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DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: Sigh. RLX, afresh ILX and now TLX. Active a new Acura has become a face-palm, beat-your-head-against-the-wall, Gob-Bluth-”C’MON!”-shouting accident for me. All the assets of Honda Motor Company, the fanfare, the buildup, the teasers, the car-show unveilings…then the aftereffect shows up at the office.
And it’s consistently the aforementioned result. A altogether able yet actually forgettable busline appliance.
When the stylists were accustomed chargeless administration to do article new to aroma up the line, the aftereffect was the abominable egg-tooth TL. Now the cast has aloof into the blandest administration of anyone in the industry. It’s a abashment that a able appearance car was ashen into this colossal ILX.
Our TLX Advance accustomed with the accessible V6 agent and Honda’s AWD system, and active impressions are actual abundant those of a gussied-up Accord V6. Ability is good, decidedly at college rpm, but the car’s nine-speed automated apparent less-than-luxurious alive characteristics -- somewhat acrid with delayed upshifts -- behindhand of which drive approach (Normal, Sport, Sport-plus or Eco) was selected.
Credit is due to Super Administration All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), admitting -- Honda’s arrangement delivers amazing alley captivation alike if there is a synthetic, computerized aspect to the way the car behaves. If your ambition is to get about curves, SH-AWD has your back.
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: There are a few certainties that appear with Acura vehicles: They are consistently activity to accept solid drivetrains, abrupt administration ancestry and bourgeois styling. And it's no ...
Build quality, fit and accomplishment are additionally first-rate, as one would apprehend on an Acura product. While the autogenous trim is, like the design, fancy-Accord-grade, the console gaps and touchpoints appearance accurate affection control.
Thing is, so do anybody else’s, abnormally at this bulk point. Our V6 SH-AWD TLX comes in aloof beneath $46,000; Acura business agents would acceptable point out that that’s the candied atom for its advised customer. I’ll point out that wherever artefact planners capital the TLX to land, in absoluteness it’s calmly outclassed by cars with added cast cachet like the Mercedes-Benz C300 (even with the I4 engine) and Lexus ES; in fact, for about the aforementioned money the Hyundai Genesis V6 actually runs affluence circles about the TLX.
We’ll anon accept the befalling to drive a TLX four-cylinder, FWD archetypal priced to attempt in the low-end of the entry-lux market; that car will acceptable accomplish a added economically acute case for itself; unfortunately, it’ll attending about the aforementioned and will acceptable feel alike added like a adorned Accord.
With a accurately appointed interior, the 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance is added than adequate and quiet for continued commutes.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR RORY CARROLL: Active the TLX the added night, I enjoyed alive that was able with SH-AWD a man walks by a TLX, sees that SH-AWD brand and thinks “Oh good. It’s the SH-AWD one.” But the abridgement of P-AWS was frankly, disturbing. I’m not one of those purists who would advance that Acura shouldn’t alike bother authoritative cars afterwards both SH-AWD and P-AWS, but I am not afraid to accept that those bodies accept a point. Acura’s people, anyone with any butt of basal engineering and our own Graham Kozak will (perhaps rightly) point out that SH-AWD negates the charge for P-AWS, but I assumption I’m a aloof a hopeless technophile -- the added appearance and badges, the better, I say -- I don’t affliction if it doesn’t accomplish sense.
Other than that, the TLX is a accomplished car. The exoteric architecture is assuredly absorbing abundant that cipher acquainted the charge to bolt a giant, fake-metal bill assimilate the advanced of it. That said, the curve accept like they’d be somewhat bigger ill-fitted to a best car. The all-embracing architecture is a big footfall in the appropriate administration for Acura.
The autogenous is able-bodied advised and comfortable, admitting actual choices aren’t activity to draft anyone away. The centermost assemblage looks apple-pie but the two-screen bureaucracy doesn’t accomplish Acura’s user interface any easier to use. Acura went with a novel, push-button gear-selection apparatus which takes a little while to get acclimated to, but works able-bodied enough.
Ultimately, this is a comfortable, able entry-level affluence car. It’s not bad to drive and it looks aloof fine. It aloof doesn’t do annihilation to actually analyze itself from competitors -- at atomic not until you can get one with P-AWS and SH-AWD.
ROAD TEST EDITOR JONATHAN WONG: My accompany at RealTime Racing out of Saukville, Wisc., are active a TLX in the GT chic of the Pirelli World Challenge chase series. That chase car looks actually abandoned with its flared carbon cilia bodywork, massive air dams in the advanced fascia, advanced Forgeline auto and honkin’ rear wing. That’s a full-fledge chase car with a Honda Achievement Development congenital twin-turbocharged V6 and consecutive gearbox and has it activity up adjoin Ferrari 458s, Lamborghini Gallardos, Porsche 911s, McLaren MP4s, Audi R8s and Bentley Continental GT3s. That’s some austere antagonism for a car that begins activity as a not-so-exotic four-door sedan.
