mike03a3

According to the TLX Specifications and Features the Type-S lacks some features found on the Advanced and/or A-Spec TLX.

Heated steering wheel
Heated rear seats
Fog lights
Heads up display.!!!!

The heated wheel is an accessory, but I'm really unhappy if there's no HUD. Even Accords have one.
I'd also miss the fog lights. I use them often on my TL Type-S.

mike03a3

It also lacks wireless Apple CarPlay, another feature on most Accords. I thought Acura was supposed to be the tech leader of the family, not Honda.

Sclyzed

Heads up display is the real bummer. I love HUD for daily drivers.
Heated steering wheel you can add on, no biggie.
Heated rear seats, i rarely have more than 1 passenger so another no biggie for me. Plus if I did...i would not be getting a TLX. the back seat room in the tlx is TERRIBLE for the cars size.
Fog Lights..you could always add them aftermarket. It wouldn't cost much to do.

I think for the 22 type-s they will add a HUD.

neuronbob

The only Accord X (current gen) with a HUD is the Touring version. I would have LOVED to have a HUD in my manual Sport. All the same, would have been really nice to have a HUD in the most expensive TLX trim.

Wireless Apple CarPlay only became available on the Accord X for the 2021 model. All previous Accord Xs only have wired Carplay (except LX, which does not have Carplay in any form). Even so, you are right, Acura should be the tech leader.

Alex Duhovnik

Lack of 3D camera in USA as well!!!

DubPK

Fog lights are missing due to the vents having actual functionality, they would've had to go in a completely different place from the other trims and so I can see why they aren't there. Bummer on the other items you listed yeah. If a HUD/360/Heated Rear Bench is important to you they just aren't there on the Type S, IMO they should've been. If the Type S proves popular enough they will probably show up in 2023+.

I'm having trouble finding the brand again but apparently there is a wireless carplay adapter actually worth a damn compared to the standard rebadged chinese specials out now that both works with the TLX touchpad and isn't a complete piece of crap maybe worth checking out to get wireless carplay.

leomio2.0

• Never had a car with a heated steering wheel. I'm sure it's nice in the dead of winter, but I've never driven a car where my hands were so cold it was uncomfortable gripping the steering wheel.
• Rear seats? We don't need no stinkin' heated rear seats! The only people you're fitting back there comfortably are pubescent teens and younger. Being cold back there builds character. When I was growing up, we were thankful getting some wafts of warm air in my dad's 2dr Delta 88.
• Fog lights ... meh. All fog lights do is make whatever you're about to hit more luminescent. Seriously tho, I've used them plenty of times in fog and I really don't think they make a massive difference. As another stated, they were removed because those vents were needed for cooling.
• HUD. Sure, not bad to have, but with the complaints of rattles coming from people that have them in the RDX, be thankful. Interior build quality of my 2020 RDX leaves a lot to be desired. So, I'd be thankful they didn't put it in there if that's a peeve of yours (also be thankful they didn't put a pano sunroof).

loki

You missed the point. You can add anything to any car. This is their highest trim on a highest priced sedan. There's nothing past this. Yet, it doesn't have stuff that Accord has...

Sclyzed

I'm just saying which ones personally doesn't bother me on buying the car or not. Obviously this differs for everyone. For 50k+, it should have it, I'm not denying that or missing the point at all being made.

mike03a3

Not just upper levels of Accord, but also on A-Spec and/or Advance package TLXs!

jdmvette

yeah this lack of options for the type-s which are available on the lower-spec models pisses me off.

i'm willing to bet that they'll add the 360 camera and HUD (etc) in -22 or -23.

ELIN

I own the A-Spec. There's nothing the A-Spec has that the Type S doesn't have except for the fog lights, which we've already established is not possible due to the active air ducts.

ELIN

I wouldn't go crazy buying adapters like that just for wireless. I would only get it if it allowed me to play my 5.1 music via USB and use Carplay WAZE at the same time. Based on '22 MDX owners' experience with the wireless CP/AA, it doesn't work the way I would use it. It would be a waste of money for me.

loki

It's bizarre that Type S is based on ASPEC and not Advance. TLX is (currently) their flagship sedan and Type S is the flagship trim. There is no excuse not to have it completely fully loaded. If a buyer goes to Acura and says I want a fully loaded sedan with the top tier engine, they're going to say what...we don't have it? It's ridiculous. Aside from the fact that $20K cheaper Accord Touring has all of it, including HUD. You tell upper middle class buyer that he has to make some sacrifice, either get a smaller engine or not have all features (has to chose one or the other) and he'll walk out and go across the street to Lexus. They cancelled out RLX, only to compromise on bunch of things on TLX...And they're still selling/making ILX that's based on 9th Gen Civic while Civic is already out on 11th Gen. I really don't understand where Acura's logic is.

