liejo0608

I have been driving a 2015 BMW 335i which has been a joy to drive however the seats are probably one of the most uncomfortable seats of any car, especially if you suffer from slight leg pain due to the sciatic nerve. Having said that, I wanted to test drive the new RDX and while at the dealer the TLX caught my eye. I used to have a 2013 Special Edition old TL and remember the car for being reliable, comfortable and satisfying to drive.

I took a V6 SH as well as the FW version of the car and I noticed a difference. I would not say it was night and day due to the fact that I only drove the car for about 15 minutes around where the dealership was located. Again neither car was close to the 335i when it came to driving dynamics. However, the comfort level of the seats was second to none. It reminded me of an old Volvo The interior was similar to my wife 2014 MDX but with more current tech and the included double screen...

After doing some research, I noticed this car is already in its 5th year... I was really taken back because I have not seen a lot of these cars out there and whatever reason it never even crossed my mind... So I sat down with the sales rep and just like in 2013, the price of the car was incredible. A lot of car for the money. I decided to do a little research here and I am finding a few things that it is now giving me a little pause. For example the transmissions issues and these vibrations that I am reading about. Is this the case for all these cars? I did not notice any issues with the cars I drove, but I did see a few 2018 with about 7K to 13K which I am now wondering if these are trade-ins from bad experiences.....

My wife MDX does suffer from a weird transmission hesitation at times. She swears that I am crazy and she does not feel anything. Just glad this is her daily driver and not mine because it does drive me crazy when I drive it on weekends. I never had any issues with my old TL. But people on these boards are reporting all kinds of unresolved vibrations and that would be a no-no in my book. At any rate, the TLX seems to be an intriguing option. A larger 540I would probably be closer to the driving dynamics of my 335i, but I am either going to pay twice as much or I will have to buy a pre-owned 3-year-old 5 series in order to get this kind of comfort. Just not sure I want to either spend that kind of money or worry about the maintenance.... Anyone driving a TLX V6 Tech?

jhb31

I had a 17 V6 FWD and now an 18 A-spec AWD. I have never had any vibration issues but some do and I did have some worry on that as well pre-delivery. Having owned both the 2k upgrade to get Sh-awd is imo a no brainer unless you value a couple more MPG over the superior handling and traction. Acura's sh-awd is very well done and with the added power the V6 has over the 4 adds a lot. The trans under some conditions has some lag and that's the same for all the v6 variants. If vibration is a concern ask to drive it before signing on the bottom line. From all I have read it's not something that normally develops later on but is usually from the start. I believe the vibration issue is somewhere in the 65 to 70 mph range. To me since I don't have a vibration issue the trans lag is IMO the main thing I dislike about the car but being a bit more aggressive in some situations on the gas pedal can help mitigate it. That is not something that develops over time so when you test drive one you can see for yourself if it's a deal breaker for you. Also, I have seen some posters say they have no lag but it may be that they got extremely lucky or just don't notice it. Acura has done work on the trans programming over time but even they have stated it's not completely gone but outside of the 2015 owners not many complain about the lag that much besides me.

mapleloaf

I have leased a 2015 TLX SH-AWD and now a 2018 2.4 TLX Elite. I found the 3.5 engine to be silky smooth but switched because of the slightly jerky first two shifts in the 9 speed. I did not have any vibration with the 3.5 and although the downshift lag was noticeable when accelerating quickly, it was not a major concern as my foot adapted quickly. I love the 8 speed DCT in the 2.4 and find the power more than enough for my needs. However, as a 335 owner, I suspect you would prefer the 3.5. In terms of advice, I would echo jhb31's post - drive the car you are interested in extensively and draw your own conclusions. I would also agree that if you are going to the 3.5, the SH-AWD makes sense for the money. And, if you really want to save some cash, just for fun, drive the 2.4 with PAWS...you might be pleasantly surprised.

Midnight Mystery

Ever played with that SH-AWD?


IMO it's a no-brainer, especially given the safety, confidence and resale value of the AWD system!

