Acura TLX vs Audi A6 2.0T Quattro
 

I own: 2018 Acura TLX 3.5LV6 P-AWS "Technology Package"
I have, for a week or two: 2018 Audi A6 2.0T "S-Line" Quattro

I will give my impressions as I experience the Audi and become familiar with it.

First impressions are (of the Audi, relative to my Acura):
Of course, I need to spend more quality time driving the Audi - including driving time with open roads where I suspect there are not police lurking, so that I may fully appreciate sporty use of the paddle shifters to more fully form my opinion about performance, and potential "fun" this car can deliver. So far, surprisingly(!!!) I prefer my FWD NA V6 Acura to the 2.0T Audi, in terms of driving excitement. Yes, I have to be aware, and precise, in my throttle application if I wish to engage in spirited driving - particularly "off the line" and, if I wish to take hard corners under acceleration. I've not yet had the opportunity to push the Audi at all significantly, and, I don't know how do the Conti Pro Contact tires compare to Potenzas?

I will report back more later - but I'm thinking that much of the love that I see for Audis around here (by people that have "moved on" after getting upset with Acura's transmission problems) is misplaced, and the the Audi badge is mostly hype, with a few exceptions (that I have not experienced yet) such as the S3, RS models, and perhaps the A3 for it's much vaunted fast 0 - 30 acceleration and how it might be more fun to drive than the somewhat lumbering A6 (4 cylinder models)?

But, I now feel like the Acura definitely gives more for your money without even considering Audi's astronomical maintenance prices! I wish I could have tried the Audi TT rather than the A6, but, I am taking the kids on a road trip and asked for a mid/full size sedan while my car is in the shop because somebody clipped my fender on my TLX.

I also feel happier with the decision to get the TLX now that I have the chance to have in my possession, an Audi A6 for longer than just an "extended test drive" for comparison! If I learn to love the A6 over the coming week, as I drive it east across the Appalachian Mountains, in lovely summer weather, I still won't be disappointed in my TLX though, because I'm already more than happy with how it stacked up in initial impressions. Thumbs up Acura!

I'm not here to start an argument, but there's a few things I wanted to point out in terms of getting a more in-depth opinion from you.

1. You think the Audi is much more expensive, but didn't check the price. With that statement, it shows the quality of materials used in the Audi, as expected in a German luxury brand vehicle. I think MSRP originally was in the mid to high 40k for that specific trim.
2. Fake wood, our TLX uses fake wood for interior trim pieces. Acura definitely cut a ton of corners for the TLX.
3. Steering feel - You have to remember that Audi is punching at a class above the TLX, they're going for more luxury. That being said the lighter steering feel is more appreciated by the Audi customer.
4. Driving feel - considering you turn off the driving aids and also have the sprintbooster, you're not going to get a fair comparison. Drive your TLX with the sprintbooster off and you'd be surprised at how responsive that steering feel is in the Audi (though this is quite subjective anyways.)
5. Memory seats - You'd be surprised but most European luxury brands you are required to hold down the memory seat button. I think this feature can be helpful though, you can get to a certain point and then slightly adjust if needed. With how much I've changed my seating position in the TLX over the past 3.5yrs of ownership, I would've loved this feature. The TLX memory seat is definitely quick and more convenient, but I would say the memory seats of the Audi/Mercedes/BMW offer more precision even if that means holding the button down for a total of 5-8 seconds.

Glad to read and learn about your experience with the Audi. Also glad to hear you're not stuck in a "honeymoon" phase with a rental cause alot of times many are blinded by that.

Lastly, as for value, yes the Acura is a great value compared to the Euro big 3 and Lexus. However, Honda and Toyota have quickly caught up. So Acura is in this weird middle ground where you want just a bit more luxury in an Acura, but not so much where you're in Euro Big 3 and Lexus territory.

Can't comment on the AUDI never drove that model. Will say I would not buy a car without a dynamic suspension system with multi drive modes. Can go from crappy street/wife happy to sporting firm on the fly at the push of the button. In the BMW system it also resets the steering weight & movement ratio, transmission map as well as the throttle map. You can also separate the power-train mapping from the chassis mapping. Would think the AUDI system would be similar to the Porsche PDK package as it matches the BMW package in functionality although they might neuter it on the low end cars.

