Jmark

My current ride is an 05 TL.

First of all it's inexcusable for the sales person to be so ignorant about this new vehicle. It's a turn off when the customer knows more about the vehicle than the sales person!
Found the interior trim of the car to be good. I'm not sure what others mean when they say there is too much hard material, as the arm rests are soft and most of the car uses Dylark (soft plastic) on most parts. It's not as nice as my TL, as the TLX interior is fairly anemic with most plastic the same colour. All interior functions were easy to get at and worked as expected. I did not like the lack of a door closing handle, when the door is wide open there is nothing to grab onto in order to close the door? So if your 5'8 and have a sore back you'll need to unbuckle, put a foot outside the car to close the door Big oversight IMO and expect to see some kind of change for next year.
The ELS stereo sounded excellent, played my Eagles DTS CD and it sounded great. For some reason it wouldn't play two tracks? Disk is fine and works in the TL and home equipment.
Seats don't seem quite as comfortable as the TL, but in all fairness I have a sore lower back right now and the leather is new, so I'll need my wife to validate as she is super sensitive due to several back issues.
Yup there is glare from the side window that looks like it's from the mirror, but it's actually the window. Same thing as my TL but not as noticeable in the TL as the vent is black and doesn't have chrome colour around it.
Love the vented seats with variable air flow!
Rear leg room appears to be the same as the TL, so I don't think the cabin has been shortened, just the exterior. Rear seats where comfortable and I think any passengers will appreciate the electric heat during the winter
Trunk space is smallish as with TL, but being able to fold down the rear seats will help a lot.
All in all the interior is very satisfactory!

On to the drive. Was able to take it ( by myself) on a 60km trip out of town on a road I drive on a regular basis. First thought was, this is a quiet ride. A lot of work has been done to reduce noise level in the cabin. However most our highways are sealed with tar and pea gravel on top. So all the noise came in from the tires, however it is much better than my TL. With this type of road surface it's almost impossible to get rid of road/tire noise. Noise was comparable to the A6 and RLX I drove a couple months back.
The auto cruise control doesn't work as well as the RLX or A6. It had a hard time keeping a constant distance from the car in front of me and was even hitting the brakes at times, had it set to follow max. distance. My thought is that it just needs to be tuned properly. Lane control worked ok, but again our highways aren't perfect so when the side line changed from a solid to a dotted line, the features use becomes questionable. But this was the same for the RL and A6.
Blind spot indicators are nice and unobtrusive, and I like the fact you can control the sound on this option.
Did not notice any acceleration hesitation others have talked about? Driving in Econo mode you can tell the car is managing the throttle. But it didn't seem to affect the cars drivability. When I wanted it to get up and go, it did so without hesitation. I know it took some getting used to throttle by wire in my TL so I wonder if that's what some are experiencing?
Tried the different driving modes and found that Econo or normal was just fine for the most part. Although I did not like the steering feel in Econo mode as it felt a bit sloppy to me, especially when cornering. The steering felt better in sport mode.
The suspension isn't as tight as the TL. The road I drove has a large dip on a curve going up hill and the car didn't handle it well at all going120 km/hr. Felt like i was going to loose control, but it settled down right away( no such issue in the TL). On another such bump on a straightaway the car handled it nicely, better than the TL.
Good all round acceleration but it doesn't feel like it because everything is so quiet. Could have got some hefty speeding tickets after passing people as it didn't feel like I was going that fast, honestly officer
All in all a nice ride!
I've been considering a new vehicle that cost $20-30k more but if the AWD model has a little better suspension I think I may just use the extra cash for something else

Yumcha

Thanks for the detailed write-up!


What else are you considering?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

great review!

especially using your 3G as a benchmark.
The impression I'm getting from your review is that it's just an okay car.
hope the SHAWD version wows us!!!

Quandry

If the starting point, the 3G TL, was a good car, then OK should suggest better but not great. I am fine with better and this was my impression from a more limited test drive. A full report will come in about a week.

