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Father of two, husband to one here giving first impressions of my ’21 Type S Apex Blue Pearl. I’m prequalifying by saying I’m definitely not a crazed Honda Fanboy. Do I like the brand…yes. Can I objectively review my vehicle purchase…yes. Have I owned Honda’s in the past…yes (‘86 Accord, ’04 S2000, ’06 Civic, 08’ Accord V6, 14’ Odyssey ’21 TLX Type S). Still have the S2000, Ody and obviously TLX Type S. Am I aware of the Honda/Acura Engineering and Design lull from ~2008-2018…yes. It’s likely longer than that 10 year period, but objectively speaking I’m aware of it.
21’ TLX Type S
Apex Blue Pearl
In Canada, all Type S’s come with:
Y-Spoke Rims w/ performance tires
Heated Steering Wheel
Engine Block Heater (well, you could opt out of this I suppose)
Options:
3M Front Bumper + Hood + Side Mirrors
All-Weather Mats (on back order)
Underbody Side Spoiler (on back order)
Ceramic Paint Coating
Rust & Sound Deadening Coating – underbody
Tint 25% - all seven windows (regretting this now…)
EXTERIOR:
Completely subjective, but I’m very happy with how it looks. I wish I would have purchased white as the blue to me is too boisterous and more difficult to keep shiny, clean and new. It definitely looks great though.
The Type S specific changes (front lip, rear diffuser, different grill, intercooler, larger red brakes, exhaust) look great IMO. The elongated hood and rear fender flare’s really give the car a great looking stance. The car itself is wide and you can really tell. The exhaust looks great too! Wish the bark matched the bite though (the exhaust looks like it should be louder than it is). The stance overall is aggressive and looks great.
The rims look awesome and the way it shows off the brakes are outstanding. I’m not looking forward to purchasing winter rims and tires for this car. I don’t see much clearance around the brake caliper. I might be stuck buying 20’s. Anyone know if 19” rims will fit?
The headlights/taillights with the chicane look fantastic. The LED’s do a great job of lighting the road at night and the auto-high beams turn on and off right when they should. I really like the fact that when the high beams are on, both high and low beams are illuminating the road.
One of my nits to pick are why not make the underbody side spoiler standard? Once you see it installed, it ties front to back nicely. Without it, it looks like something is missing. Mine is scheduled for install next week.
Lastly, I’m not sure why, but pictures don’t do this car justice. It just looks so different in person. If you haven’t had a chance to see one yet, do. It’s lower, wider and more polished in person.
INTERIOR:
I gotta say, this feels much different from the last few gens of Honda/Acura’s. The interior feels more sophisticated, refined and upscale.
The split screen infotainment system is good. It’s relatively quick and responsive. Each day I find myself becoming more and more comfortable with its operation. I thought I’d prefer a scroll wheel or touch-screen, but I’m really liking how this works. I like that I don't need to reach for a touch screen (and get finger prints on it) and don't need to cycle through with a scroll wheel. Just push the desired space on the touchpad and go. I really REALLY like the split screen too. Being able to display (and control!) two things simultaneously on screen is fantastic. The feedback and sound of moving through the menu feels and sounds premium as well.
The seats are also fantastic. The adjustable bolstering, lumber and extendable bottom cushion are comfortable and customizable. I’m 6’3” with long legs, so the extendable bottom cushion is a welcome addition. The heated flat-bottom steering wheel feels premium and the buttons are truly all located exactly where I’d want them. I haven’t used the heated windshield feature yet, but once our Canadian winters hit, I’ll be glad to have it.
The wireless charging works satisfactory. I believe it’s a 15W charger. I have a leather flip case holding my Iphone 11 and it works just fine. In about 30 minutes of charging, my phone gained 15% of charge. 3.5 hours to fully charge a phone is little excessive, but it’s definitely enough to give you a little extra boost when out and about. I assume if you plug in via USB, you will get some fast charging. Will test that out later.
Now let’s talk about the stereo. It’s REALLY impressive. Not because it’s completely distortion free; at any volume. Not because the bass is punchy and loud (I would have preferred more vibration out of the bass though. I may add a sub). It’s because no matter the volume, the lows, mids and highs are all CLEAR, PUNCHY, and CRISP. I am genuinely impressed. If you’ve got a TLX, make sure you download some lossless audio onto a USB (.flac files). There’s a noticeable difference between SiriusXM, Bluetooth Audio vs USB lossless.