Beats the tar out of my older fixed sport suspension cars. Only have the sport car & trucks now with a full time sport or heavy duty suspension.

Oh, absolutely I want "argument" - just not personal attacks or bad attitude - I don't want people posting useless comments that are nothing more than negativity, or throwing insults at other members.

I looked and the MSRP for the Quattro version was actually ~$50,000 - $15K more than my Acura cost.

I'm guessing that if I didn't have Android Auto, that the Audi infotainment system would be unquestionably superior to the old dual screen systems we have in our TLXs, but, since I DO use Android Auto, I rather like the dual screens and I would say, that it's fairly close between the two cars. But, newer/higher end Audi's must have a higher resolution and larger center display? Don't they? The one on the A6 that I have seems to be somewhat low resolution and has excess bezel rather than maximizing edge-to-edge display area.

Fake stuff is a pet peeve of mine, I hate the fake "air vents" that Honda has been putting on some of their cars (particularly on the Civics and Fit) lately and I would avoid any trim of the TLX with fake wood, if I could do so, and still get the car which I otherwise desired.

You don't mean to imply that the Sprint Booster affects steering feel, do you? Why I'm particularly disappointed in the Audi is that you are paying a fair amount of money for features like adjustable steering and driving response - so, why do they "pussyfoot" around with half-assed changes - is there a hidden menu that lets me actually achieve a larger difference? Is it only the suspension that's affected by selecting Dynamic "driving mode"? I really need to see, in particular, how does the Audi handle hitting a bump in a hard turn, at speed - that's the one area where I find my TLX can get a slight "floating" bounciness that disturbs me. Otherwise, I find the TLX suspension to be quit excellent (just wish they chose a SLIGHTLY sportier feel, but, old people have more money so, too bad so sad I guess).

Yes, back to the seats - the Audi leather is clearly superior to the "base model" TLX seats, but, I actually prefer the leather of my seats, which I guess are the "mid tier" as far as TLXs go, with the A-Spec getting Alcantera and do some models of TLX have active cooling seats? Mine are heated, but I'd like to have cold air blowing through my seats on hot summer days.

And, as to the "one touch" return of the Acura seat memory positions, after reading your defense of the Audi's "hold to return" I don't buy it, I see the one touch as a clear win.

Yes, well I was supposed to get just a "Premium" rental (such as a Nissan Maxima) but they were out at that location so I got bumped up to the "Luxury" class - at first I was "wow, I'm getting an A6?", but it didn't take me long for my opinion to change from the initial wow, to: "OK, cool, this car is not actually exciting like an S or RS version might have been, and really it's just a "good" car that even Audi calls "near luxury" so, despite the higher price, it seems like a very good opportunity for a comparison to my car". I'm by no means an "Acura fan boy", and if I hadn't found a way to eliminate the horrible power cut which occurs during turns, I would have used the "Lemon Law" to make them take my Acura back.

So, with the initial "wow it's an A6" faded, I'm surprised to find that the TLX seems like the superior car so far, and I'll be looking for areas where the Audi can come out on top. Anybody reading this should bear in mind, I actually view an engaging driving experience as MORE important than comfort or perceived interior quality - although, I do still appreciate those factors and they were part of my reason for choosing the TLX over the 2.0T Accord. The gauge cluster on the Audi is nice, will have to use it more to see if I prefer it. The navigation/entertainment system on the Audi will take a little more practice before I can say if the interface is superior (I suspect it is, with the touch pad interface and more ergonomically placed dial).

I do wish that they had had the model of 2018 2.0T Accord in stock when I bought my car, because that's what I had wanted to buy, for various reasons I was not able to wait so I went with the Acura TLX instead. There were other factors in the TLX's favor such as the quiet interior, exterior appearance of the car, and, the fact that this would likely be the one time in my life that I would own a (near) "luxury" car...