BookemDanole

I have an '06 TL and I found the TLX to be a significant upgrade. From the dual screens, all the safety features, backup camera, quietness, QUIETNESS, significantly improved MPG and layout of the interior, jewel-eye LEDs, other LEDs, etc. All of these things make the car feel like a very nice upgrade. At least that's what I gathered from my test drive. Very much looking forward to the car once mine gets in!

Jmark

In all honesty this car is a bit of an enigma. And I believe its exactly what Acura wanted it to be, unlike the RLX! It's a fantastic car for the money!
I don't have any specific car in mind, although I like the A6, GS350 and Q60 AWD's. Was hoping to take a step up into a luxury car with good handling, power and ride. But to get that these days means taking out a small mortgage, or spending too many of those $$ I've worked so hard to save.
So I'm really hoping the TLX SHAWD will have a little tighter suspension!
My ideal car at this point would be the Audi RS7 with all the bells and whistles, and all the extra warranty I could buy lol

weather

^^ I agree that Audi makes great looking vehicles. I just had a quote for an S3 sent to me with a few options and delivery was close to 57K before taxes!!

I mean it's an S3!! Sure it has more appeal than an Acura but they sure you make pay for those rings!!

paperboy42190

iTrader: (7)

I have a feeling a simple wheel/tire upgrade will greatly improve on the handling concerns you have. I've heard the tlx comes with 225 width tires I think? definitely very skinny and detrimental to having good traction

Rocketsfan

jmark and I think alike. lol. I know I'm not going to find an S-Class at this price range, so I need it to be "the best it can be" for the price range, and, for me, that's this car. I (not-so-seriously) thought about the C-Class, but you start at $X and by the time you add common options in this class, you're looking at a $55-$60k car. If I didn't add the options, I'm left wondering what the hell I'm paying $40-$50k for. No bueno.
I really don't need AWD (even if it's the super duper handling kind... lol), so that's not an issue for me. If this car is 105% of my 3G TL with some added tech, I'm cool with it. I'm not racing it, trying to pick up women with it, or trying to impress anyone with it. I'm just looking for something that doesn't look like butt, cradles my butt, hauls my butt, and hauls butt plus potentially reliable.

weather

That was funny!!

...now if I had one that would also rub my butt....I'd be golden!!

Stew4HD

There's an app for that

iutodd

To close the door you grab it right behind the window up/down. There is a little cubbyhole there on the armrest that has a contoured grab handle on the inside. Works just great - I noticed it right away - maybe it's cause I drive a Fit and that's where you grab to close the door. It was actually something I was impressed by because it was nicely finished and textured (felt like grippy rubber) and Acura had given people something to grab onto instead of it just being flat.

jayb082

and it's nice that it's around the wood part and not the leather... To prevent wear on the leather. On my TSX I had to heat gun my leather door handles a few times to fix the stretches/wear from opening and closing.

Nedmundo

And I think some Mercedes seats for that as well. Might be butt kissing, but it's one of the two.

Rocketsfan

I think that may be part of the problem. If the door is swung open, that hole is further away than where the diagonal handle usually is on most vehicles (like my 3G, and possibly the 4G - I forget). I noticed the same thing when I reached out to grab the door to shut it. I was like "why'd they get rid of the diagonal handle??"

Gregg

I only find it a problem because, by default (you can disable it via settings), the seat is moved all the way back in its tracks when you shut the motor off. For a 5'8" guy like me, it places me waaay too far back to get to the door pull if the door's been opened all the way.

In my TSX, between the seat being in "driving position" and the vertical door pull it wasn't a problem.

I may just disable the setting at some point, but now I just try to make sure that I don't open the door all the way.

Quandry

That makes 3 of us, and I don't need AWD either as my existing 3G TL with winter boots handles just fine. AWD might be and extra helpful for maybe one very bad winter day per year. For the rest of the time my driving style does not need it.

