it.
Last I checked, the Germans upcharge for this too.
Depends on the model the M440 standard equipment Active Driving Assistant, includes Frontal Collision Warning, Active Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, and Speed Limit Info. Expect its an ala carte or packaged item on other lines. That said think 100% of the safety gear
Active Guard, with Frontal Collison Warning and Automatic City Collision Mitigation and Braking, Active Protection System detects imminent accidents, then prepares by automatically pretensioning safety belts, closing windows, and activating post-crash braking; includes Fatigue and Focus Alert feature BMW Assist eCall™ includes Emergency Request (SOS button) and Enhanced Automatic Collision Notification Impact sensor that activates Battery Safety Terminal disconnect of alternator, fuel pump and starter from battery; automatically unlocks doors; and turns on hazard and interior lights. Active Knee Protection.Automatic safety-belt pretensioners.
Is available as standard or available on all the cars.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 12-08-2020 at 07:53 PM.
I respect CR, my Dad read it more than the Bible, but the things they chose to gripe about never cease to amaze me. Especially infotainment. I've always felt that Lexus and now the Acura touch-pad systems are fine. I do not want fingerprints on my screen! There is no infotainment system out there that doesn't require a learning curve. If you are deep diving into your settings - any settings - while driving - you're distracted, whether you are taking eyes off the road or not, and shame on you for doing so. Set your settings when stationary and if you need to set them again, wait until stationary again. In my TLX and my Lexus before it, I was able to do simple vehicle and audio related tasks while driving - with steering wheel controls and voice commands.
I'm surprised they complained about road noise, because the 1G TLX is regarded as fairly quiet and I would assume the 2G would be better. Plus, they complain about the noise on coarse pavement, but I have yet to drive any car that's quiet over rough pavement, and some of that noise depends on the tires anyway. My old Saab 9-5 Aero had pretty low road noise, but with winter tires on concrete pavement it was deafening.
I'm surprised they complained about road noise, because the 1G TLX is regarded as fairly quiet and I would assume the 2G would be better. Plus, they complain about the noise on coarse pavement, but I have yet to drive any car that's quiet over rough pavement, and some of that noise depends on the tires anyway. My old Saab 9-5 Aero had pretty low road noise, but with winter tires on concrete pavement it was deafening.
Totally agree that other factors may be at play.
Having said that, their A-Spec doesn't have the front acoustic glass but the Advance trim does.
I'm surprised they complained about road noise, because the 1G TLX is regarded as fairly quiet and I would assume the 2G would be better. Plus, they complain about the noise on coarse pavement, but I have yet to drive any car that's quiet over rough pavement, and some of that noise depends on the tires anyway. My old Saab 9-5 Aero had pretty low road noise, but with winter tires on concrete pavement it was deafening.
I'll grant them that gripe - there is some road noise, admittedly. Solution: drown it out with that 17 speakery ELS goodness. Sometimes I think all the automotive reviews at CR are written by this guy:
Last edited by Flapjackura; 12-09-2020 at 08:57 AM.
I'll grant them that gripe - there is some road noise, admittedly. Solution: drown it out with that 17 speakery ELS goodness. Sometimes I think all the automotive reviews at CR are written by this guy:
Hear that a lot when they thump someone's favorite brand.
Looks like a reasonably serious operation to me.
They have their biases (Gabe always seems to LOVE German cars etc etc) but you're correct - they're real "car people" and not to be automatically discounted.
Hear that a lot when they thump someone's favorite brand.
Looks like a reasonably serious operation to me.
That's an impressive test track but the quality of the review doesn't live up to expectations, especially for something that's a paid service for "insider" information. The 2-3 sentences per point pale in comparison to the often free, expert reviews on the internet. The write-up barely covers more than my consumer review on Edmunds and I don't do car reviews for a living.
