My TLX 4-cyl review
08-02-2014, 07:07 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
My TLX 4-cyl review
A dealership in Atlanta gave me a call this morning as they just received a few TLX 4-cyl demo cars. These initial units are apparently not for sale; the first sale units will be V6 and arrive next week. They allowed me to take a black copper pearl with tech package out for a test drive. For those interested, here were my initial thoughts and a few photographs. I had to scale back the images quite a bit to get them to upload properly… the full size are so much nicer if anyone would like them by e-mail. I am by no means an auto expert and these are just my own feelings, so please keep that in mind.
It felt slightly smaller, both inside and outside, compared to my 4-cyl TSX. The measurements will speak for themselves but that was just my first thought. The driver seat was well cushioned and supportive. I was a little disappointed with certain aspects of the interior. Some of the dashboard materials looked cheap as compared to my TSX. The front door arm rests are now very narrow and the padding both here and over the center storage unit was minimal. One of Acura's videos suggested that it had in fact been "doubled" but I could not see any evidence of this.
I tested out the sound system by tuning to one of my favorite XM stations and it seemed very clear even at loud volumes. The touch screen interface was easy to use and had tactile confirmation (slight vibration) which was nice. The navigation display's resolution is noticeably improved. I liked how the street name and compass direction is displayed in the multi-information display above the speedometer. When navigating to a specified location, it displays the next guidance instruction in this space.
I drove for 8-10 miles on city roads and highway. The front visibility is improved. The cabin was very quiet, even at 80 mph. The main thing I noticed was how quickly and smoothly it shifted gears. It seemed a bit faster overall than my TSX. The blind spot monitoring worked nicely. If the indicator light is on and you activate your turn signal, there is an audible warning. I did notice the lane-keeping feature at one point as it seemed to correct my steering while I was glancing at a text that came up on my phone as I was on an exit ramp. One new feature that I found interesting was the "brake lock." When you come to a complete stop with this feature enabled, you can take your foot off the brake and the car will not roll. It feels as though the car is in "park" and I found myself reaching for the shift knob so I could put it back in drive even though this was obviously not necessary. Once you put your foot back on the gas, there is a very brief delay which I adjusted to pretty quickly.
I don't have a lot to say about the exterior. It was nice enough but I was not overly impressed. I did not like the rims at all. They gave me a quote of $1,200 to upgrade to the 18" wheels which seemed pretty high. I was also told that there are no fog lights on either the 4-cyl or V6 models… only as an add-on ($780) or with the Advance package. I took photos of the entire TLX accessory catalog. I will be glad to post some or all of them.
In summary, the TLX seemed almost like an evolution of the TSX and less like a totally new model. I did like it overall and will probably buy it eventually but I did not get as much of the "wow" factor that I thought I would feel after so many months of anticipation. For now, I am going to hold off as I still have 6 months on my TSX lease and don't want to be in a negative equity situation. If anyone has any questions, I'll be glad to respond.
It felt slightly smaller, both inside and outside, compared to my 4-cyl TSX. The measurements will speak for themselves but that was just my first thought. The driver seat was well cushioned and supportive. I was a little disappointed with certain aspects of the interior. Some of the dashboard materials looked cheap as compared to my TSX. The front door arm rests are now very narrow and the padding both here and over the center storage unit was minimal. One of Acura's videos suggested that it had in fact been "doubled" but I could not see any evidence of this.
I tested out the sound system by tuning to one of my favorite XM stations and it seemed very clear even at loud volumes. The touch screen interface was easy to use and had tactile confirmation (slight vibration) which was nice. The navigation display's resolution is noticeably improved. I liked how the street name and compass direction is displayed in the multi-information display above the speedometer. When navigating to a specified location, it displays the next guidance instruction in this space.
I drove for 8-10 miles on city roads and highway. The front visibility is improved. The cabin was very quiet, even at 80 mph. The main thing I noticed was how quickly and smoothly it shifted gears. It seemed a bit faster overall than my TSX. The blind spot monitoring worked nicely. If the indicator light is on and you activate your turn signal, there is an audible warning. I did notice the lane-keeping feature at one point as it seemed to correct my steering while I was glancing at a text that came up on my phone as I was on an exit ramp. One new feature that I found interesting was the "brake lock." When you come to a complete stop with this feature enabled, you can take your foot off the brake and the car will not roll. It feels as though the car is in "park" and I found myself reaching for the shift knob so I could put it back in drive even though this was obviously not necessary. Once you put your foot back on the gas, there is a very brief delay which I adjusted to pretty quickly.
I don't have a lot to say about the exterior. It was nice enough but I was not overly impressed. I did not like the rims at all. They gave me a quote of $1,200 to upgrade to the 18" wheels which seemed pretty high. I was also told that there are no fog lights on either the 4-cyl or V6 models… only as an add-on ($780) or with the Advance package. I took photos of the entire TLX accessory catalog. I will be glad to post some or all of them.