Why no wireless Android Auto or Apple Car Play though? That’s a little annoying. I think the ‘22 Civic has it. Knowing Honda/Acura, they will implement in MY2022 or something.
The interior lighting looks great at night. Gives a premium feel without being tacky. I do wish the car had Heads-Up display like other TLX’s though. Not sure why they didn’t include that. The piano black trim is also nice when new, but it’s definitely not going to look this way in a few months or years. It’s definitely prone to scratching.
The heated/ventilated seats work wonderfully. A nice touch by Honda/Acura is they have tied this into the Auto climate control. You can set your seats to auto and if it’s above your desired temperature, the ventilation starts immediately until the cabin reaches your set temp. This is such a great feature! Heating works the same.
The one thing I wish they would have done better, but I understand they went for form over function is the interior space is a touch small. It’s definitely “just enough” space, but for anyone coming from previous models will notice less interior space. But honestly, it really is “just enough” space inside. Our family of four is comfortable. We also have an Odyssey for longer trips with the family. The vehicle looks great and the proportions are spot on. The trade off is interior space. Something to note here is the seats can travel WAY back. I've got long legs and don't adjust my seat all the way back. If you're under 6'1", adjust your seat accordingly and you may have more rear seat space than you thought possible.
I really don’t have any other nits to pick about the interior. There’s plenty of storage space, controls are all located where they should be and it feels like you could spend many a mile (or kilometer!) in here.
RIDE:
The adaptive dampers work well. Comfort mode is casual and quiet with a decent amount of feedback. More than you expect actually. This is great for highway driving. Normal amps up the feedback to a good level. I think this is perfect around town. Sport and Sport+ feel much more racy and involved. If you’re up for some spirited driving, either one of these will do. I’d say the ride in Comfort and Normal offers great feedback without punishing your occupants. Sport and Sport+ when you’re out for a good time.
Love the transmission logic, specifically when drive mode is set to S and dynamic mode is in Sport and Sport+. It seems to always know what gear to be in. I really don’t think you’ll need to use the paddle shifters at all. Most of the online reviewers noted the transmission feels different between the Type S and standard TLX. I assume it’s been beefed up for this application.
Let’s get to one annoying thing though. The throttle response in Comfort or Normal. It’s weird. Sometimes it’s fine, but sometimes there is a delay. Whether I’m starting from a stop or mashing the pedal while on the move it rears it’s ugly head. It’s a minor thing, but it’s something you will come across every day driving. Especially since that’s the mode you are likely to be in 80%+ of the time. Sometimes it’s annoyingly delayed. Like 1, 2 and GO kind of thing. I’m not sure if it’s the transmission logic or the turbo waiting to spool up. It’s annoying, but not a deal breaker. In any other mode (or if the transmission is in “S” mode) or if you break-stand (launch control) the vehicle, it works great every time.
HANDLING:
You can really tell the suspension has been beefed up in the Type S. During my adolescence, I used to tune cars (suspensions, stereos, exhaust). Mostly J-body cars, but we would install Eibach springs or coilovers, heavy duty bushings, or install beefy anti-roll bars and strut tower braces into vehicles so they would corner like on rails. I have got to say, this thing handles amazingly! Is it heavy…yes. Do you notice it while driving…I’d say not really. It just feels solid and unflappable.
The way the suspension is setup and the way the car turns you into corners is also remarkable. I know the SH-AWD will overdrive the outer rear wheel to help push you into the corner, but even during no-acceleration corning, I’m VERY impressed. Fun fact is we have large curbs as you enter/exit driveways in our town. Most cars will always keep all four wheels on the ground when going up or down (at a 45 degree angle). The cars with modified suspensions would be so stiff, they would always hang one rear wheel up in the air as you were coming down the curb. You knew cars were stiff and buttoned down with those suspension mods. Well, the Type S has been doing the same. I can really see and feel how stiff and rigid this frame is. I’m impressed.
SAFETY FEATURES/NANNIES:
Nothing illuminating here. The safety features and nannies function exactly as intended. I’ve not once thought it was over bearing. If I’m veering out of my lane while driving, the steering wheel jiggles and pushes me back into the center of the lane. If I’m backing out somewhere the cross traffic sensors alert me. Everything seems to work great.
