2018 Acura TLX A-Spec Vs. Infiniti Q50 (Head to Head)
10-24-2017, 11:12 PM
#41
10-25-2017, 06:19 AM
#42
Team Owner
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10-25-2017, 02:06 PM
#43
There are four lights!
Yes, there’s a clique here that always wants to talk bad about the TLX. They pump up any negatives that come up in the press and downplay the positives. You’d think they’d simply go to the forum that’s centered on the car they own and leave it at that. Why they’re here always grandstanding is a mystery to me.
10-25-2017, 03:06 PM
#44
Burning Brakes
I threat this forum as a release valve. Lately Acura's have been very, let's just say meh, so it feels good to talk about it. Some may disagree, but we can all agree to share and chat collectively and openly.
10-25-2017, 08:32 PM
#45
Which car(among the two) works better as a Sports Sedan?
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
Last edited by niray9; 10-25-2017 at 08:39 PM.
10-25-2017, 09:10 PM
#46
Which car(among the two) works better as a Sports Sedan?
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
is the 18 a spec a sports sedan compAred to the 15?
10-25-2017, 10:19 PM
#47
10-26-2017, 09:16 AM
#48
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Which car(among the two) works better as a Sports Sedan?
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
I have 2010 TL and I can tell you it handles much better than TLX (not sure about the A-Spec). TL is heavier and handles corners very well.
Infiniti is superior than TLX for sure in terms of handling. All the reviews and people that I know praise Q50 for its handling.
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10-27-2017, 03:58 PM
#49
Banned
To be fair, there are a few things the Q50 does better than the TLX A-Spec: It's quieter inside
Unless the A-Spec V6 is drastically different from my car, that can't be.
11-10-2017, 03:45 PM
#50
- It's built like a tank, materials are very high quality.
- Handling it's much superior, it feels planted at both high and low speeds.
- 1st gear seems to be really low so it needs some goading to get going from stationary(in normal mode), sport mode is fine.
- Low speed turns induce some(low) body roll, high speeds turns are excellent with barely discernible body roll.
02-04-2018, 10:57 AM
#51
Which car(among the two) works better as a Sports Sedan?
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
I own a 2015 2.4 TLX, unfortunately I can't say my car is a sports Sedan. This is specifically due to it's handling. I have driven the 2012-2014 TL hundreds of miles(relative's car) & think that it handled much better than TLX. Every time I drive the TLX on a curvy mountain road I realize that.
About Infiniti q50, I haven't driven it yet, however the reviews online from trusted reviewers tell me that the Infiniti q50 handling is closer to the European sports sedans.
- Infiniti power on tap is available unlike the 2.4TLX, pretty much at any speed. So, passing is very very easy even on the 2.0t(high torque available almost throughout the rpm curve).
- Mild body roll is there in the Infiniti on the sharp corners, but hugs the road much better, handling is superior.
- Suspension is firmer but IMO is not punishing at all, but you will feel the imperfections on the road unlike the TLX.
- 3.0 is quieter, 2.0 is also quiet but some engine noise(purring/rasping noise) gets into the cabin. Road noise to me seemed to be less than TLX.
- Interior material quality is slightly better.
02-04-2018, 01:46 PM
#52
Team Owner
Interesting. I wonder how the V6 TLX would stack up, if you could've drove it too.
02-04-2018, 01:51 PM
#53
Azine Jabroni
The review is fair and having driven both I tend to agree with the reviewer. That being said, the last paragraph stars with "to be fair" and lists a few things luxury buyers may value more than the highlights of this article.
02-05-2018, 09:15 AM
#54
Burning Brakes
Drove the Q50 as a Florida rental; 1st car I drove with CarPlay
Nice car; somewhat soft ride; good power, & transmission
Excellent climate control
Now that I lease the SH-AWD/Tech A-Spec, for the money, there's no comparison
Would have cost me $100/month more for the Infinity, with similar extras
Handling is NOT as good, & the SH-AWD makes a big difference
Anyway, LOVE my A-Spec!
Nice car; somewhat soft ride; good power, & transmission
Excellent climate control
Now that I lease the SH-AWD/Tech A-Spec, for the money, there's no comparison
Would have cost me $100/month more for the Infinity, with similar extras
Handling is NOT as good, & the SH-AWD makes a big difference
Anyway, LOVE my A-Spec!
02-05-2018, 09:29 AM
#55
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Drove the Q50 as a Florida rental; 1st car I drove with CarPlay
Nice car; somewhat soft ride; good power, & transmission
Excellent climate control
Now that I lease the SH-AWD/Tech A-Spec, for the money, there's no comparison
Would have cost me $100/month more for the Infinity, with similar extras
Handling is NOT as good, & the SH-AWD makes a big difference
Anyway, LOVE my A-Spec!
