Greg D

Lots of good info in this thread! I am recently in the market for an A-Spec and was glad to see some thoughts of it.

F23A4

Thats gold!

svtmike

What's puzzling is the rock he's been under that has prevented him from ever seeing a 3G Type S.

Saintor

That's crazy what a little nose job can do. Ask Cleopatra.

JTRADAR61

Saw the 2018 a spec in blue with red int car was stunning in person . Red interior
is awsome . Wish aspec came in advance model in US market.

dmski

Where did you see this Unicorn?? Was it SH-AWD?

JTRADAR61

Acura of Boston and yes was SH-AWD

Tony Pac

Amazing to hear that!
It's really funny. I was checking the new A-Spec at work on Monday, my colleague saw me and asked what kind of Acura is this? I told him that this is the new TLX A-Spec. He literally said wow!! This car looks sick...he asked me if I am shopping for one. I told him may be....He told me when I go for test drive, take him with me lol! He really wants to see the car in person. He drives a Infiniti QX50 and his lease is up next summer.

I am really surprised that with few minor changes and sporty look, Acura made a huge difference in people's perception. Now imagine if they really focus on the right car and market???

TacoBello

JKftw forgot to mention the "3 series" was really a 320i.

K3RMiTdot

Ordered my 2018 A-Spec SH-AWD Elite. Should be here by the end of August =)

iforyou

iTrader: (1)

I have just seen my first TLX A-spec on the road and it does look way sportier/better than the current one. It has a good balance of sportiness and luxury to it. It might not move like a proper sports sedan but it sure looks like one. Hopefully the next gen will get the other part of the equation right too.

neuronbob

neuronbob

I got a "wow, that's an awesome car" from someone tonight as I was in my TLX, he loved the color and the shape. I'm really surprised, the TLX isn't usually a car that elicits that kind of response like my NSX and CTS-V, which get drools whenever I take them out. It's amazing how this facelift has improved the outlook for this car. It's supposed to be my "incognito" car!

slimm1469

If I may, I'd like to discuss reliability, which is what I'm researching lately. Audi is not known for reliability. Neither are BMW and Nissan. The jury is still out on 2018 TLX. Two members on the other Acura forum, with 3.5 tech cars, are reporting the dreaded 70 mph vibration. That's been around since 2015! ?? I love the A-Spec. I've driven it, wow, just wow but none of us knows what it's going to be like with 50k miles or more on the clock. My 2009 Accord, while not luxe, has a clock with 120k miles and it's had nothing but regular maintenance.

graphicguy

I've been getting that a lot, too. This is my 4th Acura. I've had a 335i coupe, a Q50, a CTS a Mustang Cobra ('98...still have it) and an RX8. Nothing has elicited the positive comments as the TLX ASpec.

kurtatx

Reliability studies are so nuanced at this point, I wouldn't worry too much about the difference between the Audi, BMW, Acura. They jump all over the rankings year over year because they average out to similar reliability. They're neither Lexus reliable nor Fiat flaky

neuronbob

Out of six Acuras and seven Hondas over 27 years, my RLX was the only new one I've had major problems with, and one used Civic 20 years ago that was badly cared for and so gave me problems. I'd call that a pretty good record. I'm not worried about Acura reliability.

alpha0

2018 Acura TLX A-Spec: Rocky Mtn Real World Test [Review] - The Fast Lane Car

Good review.

Honda430

What hat he says about the interior is right on from my piont of view. When I first test drove the car I was unimpressed with the black plastics in the lower portion of the door panel inserts. Actually thought they were cheesy looking. However the more time I spent in the car the more I realized what the overall theme was and to my sensibilities it's just right. Much much better than my 2015 interior that always struck me as cheap. I've tried to determine what the difference is, but I just can't put my finger on it. I know it's much better, but I can't wrap my mind around why.

Mr Hyde

Saw a white A-spec on the road last week. I must say, just like with the MDX, I didn't care for the new front ends in pictures, but in person I really like them on both vehicles!

The bespoke bumpers, etc vs tacked on body kits was an update that Acura desperately needed, and was very late to the game with.

neuronbob

alpha0

2018 Acura TLX V-6 SH-AWD A-Spec Test | Review | Car and Driver

Clearly says Aspec does not go far enough...

Speed_Racer

Is what they're saying in the review correct? That the ASpec FWD vs ASpec AWD has different anti-roll bar and spring stiffness? First I'd heard that.

alpha0

It seems correct as per this article: Five Details that Make the 2018 Acura TLX A-Spec | Automobile Magazine

F23A4

Wonderful! A TLX that's as quick as a Honda Accord V6 Touring

2016 Honda Accord V-6 Sedan Test ? Review ? Car and Driver

The braking distance is an improvement though.