The adaptive cruise control works exactly as you expect as well. There are some nice touches that I’d like to point out though. Cruise controls remembers if it is enabled or disabled each time you start the car. Plenty of other vehicles make you enable cruise then set your speed. I’m glad this just stays on. Two other thoughtful features with cruise are it tells you the actual speed you’ve set and let’s you change it in 1km/h increments. The other is it tells you if your speed is being limited by a vehicle in front of you. This is a BIG deal. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the highway, chatting with my occupants only to realize we’ve been driving slower than I indeed for many miles. There’s a visual que above the adaptive cruise icon that displays another vehicle so you know when that’s happening.
I do have a nit to pick with the surround view camera. The resolution of the camera’s are not great. Why they wouldn’t have equipped this with something better is a little silly. It seems out of place when I turn those cameras on, especially when I see the resolution of screen with the menus and navigation.
One last thing I’d like to point out. I never knew I wanted this feature, but the front camera reads traffic signs and displays the speed limit of the road I am traveling on. So often I’m checking with my wife “hey, what was the speed limit here again”. I just need to look down and see. It’s such a nice little feature that I end up looking at WAY more than I expected.
FUEL ECOMONY:
Its definitely not great. I’ve filled up twice and am getting 11.2/100km (21 MPG). I was hoping for more, but it’s far from class leading.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
Overall, I’ve really had a lot of fun with this vehicle. The balance of sport and luxury are spot on for me. I’m happy to maintain a Japanese vehicle over the German (or Korean) competition. I generally keep vehicles for 10+ years, so reliability and longevity are important to me. Yes, I know Acura (and Honda) have had issues in the recent past, but all of our Honda’s (except the S2K) have been driven over 300,000km’s without any problems. Fingers crossed that trend continues.
From what I’ve been reading, Acura has acknowledged that they’ve rested on their laurels for quite some time and that an injection of sport and luxury needs to happen to the brand. The RDX was a great step in the right direction. I believe most car mags agreed. The TLX seems like another positive step with the MDX being yet another good step as well. Fingers are crossed that Acura can bring back the glory of years past. Hopefully we all get to experience the ride back up to the top (well, at least back up shoulder to shoulder with others at the top).
BTW…I am terrible at taking photos, but I’ve included some below.
Cheers! My kids were inside playing. Didn't notice until after the fact they had opened the door during pictures. Front seats adjusted to my driving position. Rear seat leg room not great, but definitely better than some others.
Father of two, husband to one here giving first impressions of my ’21 Type S Apex Blue Pearl.
How is not being Mormon relevant to this
I had the same experience you did with the transmission. In normal mode, sometimes it feels like it's thinking or doing something before engaging the gear. Doesn't happen in Sport, but it does seem like the transmission tuning could use a bit of work for driveability. I agree that the tuning in sport mode is really good, as long as you don't "fight" it by using the paddles.
Quick question: how tall are you? I'm 5'8 with a 30-31" inseam and with the front seat adjusted for my height, I had about the same amount of rear legroom as you do in your picture. Someone else mentioned they're significantly taller than me and had more rear legroom than I did, so I'm curious if it's because I sit farther back than most.
Quick question: how tall are you? I'm 5'8 with a 30-31" inseam and with the front seat adjusted for my height, I had about the same amount of rear legroom as you do in your picture. Someone else mentioned they're significantly taller than me and had more rear legroom than I did, so I'm curious if it's because I sit farther back than most.
OP said that they are 6'-3".
FWIW, I'm glad to see the comments about the touchpad. I'm tired of hearing people whine about touch screens. Who's got the time to wipe a touch screen down every week? Once you get used to the infotainment touchpad, it's fine.
Op definitely has a beautiful car.
Last edited by flatlandtlx; 07-23-2021 at 06:39 PM.
Reason: added text
Quick question: how tall are you? I'm 5'8 with a 30-31" inseam and with the front seat adjusted for my height, I had about the same amount of rear legroom as you do in your picture. Someone else mentioned they're significantly taller than me and had more rear legroom than I did, so I'm curious if it's because I sit farther back than most.
How far forward are you setting the steering column? There’s about six inches of travel on the damn thing. Moving it closer to the dash creates more rear leg room behind the driver.