In summary, the TLX seemed almost like an evolution of the TSX and less like a totally new model. I did like it overall and will probably buy it eventually but I did not get as much of the "wow" factor that I thought I would feel after so many months of anticipation. For now, I am going to hold off as I still have 6 months on my TSX lease and don't want to be in a negative equity situation. If anyone has any questions, I'll be glad to respond.
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08-02-2014, 07:21 PM
#2
Azine Jabroni
Thanks for the review. Your assessment makes it sound like Acura may be pushing TL owners towards the RLX if the TLX feels like an evolution of the TSX.
08-02-2014, 07:24 PM
#3
^^ That may not always be the case. I find the TL is just a wee bit big for me and I'll take the smaller TLX (or 2.4L ILX) over the RLX. The RLX looks great and such but it's too big for me. I am just a tiny guy so I fit better in a smaller package.
08-02-2014, 07:30 PM
#5
Instructor
Thread Starter
08-02-2014, 07:32 PM
#6
08-02-2014, 07:47 PM
#7
Instructor
Thread Starter
Here is the link to my photos on PhotoBucket… hopefully, embedded it correctly. I also included a few excerpts from the accessories catalog and a handout emphasizing the features unique to various trim levels for both the 4-cyl and V6.
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/bdwpac/embed/slideshow/"></iframe>
<iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/bdwpac/embed/slideshow/"></iframe>
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08-02-2014, 07:54 PM
#9
These wheels will make the TLX look better in my opinion:
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Rocket_man (08-03-2014)
08-02-2014, 08:07 PM
#10
Drifting
^^^ Agreed. The standard 4 cyl wheels are not attractive. These are much nicer. Reminds me of the standard 17 wheel that came on the 09-10 TLs. Ugly as could be. A lot of dealers just started automatically mounting the Tech package 18s on them. Transformed the car.
08-02-2014, 08:17 PM
#12
Instructor
Thread Starter
The traffic was heavy on the roads and interstate and so I couldn't get as aggressive as I would have liked with the test drive. It did seem to accelerate smoother and faster than my TSX though. There was also less engine noise during acceleration.
08-02-2014, 08:30 PM
#14
A dealership in Atlanta gave me a call this morning as they just received a few TLX 4-cyl demo cars. These initial units are apparently not for sale; the first sale units will be V6 and arrive next week. They allowed me to take a black copper pearl with tech package out for a test drive. For those interested, here were my initial thoughts and a few photographs. I had to scale back the images quite a bit to get them to upload properly… the full size are so much nicer if anyone would like them by e-mail. I am by no means an auto expert and these are just my own feelings, so please keep that in mind.
It felt slightly smaller, both inside and outside, compared to my 4-cyl TSX. The measurements will speak for themselves but that was just my first thought. The driver seat was well cushioned and supportive. I was a little disappointed with certain aspects of the interior. Some of the dashboard materials looked cheap as compared to my TSX. The front door arm rests are now very narrow and the padding both here and over the center storage unit was minimal. One of Acura's videos suggested that it had in fact been "doubled" but I could not see any evidence of this.
I tested out the sound system by tuning to one of my favorite XM stations and it seemed very clear even at loud volumes. The touch screen interface was easy to use and had tactile confirmation (slight vibration) which was nice. The navigation display's resolution is noticeably improved. I liked how the street name and compass direction is displayed in the multi-information display above the speedometer. When navigating to a specified location, it displays the next guidance instruction in this space.
I drove for 8-10 miles on city roads and highway. The front visibility is improved. The cabin was very quiet, even at 80 mph. The main thing I noticed was how quickly and smoothly it shifted gears. It seemed a bit faster overall than my TSX. The blind spot monitoring worked nicely. If the indicator light is on and you activate your turn signal, there is an audible warning. I did notice the lane-keeping feature at one point as it seemed to correct my steering while I was glancing at a text that came up on my phone as I was on an exit ramp. One new feature that I found interesting was the "brake lock." When you come to a complete stop with this feature enabled, you can take your foot off the brake and the car will not roll. It feels as though the car is in "park" and I found myself reaching for the shift knob so I could put it back in drive even though this was obviously not necessary. Once you put your foot back on the gas, there is a very brief delay which I adjusted to pretty quickly.
I don't have a lot to say about the exterior. It was nice enough but I was not overly impressed. I did not like the rims at all. They gave me a quote of $1,200 to upgrade to the 18" wheels which seemed pretty high. I was also told that there are no fog lights on either the 4-cyl or V6 models… only as an add-on ($780) or with the Advance package. I took photos of the entire TLX accessory catalog. I will be glad to post some or all of them.