KeithL

That is insane for an S3. A few more $$ and you are into a S4. Or I could sell you my A6 ;-)

Jmark

I can't even touch that cubbyhole when the seat is back and can just touch it when the seat is forward. I tried grabbing the storage pocket but couldn't get a hold of it either. Not a show stopper, rather an annoying over sight.
But Acura did leave the handles above the doors in place so those that aren't as agile as they used to be have an aid to exit the vehicle. You know those old people handles, as I used to call them lol
As for the need for SH AWD, it's a real nice feature for those of us that live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains! Although my 3G with all weather tires is a FANTASTIC car on snow and ice!
But in the end analysis , two thousand dollars extra to get AWD is unheard of and a heck of a good deal!

cruiserchuck

Speaking of butts, one of the few things that I was disappointed with while test driving the TLX is that the seat does not cradle my butt like the seat in my TSX does. The seat bottom is much more flat, and does not seem to hold my butt in place as well.

graphicguy

Wha?????

As Keith said, for that kind of cash, you can get a totally loaded S4, or an A6 with the 3.0.

Not sure I agree Audi has more appeal than Acura. Ask the proplr who sit in Audi's service dept.

KeithL

My A6 at 10K miles has been very reliable. One visit early on to take car of a few annoying things (virtually have had to do with every car except my 09 AWD TL). That said everything on my A6 is more expensive (oil changes, insurance, body work, etc.) that any of my Acuras, or even my Infiniti M37S. I still love the A6, but the luster is wearing off. I would never keep this past warranty and actually already have the itch as I am getting to a point in my life where I am struggling to justify the premium expense, especially for the German badge. I had a simple scratch on the passenger door that was driving me nuts, and that cost $1400 to repair, similar scratch on my 09 AWD TL was $700. I love the ride and engine on the A6, but the practical side of me will win next time.

weather

Keep in mind that these are Canadian prices....

KeithL

Oh damn, forgot about how much you Canucks pay for cars ;-)

Quandry

Yea it sucks, but the price difference between the US and Canadian prices is not too bad right now as it is much lower than the currency conversion rate. If/when the currency is at par again we will still be paying a higher price. Sometimes you win and sometime you loose. We Canadians are in a win position right now.

mrgold35

Do you know if the passenger seat is 4-way or 6-way? With me being 6'3" and the wife being 4'11", the height adjustment really makes a difference on long trips.

CARLOS10

How many people are lineup to buy a 130,000 mile european luxury car ????.

Jmark

Oh crap, and I was hoping it was my sore back and new leather that might have caused my discomfort during my test drive. But when I got back into my TL my back did feel better.
Now I need to go back and sit in the TLX for a while, now that my back feels better.

CARLOS10

Man, what do you need is a quiropractic or Acunputure for your back

Jmark

Passenger seat is four way power and drivers is 10 way.

The seats will make or break the deal for me. We live in western Canada so to go anywhere ( besides work) means at least a few hour drive, so they need to be comfortable. Obviously it's not as big a deal for the twenty something crowd, but for us more mature ( lol) crowd comfort is very important
I want to be able to walk when I get out of the car after a six hour drive, and no I'm not stopping you'll just have to hold it until we get their

012TL-GLM

I'd like to hear more about the seats as well. I love the seats in my 4G, supportive, bolstered, and great thigh support. From what I'm reading the TLX seat doesn't move back as far as the 4G, and that's a big red flag for me. I won't check one out personally until the SH-AWD is available, but if the seats aren't as adjustable as the 4G I hope something changes in time for the 6G when I'm ready to buy again

jsilas

??? I have an S3 on order for my wife, and it's just under $50k with nearly every option (didn't opt for the advanced driver assist package) before any negotiations whatsoever.

How the hell did you get to $57k??

weather

^^ Again...Canadian prices!!

mrgold35

Same issue with me living in the southwest with everything 4-12 hours away and I average about 18,000 miles a year. Option for cooled seats is a big plus; but, height adjustment would be a huge bonus. This was the main reason I opt for our MDX Adv was the cooled seats and height adjustment for the passenger seat. I would be happy if they put a manual height adjustment for the TLX passenger seat. I might have to compare a new TLX to a used RLX for long distance comfort (assuming the RLX has 6-way passenger seat).