How far forward are you setting the steering column? There’s about six inches of travel on the damn thing. Moving it closer to the dash creates more rear leg room behind the driver.
it's not so much about the steering wheel as it is about reaching the pedals. I arrange the steering wheel so that i have a slight bend in my arm when reaching it if my shoulders are touching the seatback. That dictates the tilt. For how far forward or back I put the seat, I arrange it so that there's a slight bend in my right knee when I depress the brake pedal fully. I know some people like to "step down" on the brake pedal so they sit really close to the dash; I prefer to push forward on the brake pedal.
The blue is attractive in my eyes without being too racer boy. You also kept it classy with the ebony interior. How are you finding brake performance? That felt like it would need the most getting used to on my test drive. Please post pics once you put on the underbody side spoilers!
Nice review. You really need to take this car on twisty back roads to feel the dynamics of this car. 5 minutes test drive with a sales person will not cut it. I'm also same height as you and find the car extremely comfortable.
Nice review. You really need to take this car on twisty back roads to feel the dynamics of this car. 5 minutes test drive with a sales person will not cut it. I'm also same height as you and find the car extremely comfortable.
As an owner I have tested the suburban back roads and the TypeS begs to be pushed. Braking is not the answer, being on throttle is the key through those tight turns. The TypeS pulls you through and slingshots you out of the turn. Damn it's sooooo much fun and scary.
Also - US owners don’t get surround view - be happy with what you have. Honda hasn’t upgraded or made deals with HD camera MFGs. At least not in my experience.
Thanks for the review. Not sure why you are concerned about the wireless charging as my iPhone is plugged in 90% of the time for CarPlay. The only time it's unplugged is when I'm listening to MCH FLAC in the USB port (or if I'm lazy).
I’m 6’1” and wish the thigh supports extended further and higher. The only two cars I’ve ever experienced where I can REALLY feel the thigh support is BMW and Volvo.
Congrats on the new car, looks really sharp. Sounds like you are enjoying it as it seems most everyone who purchased it despite all the threads going on here.
I get exactly what you mean when you wrote "I wish I would have purchased white as the blue to me is too boisterous". I got the blue in the TLX 1st gen (although I think your shade is a little nicer) I almost immediately wished I had opted for something more subtle or less "flash". Maybe it was too much change after buying only silver and white cars year after year.
Quick question: how tall are you? I'm 5'8 with a 30-31" inseam and with the front seat adjusted for my height, I had about the same amount of rear legroom as you do in your picture. Someone else mentioned they're significantly taller than me and had more rear legroom than I did, so I'm curious if it's because I sit farther back than most.
6'3" with 34" inseam. Perhaps I sit a touch closer than most? Steering wheel is about 1/3 of the way out from the dash. I'll take a tape measure out there in case the camera is making the space behind the front seat look wider than normal.
Thanks for the review. Not sure why you are concerned about the wireless charging as my iPhone is plugged in 90% of the time for CarPlay. The only time it's unplugged is when I'm listening to MCH FLAC in the USB port (or if I'm lazy).
I thought I would use CarPlay more often, but honestly, the voice controls (and the ability to control Siri through it) paired with Bluetooth connectivity has been plenty for me. If I'm carrying my phone, I'll place it on the charger, otherwise it stays in my pocket. I'll ask Siri through the car's voice controls to start Spotify or maybe one of my podcasts. It all connects and starts playing over Bluetooth. With the split screen, I'm happy seeing the built-in navigation and audio. I don't need access to any other apps (yet). Will that change down the road, probably.
The blue is attractive in my eyes without being too racer boy. You also kept it classy with the ebony interior. How are you finding brake performance? That felt like it would need the most getting used to on my test drive. Please post pics once you put on the underbody side spoilers!
The brakes feel great. They definitely take some getting used to though. The brakes bite pretty hard with very little pedal travel. Then I find if I keep the brake pressure the same, it starts to bite a little harder and then harder again. You definitely need to start releasing pressure on the pedal as you come to a stop. Reminds me a little bit of the regenerative breaking effect. In that it's non-linear.
And yes, I'll post pics next week of the underbody side spoilers. They should be installed mid-week.
Did you mention the part about the tint?? I didn’t see where you reviewed that part.
Side note - I got my floor mats and side skirts next day.. if you’re having an issue hit me up, I’ll ship them to you.
I didn't review tint specifically, but I should have left tint off the vehicle. It does look better with tint, but it'll be more of a hassle with cops and me trying to make eye contact with people outside than it's worth (IMO).
My dealership is saying mid-august for the Type S all-season mats. How can I get them sooner? I've technically already paid for them when I bought the car.