BEAR-AvHistory

No really sure that is a bragging rights point.

a35tl

Those pictures in the Car and Driver article are really nice. That blue is stunning!

neuronbob

That blue is stunning. I enjoy looking at it, every day. My "incognito" car is simply awesome to look at. It feels snappy in the handling department, too.

TLXTXDL

Hi Acurazine, this is my first time posting, but I've been lurking for about a year and some of the comments on this forum made me feel more comfortable about purchasing a 2018 bellanova white pearl TLX SH-AWD (#802). I'm coming from VAG where I've had my fill of turbos and lag, and especially the maintenance issues. A huge deciding factor was reliability and safety, so I feel like this TLX was the best bang for the buck. Here's my amateur enthusiast review. Hope it helps the next person decide.

Performance:
This engine and transmission so far have been incredibly smooth. I haven't once experienced any issues between gears with the 9-speed automatic. I think it's important to remember this transmission was built for fuel economy first. In the A-spec it feels fast and sporty enough. Having recently driven a couple Audis, VW, and a Nissan Maxima, the torque in the TLX feel insubstantial. If you want to be thrown back in your seat on every shift, this isn't the car for you. However, if you're like me and your boy-racer days are over, but you still want a car that can get off the line quick enough, the TLX with AWD feels smooth and fast. Highways with sweeping curves are the best, and tearing around the Texas hill country at 20-mph over the speed limit (in high-visibility situations) feels effortless and fun. Gas mileage isn't great, but it's not bad at all for a V6 AWD sedan, and in normal or econ mode it gets about average compared to by wife's H4 engine in the city. Overall, this is a great ride and the 5.7 0-60 isn't slow. I'll totally concede that driving some of these 350+hp sedans is exhilarating, but I have a chance to do that about 1% of the time during ownership. Frankly, unless I lived in Germany where I could drive the autobahn every day with respectful drivers, there's just rarely an opportunity to take advantage of bigger engines where I live. The engine and transmission in the 2018 TLX feel adequate at low speeds, and surprisingly fun to drive at higher speeds. My only caveat is that the dampening and ride is sometimes too smooth, and I find I'm unintentionally doing 80 in a 60-mph zone.

A big deciding factor in buying this car's engine was because of the age, performance, and reliability of the J35Y6 engine. I trust mid-cycle refreshes more than new autos, and the J35 has been around for a long time. With the whole world going turbo, I feel like at least half those customers might be in for a 60k-mile surprise. I have nothing against turbos per se, but for ownership reasons I purposely shopped for an N/A engine. Lexus was really the only other choice, but I decided against Lexus for other reasons.

Exterior:
I really didn't like the beak. For any of you on the fence about the redesign, I recommend you don't judge this auto based on Internet images. I really haven't seen a good photo yet that doesn't warp the car's dimensions by using the wrong lens/distance. In person, this car looks like a sports sedan should look for my tastes. It's "classy" enough to attend work events with all the yuppies I work with, but the front and rear end still look sporty. I love the rear end choices Acura made with this refresh. The grill looks great in person, and nothing looks overly-large like in review videos/photos. I won't spend too much time extolling my love for the design because I realize it's a matter of taste. (It's worth noting how well Acura did on the seams of this car.) I only want to encourage other shoppers like me to go check one out in person.

Interior:
Disregarding the extra performance and handling in the TLX, the interior is where I can definitively say this is not just an expensive Accord. Having test driven the 9th gen Accord extensively (my first choice before the 2018 TLX came out), there is really no comparing the interior space. The Acura seats are so comfortable, and the craftsmanship (while not MB quality) is still very high. There are no creaks or rattles. The accents are well thought out, and everything is well within reach. For all the people commenting on the split-screen center stack, I honestly don't know what they're talking about. Having driven an Audi, and taken rides in a Model S and S90, I can't get over how much simpler it is to navigate two cooperative screens in the TLX. Instead of taking my eyes off the road to navigate through tons of sub-menus, I can rely on a hefty, tactile knob and simple touch-screen controls. I love that there are practically no sub-menus in the entire UX. I'm looking at you VAG.

Seating comfort and space in comparison to a Lexus IS, BMW 3, A4, or other models (besides maybe Buick) is the best. I'm married with children, and I just couldn't imagine using the back seats of those previously mentioned models. All those brands excel in other areas, but in terms of comfort for intro luxury, I think only MB beats Acura.

Deciding Factors:
Below is a list for why I eventually decided on the TLX instead of an Audi, Lexus, or Volvo which is what I was cross shopping.