F23A4

I would love it if a member of their product planning team would speak to these points. It's as though even Honda Corporate isnt going all in on the Acura brand.

fiatlux

I imagine they were concerned that adding more equipment would push the starting price too high above the S4 and maybe even above the M340i. But that begs the question: if it's a matter of marketing, why not "offer" a base version (one that probably nobody would buy) based on the base TLX that you can price in the mid-40s. It's not like the Germans don't do the same thing with how they advertise the price of their cars. Advertise a poverty-spec base model to keep the marketers happy, and offer a full-fat version for buyers who want everything.

ELIN

I think Acura still hasn't graduated out of Marketing 101.

mike03a3

Personally I won't be broken hearted about the lack of rear seat heat, but I've often wished for a heated wheel as I turned on the seat heating in my TL Type-S 6MT.
I was really looking forward to the HUD, and I don't like the absence of the 360 camera.

If it's the price, give the Type-S an Advance package option. It's not like I want something that isn't already available on lesser TLXs.


And to add insult to injury, I can't get the Type-S in Silver!

Mak P

No 360 camera is a deal breaker for me. (Canada get the 360 camera)

But now reading it doesn't have wireless android auto, that's a deal breaker too. Maybe that's a software update though. No trim of the RDX have wireless charging. My aunt told me her RDX Advance doesn't have it. My 19 TLX advance have wireless charging. I blame Honda for this. Before you know it, the Accord Touring will be 40k

DubPK

Remember you can option the heated steering wheel and maybe even get it thrown in for free if you push for it.

mapleloaf

Just a question re wireless Apple Car Play/Android Auto. With my phone plugged in, my music has a better sound than with Bluetooth. Would this be a similar issue with Wireless Apple/Android Carplay vs wired?

DubPK

I don't know if it would sound as good as wired but in theory it should sound better than bluetooth as data is being transferred via wifi instead of bluetooth, there should be less compression. I've never had it myself but I've heard mixed opinions on wireless carplay/android auto. Some love it say it works great, others I've heard complaints about having to use the cord anyways because the wireless is glitchy.

someguy11

I've read online that people are getting brand new Accord Tourings for as low as $32k before TTL. I got mine for $34k including Honda Care for 8 years. That's one of the reasons I bought new - certified 10G Accords out on the lot with 30k miles were literally the same price. Shows how insane this used car market is right now. I've heard from multiple people that dealers are paying so much for used cars, that if you negotiate well enough on a used or new car, you can drive it for a few months and get more than you paid for a trade value.

I agree with F23A4 and fiatlux above though. This whole thread is like "Why can't Acura build a premium car with all the bells and whistles? Why does my Accord Touring have stuff that Advance and Type S don't even offer?" And for less money! It's like Honda is actively trying to push people into Accords except for those who absolutely insist on having AWD. Boy, look out TLX if Honda ever releases an AWD Accord. I don't know what made Toyota break down and finally offer an AWD Camry... maybe to compete with Subaru die-hards? But you have to think Honda is at least monitoring the Euros and Asians all offering AWD in their sedans.

Yes wireless CarPlay connects over WiFi, not Bluetooth. I love it. My phone stays in my pocket for short drives and goes on the Qi charger for long drives. Takes about 20 seconds to connect. The interface with apps (like operating Google Maps and Apple Podcasts through the Honda touchscreen) is seamless. I've compared podcasts over CarPlay to SXM (free trial) and my USB drive. No notable difference in sound quality. I'm sort of an audiophile and while I miss the Kenwood head unit, 1200W amp and 12" subs I had in high school, this Accord bangs hard enough for me. The only negative is that my phone gets really warm.

Once every couple weeks or so, there is a weird glitch in the Honda unit, my iPhone, or the connection between the two, where music plays choppy and at like quarter speed. The only way I have figured out how to fix it is to reboot my phone while driving, which is both distracting and time consuming.

KeithL

Not sure why they removed so many things. I get hitting a price point, but this should be their flagship Sedan. I get the MDX it the true flagship, but if I am shopping a high end sedan Audi S4 gets my nod over the Type-S

loki

Wife bought new CR-V EX-L last August (2020), as a 2020 model for $27K. She drove it 10 months, put 9K miles on it and we sold it for $33K. Literally a $5K profit...Got $4300 knocked off new Pilot EX-L, long story short, upgraded to Pilot from CR-V for negligent difference in principal and payment. I know extremely rare cars gain on value after they're discontinued but to make $5K on a cookie-cutter appliance such as CR-V is just mind boggling.