I was at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio this accomplished summer to see the TLX GT’s beginning chase boating with Peter Cunningham at the wheel. It was a admirable aboriginal outing, but this year was absolutely a development year for RealTime. Next year is aback things should get acceptable afterwards added testing and the hopeful accession of a additional car.
The car looks abandoned with all of the carbon cilia bodywork and aerodynamic outfit. Photo by Jonathan Wong
So if you haven’t accomplished already, I’m a Honda/Acura fan. My aboriginal car was a 1999 Honda Prelude Type SH and my accepted car that I clue is a 2008 Honda S2000 CR. There’s additionally a 2000 Acura Integra Type R in the ancestors (which is the best acknowledged archetypal in World Challenge history acknowledgment in ample allotment to RealTime Racing). Like so abounding added craving Honda/Acura fans, I appetite them to anatomy article agitative again. I appetite them to aftermath cars that are reflections of the company’s motorsports roots. I appetite abominably for the TLX to be blood-tingling to drive.
After a weekend with this TLX SH-AWD, I’m a little underwhelmed, like Stoy is, from the action standpoint. The administration isn’t activity to stop you in your tracks, but I would accept a darker acrylic blush would go a continued a way to advice appearance off the curve a bit better. It’s absolutely not an animal car in banal form, but it’s aloof a bit soft. I do like the attenuate abruptness up on the rear deck, though.
The berth is lined with affection abstracts that are bendable to the blow and the blueprint is simple with the touchscreen accepted in Honda/Acura articles now that works able-bodied enough. Advanced seats are adequate and supportive, and I was able to acquisition a acceptable active position afterwards abundant trouble. The chiral shifter controls may accept a little gimmicky, but I begin it affectionate of neat.
I accept no complaints about the direct-injected V6 that’s amazingly bland with ability architecture accurately to redline. The nine-speed transmission’s accouterment in lower apparatus were a little lazy. Maybe some added accomplished affability needs to be done to advance things up. Manually selecting apparatus with the council caster paddles was acknowledging for an automatic, though.
Ride affection is acceptable and smooth. Council is acknowledging to inputs with a nice, beefy feel acquainted in. Brakes are grabby. But aback I began to advance the car, the advanced end would ablution out in corners alike with SH-AWD on the case adequately early. I was assured bluff cornering characteristics. Afresh I got out and took a attending at the tires, which explained a lot. There is Goodyear Eagle LS-2 tires on our analysis car which are all-season tires geared added appear the touring ancillary of the spectrum, which explains the bland and quiet ride and the aboriginal understeer tendencies. I would be actual absorbed in aggravating the TLX SH-AWD with some added advancing rubber.
The car as a accomplished is a able artefact to advice get Acura aback on its feet, though, with the accumulation market. It’s got administration that won’t affront or absolutely bore people, a glossy powertrain, able-bodied damped and quiet ride, a accurately akin autogenous and administration abilities that will be agilely agitative to the aggregate of the car affairs public. No, it doesn’t angle out in the crowd, but it’s a altogether competent entry.
As for the enthusiasts, maybe Acura has affairs on bringing aback a Type S model? Anticipate about it: A firmer suspension, above and bigger tires, hardly upsized brakes, sportier anatomy treatments, clasp a few added application out of the V6 and add added advancing about-face programming for the chiral and I anticipate that may be the admission to accomplish me happier with this car. Please, Acura, do that! Afresh maybe I’ll be able to bigger chronicle to how Peter Cunningham feels during a World Challenge chase in his TLX GT.
Oh, and do move advanced with those accounted affairs of architecture an Integra/RSX almsman that came out during SEMA.
The all-embracing architecture of the 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance is a big footfall in the appropriate administration for Acura.
West Coast Editor Mark Vaughn: Acura is dark big hopes -- and a accomplished agglomeration of business firepower -- on this new sedan. The car will alter both the soon-to-be-departed TSX and the TL, a boss big gap in the lineup, so Honda’s affluence analysis needs it to be a hit. So far the TLX seems to be accomplishing well, on clue to calmly bright 50,000 units in its aboriginal 12 months on the bazaar and it could alike beat 60,000.
But what the heck is a TLX? Is it a affluence auto like a Mercedes-Benz or Lexus? A sports auto like a BMW or Audi? About in between? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
I’m activity to say it’s a high-tech midsize connectivity-and-luxury four-door. It’s a auto for the avant-garde electronic-safety-feature and infotainment enthusiast who brand his or her sportiness not so angrily sporty. If you did one of those spider graphs with all the competitors on the ambit of the graph, the TLX would be appropriate in the average of all of them.
My contempo drive in this accurate TLX analysis car was aloof in the burghal and burghal borders of Greater Los Angeles. Aback I collection several TLXs on the continued advance I got to booty them on some appealing nice arced anchorage in West Virginia and it was adventurous accomplished -- up to a point. Once you anesthetized that point and pushed it actually hard, the tires slid all over and the car aloof understeered above what its electronics systems could do to save you. It’s not a sports auto -- It’s not alike a Lexus IS -- but I don’t anticipate Acura buyers are attractive for that.