This model of Audi seems like it's appropriate for someone who: A) is not concerned with getting a "sports sedan", and simply wants a nice car which presents a somewhat subtle image of class and maturity, and B) is a person who does not need to worry much about the value of the car or potential high costs of maintenance. It feels like a larger part of the price (than I would be comfortable with, even if I could afford the car) is simply the badge on the grill. If I had $50K to spend on a car, I would not even glance at a 4 cylinder Audi knowing that I could get the BMW M2, or, potentially in the future, the Type-S TLX.

There must be a variety of factors at play here, with my feeling more, rather than less, satisfied with my "fixed suspension" after trying the Audi with Dynamic drive/suspension settings. 1) I have no desire for the option of a "more comfortable" setting than my non-Aspec TLX - I would say that it's slightly less firm than I would prefer, but, better to err on that side for the long highway road trips with the family than on the too stiff side for those occasional spirited driving times when I'm alone in the car on empty back roads. And, probably as you say, even though this is an A6 it's clearly not a model of Audi which is targeted at "driving enthusiasts", so they probably have "dialed back" the Dynamic setting, and, the engine simply doesn't have the HP or torque to deliver a thrilling experience no matter what the "throttle mapping" is set to. Looking at specs, if we combine both the increased weight of almost 500 lbs more than the TLX and about 50 HP less, then it's easy to see why the acceleration isn't exactly thrilling.

I'm clearly the wrong demographic for the Audi 2.0T A6 Quattro and it's ~$50K price tag! If I had (owned) this car, I would be eager to trade it and one of my kidney's (OK, not really, but almost) it for a BMW M2.

it just sounds like you're trying to justify the TLX to yourself. if you like the car, that's all that matters.

Glad you like the TLX. But comparing the A6 to the TLX might be the wrong model. I think the A4 is closer in dimensions and retail. Coming from Acura for many years, the Audi is a totally different driving machine. I loved all my Acuras, but wasn't impressed with their current lineup. I'm loving my 2019 A4, but I agree, it's a totally different drive. The A4 is more taunt and has a "German" ride in my opinion. The wood in my car is real, I do know that. And it's super quick with one of the best trans in the market (the TLX can't hold a candle to it). I've been in the TLX many times and I just hated the interior. It's dated and needs a serious update. Nothing beat the virtual cockpit. Yes, the upkeep will be more costly, but I know that going in.

Some more on the plus side of the Audi A6:
I do really like the gauge cluster since I tried the GPS in the middle view, that's quite nice. And there is something that really irritates me about the Acura that is not a problem in the Audi: you can turn the engine off without turning the radio off. This might seem like a nit-picky niggling issue to some people, but to me, it's an annoyance that bothers me almost daily, sometimes multiple times per day find it frustrating.

The backup camera on the Audi is excellent, I would rate the one on the Acura as "good". I would just like to see a slightly larger and higher resolution panel than the one in this Audi. I assume newer, or, more premium model Audi's must come with such a superior display?

Another very small ding on the Audi: The sunroof shade is stiff, somewhat difficult to slide - I imagine that if I'd hurt my elbow or shoulder, it would be painful to move it. Some people complained about the "cheap" feel of sliding the Acura's sunroof shade, now, I fully appreciate how the Japanese found the perfect amount of slight tension to hold it in place while allowing you to use one hand to nearly effortlessly open or close it - I much prefer this over the rather brutish German choice of "let's make this feel solid and firm" to slide? Not sure if it's intentionally stiff to move?

No - not at all. From all the hype I had been hearing, even on this board, from people that used to have Acuras, but now have Audis, I was totally expecting more from the Audi. I was totally surprised to find that even in "Dynamic" Steering and Driving modes the Audi is less both less peppy and less engaging to drive - you feel less "connected" to the road, the steering feels more like a remote control and is almost completely missing any "feedback" from the road. Even the gas pedal/feels both less responsive and less precise than the Acura - I found that on slight hills, going ether forward or backwards the Audi wouldn't move with a slight press of the pedal, until you depress it further then the car kind of lurches.