Nice car; somewhat soft ride; good power, & transmission
Excellent climate control
Now that I lease the SH-AWD/Tech A-Spec, for the money, there's no comparison
Would have cost me $100/month more for the Infinity, with similar extras
Handling is NOT as good, & the SH-AWD makes a big difference
Anyway, LOVE my A-Spec!
I think these two cars are very similar and comparable. I think it comes down to what you want? More power, better resale value, lower cost of ownership and etc.
Also loyalty is a huge factor. Some people simply like Niisan/Infiniti brand and other love Honda/Acura brand. At the end of the day, it's not like TLX is way better than Q50 or the other way around.
02-05-2018, 09:39 AM
#56
Having owned both (2016 Q50 3.0t AWD traded in for my current 2018 A-Spec SH-AWD), this is a pretty good read on the differences. My biggest complaint is the writer’s biggest complaint.....THE Q50 STEERING. It’s woeful. I never felt I had a good idea what the car would do if taking a corner “spiritedly”. In addition, I always felt the steering was as vague as anything I had driven in the last 10 years.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
Last edited by graphicguy; 02-05-2018 at 09:41 AM.
02-05-2018, 12:22 PM
#57
Having owned both (2016 Q50 3.0t AWD traded in for my current 2018 A-Spec SH-AWD), this is a pretty good read on the differences. My biggest complaint is the writer’s biggest complaint.....THE Q50 STEERING. It’s woeful. I never felt I had a good idea what the car would do if taking a corner “spiritedly”. In addition, I always felt the steering was as vague as anything I had driven in the last 10 years.
Also Infiniti says they have DAS"2.0" in the 2018 models and beyond.
02-05-2018, 12:47 PM
#58
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Having owned both (2016 Q50 3.0t AWD traded in for my current 2018 A-Spec SH-AWD), this is a pretty good read on the differences. My biggest complaint is the writer’s biggest complaint.....THE Q50 STEERING. It’s woeful. I never felt I had a good idea what the car would do if taking a corner “spiritedly”. In addition, I always felt the steering was as vague as anything I had driven in the last 10 years.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
This is great! I like to read real reviews...people that owned both cars. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
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02-05-2018, 02:31 PM
#59
My sales guy wanted me to "move up" to the Q60 Red. Nice car. But, for the $60K they wanted for it, there's a host of other cars I would put ahead of the Infiniti.....namely a MB AMG C43, or perhaps a BMW 440i, maybe another S4 (had one of those 5-6 years ago).
I would also disagree that the materials and/or build are better in the Q. My Q had more rattles than my TLX. TLX in comparison feels like a solid brick of steel. Shut the door of a Q and then shut the door of the TLX and you'll see (hear) the difference.
Not copping on the Q50. I didn't hate it. I just think it needs one more "freshen" and a rethink of of options pricing to really be in the hunt.
As soon as I saw the mid-cycle refresh of the A-Spec, and then did a test drive, I thought about it for a couple of days and took the plunge. I lost some on the Q50. But, I bought it right. My Acura dealer treated me right on the trade number and on the TLX purchase (this is my 4th Acura I purchased from them). I'm glad I made the trade.
02-06-2018, 07:32 AM
#60
CTSV,TL, Audi Q7 & A5SB
We've had a 2015 Q50S AWD in the family for a little over 2 years and 26,xxx miles, it's my oldest son's car but I do drive it often so I can give some insight from a real ownership perspective. I always laugh when people who only drove a beat to crap rental of a car label it as junk after driving it for a few days. I mean aren't most rentals beat to $hit.
Two years and three months in and ours has been reliable with no issues in that time except for two software updates.. No creaks, rattles, nothing, just very solid and a lot of fun to drive. And the DAS which people complained about on 2014 and early 2015 models has been trouble free. Even the infotainment system which people had complained about being slow and "laggy" in early models works fine. The only time we find that it's a little slow is the first time you start it in the morning when it's very cold outside.
I've had an Acura in the family since 2004 and wanted another. So back in late 2015 we test drove a 2016 TLX and the Q50S, the TLX rode smoother which we expected since we were comparing it to an "S" model. I also think that part of it was due to the POS Bridgestone run flats that come on the Q50S. Several months in my son replaced the run flats with Michelin A/S 3's which made a big difference in ride, handling, traction and sound levels.