A while ago when I was searching for a car, I paid for a one month CR Insider subscription to their Car Reviews/Details. At the time, it gave me "insider" info such as holdbacks, their cost of advertising, and also invoice pricing but invoice was already starting to be well known, especially on sites such as Edmunds. I didn't get much advantage in that one month (I was a good haggler even back then) and I really didn't get much out of this CR review of the TLX that I couldn't get for free elsewhere.
I agree with Tony Pac that CR's primary value are their reviews on consumer electronics and household appliances. Cars are not their forte (with or without the nice test track).
That's an impressive test track but the quality of the review doesn't live up to expectations, especially for something that's a paid service for "insider" information. The 2-3 sentences per point pale in comparison to the often free, expert reviews on the internet. The write-up barely covers more than my consumer review on Edmunds and I don't do car reviews for a living.
A while ago when I was searching for a car, I paid for a one month CR Insider subscription to their Car Reviews/Details. At the time, it gave me "insider" info such as holdbacks, their cost of advertising, and also invoice pricing but invoice was already starting to be well known, especially on sites such as Edmunds. I didn't get much advantage in that one month (I was a good haggler even back then) and I really didn't get much out of this CR review of the TLX that I couldn't get for free elsewhere.
I agree with Tony Pac that CR's primary value are their reviews on consumer electronics and household appliances. Cars are not their forte (with or without the nice test track).
Of course they have a nice track. They ask you to pay for their useless reviews. As you have mentioned, there are plenty of free and better reviews out there. Just check https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks
Free but very nice and complete reviews provided by USNEWS. I rather watch AoA, Sofiyan, SG, TSP and others. At least that's what they do for living...review cars all day long, 365 days a year. Sure some of them have their biases but there is nothing perfect in this world. As far as I remember CR was used by my family members to buy stove or fridge since Internet wasn't very popular back then But if anyone likes CR reviews and believes that they are great. I am completely fine with that. We are all free!
In their defense, CR does say that their review is based on early impressions and that they intend to buy a TLX-2 for more thorough testing. That said, I predict their predictably and increasingly tiresome biases against the infotainment system will continue. They seem very resistant to new technology and seem unwilling to see the bright side of a track pad, which I personally think was and is a great idea - and with continued refinement is a great way to appeal to the luxury car buyer who does not want grungy fingerprints all over the screen that's showing them their google earth map.
In their defense, CR does say that their review is based on early impressions and that they intend to buy a TLX-2 for more thorough testing. That said, I predict their predictably and increasingly tiresome biases against the infotainment system will continue. They seem very resistant to new technology and seem unwilling to see the bright side of a track pad, which I personally think was and is a great idea - and with continued refinement is a great way to appeal to the luxury car buyer who does not want grungy fingerprints all over the screen that's showing them their google earth map.
You mean you don't like the look of this?!?! You're weird 😂 And if True Touch can avoid my screens from looking like this, im all for it! Whats a few minutes of a learning curve compared to the amount of time you have to stare at this mess.
In their defense, CR does say that their review is based on early impressions and that they intend to buy a TLX-2 for more thorough testing. That said, I predict their predictably and increasingly tiresome biases against the infotainment system will continue. They seem very resistant to new technology and seem unwilling to see the bright side of a track pad, which I personally think was and is a great idea - and with continued refinement is a great way to appeal to the luxury car buyer who does not want grungy fingerprints all over the screen that's showing them their google earth map.
I watched SG's review of the 2019 RDX for the first time yesterday (it is required viewing when also watching the TLX review). Mark covered the infotainment very extensively and made a good point that a lot of us have grown up with laptops and the use of that particular method of using the trackpad is baked into our DNA. I also agree that if Acura had simply left a "mouse cursor/arrow", then fewer folks would object to the tech. Acura is essentially hoping that folks will accept their method (which only open-minded folks will do) but completely alienating the rest of the population. Even if Acura has superior technology, no one would ever know it due to lackluster sales.