I didn't review tint specifically, but I should have left tint off the vehicle. It does look better with tint, but it'll be more of a hassle with cops and me trying to make eye contact with people outside than it's worth (IMO).
My dealership is saying mid-august for the Type S all-season mats. How can I get them sooner? I've technically already paid for them when I bought the car.
Interesting on your tint mention. For the last couple years even 5% front windshields haven’t been much of a target. You could easily have a doctors note for that…
For the all seasons, I’m kicking myself in the butt for not starting a YouTube experience channel however my floor mats came in the next day after I orders them. If you already paid for them you’re good. My cost was $230 for the all season mats and trunk liner
Father of two, husband to one here giving first impressions of my ’21 Type S Apex Blue Pearl. I’m prequalifying by saying I’m definitely not a crazed Honda Fanboy. Do I like the brand…yes. Can I objectively review my vehicle purchase…yes. Have I owned Honda’s in the past…yes (‘86 Accord, ’04 S2000, ’06 Civic, 08’ Accord V6, 14’ Odyssey ’21 TLX Type S). Still have the S2000, Ody and obviously TLX Type S. Am I aware of the Honda/Acura Engineering and Design lull from ~2008-2018…yes. It’s likely longer than that 10 year period, but objectively speaking I’m aware of it.
21’ TLX Type S
Apex Blue Pearl
In Canada, all Type S’s come with:
Y-Spoke Rims w/ performance tires
Heated Steering Wheel
Engine Block Heater (well, you could opt out of this I suppose)
Options:
3M Front Bumper + Hood + Side Mirrors
All-Weather Mats (on back order)
Underbody Side Spoiler (on back order)
Ceramic Paint Coating
Rust & Sound Deadening Coating – underbody
Tint 25% - all seven windows (regretting this now…)
EXTERIOR:
Completely subjective, but I’m very happy with how it looks. I wish I would have purchased white as the blue to me is too boisterous and more difficult to keep shiny, clean and new. It definitely looks great though.
The Type S specific changes (front lip, rear diffuser, different grill, intercooler, larger red brakes, exhaust) look great IMO. The elongated hood and rear fender flare’s really give the car a great looking stance. The car itself is wide and you can really tell. The exhaust looks great too! Wish the bark matched the bite though (the exhaust looks like it should be louder than it is). The stance overall is aggressive and looks great.
The rims look awesome and the way it shows off the brakes are outstanding. I’m not looking forward to purchasing winter rims and tires for this car. I don’t see much clearance around the brake caliper. I might be stuck buying 20’s. Anyone know if 19” rims will fit?
The headlights/taillights with the chicane look fantastic. The LED’s do a great job of lighting the road at night and the auto-high beams turn on and off right when they should. I really like the fact that when the high beams are on, both high and low beams are illuminating the road.
One of my nits to pick are why not make the underbody side spoiler standard? Once you see it installed, it ties front to back nicely. Without it, it looks like something is missing. Mine is scheduled for install next week.
Lastly, I’m not sure why, but pictures don’t do this car justice. It just looks so different in person. If you haven’t had a chance to see one yet, do. It’s lower, wider and more polished in person.
INTERIOR:
I gotta say, this feels much different from the last few gens of Honda/Acura’s. The interior feels more sophisticated, refined and upscale.
The split screen infotainment system is good. It’s relatively quick and responsive. Each day I find myself becoming more and more comfortable with its operation. I thought I’d prefer a scroll wheel or touch-screen, but I’m really liking how this works. I like that I don't need to reach for a touch screen (and get finger prints on it) and don't need to cycle through with a scroll wheel. Just push the desired space on the touchpad and go. I really REALLY like the split screen too. Being able to display (and control!) two things simultaneously on screen is fantastic. The feedback and sound of moving through the menu feels and sounds premium as well.
The seats are also fantastic. The adjustable bolstering, lumber and extendable bottom cushion are comfortable and customizable. I’m 6’3” with long legs, so the extendable bottom cushion is a welcome addition. The heated flat-bottom steering wheel feels premium and the buttons are truly all located exactly where I’d want them. I haven’t used the heated windshield feature yet, but once our Canadian winters hit, I’ll be glad to have it.
The wireless charging works satisfactory. I believe it’s a 15W charger. I have a leather flip case holding my Iphone 11 and it works just fine. In about 30 minutes of charging, my phone gained 15% of charge. 3.5 hours to fully charge a phone is little excessive, but it’s definitely enough to give you a little extra boost when out and about. I assume if you plug in via USB, you will get some fast charging. Will test that out later.