He has the Infiniti performance exhaust so of course it's nosier than stock, but on the highway it's still pretty quiet until you get on it. Then it's loud. But I will say that the loaner Q50 we had when one of the software updates was being done was very quiet inside, and rode smoother since it had the 17" tires vs. the 19's that are on the S model. IME both the TLX and Q50 are quiet and comfortable.
Interior wise both interiors are very nice and it really comes down to personal preference, but for me I give a slight edge to Infiniti simply because I don't like the push button shifter.. But in all fairness I don't think you could go wrong with either.
Same for the exterior, IMO the Q50S is much more aggressive looking than the TLX, but now that the A-Spec is available IMO the gap has been narrowed. But even now when I compare the sportiest TLX which is the A-Spec, to the Q50's sportiest model which is the Red Sport IMO the Red Sport is better looking..
But where I feel the Q50 beat the TLX hands down was in the way they performed. Now granted the A-Spec wasn't available back when we test drove it, and since then, from what I have read here it seems that Acura has finally figured out on the trans issues that plagued the 15's and some 16's.
But the TLX we test drove at the time had the hard / jerky shifting trans, in sport or sport + it was better but still didn't come near the performance of the Q50S. The TLX felt like it didn't know what gear it wanted to be in, while the Q50's shifts were smooth and seamless which made the Q50 more fun to drive and the better choice for us at the time..
Two years and three months in and ours has been reliable with no issues in that time except for two software updates.. No creaks, rattles, nothing, just very solid and a lot of fun to drive. And the DAS which people complained about on 2014 and early 2015 models has been trouble free. Even the infotainment system which people had complained about being slow and "laggy" in early models works fine. The only time we find that it's a little slow is the first time you start it in the morning when it's very cold outside.
I've had an Acura in the family since 2004 and wanted another. So back in late 2015 we test drove a 2016 TLX and the Q50S, the TLX rode smoother which we expected since we were comparing it to an "S" model. I also think that part of it was due to the POS Bridgestone run flats that come on the Q50S. Several months in my son replaced the run flats with Michelin A/S 3's which made a big difference in ride, handling, traction and sound levels.
He has the Infiniti performance exhaust so of course it's nosier than stock, but on the highway it's still pretty quiet until you get on it. Then it's loud. But I will say that the loaner Q50 we had when one of the software updates was being done was very quiet inside, and rode smoother since it had the 17" tires vs. the 19's that are on the S model. IME both the TLX and Q50 are quiet and comfortable.
Interior wise both interiors are very nice and it really comes down to personal preference, but for me I give a slight edge to Infiniti simply because I don't like the push button shifter.. But in all fairness I don't think you could go wrong with either.
Same for the exterior, IMO the Q50S is much more aggressive looking than the TLX, but now that the A-Spec is available IMO the gap has been narrowed. But even now when I compare the sportiest TLX which is the A-Spec, to the Q50's sportiest model which is the Red Sport IMO the Red Sport is better looking..
But where I feel the Q50 beat the TLX hands down was in the way they performed. Now granted the A-Spec wasn't available back when we test drove it, and since then, from what I have read here it seems that Acura has finally figured out on the trans issues that plagued the 15's and some 16's.
But the TLX we test drove at the time had the hard / jerky shifting trans, in sport or sport + it was better but still didn't come near the performance of the Q50S. The TLX felt like it didn't know what gear it wanted to be in, while the Q50's shifts were smooth and seamless which made the Q50 more fun to drive and the better choice for us at the time..
Last edited by JT4; 02-06-2018 at 07:43 AM.
02-06-2018, 09:38 AM
#61
JT4.....originally, I was looking for a “leftover” Q50 with the 3.7L, not the 3.0. Sales Manager didn’t have any more 3.7Ls and moved me into the Q50 with the 3.0L, which I didn’t like nearly as much.
I still feel the G37 was/is the better car vs the Q50. Steering in the G37 (and the Q50 with the G37 drivetrain) was better than the newer Q. Still feel that way.
Red 400 is a pretty big step up with the drivetrain and the price (knocking on the door of $60K). As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of other cars I’d rather have at the price point over the Red 400.
But, for the low $40s, out the door, I paid for my ASpec, I don’t see anything on the market I’d prefer over it. I’ve just been very pleased with it.
I still feel the G37 was/is the better car vs the Q50. Steering in the G37 (and the Q50 with the G37 drivetrain) was better than the newer Q. Still feel that way.
Red 400 is a pretty big step up with the drivetrain and the price (knocking on the door of $60K). As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of other cars I’d rather have at the price point over the Red 400.
But, for the low $40s, out the door, I paid for my ASpec, I don’t see anything on the market I’d prefer over it. I’ve just been very pleased with it.