I imagine that the A4 (and particularly the RS3) would be much more "my cup of tea" than the A6. I want the car to feel both nimble and planted on the road, I want to feel the slight bumps of the pavement while having the jarring jolts damped away. I want to feel the road through my steering wheel. I want to feel tugged forward INSTANTLY when I press the gas pedal, not the sensation of the engine revving up first THEN the car pulls forward. I don't need the brutish raw power of a beastly twin turbo or supercharged V8 like the Dodge Demon/Hellcat etc., but, I would like a good 300+ HP from a quality V6 engine, or high performance inline 5 - my Acura's 3.5L NA V6 has just enough power to make me happy in the current application where it is paired with not the greatest automatic transmission. I do believe, that this same engine, when paired with a MT would give me every bit of visceral thrill I crave under most circumstances (unless I were to try to drag race, then it would surely be an exercise in disappointment).

To be clear, as of today, if you offered me the choice of this 2.0T A6 or my Acura TLX, I choose the TLX (assuming that I couldn't get enough money from selling the Audi to buy a car better than the TLX). If you offered me an Audi A4 (and a maintenance plan so I wouldn't have to pay maintenance) I think I would choose the A4 over the TLX - but, that's just guessing based on people telling me what's better about the driving experience of the A4 relative to the A6 (being lighter, thus more nimble, and more peppy). I wish that I will have the opportunity to try an S or RS 3/4 at some point in the future.

As always, my dream car (not including exotics costing over $100K) would be either the BMW M2, or a 2.0T ILX "Track Special" with reduced weight, RWD or SH-AWD, track level brakes, and light wheels with performance tires, and last but not least, the 6 Speed Manual Transmission from the Civic Type-R. The Camero LT 1LE would be on that list, except the view from the cockpit reminds me more of being inside a tank, than a car! (Such small windows!, why?)

I used to think my dream car would be an Audi "S" series model (before I learned about the "RS" models), but not after watching multiple video reviews such as "Audi RS3 vs BMW M2" etc. etc. - the reviewers inevitably come away saying that the Audi is just not as "engaging", not as thrilling, to drive. Sure it's fast, but it's just too smooth and not as much of a "driver's car" as the M2, or even the Civic Type-R.

I suspect you are right. Also, I wonder how the S3 compares to the A4? I really do hope to someday (before I get too old to appreciate it!) again have a car that feels more nimble and "peppy" like the old small BMWs used to be.

I am one of the people who moved on from Acura to Audi. I have an A4, so cannot really comment about the A6. However, my A4 has real wood, so I am sure the A6 has real wood also. Acura has nothing to compare to the virtual cockpit that Audi has. I never really seriously considered the TLX due to all the initial issues it had. I think my Audi is much better than the TLX, and well worth the extra amount it costs.

OP, it sure does sound like you're justifying it to yourself. lol

we get it, you like the TLX. lol

OP, I completely get your point. Sometimes there is way too much hype around a brand and vehicle. We get overexcited and can’t wait to experience that WOW factor.

I will share my own experience. Not related to an Audi but similar.

I was in California for 2 weeks last summer and I had my uncle’s ML350 for the entire time. At first, I was just so impatient to take the care and drive. After a few days, I realized that there is no WOW factor. The car is fully loaded and I won’t lie, it’s an amazing car but is it WOW? and do I want to buy one. The answer is NO! I had the same experience as you, I found a few features and interior materials were unacceptable for a MB. I believe we all have the perception of German cars as TOP of the top. The truth is all car brands cut corners in order to compete in this crazy market. I don’t have the data to back up my point, but people lease a lot more now. People change their cars much frequently than before and as a results, it’s a in and out business. The German cars don’t have the same prestige as they had 10 or 15 years ago.

I always say, buy the car that you enjoy... you are comfortable with the payments and gives a good value. That could be Acura for you, Kia for someone else :)

I agree..what every you like, go for it...brands like Kia and Hyundai are killing it now with their updates.
More and more people are moving in that direction. Branding is becoming less and less important as cars become more expensive. These "opening price" brands are loading their cars up..hell, my A4 doesn't even have ventilated seats..you can get that standard on most Kia's spending thousands less.

Just a note the M2 comes standard with the BMW dynamic suspension. Only major performance option is the 7DCT - the 6MT is standard. Would look at the next generation M2 myself before the M4.

I had a rental A6 Avant last year for 3 weeks in Europe...I would not put TLX and A6 even in the same sentence pretty much across the board, they do not even belong to the same segment.....the TLX may be more agile in the twisties and that's about it.