Now let’s talk about the stereo. It’s REALLY impressive. Not because it’s completely distortion free; at any volume. Not because the bass is punchy and loud (I would have preferred more vibration out of the bass though. I may add a sub). It’s because no matter the volume, the lows, mids and highs are all CLEAR, PUNCHY, and CRISP. I am genuinely impressed. If you’ve got a TLX, make sure you download some lossless audio onto a USB (.flac files). There’s a noticeable difference between SiriusXM, Bluetooth Audio vs USB lossless.
Why no wireless Android Auto or Apple Car Play though? That’s a little annoying. I think the ‘22 Civic has it. Knowing Honda/Acura, they will implement in MY2022 or something.
The interior lighting looks great at night. Gives a premium feel without being tacky. I do wish the car had Heads-Up display like other TLX’s though. Not sure why they didn’t include that. The piano black trim is also nice when new, but it’s definitely not going to look this way in a few months or years. It’s definitely prone to scratching.
The heated/ventilated seats work wonderfully. A nice touch by Honda/Acura is they have tied this into the Auto climate control. You can set your seats to auto and if it’s above your desired temperature, the ventilation starts immediately until the cabin reaches your set temp. This is such a great feature! Heating works the same.
The one thing I wish they would have done better, but I understand they went for form over function is the interior space is a touch small. It’s definitely “just enough” space, but for anyone coming from previous models will notice less interior space. But honestly, it really is “just enough” space inside. Our family of four is comfortable. We also have an Odyssey for longer trips with the family. The vehicle looks great and the proportions are spot on. The trade off is interior space. Something to note here is the seats can travel WAY back. I've got long legs and don't adjust my seat all the way back. If you're under 6'1", adjust your seat accordingly and you may have more rear seat space than you thought possible.
I really don’t have any other nits to pick about the interior. There’s plenty of storage space, controls are all located where they should be and it feels like you could spend many a mile (or kilometer!) in here.
RIDE:
The adaptive dampers work well. Comfort mode is casual and quiet with a decent amount of feedback. More than you expect actually. This is great for highway driving. Normal amps up the feedback to a good level. I think this is perfect around town. Sport and Sport+ feel much more racy and involved. If you’re up for some spirited driving, either one of these will do. I’d say the ride in Comfort and Normal offers great feedback without punishing your occupants. Sport and Sport+ when you’re out for a good time.
Love the transmission logic, specifically when drive mode is set to S and dynamic mode is in Sport and Sport+. It seems to always know what gear to be in. I really don’t think you’ll need to use the paddle shifters at all. Most of the online reviewers noted the transmission feels different between the Type S and standard TLX. I assume it’s been beefed up for this application.
Let’s get to one annoying thing though. The throttle response in Comfort or Normal. It’s weird. Sometimes it’s fine, but sometimes there is a delay. Whether I’m starting from a stop or mashing the pedal while on the move it rears it’s ugly head. It’s a minor thing, but it’s something you will come across every day driving. Especially since that’s the mode you are likely to be in 80%+ of the time. Sometimes it’s annoyingly delayed. Like 1, 2 and GO kind of thing. I’m not sure if it’s the transmission logic or the turbo waiting to spool up. It’s annoying, but not a deal breaker. In any other mode (or if the transmission is in “S” mode) or if you break-stand (launch control) the vehicle, it works great every time.
HANDLING:
You can really tell the suspension has been beefed up in the Type S. During my adolescence, I used to tune cars (suspensions, stereos, exhaust). Mostly J-body cars, but we would install Eibach springs or coilovers, heavy duty bushings, or install beefy anti-roll bars and strut tower braces into vehicles so they would corner like on rails. I have got to say, this thing handles amazingly! Is it heavy…yes. Do you notice it while driving…I’d say not really. It just feels solid and unflappable.
The way the suspension is setup and the way the car turns you into corners is also remarkable. I know the SH-AWD will overdrive the outer rear wheel to help push you into the corner, but even during no-acceleration corning, I’m VERY impressed. Fun fact is we have large curbs as you enter/exit driveways in our town. Most cars will always keep all four wheels on the ground when going up or down (at a 45 degree angle). The cars with modified suspensions would be so stiff, they would always hang one rear wheel up in the air as you were coming down the curb. You knew cars were stiff and buttoned down with those suspension mods. Well, the Type S has been doing the same. I can really see and feel how stiff and rigid this frame is. I’m impressed.