DubPK

The used car market is absolutely nuts right now. I have a buyer lined up for my 2013 Accord coupe for $18,000. It has the V6 and only 42,000 miles but to me it doesn't seem like it should be worth that.. I only paid $22,000 and some change for it like 7 years ago right after it was returned from lease. Insane. Even trade offers have been generous around 12-14.5k. Very unique times and if anyone was thinking about buying something brand new this is absolutely the time to do it if you're going to.

Camaro194

I'm in that boat now. Would like to sell my 2013 TL private party ASAP, but hard to do without knowing when the Type S will be here to replace it.

F23A4

Agreed. Check out the asking price on my old 19 TLX 3.5: LINK That's pretty much what I paid for it new, back when the auto market didnt lose its mind.

Picking up the plates on my 21 A-Spec, wife wants to trade our 20 MDX Tech for a 22 version so long as the payment bump isn't too outlandish.

loki

That is absolutely ridiculous! $30K for 2019 FWD Base with 25K miles...

mike03a3

It's over $600 installed, and the installation is pretty involved. I hate for my new car to start with that level of disassembly.

mike03a3

I looked at the Canadian site and their S-Type has both the heated steering wheel and the 360 camera!

And the price is much lower based on current exchange rates.

KeithL

WTF does a 22 Civic get a 10 inch LCD gauge cluster and the Type-S is stuck in a 10 year old gauge setup?

DubPK

Didn't say it would be free but it's there if it's important to you. Out of all the things I generally dislike about dealers the techs themselves (knock on wood) have generally not been an area of concern personally, I'm sure they can handle a steering wheel swap and have likely done it a good number of times before on the Aspec where it's also an optional accessory.

jjsC5

I find it interesting that they are not offering a package with most of those items. I’m the first to say that the $53k price is a fair and reasonable price for the car. It does undercut the Germans. It leaves the G70 and Stinger GT2 as the most direct competitors. My G70 has all of the features mentioned above except fog lights. I can’t speak for wireless CarPlay because I don’t use CarPlay.

ESHBG

I was thinking the same thing, it's bizarre.

DubPK

I think it's bizarre people are jealous of the Civics basic digital instrumentation just because it's digital. Since when are analog tach/spedo this huge curse on a car? I see it in comments of every car review that has an analog setup even when the MID screen in between or supplementing the analog is like 7-9 inches already with all the information you can possibly want. It's like the kids that were handed iPads when they were 5 have all grown up now and demand that every single thing in their life be a screen or its somehow inferior.

pyrodan007

It's because all three came out in the same year, and one is an entry model whereas the other is the brand's premium sedan. In a world full of tech and customization, digital gauges are becoming standard equipment in luxury cars. Honda is just doing it backwards. Type-S would have been awesome with a nice HUD and a digital screen that shows different colors when manually switching gears. Even Audi only offers shift point indicators on their RS models, would have been a nice "precision" feature.

PropofolBolus

I have a 21 Tlx Aspec and feel like the type S DOES not need all those extra functions. MSRP for Aspec is around 47.5? An extra 6k or so will get you: better wheels, type S cosmetics (not much), bigger brakes (yeah we need that for all tlx), and of course that engine. An Aspec and upgraded brembo brakes can easily get you into the 50k price…

All I’m saying is that Acura needs to pick and choose what is more important to keep the type s price competitive.

Coming from an S5 to RS5 owner, I always thought the rs5 was a little wee bit overpriced. They look the same, have the same interior, etc etc. The motor, body, and brakes were the main difference.

DubPK

Audi is the only digital instrumentation I've used personally and been impressed with, I'm sure BMW and Mercedes have some pretty sweet digital clusters too but never driven either of them. I'm all about more functionality but people bringing up the Civic is what raises my eye brow, it's digital but it's bare bones with nothing especially impressive about it. Honestly kind of like nice analogs over basic designed digital ones but I can accept I'm a dying breed.

fiatlux

It’s not just a matter of practicality, but I think for most people the lack of a digital gauge cluster is yet again a reminder that the TLX is built to a price point, and that price point is lower than the Germans. To some it’s a subtle yet constant reminder that they
bought the TLX not because it’s the best, but because it offers the best bang for the buck.