In summary, the TLX seemed almost like an evolution of the TSX and less like a totally new model. I did like it overall and will probably buy it eventually but I did not get as much of the "wow" factor that I thought I would feel after so many months of anticipation. For now, I am going to hold off as I still have 6 months on my TSX lease and don't want to be in a negative equity situation. If anyone has any questions, I'll be glad to respond.
It felt slightly smaller, both inside and outside, compared to my 4-cyl TSX. The measurements will speak for themselves but that was just my first thought. The driver seat was well cushioned and supportive. I was a little disappointed with certain aspects of the interior. Some of the dashboard materials looked cheap as compared to my TSX. The front door arm rests are now very narrow and the padding both here and over the center storage unit was minimal. One of Acura's videos suggested that it had in fact been "doubled" but I could not see any evidence of this.
I tested out the sound system by tuning to one of my favorite XM stations and it seemed very clear even at loud volumes. The touch screen interface was easy to use and had tactile confirmation (slight vibration) which was nice. The navigation display's resolution is noticeably improved. I liked how the street name and compass direction is displayed in the multi-information display above the speedometer. When navigating to a specified location, it displays the next guidance instruction in this space.
I drove for 8-10 miles on city roads and highway. The front visibility is improved. The cabin was very quiet, even at 80 mph. The main thing I noticed was how quickly and smoothly it shifted gears. It seemed a bit faster overall than my TSX. The blind spot monitoring worked nicely. If the indicator light is on and you activate your turn signal, there is an audible warning. I did notice the lane-keeping feature at one point as it seemed to correct my steering while I was glancing at a text that came up on my phone as I was on an exit ramp. One new feature that I found interesting was the "brake lock." When you come to a complete stop with this feature enabled, you can take your foot off the brake and the car will not roll. It feels as though the car is in "park" and I found myself reaching for the shift knob so I could put it back in drive even though this was obviously not necessary. Once you put your foot back on the gas, there is a very brief delay which I adjusted to pretty quickly.
I don't have a lot to say about the exterior. It was nice enough but I was not overly impressed. I did not like the rims at all. They gave me a quote of $1,200 to upgrade to the 18" wheels which seemed pretty high. I was also told that there are no fog lights on either the 4-cyl or V6 models… only as an add-on ($780) or with the Advance package. I took photos of the entire TLX accessory catalog. I will be glad to post some or all of them.
In summary, the TLX seemed almost like an evolution of the TSX and less like a totally new model. I did like it overall and will probably buy it eventually but I did not get as much of the "wow" factor that I thought I would feel after so many months of anticipation. For now, I am going to hold off as I still have 6 months on my TSX lease and don't want to be in a negative equity situation. If anyone has any questions, I'll be glad to respond.
08-02-2014, 08:46 PM
#15
Moderator
1) What kind of road conditions did you travel over and how was the suspension feel?
2) Did you try the various IDS modes?
3) How would you categorize the quality of the leather seats?
Thanks!
2) Did you try the various IDS modes?
3) How would you categorize the quality of the leather seats?
Thanks!
08-02-2014, 09:00 PM
#16
Instructor
Thread Starter
2) The salesperson switched it into "sport" for part of the drive and it seemed to noticeably increase the torque… I could see it being helpful for highway driving with merging and traffic congestion. I spent most of the time driving in the normal mode though. I did not try the "econ" mode at all.
3) The front and back seats look and feel very similar to what is on the current generation TSX. They did seem a little more plush and supportive though. The leather quality seemed good.
08-02-2014, 09:00 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
I was hoping that I would like the Copper color more. I will say the TLX has turned out to be pretty nice. I wish Amber Brown stone was still be made as that is a nice color when paired with the Parchment interior (Seen it on a ILX and it's beautiful).
I will say that Acura MUST come out with a new wheel design for the 4cyl models ASAP, like starting with 2016 models. That or dealers better start equipping accessory wheels at no extra charge or the factory avoid producing so many 4 cylinder models.
I'm still curious if LED lighting in the exterior door handles exist like on the RLX and MDX. I know advanced trims have the puddle lights.
I will say that Acura MUST come out with a new wheel design for the 4cyl models ASAP, like starting with 2016 models. That or dealers better start equipping accessory wheels at no extra charge or the factory avoid producing so many 4 cylinder models.
I'm still curious if LED lighting in the exterior door handles exist like on the RLX and MDX. I know advanced trims have the puddle lights.
08-02-2014, 09:02 PM
#18
Burning Brakes
Oh and that brake hold feature may be the cause to why the TLX's have a noticeable pause at launch during stand still acceleration, like in the auto week 0-60 review.