The 4G could hold its own against a light/mid optioned A6 of that time. but currently not even a comparison..the TLX went downmarket where the A6 kept climbing in features and fit and finish.

A much more appropriate comparison is the RLX with an A6 or, if you want to put the TLX in the mix with an Audi product, you have to at least get down to an A4 if not an A3....

No, that's not right - I've probably complained more about the TLX than anyone else on here who has not experienced transmission problems or other issues with defects.

1. I hate how the engineers seemed to have programmed this car for grandmas - the default throttle response makes me feel like it's nap time.
2. The ride is a little too smooth and not "sporty" enough to be a "sports sedan", which IMO the car should be, since their brand statement is "Precision Performance" (and I did not opt for the "more luxury" RLX).
3. The brakes are merely adequate, not "smash your face into the dashboard" like they were on my old VW GTi - I'd like to be able to stop hard and fast, without having to press extremely hard on the brake pedal, and I'd like to be able to stop significantly shorter than what the actual minimum tested stopping distance is.
4. I don't like the "rubber band feel" of torque application sometimes, it feels like first the car has to spin up, then it goes (although this can be mostly alleviated by a combination of turning off Traction Control and downshifting to get the revs up into the power band).

This is not at all a "let's praise the TLX fanboy thread" - no, this is let me try to be at least slightly objective/fair in making a comparison on issues that are yes, mostly subjective, but also some that are not, such as simple facts about differences such as weight/HP/torque/features - like I praised how some small thing that the Germans did differently than the Japanese, where they seem to have decided "we'll make it this way, so because we decided to do it this way, it is the right way" and that is that my TLX won't let me simply turn the engine off while leaving the radio on, but the Audi does let you push the Off button once, leaving the radio on and the AUTOMATICALLY turning it off when you open the door. You might not care about that feature, but to me this seemingly small detail is a big thing.

Because I expected the Audi to be better, I do not expect that I am biased towards the TLX? I'm not certain about that for sure, but I am trying to make fair comparisons.

So, the A6 that I have was mfg in 2017 (as was my TLX, being a 2018 model year) - I'm saying, given the choice between these cars (ignoring the resale value aspect) I'll take the TLX over the A6, even though I do get the impression that the A6 does indeed "feel like a more expensive car" when I'm sitting in it.

I suspect that the equivalent model year Audi which I would choose over the TLX would he the Audi S3 (or any of the RS models). I also suspect that I would (given a choice, without having more money out of my pocket) chose a 2019/2020 Audi A4 over my 2018 TLX.

And, IMO, this couple year old 2.0T Quattro A6 is nowhere near worth $50K. On the other hand, If it's "Dynamic" suspension, steering, and "driving" (throttle + transmission) settings truly were worthy of being called a "Sports Sedan" and it had a 3.0L Turbo V6, then yes all day long, it would be worth that $50K price.

I'm left feeling kind of: ugh, why did they make this, why didn't the "6" start with the S6! I just do not comprehend the decision to go with a 2l 4 cylinder engine in this car, or the decision to have "Dynamic" settings which are really quite "meh".

as people pointed out; you're not being fair. comparing the a6 vs the tlx. and as multiple people stated; the a4 has real wood. lol

so, as long as you like the TLX, that's all that matters

I'm not at all against dynamic suspension, I'm just feeling let down by the not high enough power-to-weight ratio of the 2.0T A6 and, how they did not go far enough with the "sportiest" setting available in the "Steering" and "Driving" setting which is called "Dynamic" - I wish they also had a setting called "Track", or there was a "hidden menu" where I could access such a setting.

I wouldn't "look at" the M4 simply because the TLX is already "expensive" to my budget, but, based on video reviews I've watched, the M2 is simply so excellent, and (as they describe) so close to what I want in a car, that I will day dream about it, think maybe, just maybe, if I found a great deal on a used one at auction, or one that I would have to fix up myself, then perhaps? Just maybe there's a slight chance I could have one? Or, that's what I would ask for were I to be involved in some sort of legal settlement in the future, in lieu of part of the cash payment - not something I'm expecting, just there is a possibility lurking in the future...

