LTBM

After spending 3 years with my TLX (V6, 9-speed, tech, etc.) I would gladly pay to have Acura remove the buttons and replace it with a shift handle as is my 2005 TL.
Members, how have you adapted (if at all) to the button set-up and your opinions and tricks.
David

KeithL

I am mixed, I like a shifter, but the more open uncluttered openness of the front cabin makes the front space feel larger and more spacious with the push buttons. Of the few incarnations I have seen I like Acura's the best. I don;t like that Lincoln put it on the dash. Genesis is a hybrid, shifter for FWD/REV, but a button for park (dumb). I have gotton used to it and am fine with the Acura implementation.

ddswv

I originally wasn't sold on the push buttons, but over time I have found I actually prefer it. I was used to resting my hand on the shifter and missed that in the beginning.

• The push buttons, once you learn the feel, you can change direction (D to R, R to D), and park without ever looking down.
• You can when parking, just hit the engine start button, it will automatically put the car in park and set emergency brake, so less steps to do when exiting the vehicle.
• It's safer, if you open the door with your seat belt off, it will put the car in park, if this would have been implemented/working properly the Star Trek Star's, Anton Yelchin's, jeep would not have killed him.
  • Jeep that killed 'Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin was flagged for safety problems
• When starting the car, you only have to put it in Drive or Reverse, the parking brake will release automatically when touching the accelerator. (Make sure the door and driver's seat belt is engaged for this to work)

Terdbath

I frequently switch between my A Spec, motorcycle, Honda Pilot, & 2010 manual TSX. All completely different in regard to shifter placement and operation.

I knew the TLX was a new design and I knew that I would eventually get used to it. No complaints at all.

LTBM

Many Mfg.s are going without the shifter and using various configurations and locations.
Having the extra space available below is of no real interest to me, I've managed fine through the years.
My neighbor has an Lincoln MKZ, and I prefer having the buttons higher and at eye level.
The paddles are fine, but used as you are moving forward and not engaging N/R/P.
In the next two or three years, not certain there will be hand shifters available in any new vehicle, lets hope so.
Interesting opinions none the less, thanks for sharing.
I'm David

Kense

I think it was a horrible idea and I hate it. They need to make some major changes for the next GEN TLX .

Speed_Racer

As much as I'd like to have a shift handle, that's never coming back, unless they do a manual transmission (dreaming). I still haven't gotten used to it on my '18 Aspec and constantly look down to see which button i'm pressing.

F23A4

joneswood

I love it. More space, easy to use without looking and the extra features are convenient. Car wash can be a paint, but who cares.

BEAR-AvHistory

Personally think it is a "High Tech" look marketing feature. More space? What do you do with the extra space, more cup holders? No look shifting. Same as with a stick or do you fingers need to "find" the right button by feel? No hand rest.

Might be the future but will have to see how it plays out. Push button autos were tried before in the 1950's Edsel & 1960's Dodge but at the time did not become mainstream. Expect there were others but these efforts were high volume normal cars.

MTD

Ive had it in 2 TLXs, my MDX and the soon to arrive RDX and Im perfectly happy with the buttons. With each version, Acura seems to streamline them. The new RDX has less butttons and they are up higher and more visible. Ive driven a few other vehicles with button shifters from Ford and Chrysler and Honda/Acura does them better. Same position as a normal shifter and the selector buttons follow the same pattern, P-R-N-D that they would in a traditional shift lever. Driving a loaner car with a shift lever feels cumbersome to me now.

Id still take a manual trans over an auto if it was offered though.

TLXinTX

I don't know what the fuss is about. The button layout took all of a week to get used to and fits Acura's forward-thinking philosophy when it comes to technology.

jhb31

Disliked the button shifter but thought it would grow on me and actually dislike it more now than initially. Very awkward to make any type of K turn where you need to shift from drive to reverse to drive quickly since you have to look down to make sure you are pushing the right buttons along with the lag. Also there is the issue of trying to put it into gear too quickly after starting where it should be in reverse but is still in park (never happens with a lever shift). I would have paid extra for a lever and to be able to shut off permanently the auto idle off. Besides the trans the button shifter and engine shut off are the main things I wish were done differently.

dezymond

I always thought the feature was kinda odd, but cool in a way. Over 2.5yrs later, I'm completely used to it and really like the open space it creates. I think the longest adjustment period for me was figuring out where to place my right hand since there was no shifter to rest it on anymore.

quantum7

Not a fan. But hey.....I actually like the old Triptronic shifter in my 3G. Would prefer a 6 speed MT

steig

I would prefer a shifter, but not a deal breaker

LTBM

Sir Issac Newton wrote, "Truth is ever to be found in simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things" I rest my case.......

hdcolumbus

I prefer an actual shifter, but I've gotten used to it over the past month. The extra room is nice,

Linmk2

I have no problem with the push button arrangement at all. I could operate it without looking within one hour of buying my 2018 TLX Advance. As an aside, push button transmission selectors are not anything new. A number of cars had them from the mid 1950's to the early 1960's. Chrysler vehicles having the feature for the longest period.

LTBM

Linmk2,
I was not concerned with historical data on push button/etc. transmission shifters. I've been around long enough to have a knowledgeable amount of history on that subject.
My intent when starting this thread was to ask how current owners of Acura felt about them.
It's down the middle, I think that most here would not have thought shed a tear had buttons not been available.
Enjoy your TLX,
Cheers....

01LSi

01LSi

An Acura rep video somewhere on YouTube says "... there's no lever so now you can move your purse from the driver's seat to the passenger seat without hitting a lever."

It works but I absolutely hate it.

Should I tell you how I really feel?

space_boy

I miss having a regular or apparently now old school shift lever. I still sometimes forget to press "P" or have to double check to make sure I pushed it when I'm parked.

P.S: I wish they made a manual TLX. That would be nice.

ultrapogi

BEAR-AvHistory

Car does not automatically engage park when you shut it off? I have the stick & paddles. Even it I am in the sport slot to the left of the comfort mode slot the car will move the stick into park when you push the engine start/stop button.

Would seem to make a lot of sense since they only have buttons to manage for an automatic park function on shutdown.

F23A4

Rocketsfan

I prefer the push button... especially when I drag my laptop off the front seat. lol.
Took no time to get used to, either. Maybe 1 or 2 days. Big whoop. I don't even know how there's any difficulty in learning it. Maybe the "pull back on the 'R' to reverse" is tricky to learn for some. But after doing it a couple of times, that should be intuitive. The only other reason for not liking it is preference, I guess, and I much prefer hitting a button.

Once you open the door or turn the car off, it automatically goes into park.

jhb31

There is no difficulty in learning it, that is as easy as finding all the other things about it that are not better than the lever. There is the noticeable lag waiting for it to go into gear or having to pull up on the reverse toggle a second or third time as the car isn't "ready" to be shifted out of park so the reverse toggle ignores the pull up until some period of time passes and you repeat the process. Also the fact that you cant quickly do a K turn since you have to reach back and forth to different buttons rather than just moving the lever that would already be in your hand. I don't recall ever even needing to look at the lever to put the car in drive or reverse or shifting it into reverse and have the car remain in park. Pretty much always have to look down or "feel" around for the buttons. Oh well that shift knob really freed up some useful space, not. Then there is the auto shift into park if the door is opened so the once in a while you want to pop the door open for a look out just stepping on the brake doesn't cut it or instead of an audible or alert that the door is not shut all the way the car just wont shift into gear and eventually you realize the door wasn't shut.

I do realize some prefer to have the car overide the driver but I would be fine without all of those extra "features" and just have the car do what I want. The number of controls built into the car keep increasing.