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08-02-2014, 09:06 PM
#20
Instructor
Thread Starter
To summarize, the available accessories from the catalog include aero kit, side body molding, spoiler, LED fog lights, front/rear splash guards, car cover, rear bumper appliqué, door trim chrome, door edge film, back-up sensors, 18" wheels, 19" diamond cut wheels, wheel locks, spare tire kit, all season floor mats, illuminated door sill trim, woodgrain steering wheel, rear seat covers, sunshade, cargo hook, cargo bin dividers, carpet trunk mat, trunk tray, cupholder ashtray, first aid kit, engine block heater, and remote engine start system.
08-02-2014, 09:08 PM
#21
Instructor
Thread Starter
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08-02-2014, 09:11 PM
#23
Three Wheelin'
can't say whether it behaves the same in the TLX, but that's how it does in the RLX.
08-02-2014, 09:16 PM
#24
Instructor
Thread Starter
I forgot to comment on the backup camera… it has 3 viewing modes (normal, wide angle, and top-down) which can be toggled using the round button below the touch screen. I know some had concerns the camera image quality but it seemed fine to me.
08-02-2014, 09:23 PM
#26
Instructor
Thread Starter
I actually liked it. I would describe it as black with a very slight shade of brown. The sky was overcast and so it probably would have looked different in the sunlight. I think I want the slate silver metallic though. My graphite TSX shows every scratch or swirl mark and it drives me crazy, lol.
08-02-2014, 09:31 PM
#27
Advanced
I actually liked it. I would describe it as black with a very slight shade of brown. The sky was overcast and so it probably would have looked different in the sunlight. I think I want the slate silver metallic though. My graphite TSX shows every scratch or swirl mark and it drives me crazy, lol.
I wanted the silver but the dealer had no idea when they would get it in V6. I had i4 TSX in grigio metallic.
08-03-2014, 02:59 AM
#28
Summer is Coming
- I think I'll like it too.
- The optional 18" wheels look nice, these should have been the stock I4 wheels, at least the style if not the size.
- I noticed the back of the front seats were straight. But other pictures I've seen the back of the seat was curved. I wonder if the curved seats are on the V6 and the I4 seats are different? I'm also wondering if there are any different materials in the V6 than the I4? I guess we'll have to get them side by side.
- The optional 18" wheels look nice, these should have been the stock I4 wheels, at least the style if not the size.
- I noticed the back of the front seats were straight. But other pictures I've seen the back of the seat was curved. I wonder if the curved seats are on the V6 and the I4 seats are different? I'm also wondering if there are any different materials in the V6 than the I4? I guess we'll have to get them side by side.
08-03-2014, 08:31 AM
#30
Fawkatitle.com
This car is such a disappointment in my opinion. I know what the intentions were but they did it all wrong (other cars in the TL segment had 4 cyls. as an option or vice versa). I personally think this car will only keep loyal Acura consumers and wouldn't attract anyone to jump ship... hopefully I'm wrong for Acura's sake.
08-03-2014, 09:50 AM
#31
- I noticed the back of the front seats were straight. But other pictures I've seen the back of the seat was curved. I wonder if the curved seats are on the V6 and the I4 seats are different? I'm also wondering if there are any different materials in the V6 than the I4? I guess we'll have to get them side by side.
08-03-2014, 12:29 PM
#32
Thanks for the review. I know the top gear ratios are the same according to TLXthrill.com for the 4-cyl and V6. I know you said it was quiet on the highway but do you recall what the RPMs were at 80 MPH?
08-03-2014, 12:57 PM
#33
Instructor
08-03-2014, 01:23 PM
#34
08-03-2014, 01:59 PM
#36
08-03-2014, 03:14 PM
#38
Is this a record for the number of thanks in a single post? Good job!!
08-03-2014, 03:46 PM
#39
Three Wheelin'
Unless I missed it earlier, I believe this is the first time we are seeing this 18" option rims? I don't call seeing these on any of the photo's we've seen up to this point on this thread (or anywhere else that I know of).
Maybe not?
Maybe not?
08-03-2014, 03:50 PM
#40
Neither had I....I just happened to see it in the OP's scanned photos of the accessory booklet. If these are indeed available, they will look great. They kind of remind me of the ILX's accessory wheel that Tyson has on his.
EDIT: According to Acura.ca, these are 17 inch wheels.
http://acura.ca/tlx/design (go through the list of pics and half way down, that is where I saw the 17 inch reference)
And seeing them on the car makes them look not as good actually. Too busy.
EDIT: According to Acura.ca, these are 17 inch wheels.
http://acura.ca/tlx/design (go through the list of pics and half way down, that is where I saw the 17 inch reference)
And seeing them on the car makes them look not as good actually. Too busy.
Last edited by weather; 08-03-2014 at 03:57 PM.