"Not fair" - well it sounds like that could be from two opposite perspectives? Meaning that the A6 just isn't the right car for me, so I'm not the right person to be judging it, because I prefer a lighter, peppier, more "nimble" car -vs- some people saying "well of course the A6 is vastly superior and how dare you compare the two!". :tongue:

The cars seem and "feel" like quite appropriately comparable cars to me. When weighing the pluses and minuses, I like the A6 about as much as I like the TLX. If I had each one half of the time, I would be happy for the variety, and, glad to have AWD in the winter (my TLX is not).

What do you mean "not fair" though? I own one of them, and the other one I'm using for a couple weeks. I would totally feel bad to NOT do the comparison? In any situation where someone else had a TLX, and some other "near luxury" sedan, I would request that they too give us as detailed a comparison as they are willing to do?

as multiple stated; the A6 isnt in the same class as the TLX.
dude, I get it...I'm poor as shit. Budget will always dictate my car choices...and that's perfectly acceptable for your situation as well.

You can listen to the radio while turning the engine off in a TLX by activating the parking brake, putting the car into neutral, and within 2 seconds of putting the car into neutral, pressing the power button. To turn the car off, simply slide the stick into par (I4 TLXes) or press the park button (V6 TLXes). The MID will even tell you to put the car into park to turn it off. Also, I think the car will turn itself off if still listening to the radio after 15 minutes or so in order to preserve the battery some.

I would take neither...the A6 is too sedate and boring looking (even in S and RS form) for me and the TLX is simply outmatched by any premium competitor and quite few mainstream ones as well....I would take the impressive Accord 2.0T touring over a TLX.

yeah we get it, you want to keep minimizing his impressions of the audi..

@flyguy31 True on Kia and Hyundai adding extra features. That is mainly due to buyer skepticism for Kia and Hyundai that still exists, even though they've upped their games. Same company also btw for those that don't know. Some don't know this. Yeah, you're correct on the increased cost of cars in general and features offered. The luxury badge is starting to mean less because the gap has closed, however there are still the attention to details that you get in a luxury brand that are left out of mainstream brands. That will never change because the higher income bracket people will not settle for less.

One thing I've decided, after living with it for a few days: I hate engine auto start/stop. I know that some TLXes also have this, I am glad mine does not! I find it mentally jarring every time it happens - I'm always distracted and annoyed and think "why is this happening" and I realize, oh yeah, this car shuts the engine off when I stop. It's disturbing because it means the car is not as responsive to my input as it should be and makes it not feel smooth. I hate the feeling that I have to press the gas pedal further just to make the car "go" and then it kind of lurches.

I also learned that I hate black cars on hot summer days. Since the TLX seats are perforated they don't feel quite as hot, for as long, as the Audi seats - unltil I experienced this difference I had been slightly annoyed at all the little holes in my TLX's leather seats, they make it harder to clean if a drink spills, or crumbs... But, now I appreciate them!

I'm glad to have the chance to drive it for a couple weeks, regardless of which care I like better or what things stand out to me, which may be different than what someone else notices, it's still an interesting opportunity.

Older Audi S models always had a very strong appeal to me, but, I had not driven them! It was just seeing how they looked when I saw them on the street, and seeing them in movies like Ronin, etc. They don't seem like they're worth the money to me though. Maybe if I got a really good deal on a used S3?

I test drove both (the Accord and TLX), and I would have gone with the 2.0T Accord because it cost less, but I think the TLX looks much better (not a high priority, but it makes some difference to me). Hmm, but I seem to recall that I couldn't get a V6 or 2.0T Accord with both leather seats and a manual transmission, and the MT was the big plus for me if I went Accord (along with saving $$$).

When I drove the Acura I had the "oh, so this is what a luxury car is like" moment, the quietness really impressed me over the Accord and the slightly firmer yet still comfortable suspension.

Our previous car was a Scion xD, which was a nice fun little car, except, the road noise was very much on the high side, so, I probably let the appeal of the quiet interior carry more weight in my decision than I should have.

I was buying Acura/Honda in large part, because I thought it was going on a company car plan which mandated Honda/Acura, but, that didn't work out - this TLX is nice, but really not worth it, to me, considering how tough it is on our budget. If I had to do it over again, I would have gone with the Accord Sport (or really ANYTHING that did not have just a basic 2.0L non-turbo engine, I wanted a V6, but understood the 2.0T delivered V6 like performance).