F23A4

Midnight Mystery

@F23A4

It seems you made a good deal there!


I'm suprised to see that it gets the same MPG from an Accord! But I do believe that V6's don't burn that much more fuel than I4's!!!


Have you ever had a 3gen? How does it compare?

Pens Fan

I have a 2018 SH-AWD Tech with 8,500 miles-no vibration issues and the 9 speed transmission is now as good as it will ever get with much improved shifting from the 2015 version. Is it perfect-no but I have not felt it to be an issue at all.

With sedan sales slow-there are smoking incentives on the TLX. The bad press and customer experiences from the 2015 intro have continued to hurt the car but I feel it is now a very underrated vehicle.

As others have advised test the exact car you would obtain to make sure it drives to your satisfaction.

liejo0608

I was not there to buy the car that minute although I was already at the dealer for a good 2 hours trying to price the cars as well as trying to get an appraisal on my car. As you all know based on your own experiences this whole process is a real pain in the rear. It is always best to leave and to let them know that you will think about it in order to make sure that this is the right situation and wait until they call you etc....... Which of course I am glad I did since it allows to come on into these boards and hear from honest folks like yourself.

So many of you mentioned the smoking deals out there. It really tempting when the sales guy came back and showed me the incentives for the TLX plus the trade value. I decided to come home and email the competitor here in town and asking for the internet pricing on the TLX WITHOUT mentioning a trade..... I have to laugh because in one dealer they were offering me a discount of $7300 plus the trade and the one on the internet was offering a $10,000 discount straight up on the TLX without knowing anything about my car.....It is easy to see how these guys manipulate the numbers in order to make them look like it works on your favorite.

The 335i has been bulletproof and for those who know a little bit about the car both the BMW Inline 6 and their 8-speed transmissions are as good and it gets when it comes driving dynamics... The seats are another matter. They are hard and stiff and being in the car for over 20 minutes your body starts to feel it. For sure not an easy decision especially when they are trying to hose you on the trade and because of that I will not easily let it go. Although, I will get to that sooner rather than later.

I did not price the TLX PAWS TECH. I only priced the TLX V6 Tech. I will have them price it and I will follow up with the other dealership to see what I can get on my trad I bet he gives me such a low number in order and where the first dealership even comes ahead once all the numbers are added. But that is part of the game and one must play it.... LOL!!!!!!!

liejo0608

"works on your favor" Sorry ... sometimes the auto-correction works against you... LOL!

F23A4

Midnight Mystery

I'm starting to feel like you can't go wrong with any of these cars.

Midnight Mystery

Which is better, SH-AWD or PAWS?

F23A4

liejo0608

How about reliability PAWS vs SH AWD in the V6 models.... Lots of vibrations postings which is hard to believe being Honda products. Perhaps Honda is not what it used to be. I have not encountered any issues with any of my BMWs considering they are known to be unreliable... I had leased a 2013 Tl and I had no issues. My wife 14 MDX has been quite reliable as well. My only consideration would be a V6 model and I live in the South where rain is an issue and it only snows once a year, but that would not be an issue

Midnight Mystery

I always figured that PAWS meant Part time All Wheel drive System.


It's funny, I actually saw a PAWS emblem on a TLX a while back!


Made me think of Puppy Paws!

F23A4

F23A4

Midnight Mystery

Silly as racing an F23 anything....

Charlieu

When I bought my 2015, if you didn't get SH-AWD you got P-AWS with the V6. It's actually all wheel steering and the rear wheels are not driven. I'm not certain about the technical stuff, but I believe it adjusts the camber of the rear wheels to get you around the corner. I've had a similar system on an Infiniti M35. All magic. While the 2015s get ripped all the time on this forum, mine has been good to me. A burned out puddle light and a replaced LKAS camera. The transmission hasn't been a major problem and over time has seemed to get better. The V6 is excellent. I get great MPGs around the city and on the highway with cruise, I can approach 40 MPG. (This is driving in Florida now.) I usually get a late model 4 cylinder loaner when I take mine in for service and it's a real dog when compared to my V6. I'll be looking for something else next year around this time. I'm worried that turbo 4s or CVTs will be the only choices on the vehicles that I would be interested in.