I'm hoping Acura can fix the Car Play to match the OS interface b/c it's quite jarring when switching b/w the two. I'm guessing the Android version has no such issues since the OS is really just a much older version of Android.
I watched SG's review of the 2019 RDX for the first time yesterday (it is required viewing when also watching the TLX review). Mark covered the infotainment very extensively and made a good point that a lot of us have grown up with laptops and the use of that particular method of using the trackpad is baked into our DNA. I also agree that if Acura had simply left a "mouse cursor/arrow", then fewer folks would object to the tech. Acura is essentially hoping that folks will accept their method (which only open-minded folks will do) but completely alienating the rest of the population. Even if Acura has superior technology, no one would ever know it due to lackluster sales.
I'm hoping Acura can fix the Car Play to match the OS interface b/c it's quite jarring when switching b/w the two. I'm guessing the Android version has no such issues since the OS is really just a much older version of Android.
Agreed. For me, coming from a Lexus, and as someone who uses Apple CP extensively, the change to Acura's interface was not terribly jarring. Let's face it, though - for any infotainment system there is a learning curve, from the simplest touchscreens to the more complicated track pad systems. None of them should be deep-dived into while on the move. Reviewers bitching about infotainment ease of use are bitching about an ease of use that isn't intended by the auto maker in the first place. Taking one's eyes off the road is a distraction, yes - but so is thinking about fiddling with infotainment while driving and trying to hunt around blindly while keeping eyes peeled firmly to the road. You're seeing the road but not really SEEING it because you are thinking about something else. That's a distraction too. When CR continually gripes "infotainment is needlessly complicated, requiring the driver to take their eyes off the road too often", to me, that's a gripe about the driver, not the car. And I also think their reviewers copy/paste that quoted line into their review of every single Lexus - it's a tiresome mantra with them.
Is Acura lumped in with Honda or does it just fall out of the top 25?
If I am not mistaken it's based on UK. Acura doesn't exist there. I posted this to show that CR says Porsche is less reliable than Buick hahah! and Audi is less reliable than Nissan SMH!
CR is the best - of course they have that beautiful track and amazing journalists sitting to review cars.
I come in every now and then, but I'm interested in hearing the problems of the 2G. Far as I can tell its nowhere near like the 15-17 TLX models so far. I know they took a while testing this thing so hopefully they had those early models in mind
Blind spot warning not standard: For some reason, Acura doesn’t equip the base-level TLX with blind spot warning. Buyers are forced to move up to the Tech Package/trim in order to get this feature. This means that the TLX won’t be able to get full safety points in its Overall Score when we test it.
Last I checked, the Germans upcharge for this too.
I have owned two Goldwing motorcycles. The last a 2009. Honda decided when they came out with a built in navigation option that the only way to get ABS brakes was to pay $3,000 (on a basically $20,000 motorcycle) to get ABS and navigation. That told me a lot about Honda’s culture that had a evolved over the years....in a bad way.
Don’t rely on others to tell you what you like. Go sit in it, play with it, and drive it. Your likes will be different from those who test professionally so make your own decisions.
I’m 70% G70 but I’ll wait for the Type S.
You mean you don't like the look of this?!?! You're weird 😂 And if True Touch can avoid my screens from looking like this, im all for it! Whats a few minutes of a learning curve compared to the amount of time you have to stare at this mess.
Fun fact, I use the little knob on my 08 TL-S in order to avoid fingerprints on the display. I have put a couple of people on the back of milk cartons for smudging my display, they will not be missed.
Fun fact, I use the little knob on my 08 TL-S in order to avoid fingerprints on the display. I have put a couple of people on the back of milk cartons for smudging my display, they will not be missed.
No fingers on the screen almost all of the time. Two things
Dial as a mouse or written input on its surface (almost never used). Functional touch buttons for main functions.
These push buttons can be programed to match a finger touch to whatever screen is up.
Last are the right hand steering wheel buttons which will control some of the same functions as the screen.