Even though it hurts paying for this Acura, it is really a pleasure to have (somewhat) accidentally gotten stuck with a "near luxury" car at least once in my life. I think I want to keep it and once it's paid off, buy something lighter with better gas miliage, or, maybe a Miata, or a used Ford Focus RS? Dunno.

In all fairness, the TLX is entering its sixth model year. Hence the upcoming full replacement, which will probably truncate production on the 20 model.

Any conversation about the current model, is a discussion about making a value purchase more than anything else.

4G... could not agree more with one single exception: AWD was paramount to me. Accord doesn’t - and probably never will (which blows my mind) - offer it. Being a lifelong Midwest resident, that was the single biggest reason for 15 TLX over 18 Accord Touring. In hindsight, I’d rather take a smooth FWD over vibrating AWD, but on paper, TLX was better.

F23A4... interesting point. I think Honda has sort of a mess on their hands with timing of TLX and Accord. The 18 Accord came out with so much tech, quality and performance that it really blurred the line of premium vs mainstream sedan. Strategically, Acura should develop and release sedans in parallel with Honda so they can distinguish differences and justify someone buying ILX over Civic, TLX over Accord, RDX over CRV and MDX over Pilot. Right now, there is practically zero reason to spend more for any of those “upgrades” except the more prestigious Acura badge. Acura isn’t only falling behind the Euros and Lexus, it’s falling behind Honda based on the redesign cycle. In other words, TLX is losing sales to Accord its last three model years.

The 2018 A6 was the last model year of a generation that was first sold way back in 2011. A new and improved generation went on sale in 2018. It is not really fair to compare that old of a car to a more current one like the TLX.

While out and about yesterday, that exact thought came into my head. Honda staggering releases between their Honda and equivalent Acura products as much as 2-3 model years does create a conundrum. With SH-AWD a non-consideration, the 10G Accord is a more than suitable alternative (in some areas a better alternative) than the TLX with similar performance yet with more 'utility'. (Granted, the 10G still doesn't quite have the fit and finish of the TLX.) This same thing occurred towards the end of the TL's lifecycle with the new 13-14 Accord EX-L V6; only SH-AWD and a 6MT made the 13-14 TL a standout at that time.

However, I pretty much agree with you.

After having a few days to get used to Audi's "MMI" touchpad + button + dial interface I've found a few annoyances, which, I hope have been addressed in the new models? 1) They should make the screen a touch screen, as an alternative interface (still keep the touch pad and knob). 2) After you use the touchpad to select something, it's positively infuriating that you can't use that same pad to "click", but you have to pick your hand up and move it to press the knob down. At the very least, they could have put a little button below/adjacent to the touchpad, the way you see on most laptops that have them, but that's unnecessary when you could simply allow a "tap" on the touchpad to register as a click.

And I can't say too many times how much I hate auto engine start stop. If it was a Hybrid car, well then by all means yes, have it on there. But with it implemented on a non-Hybrid car the feeling of sitting at the light and that delay when you press the gas, combined with the noise of the engine starting, and the sudden lurch when it kicks on, makes me feel like the car is on it's last legs and about to die, every time it happens.

OK, then by the same account, it wouldn't be "fair" to compare the new current Audis to the TLX either then (yet I've seen those kinds of comparisons made here quiet a few times, albeit not w/entire threads dedicated to just those).

But, these are both "2018" and both cars that I have and can compare. Even if it's not quite fair, it's still interesting to me, and, IMO still of note that I actually prefer a $35,000 Acura to a $50,000 Audi.

If they had, instead, had a 2019 Audi S4 or Audi RS3, for me to rent, well then, I'd probably be crying to have to give it up when the rental was over. I'm not certain, but I think I would much prefer the RS3 (not considering the crazy price of things like oil changes at the dealer, I pay $25 for mine w/genuine Honda/Acura oil + filter + "crush washer" AT THE DEALER. Even the tire rotations are not above ordinary 3rd party prices).