Jmark

Has anyone with the new TLX had the opportunity to hit a distinct dip in the road while rounding a corner at highway speeds?
You'll note in my review I did on my test drive and the car scared me by jumping slightly off line while coming out of the dip. Since then I've driven the same curve/ dip several times in my 3G TL and the TL held the line no matter what angle or speed I hit the dip at.
So I'm left wondering why the TLX acted the way it did, throwing the car off line.
Was it the new suspension system, IDS setting, tires? Or just the way I handled the steering wheel, not being used to PAWS?
When the AWD model comes in I'll be doing multiple passes of this curve and be sure to update this post.
TIA

Jmark

Just bumped this thread to see if anyone with the new TLX has hit a dip in the road around a curve as described in my last post?

Rocketsfan

I can't say I've hit a dip while rounding a curve, but good God did I hit a dip head-on the other day.


I have hit a separation/partition or something at highway speeds while rounding the corner and felt a wiggle that had me a bit scared. It kind of reminded me of doing the same thing with a bad shock/strut once. I think it may be the dampers. I'm still not a fan of the rocking motion I get sometimes when coming to a stop. That's probably PAW-S/dampers at work again.


I may be able to test your theory sometime this weekend. I know a place where I can take a curve at 60+ where there's a bump (and possible dip). If you don't hear from me by Monday, then, yes ... I duplicated what happened to you and am in a ditch. Seriously, I'll give it a try since where I'll be driving, I'll have no choice but to nail that curve at those speeds. lol.

Jmark

Thanks Rocketsfan!
I appreciate your feedback!
This curve with a large dip has been on the road for a lot of years now. So when the TLX didn't hold the line it rattled me.
When I'm behind the wheel I don't usually get rattled as I tend to be an aggressive driver at times and as long as the vehicle I'm driving reacts like it should or like I think it should it doesn't scare me.
Most of us that really drive a car hard at times are used to loosing traction, or pushing into a corner too hard with a FWD or threading your car through a herd of elk at 200km/he while breaking (ok that scared me).
Story; Just bought my TL and figured I'd give her a real good test drive through the Rocky Mountains. Picked a 600km route that took me through two two mountain passes on narrow winding roads,and I wanted to see how fast I could complete the trip.
It was a beautiful day and I was pumped to put the car through its paces. The car handled very well, pot holes and loose pavement were not an issue. The car was fast, and pushed through the tight corners at high speeds, but I expected that with the FWD and adjusted accordingly. On my way home near the end of the day and I hit a straight stretch out in no mans land. So let's find out how fast she goes and will the rev limiter kick in? Well she went pretty fast and was doing around 230km/hr when I saw a large herd of Elk on the road in front of me. Needless to say my arse puckered as I thought this trip isn't going to end well. Hammered the binders, let the antilock do its thing while I somehow weaved through a dozen or so Elk that were standing around chilling. The car handled like a champ!! And didn't hit anything and kept control of the car.
Stopped, changed my shorts had a look at the herd of Elk on the road, gave myself supreme shit for traveling that speed at dusk when I know that's when the animals come out onto the roads, then sat there in amazement that I managed to weave through all those very larger animals without a scratch!

Now that's what I call a nice handling car, full braking and still able to weave all over the road missing those Elk. Thankfully it's a secluded area and I was the only one on the road.

Tony Pac

Good review! thanks

Rocketsfan

As promised, I did try to duplicate what Jmark experienced. Unfortunately the curve wasn't all that sharp, and the bump wasn't that much of a bump. I hit it at around 70-75 mph and didn't really feel anything. Later in the trip, I found another sharper curve that had a dip, but unfortunately (again), the dip was just as I was exiting the curve and back on a straightaway, but I did feel a weird wiggle in the car like I said I had experienced before after hitting a bump that I didn't think should cause something like that to happen. It wasn't anything that would make me lose confidence in the car, though, so ...

The only time I've had to say "whoa" and dial it back a bit was when I felt like I was about to lose the car or the wheels were about to roll over when I took a curve at around 75 mph a week or two ago. I think that one was more tire-induced than suspension-induced, though.