My favorite while driving is the mouse as you don't have to really spend time looking & reaching. Expect the younger guys might like the touch screen better.
Last edited by BEAR-AvHistory; 12-12-2020 at 01:41 PM.
No fingers on the screen almost all of the time. Two things
Dial as a mouse or written input on its surface (almost never used). Functional touch buttons for main functions.
These push buttons can be programed to match a finger touch to whatever screen is up.
Last are the right hand steering wheel buttons which will control some of the same functions as the screen.
My favorite while driving is the mouse as you don't have to really spend time looking & reaching. Expect the younger guys might like the touch screen better.
One of my cars has the touchscreen only, no knobs as secondary input and I’m really not a fan. At least it’s mounted really low in the dash so it’s not super obvious, but every once in a while the sun will hit it just right and it looks like I use my tongue to operate the touchscreen...
Fun fact, I use the little knob on my 08 TL-S in order to avoid fingerprints on the display. I have put a couple of people on the back of milk cartons for smudging my display, they will not be missed.
I'm the same way also and that's due to my OCD. I hate finger prints on anything, drives me nuts. If I rent a vehicle, I immediately get it washed and i'll detail the interior. I'll get upset if my wife allows her co-workers in our vehicle because they will touch everything.. Even the dog or cat gets hell for messing up my vac. lines on the area rugs in the house. I'm a bit more extreme when it comes to being clean and organized, my wife think it's because i'm anxious and cleaning helps me deal with some of it. Sometimes I wish such things didn't bother me as much.
No fingers on the screen almost all of the time. Two things
Dial as a mouse or written input on its surface (almost never used). Functional touch buttons for main functions.
These push buttons can be programed to match a finger touch to whatever screen is up.
Last are the right hand steering wheel buttons which will control some of the same functions as the screen.
My favorite while driving is the mouse as you don't have to really spend time looking & reaching. Expect the younger guys might like the touch screen better.
I really dont know why. I hate reaching and touching while trying to drive. I hated that in my mom Accord, this newer accord. Please give me something to turn or a mouse in a reachable spot
I have been a paying CR customer for years and I do participate in their car reliability surveys. Ths preliminary review was reasonably positive for them. They absolutely panned the RLX, and it frankly deserved it. "Tinny" engine? Sounds like the reviewer likes V6s or V8s, and that's OK, they should reveal that bias. I do disagree with their comment about BSM...the Germans upcharge for that, too, in some of their cars. Hopefully, the full TLX rerview will be positive. Will be waiting to see it!
I have been a paying CR customer for years and I do participate in their car reliability surveys. Ths preliminary review was reasonably positive for them. They absolutely panned the RLX, and it frankly deserved it. "Tinny" engine? Sounds like the reviewer likes V6s or V8s, and that's OK, they should reveal that bias. I do disagree with their comment about BSM...the Germans upcharge for that, too, in some of their cars. Hopefully, the full TLX rerview will be positive. Will be waiting to see it!
Hopefully you or someone posts the final CR review as I'd like to read it as well.
The only disadvantage for them getting it out so late is that folks will charge them with cherry-picking the best points from established reviews and not being able to add any insight overall. I have the same concern for Edmunds as they don't appear too rushed to give a rating for this redesign although nearly every other major site already has reviewed it!
I have been a paying CR customer for years and I do participate in their car reliability surveys. Ths preliminary review was reasonably positive for them. They absolutely panned the RLX, and it frankly deserved it. "Tinny" engine? Sounds like the reviewer likes V6s or V8s, and that's OK, they should reveal that bias. I do disagree with their comment about BSM...the Germans upcharge for that, too, in some of their cars. Hopefully, the full TLX rerview will be positive. Will be waiting to see it!
Also send in the reliability surveys. You get enough hits on something dumb or not right it starts to get more real as these are people who paid money for the car & are living with it.
12-08-2020, 02:20 PM
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