But then, if I did own the RS3 myself, I would keep thinking to myself: the BMW M2 would have not only cost me a little less, but it would have delivered every bit of visceral thrill that's missing from the Audi - the "last 10%" making a car magically fun, the extra tautness, sharper steering with more road feedback, the fun of RWD and the combination of being able to easily kick your rear end out yet still maintain glorious control when taking corners hard and fast, and slightly better power to weight ratio.

There's a certain danger to having a powerful fast car w/AWD and an encredibly refined + smooth driving experience, it's far to easy to drive a car like the Audi RS3 up to speeds that can get you killed or landed in jail. In a way, a rougher, harder, more easy to slide car is going to let you have FUN with it, but not have to go 120 MPH before you even realize you're over the speed limit.

In my Acura TLX, it's not at all beastly fast, can't go 0 - 60 nearly as quick as the RS3, but it is smooth and easy to drive, and on a good smooth highway it too does indeed make 100 MPH actually feel SLOW. I would go so far as to say even boringly slow.

Just two things on the Accord.

Don't think they will offer an AWD Accord because the split generation cycle with the Honda always coming first could remove remove a big reason for buying the Acura.

Don't really understand how fit & finish could be different between the too cars when they both come out of the same Ohio factory, are primarily built by robots & share many parts.

By fit and finish, I'm talking more about interior material 'quality' and sound insulation....less so about build quality. (Apologies if this wasn't clear on my part.)

Unlike the Accord, the Acura doors etc. are "triple sealed" and body cavities are filled with noise damping foam when you combine that with suspension differences there is a distinctively different feel to the Acura from the moment you get in and close the door, and as soon as you begin driving it down the road. The sedate throttle mapping and transmission programming that the engineers chose for the Acura TLX are infuriating though! Thankfully turning off Traction Control and slapping a Sprint Booster on the throttle somewhat alleviate their overly smooth and relaxed factory settings.

I wish "Sport+ mode" did more to give immediate throttle response as opposed to holding the revs high, and I wish it also tightened up the suspension, and made the steering slightly more engaging - as is, it's moderately fun, just not thrilling.

The model year of Audi A6 that I have currently, with it's 2.0T engine trying to push 500 more lbs of car weight is significantly even less of a "driving enthusiasts" car however - this kind of surprised me. I guess the A6 just doesn't LOOK that big to me, that I would expect it to be much heavier...

The thread makes no sense. OP complains that the A6 2.0T “isn’t a sports sedan” but drives a TLX, which definitely isn’t a sports sedan either.

Just go buy a sports sedan and be done with it.

The TLX has never been a real competitor in the premium space...it has always been a "value for the money" proposition...currently, due to its age and lack of significant upgrades, is not even a particular good value compared to some of the mainstream offering.

If you are dead set on needing the AWD there are still, IMHO, better alternatives for the coin.

However, to me the Accord Touring is really impressive, build quality is impeccable and the interior design is very well executed...the 2.0 4 cylinder turbo left me a quite better impression than the comparable BMW unit

Kind of apples to oranges but with the Corvette C8 about to reveal you can get a brand new C7 Corvette for $44.000. If I was a one car household with no kids between a TLX & the Stingray for almost the same money I would be very sorely tempted. With 15CuFt of cargo space the coupe can make a Costco run.

This thread might not be ideal, but it does make a lot of sense. I have both cars and I want to compare them - if someone else were in a similar situation, I would absolutely want them to do the same and share their experience here as I have done! More threads like this is far better than less threads like this!

Yes, this is not the latest and best Audi has to offer, and yes, they have some very nice offerings with far more performance that leave the TLX behind (like the RS3), but, they are quite expensive at around double the price, or more, than the TLX.

Actually, what I'm saying is: it seems almost silly to find a $50,000 German "near luxury" Sedan with this weak of an engine used in a car this heavy. The 2.0T engine makes sense for the A4, but not the A6. Yes, it is fine for some people, but even those people who were not trying to buy a "sports sedan" probably often like knowing that the excess power is there, if they did for some reason wish to use it.

I like the TLX but the area where I am most disappointed is in it not really living up to the "Precision Performance" claim. The $15,000 more expensive A6 2.0T Quattro is significantly less satisfying from a "driving enthusiast" perspective.