• Price, I felt I got as much or more car for a much lower price (I paid just under a 1k less than MSRP; buy not lease). The next closest auto similarly optioned was almost 10k more.
• Safety, I couldn't believe I had to pay so much for safety that comes standard on an Acura (wtf Volvo).
• Reliability, I couldn't bring myself to risk buying one of these high-powered turbos, especially with all the potential for high-maintenance or replacement costs down the line.
• Performance, I wanted an N/A engine with known-good reliability. I prefer N/A over turbo lag, and as a guy closer to 40, I wanted smoother acceleration.
• Interior, I wanted something big and comfortable enough (i.e. family hauler) that still felt luxurious in the right areas.
• Controls, I wanted modern options like CarPlay without having to pay extra. I felt that if the OEM controls/software start to feel dated, at least my iPhone's center-stack option will evolve (honestly, wtf Lexus).
• Exterior, I wanted something that looked nice, sporty, but also something that wouldn't get noticed by ticket-happy police. I also wanted something that would age well, and I feel the profile, front, and rear ends will still look nice 5-10 years from now.

Thanks for reading my first post. I wish I could post some photos, but apparently the rules of this forum prohibit those actions for new users. (As a point of feedback for Acurazine admins, I think the requirements before allowing full forum features is a little too strict.) I'm happy to answer any questions, and I could go down a whole list of reasons why I preferred purchasing this auto over a Lexus IS, Audi A4, or Volvo S60 or S90. Happy and safe driving, everyone!

alpha0

TLXTXDL - i read few negative impressions regarding downshifting of transmission. I understand it is not going to be DCT quick. But how do you feel? Are downshifts better than Accord V6 with 6AT?

Nytetime6

here is good review:

Speed_Racer

That review was kind of painful to watch in parts.
"Low beam lights, I like that they're round now..." Pointing at the fog lights. . .
"Wheels look great, I do know they are 19" and this helps with fuel economy."
"Check out the round abouts as well, because this apparently has an amazing turn radius."

Sales person at least knew what she was talking about.

Nytetime6

Good points.

TLXTXDL

I honestly prefer the 9-speed for its smoothness. I've only driven in Sport+ about 5 times (just broke 600mi) so I can't give a great answer. When test driving the Accord V6, I think what I noticed was that it was significantly less sporty. However, if I had to guess the manual Accord coupe would still be more fun to drive and sporty compared to the TLX. Because it sounds like this is the last year to get a 6M from Honda, if that's your preference maybe take it for a test drive?

ESHBG

Agreed. Nice booty, though

F23A4

Interesting observation on the comparative torque versus the Maxima TLXTXDL, particularly as the TLX rates higher in torque at about the same rpm.

Great first post BTW.

wlkeel

Don't know if this has been posted - I don't recall seeing it:

2018 Acura TLX V-6 SH-AWD A-Spec Test | Review | Car and Driver

TLXTXDL

FWIW, it was a slightly older Maxima. I wouldn't have mentioned it except for the fact that even with tremendous torque steer, similar HP, and slightly less torque, it seemed to deliver power all at once, very quickly. Because of this I considered an Infiniti Q50. However, I really didn't like the cockpit, and while driver-focused, it still felt small to me. Not to beat a dead horse, but I also wasn't in the mood for a turbo. Infiniti doesn't have the best reliability rating, so I've read. I'm no expert.

neuronbob

Yup, repost. But that's OK.

neuronbob

A few comments, while I'm at it, about the C&D review:

First, the subtitle is absolutely spot-on. "Getting warmer, but keep going". A bit more power would have been a nice differentiator, as many people have said here....but A-Spec has traditionally been a looks and handling package, so no surprise there. Typically, the Type-S submodel has more power. Who knows whether that's coming, but that would be nice to see.

Value. True, the car is less of a value than other TLXs, but is still less expensive than the competition, and C&D makes both these points.

They mention the "better looking", upcoming Buick Regal GS, also with torque vectoring AWD, and which costs even less. The new Regal is not as handsome as this car, at least to me, or even compared to the outgoing Regal. However, before you start saying "American crap", I've owned four GM products in the last eight years, and they are coming up fast in the rear view mirror in terms of quality. My nearly five year old V wagon has no rattles yet. Its interior is not as nice as this new TLX, though. Further, more power and adaptive dampers (Similar to my V's Magnetic Ride) for significantly less money, make Regal a nice value play compared to the A-Spec. I will likely test drive a Regal for spits and giggles, then will post a comparison.


Last, I disagree with their comments that the transmission is slow and it feels as if the gear chosen is one too high, in all drive modes. I do not find that to be the case in either Sport or Sport Plus mode. The difference may be that they drove a preproduction car and I'm driving production car with whatever final tranny software was chosen. The paddle shifters, in Sport +, are quick enough to be usable. They are not DCT fast, or supercar fast, but they get the job done without getting in the way.

I found it a largely positive review. Can you imagine this car with adaptive dampers, though? I think we'll see them, or SHOULD see them, in the next RLX Sport Hybrid....would make that car even more of a sleeper than it already is. But that's a different topic....