02-06-2018, 11:52 AM
#62
CTSV,TL, Audi Q7 & A5SB
JT4.....originally, I was looking for a “leftover” Q50 with the 3.7L, not the 3.0. Sales Manager didn’t have any more 3.7Ls and moved me into the Q50 with the 3.0L, which I didn’t like nearly as much.
I still feel the G37 was/is the better car vs the Q50. Steering in the G37 (and the Q50 with the G37 drivetrain) was better than the newer Q. Still feel that way.
Red 400 is a pretty big step up with the drivetrain and the price (knocking on the door of $60K). As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of other cars I’d rather have at the price point over the Red 400.
But, for the low $40s, out the door, I paid for my ASpec, I don’t see anything on the market I’d prefer over it. I’ve just been very pleased with it.
I still feel the G37 was/is the better car vs the Q50. Steering in the G37 (and the Q50 with the G37 drivetrain) was better than the newer Q. Still feel that way.
Red 400 is a pretty big step up with the drivetrain and the price (knocking on the door of $60K). As I mentioned earlier, there are a lot of other cars I’d rather have at the price point over the Red 400.
But, for the low $40s, out the door, I paid for my ASpec, I don’t see anything on the market I’d prefer over it. I’ve just been very pleased with it.
But after reading some of the posts I was just shaking my head and felt that I wanted to write about my real world experience with having a Q50S for two years. I mean seriously, someone rents a beat to heck Altima and didn't like it which is fine. But to then to go on and say they would never buy an Infiniti because they didn't like the base, beat to crap Altima they rented IMO ridiculous. Based on that thinking, if I rented a Chevy Cruze that was a POS I guess I should never buy any Chevy or GM product? Think about it why would I ever consider a $80K CT-6 Caddy when the Cruze I rented was a POS??
On the other hand, if a previous or current owner of a Q50 writes about their poor experience, I would never question them because as we know there are good and bad regardless of make or model. Just like the TLX, as we know a lot of people had a horrible experience with theirs, so bad they left the brand. Does that mean all TLX's are crap, of course not, there are others that love their TLX and that's great for them.
To be honest the DAS took some time to get used to, but my son who commutes with it loves it now that he has it dialed in to his liking and prefers it over traditional steering setups.. I'm old school so I still prefer the mechanical feel of my CTS-V, but I do like the DAS more than I thought I would.
I agree at low $40's the A-Spec is hard to pass up, and I'm glad you're happy with it, after-all that's all that matters..
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02-13-2018, 08:50 AM
#63
@JT4.....no issues here. I agree with you. Some make up their minds on a car they want and then come here looking for reinforcement on their decision. If you want a certain car (be it an Infiniti, an Acura, an Audi, a Cadillac, etc) go buy it! You don’t need our permission and to have us hold your hand while you do it.
I can only share my experience having owned both the Q50 and the TLX A-Spec.
Maybe, I was coming off my CTS 3.6, which handled great (but was bought back by GM after being in the shop for 3 months). I jumped directly into the Q. At the time, I needed to do something relatively quickly as I had to turn the CTS in to get my check from GM.
As mentioned, I had driven the G37 and Q40 in the past. Enjoyed both. Some dealers had new G37s still on the lots. I couldn’t nail one down at my local (and only) Infiniti dealer, however. I let a sales guy talk me into the new Q50. Not his fault. That’s his job. It’s my fault for settling for something I didn’t really want.
The interior was OK. No leather, but vinyl seats. Materials were “OK”. Once on the boil, the drivetrain was fine. Things got a little wonky when the trans would kick down and the turbos immediately spooled up and the steering was too light to communicate what the wheels/tires were doing. So, a bit scary then. Stereo was “OK”. So, at the end of the day, driving the Infiniti, I always felt it was an “OK” drive. Mine had a sticker of $48K and change. I paid $42-$43K....in that neighborhood. That’s without the lane keep, no leather, middling stereo, etc. Again....not bad. Just not enamored with the car.
My first Acura was an ‘05 TL. Loved that car. Had some uncharacteristic squeaks and rattles, but overall, a bulletproof-fun to drive car. They I had an ‘11. Polarizing styling, but it was such a leap forward, I enjoyed the heck out of it. Again, bulletproof, nice build and materials, performed well, fun to drive.
At that point, I fell in love with a ‘13 S4. Totally different car. High strung, fast, quirky electronics. Loved it.....until an F150 ended up in my back seat while I was sitting at a redlght. Totaled out, I looked for another S4. But, couldn’t make the deal I had made on the original one. Not sure why.....the new one was identical to the old one. Maybe I made the mistake of telling the dealers I needed a car pronto as my previous one was totaled.