SAFETY FEATURES/NANNIES:
Nothing illuminating here. The safety features and nannies function exactly as intended. I’ve not once thought it was over bearing. If I’m veering out of my lane while driving, the steering wheel jiggles and pushes me back into the center of the lane. If I’m backing out somewhere the cross traffic sensors alert me. Everything seems to work great.
The adaptive cruise control works exactly as you expect as well. There are some nice touches that I’d like to point out though. Cruise controls remembers if it is enabled or disabled each time you start the car. Plenty of other vehicles make you enable cruise then set your speed. I’m glad this just stays on. Two other thoughtful features with cruise are it tells you the actual speed you’ve set and let’s you change it in 1km/h increments. The other is it tells you if your speed is being limited by a vehicle in front of you. This is a BIG deal. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the highway, chatting with my occupants only to realize we’ve been driving slower than I indeed for many miles. There’s a visual que above the adaptive cruise icon that displays another vehicle so you know when that’s happening.
I do have a nit to pick with the surround view camera. The resolution of the camera’s are not great. Why they wouldn’t have equipped this with something better is a little silly. It seems out of place when I turn those cameras on, especially when I see the resolution of screen with the menus and navigation.
One last thing I’d like to point out. I never knew I wanted this feature, but the front camera reads traffic signs and displays the speed limit of the road I am traveling on. So often I’m checking with my wife “hey, what was the speed limit here again”. I just need to look down and see. It’s such a nice little feature that I end up looking at WAY more than I expected.
FUEL ECOMONY:
Its definitely not great. I’ve filled up twice and am getting 11.2/100km (21 MPG). I was hoping for more, but it’s far from class leading.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:
Overall, I’ve really had a lot of fun with this vehicle. The balance of sport and luxury are spot on for me. I’m happy to maintain a Japanese vehicle over the German (or Korean) competition. I generally keep vehicles for 10+ years, so reliability and longevity are important to me. Yes, I know Acura (and Honda) have had issues in the recent past, but all of our Honda’s (except the S2K) have been driven over 300,000km’s without any problems. Fingers crossed that trend continues.
From what I’ve been reading, Acura has acknowledged that they’ve rested on their laurels for quite some time and that an injection of sport and luxury needs to happen to the brand. The RDX was a great step in the right direction. I believe most car mags agreed. The TLX seems like another positive step with the MDX being yet another good step as well. Fingers are crossed that Acura can bring back the glory of years past. Hopefully we all get to experience the ride back up to the top (well, at least back up shoulder to shoulder with others at the top).
BTW…I am terrible at taking photos, but I’ve included some below.
Cheers! My kids were inside playing. Didn't notice until after the fact they had opened the door during pictures. Front seats adjusted to my driving position. Rear seat leg room not great, but definitely better than some others.
Great review - agree with pretty much everything mentioned.
I've been averaging 16 L /100KM because I have a throttle happy foot and live exclusively in sport+ 😂.
I also don't like the throttle response in normal/comfort so I prefer sport+. I honestly don't mind daily driving in manual shift mode. When I need to be in the power band to pass I will downshift and if I need to cruise I can be in 7th gear. Sport+ in automatic doesn't make sense to me for daily driving, theres no need to be at 4k revs to drive the speed limit.
Will say that I'll leave the transmission in sport mode on a winding road though, like you said its always in the right gear and the power is always available.
What are you being charged to have these installed?
The upside to having the dealership install them is dealer installed options go under the 4yr factory warranty automatically so if you have any issue with separation or anything it's a no charge warranty fix. When they came out with that "GT" package on the first gen TLX prior to the A-Spec quite a few people had some issues with them down the road. I would guess the sideskirts would be less likely to start to separate than the GT body mouldings back then but something to consider.
Had the side underbody spoiler (side-skirts) installed today. They definitely look great and should be a must have for anyone with an S!
That looks great, they should have been standard equipment on the car but being they are not I can't see not getting them on this car. Car looks unfinished without them which is clear in your side by side pics.
Thx for the review! Love the blue
When I saw the two child seats in the rear was wondering to christen your new Type-S to throw a handful of Cheerios on the back seats and floor
07-23-2021, 04:47 PM