liejo0608

Thank you... It is good to know. Lots of people on these boards swear by the SH AWD system. I am in Atlanta and I have had many FWD vehicles and to be honest with you, they have all been fine. The PAWS system seems to be unique and I can not imagine that it would not make a difference when compared to other non PAWS FWD vehicles. Coming from a BMW 335i, I know that it will not be the same. But as I have gotten older, I am also looking for more comfort without compromising too much on the driving mechanics. A new BMW 540i would probably be the "ONE" that checks all the boxes, but I am not about to spend that kind of money either. Maybe in 2020 when a CPo 540i can be purchased for $30K would be the way to go then, but when these TLX can be had for deep discounts whether, on a lease or a purchase, it is hard to overlook them. I am actually going to go and drive them both this afternoon.

dezymond

I've had mine since Nov 2015 and it's been great. Other than 3 or 4 transmission software updates or resets I've had zero problems and just kept up with regular maintenance. The car is comfortable, quiet, smooth, practical, and has more than enough power. Coming from a 08 TL it definitely feels lighter and i get way better gas mileage, vcm makes a huge difference.

My only gripes are the dated infotainment system and the slow to respond transmission (but you get used to it and it really isn't an issue for me anymore). Otherwise it's been a real joy to own. Admittedly I think the transmission gave me a good amount of trouble and it did fail 1 of 3 tests I think it was, to be eligible for a complete transmission replacement but whatever they did last time seems to have fixed the issue.

liejo0608

Just got back from driving both versions of the TLX There is no doubt in my mind that the SH-AWD is for sure the one that offers the better overall driving dynamics due to the added FUN factor. Funny, the last turn I made was about 300 feet from the dealer. When we got to the parking lot, smoke was coming out of the wheels as if something was burning. Smoke!!!!! That is how hard I pushed it and the sales guy wanted for me to push it. I did not encounter any issues with the transmission other than it was not as smooth as the BMW but perfectly fine. My overall impression was very favorable. I do see how the center console was a little dated since it is very similar to my wife's 2014 MDX, but it was extremely current with all the tech and the Apple Play and Android Play really help to minimize or overcome this.. It also does not look like every other car out there with the IPAD sticking out such as my BMW. Just different. The engine is probably where this car suffers when compared to the competition. It does not need more HP, but it could use a little more torque. But it is sufficient and it is fairly quick. The SH-AWD is really where this car shines. It handles better than my BMW. So if I end up with this car, it will have to be the SH version. By the time the new version comes out, it will not be the V6 version. I think they offer the new RDX version of the engine. Overall a very nice car with very nice incentives.

impaul4

liejo0608

Not sure I understand your comment.... Are you saying that these cars on the SH-AWD version all have these vibrations? I did drive it on the highway at about 80 miles per hours and this particular demo with 6 miles on it did not have any vibrations. But its expected that it will? I read a vibration issues on this forum but I was not sure this is happening to the 19 models as well. I thought this was an issue with the 15/16 versions of the car. Steer away? I did experience any vibrations with the FWD version either. The SH-AWD just felt more planted, but nothing wrong with the FWD. It drove very well as well

jhb31

I believe what he is saying is that if you go outside of the Acura forums you will not find much if anything about vibration from all the notable reviews on the TLX sh-awd. Most reviews are very positive with respect to the car. People are more likely to post on the forums if they have a problem with the car versus no issues. Many have the sh-awd without any vibration, myself included. I have also driven two other TLX sh-awd cars and none of them had it. It's something to be aware of when you're test driving but it's certainly not an issue on most sh-awd TLX's. Since the dealer had to do a swap with another dealer to get mine I didn't get to test drive it first but I was aware of the issue but wasn't worried about it. Then again if I got the car and it was shaking at 70 I would sing a different tune.

liejo0608

Thank you so much for your clarifications. I am going to go back and drive it again.

impaul4