That brought me to the CTS. LIghtning struck me twice. Because of some faulty wiring routing at the factory, some of the electrical wiring was rubbing on the driveshaft (don’t know how they missed that) and the wiring caught on fire. Pretty exciting smelling smoke and stopped at a relight when the guy in the next lane is motioning feverishly to me to tell me flames were coming from my undercarriage. That wasn’t the worst of it. GM wouldn’t pull parts to get it fixed at the dealership. After a month I filed for lemon law protection. 3 months later, an arbitrator rules in my favor....GM has to return every nickel I paid while owning the car, plus a little more because GM lied to me about what was wrong and that they considered the fault a safety issue.
Again, I’m in a hurry to get a car....first place I stopped was Infiniti. I’ve already left my impressions about the Q50.
Out of the blue, my Acura sales person, who I hadn’t seen in a few years, emailed me wanting to know if I wanted to see their private roll out of the TLX A Spec. Sure....free food and a test drive...I’m all over it. Immediately liked the cosmetics....a lot.. Loved the seats. And, it sounded wonderful, performed and handled the way I like (and not nearly as wonky as my Q50).
Being a good sales person, he asked if I wanted to work numbers. I told him I was only a year into the Q50 and I was going to take a bath on it, which I didn’t want to do. He had his used car manager look at it. I bought the Q50 right and unlike any dealership, they stepped up on the trade with $2K more than KBB trade value.
Now I’m interested. But, he didn’t have the color I wanted (Blue over Red). He said that would be a unicorn. I’ve since seen some here that are that combo. Still love that look. Salesman said if he found what I wanted, would I be willing to make a deal. Needed firm purchase and trade numbers put to paper (ended up being the previous trade number and TLX +$300 over invoice, minus incentives).
I wanted an ASPEC SH AWD. He had black over black, black over red, blue over black, white over red, white over red.....no blue over red. No deal. Couple of weeks later, he said he had a new shipment on the ground. Set up a time the next day to see what he had. No Blue over Red. But, he said he had something that I might like. He took me back to the clean up area, where they were putting a wax job on the red over red.
BOOM! Done deal! Love my ASpec. Glad I made the swap. Haven’t looked back.
I can only share my experience having owned both the Q50 and the TLX A-Spec.
Maybe, I was coming off my CTS 3.6, which handled great (but was bought back by GM after being in the shop for 3 months). I jumped directly into the Q. At the time, I needed to do something relatively quickly as I had to turn the CTS in to get my check from GM.
As mentioned, I had driven the G37 and Q40 in the past. Enjoyed both. Some dealers had new G37s still on the lots. I couldn’t nail one down at my local (and only) Infiniti dealer, however. I let a sales guy talk me into the new Q50. Not his fault. That’s his job. It’s my fault for settling for something I didn’t really want.
The interior was OK. No leather, but vinyl seats. Materials were “OK”. Once on the boil, the drivetrain was fine. Things got a little wonky when the trans would kick down and the turbos immediately spooled up and the steering was too light to communicate what the wheels/tires were doing. So, a bit scary then. Stereo was “OK”. So, at the end of the day, driving the Infiniti, I always felt it was an “OK” drive. Mine had a sticker of $48K and change. I paid $42-$43K....in that neighborhood. That’s without the lane keep, no leather, middling stereo, etc. Again....not bad. Just not enamored with the car.
My first Acura was an ‘05 TL. Loved that car. Had some uncharacteristic squeaks and rattles, but overall, a bulletproof-fun to drive car. They I had an ‘11. Polarizing styling, but it was such a leap forward, I enjoyed the heck out of it. Again, bulletproof, nice build and materials, performed well, fun to drive.
At that point, I fell in love with a ‘13 S4. Totally different car. High strung, fast, quirky electronics. Loved it.....until an F150 ended up in my back seat while I was sitting at a redlght. Totaled out, I looked for another S4. But, couldn’t make the deal I had made on the original one. Not sure why.....the new one was identical to the old one. Maybe I made the mistake of telling the dealers I needed a car pronto as my previous one was totaled.
That brought me to the CTS. LIghtning struck me twice. Because of some faulty wiring routing at the factory, some of the electrical wiring was rubbing on the driveshaft (don’t know how they missed that) and the wiring caught on fire. Pretty exciting smelling smoke and stopped at a relight when the guy in the next lane is motioning feverishly to me to tell me flames were coming from my undercarriage. That wasn’t the worst of it. GM wouldn’t pull parts to get it fixed at the dealership. After a month I filed for lemon law protection. 3 months later, an arbitrator rules in my favor....GM has to return every nickel I paid while owning the car, plus a little more because GM lied to me about what was wrong and that they considered the fault a safety issue.
Again, I’m in a hurry to get a car....first place I stopped was Infiniti. I’ve already left my impressions about the Q50.
Out of the blue, my Acura sales person, who I hadn’t seen in a few years, emailed me wanting to know if I wanted to see their private roll out of the TLX A Spec. Sure....free food and a test drive...I’m all over it. Immediately liked the cosmetics....a lot.. Loved the seats. And, it sounded wonderful, performed and handled the way I like (and not nearly as wonky as my Q50).
Being a good sales person, he asked if I wanted to work numbers. I told him I was only a year into the Q50 and I was going to take a bath on it, which I didn’t want to do. He had his used car manager look at it. I bought the Q50 right and unlike any dealership, they stepped up on the trade with $2K more than KBB trade value.
Now I’m interested. But, he didn’t have the color I wanted (Blue over Red). He said that would be a unicorn. I’ve since seen some here that are that combo. Still love that look. Salesman said if he found what I wanted, would I be willing to make a deal. Needed firm purchase and trade numbers put to paper (ended up being the previous trade number and TLX +$300 over invoice, minus incentives).
I wanted an ASPEC SH AWD. He had black over black, black over red, blue over black, white over red, white over red.....no blue over red. No deal. Couple of weeks later, he said he had a new shipment on the ground. Set up a time the next day to see what he had. No Blue over Red. But, he said he had something that I might like. He took me back to the clean up area, where they were putting a wax job on the red over red.
BOOM! Done deal! Love my ASpec. Glad I made the swap. Haven’t looked back.
02-13-2018, 09:24 AM
#64
Burning Brakes
Never saw the RED/RED, but I'm sure it's gorgeous!
Believe me; after the 2015 TLX tranny disaster, I was SKEPTICAL, at best
Took me 6+ months & numerous dealer visits, to convince them of their error
Anyway, after my Florida test drive, I was TOTALLY convinced they FINALLY got it right
LOVE my A-SPEC!
BTW: no one ever mentions the electric thigh adjustment, for the driver's seat
Great for longer trips, & a nice feature, regardless
Thanks, Acura
Believe me; after the 2015 TLX tranny disaster, I was SKEPTICAL, at best
Took me 6+ months & numerous dealer visits, to convince them of their error
Anyway, after my Florida test drive, I was TOTALLY convinced they FINALLY got it right
LOVE my A-SPEC!
BTW: no one ever mentions the electric thigh adjustment, for the driver's seat
Great for longer trips, & a nice feature, regardless
Thanks, Acura
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graphicguy (02-13-2018)
02-13-2018, 03:21 PM
#65
CTSV,TL, Audi Q7 & A5SB
@JT4.....no issues here. I agree with you. Some make up their minds on a car they want and then come here looking for reinforcement on their decision. If you want a certain car (be it an Infiniti, an Acura, an Audi, a Cadillac, etc) go buy it! You don’t need our permission and to have us hold your hand while you do it.
Now I’m interested. But, he didn’t have the color I wanted (Blue over Red). He said that would be a unicorn. I’ve since seen some here that are that combo. Still love that look. Salesman said if he found what I wanted, would I be willing to make a deal. Needed firm purchase and trade numbers put to paper (ended up being the previous trade number and TLX +$300 over invoice, minus incentives).
I wanted an ASPEC SH AWD. He had black over black, black over red, blue over black, white over red, white over red.....no blue over red. No deal. Couple of weeks later, he said he had a new shipment on the ground. Set up a time the next day to see what he had. No Blue over Red. But, he said he had something that I might like. He took me back to the clean up area, where they were putting a wax job on the red over red.
BOOM! Done deal! Love my ASpec. Glad I made the swap. Haven’t looked back.
Now I’m interested. But, he didn’t have the color I wanted (Blue over Red). He said that would be a unicorn. I’ve since seen some here that are that combo. Still love that look. Salesman said if he found what I wanted, would I be willing to make a deal. Needed firm purchase and trade numbers put to paper (ended up being the previous trade number and TLX +$300 over invoice, minus incentives).
I wanted an ASPEC SH AWD. He had black over black, black over red, blue over black, white over red, white over red.....no blue over red. No deal. Couple of weeks later, he said he had a new shipment on the ground. Set up a time the next day to see what he had. No Blue over Red. But, he said he had something that I might like. He took me back to the clean up area, where they were putting a wax job on the red over red.
BOOM! Done deal! Love my ASpec. Glad I made the swap. Haven’t looked back.
Funny you mentioned the Blue over Red combo... The Q50S goes goes off lease in approx 10 months, and just this past weekend my son was telling me that if he gets a Q50S Red Sport when his lease is up he wants it in Blue, and would have loved it with red interior. But the red interior isn't available in the Q50, it's only available on the Q60 coupe... I hate when manufacturers do that..
I've never seen a red/red A-Spec on the road, I would assume it's pretty rare.. Once again congrats!!
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graphicguy (02-16-2018)
02-13-2018, 06:59 PM
#66
Burning Brakes
I was looking at these two lately. I had decided to make the Q50 my next car. The TLX is nice, but since they changed the design on the TSX grille, I hated it. Just looks...like someone didn't plan it properly. Whereas on the Q50, it's more of like it's supposed to be there. And which two V6 options, both with putting power to the ground, it looks and sounds like the better choice. The TLX is nice but the redesign killed the TLX for my taste.
02-14-2018, 09:42 AM
#67
AZ Community Team
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I must say the Q60 is a nice car...unfortunately Acura doesn't have a 2 door TLX. If I ever decide to go for a 2 door, Q50 will be on my Top 3 list. It's powerful, beautiful design (especially the back) and nicely priced.
If I have to choose between TLX and Q50, I will go with TLX. I am not saying this to proof that TLX is better than Q50 but I like the design, seating, material and ELS sound system of TLX.
If I have to choose between TLX and Q50, I will go with TLX. I am not saying this to proof that TLX is better than Q50 but I like the design, seating, material and ELS sound system of TLX.
02-14-2018, 01:54 PM
#68
Exactly my thinking also, if you like it buy it.. Sometimes it seems like people want assurances from people they only know online...
Funny you mentioned the Blue over Red combo... The Q50S goes goes off lease in approx 10 months, and just this past weekend my son was telling me that if he gets a Q50S Red Sport when his lease is up he wants it in Blue, and would have loved it with red interior. But the red interior isn't available in the Q50, it's only available on the Q60 coupe... I hate when manufacturers do that..
I've never seen a red/red A-Spec on the road, I would assume it's pretty rare.. Once again congrats!!
Funny you mentioned the Blue over Red combo... The Q50S goes goes off lease in approx 10 months, and just this past weekend my son was telling me that if he gets a Q50S Red Sport when his lease is up he wants it in Blue, and would have loved it with red interior. But the red interior isn't available in the Q50, it's only available on the Q60 coupe... I hate when manufacturers do that..
I've never seen a red/red A-Spec on the road, I would assume it's pretty rare.. Once again congrats!!
My car....
02-14-2018, 02:04 PM
#71
my other red car....
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/, on Flickr
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/, on Flickr
by https://www.flickr.com/photos/97396424@N08/, on Flickr
02-15-2018, 06:56 AM
#72
Instructor
Having owned both (2016 Q50 3.0t AWD traded in for my current 2018 A-Spec SH-AWD), this is a pretty good read on the differences. My biggest complaint is the writer’s biggest complaint.....THE Q50 STEERING. It’s woeful. I never felt I had a good idea what the car would do if taking a corner “spiritedly”. In addition, I always felt the steering was as vague as anything I had driven in the last 10 years.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
Postives....the Q50 is quick with torque down low. I liked that.
But, the things I like better in my TLX....
-ELS...still one of the best OEM car stereos on the market, regardless of cost
-leather (Q50 had vinyl)
-handling (mechanical torque vectoring really does work well and inspires confidence
-seats......Q50 seats aren’t bad. ASPEC’s seats are better.
-no safety suite without extra cost on the Q50
-NAV system is better than the Q50’s....and the TLX NAV system isn’t necessarily anything to write home about
-Car Play/Android Auto
-For whatever reason, routine maintenance is less expensive on my TLX than it was on my Q50
Pricing? Yeah, the Q50 was discounted, but even with none of the higher end features and leather the TLX has, it was still more costly.
Good review.
REgarding sales differences, the Q comes as a sedan and a coupe. I bet if there ever was a TLX coupe, the numbers would be reversed.
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graphicguy (02-16-2018)
02-15-2018, 08:23 AM
#75
Burning Brakes
And don't forget the driver seat electric thigh extension!
Great for long trips
Great for long trips
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02-15-2018, 09:44 AM
#76
Instructor
I really loved and enjoyed my '09 TL SH-AWD. Got it used back in '11, and finally decided to upgrade a few months ago. I wanted to stay with Acura, but I couldn't stand the '15-'17 TLX. Just wasn't sporty enough for me. So, back in late October, I picked up a certified GS 350 F Sport for an excellent price. The car had many features I didn't in my TL. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't wait to get a newer car and a new '18 TLX wasn't in my reach, so I opted for the Lexus. I actually traded my wifes '08 TSX in for it, and she is now driving my TL. There were a few things I wanted, which the TLX did not offer,or else I would have another 6-12 months for some used to hit the market.
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Shadow2056 (02-15-2018)
02-15-2018, 12:06 PM
#77
Burning Brakes
I really loved and enjoyed my '09 TL SH-AWD. Got it used back in '11, and finally decided to upgrade a few months ago. I wanted to stay with Acura, but I couldn't stand the '15-'17 TLX. Just wasn't sporty enough for me. So, back in late October, I picked up a certified GS 350 F Sport for an excellent price. The car had many features I didn't in my TL. Unfortunately for me, I couldn't wait to get a newer car and a new '18 TLX wasn't in my reach, so I opted for the Lexus. I actually traded my wifes '08 TSX in for it, and she is now driving my TL. There were a few things I wanted, which the TLX did not offer,or else I would have another 6-12 months for some used to hit the market.
The Lexus is a nice option for replacing an Acura. Especially a TL or TSX. I've always wanted an 06-2012 IS350. They look great. Nice power. But like Toyota, no real tuning available. That's not the main reason though. The IS350 I wanted had a bad crash test rating. I think it was a "C". I was like...Nope. Not for me. It's still on the list of cars I want but its....down lower. Lol. The 2014-15 Q50 is at the top to own. I have an 08 TL now that I'll probably be keeping along with getting the Q50. I love the looks of the Q50. The different engine choices(3.7 or 3.0t). I may go for the turbo and possibly(if available) the AWD model. Never had a turbo car before. From what I'v'e read so far, there are no real issues with them. Wifey wants to get a TLX, but with the transmission issues I've been hearing about, not sure if I want to get a car that has a potential $3k-5k problem from the get go unless Acura/Honda has offered a remedy for it already.
02-16-2018, 09:58 AM
#78
My Cobra is a '98. I bought it from the original owner about 3 years ago. He was an engineer at Ford. His wife bought it for him for 50th birthday. He retired and couldn't drive it anymore (more likely, he didn't want to drive a manual transmission any more). He always garaged and babied it. After he signed the title over to me, I laid a 20 foot patch of rubber on his street as I drove it away. He was horrified. LOL! It has 38K original miles on it and there isn't a scratch on it. Only thing I've done to it is to put in a new battery and some better tires. It's in the garage for the winter. I'll bring it out sometime around the end of March-early April! It's a fun car with the top down, a sunny warm day, and winding it out to redline and watch small animals scatter by the sound.
Your '97 was probably identical, only as a coupe.
02-19-2018, 06:38 PM
#79
Suzuka Master
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Thanks! I know there are some red over red ASpec's out there, but none that I've seen in my area (OHIO). I get great compliments on it all the time.
My Cobra is a '98. I bought it from the original owner about 3 years ago. He was an engineer at Ford. His wife bought it for him for 50th birthday. He retired and couldn't drive it anymore (more likely, he didn't want to drive a manual transmission any more). He always garaged and babied it. After he signed the title over to me, I laid a 20 foot patch of rubber on his street as I drove it away. He was horrified. LOL! It has 38K original miles on it and there isn't a scratch on it. Only thing I've done to it is to put in a new battery and some better tires. It's in the garage for the winter. I'll bring it out sometime around the end of March-early April! It's a fun car with the top down, a sunny warm day, and winding it out to redline and watch small animals scatter by the sound.
Your '97 was probably identical, only as a coupe.
My Cobra is a '98. I bought it from the original owner about 3 years ago. He was an engineer at Ford. His wife bought it for him for 50th birthday. He retired and couldn't drive it anymore (more likely, he didn't want to drive a manual transmission any more). He always garaged and babied it. After he signed the title over to me, I laid a 20 foot patch of rubber on his street as I drove it away. He was horrified. LOL! It has 38K original miles on it and there isn't a scratch on it. Only thing I've done to it is to put in a new battery and some better tires. It's in the garage for the winter. I'll bring it out sometime around the end of March-early April! It's a fun car with the top down, a sunny warm day, and winding it out to redline and watch small animals scatter by the sound.
Your '97 was probably identical, only as a coupe.
Nice cars. The brakes on my COBRA are 98 Ford Cobra models with high performance pads & drilled, slotted rotors. Excellent stopping units.
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graphicguy (02-19-2018)