The 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance is able with a 3.5-liter V6 accompanying with a nine-speed automated gearbox.
I anticipate they’ll be added afflicted with all the technology acronyms: FCW, ACC, CMBS, etc. All those assurance appearance are aggregate beneath the branch Acura Watch. There’s advanced blow warning, automated cruise control, blow acknowledgment braking system; there’s a dark atom indicator; a narrow-band alarm that allows rear cantankerous cartage alert; a new monocular camera that helps ascertain pedestrians; and haptic acknowledgment to accumulate the TLX on the beeline and narrow. (I didn’t hit a distinct banal the accomplished time I had the car so it charge work.) The audio is 10-speaker Acura/ELS Studio Premium with a 490-watt maximum.
Heck, the key fob alike works up to bisected a mile away.
I anticipate those are the things Acura buyers appetite and I anticipate they get ‘em in the new TLX. I anticipate Acura will advertise the 60,000 or so TLXs it needs to sell. But alike with the TLX as its sales leader, the Acura division’s anniversary sales numbers don’t analyze to added affluence makes. Afterwards 25 years of existence, neither Acura nor Infiniti accept managed to comedy in the aforementioned ballpark as affluence stalwarts like BMW and Mercedes, which move three or four times as abounding cars out exhibit doors as Acura; Lexus or Audi, which are about bifold Acura’s sales; or alike Cadillac, which outsells Acura by a fair margin. So why isn’t the analysis accomplishing bigger than this? I anticipate it goes aback to the character problem. What is an Acura? It’s not affluence like Mercedes or Lexus and it’s not achievement like BMW or Audi. It’s about in amid all the others, which affectionate of leaves it defective an identity. It’s the safe abode to move up for crazily loyal Honda buyers, but there will alone be about 60,000 or 70,000 of those in 2014, alike if you bandy in the ILX. So is Acura anytime activity to hit the big time? I apperceive how: accomplish a V8-powered rear drive flagship. Hint, that’s not the RL.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: This 2014 Lexus ES 350 is all about comfort. As usual, Lexus comes through with abundant seats. They're both adequate and supportive, with aloof the appropriate bulk of ...
ASSOCIATE WESTCOAST EDITOR BLAKE Z. RONG: The TLX is declared to be Acura’s savior from mediocrity, save for the NSX -- aloof one added car show, honest! -- and it’s a nice car, that’s for sure: adequate and quiet, a affectionate assistant during a four-hour dart from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. The ride is enviably smooth. The council feels weighty, and adequately natural. 290 hp from this 3.5-liter V6 is quick -- admitting not as, uh, blood-tingling as the approachable TL, which was a friggin’ beef car with a airy Screaming Chicken on the awning (and additionally with an honest-to-God six-speed manual). The adaptive cruise ascendancy could appear to a complete stop, and alike advance aback up to acceleration -- consistently article to affect rubes like myself. (Lane departure, on the added hand, is actually austere -- the council caster is consistently beating beneath your hand, aggravating to get it right.)
I collection the TLX on Old Spanish Trail Highway, branch out of Las Vegas. Here, the alley bolts beeline abroad to the border for about 40 miles, alternate by a abrupt 20-mph-per-hairpin, where-did-this-come-from canyon over the NopahRange. And the TLX is competent here, if hardly languid: alike while abetment off on a turn, its advanced auto squealed and protested until I was through the corner. The Super Administration All-Wheel Drive -- I adulation that name -- sends best of its ability to the advanced wheels, and alike aback accelerating or activity through a hairpin. As aqueous as a arrangement like this should be, one gets the consequence that the TLX is appropriate on the bend of actuality a accurate performer, but reigned in by assorted powers-that-be.
Let’s achievement the NSX doesn’t accept this problem.
And nine speeds? Count me as one of the guys going, “why?” Who the heck needs nine speeds? What can you do with nine speeds that you can’t accomplish with six well-tuned ones? Accouterment appear nice and quickly, but I begin myself mostly in 3rd or 4th -- and, aback on beeline anchorage to Los Angeles, absence aggregate abroad appropriate to ninth. (Did I acknowledgment that the TSX and TL came with Honda’s absolute manual? Not that I’m affronted of Americans’ affairs habits or anything.)
Sport-plus, a moniker on the border of overuse, holds apparatus until redline. This was a TL trademark. To be fair, it’s consistently fun to see a architect bandy attention to the wind by saying, “hey buddy, you wanna breach this engine? You can breach this engine. Aloof don’t cry abhorrent aback your assurance gets voided.”
A few weeks ago, I went to a walkaround of the new TLX. “This is best important barrage in the history of Acura,” said arch business arch Michael Accavitti. “Even added important than the NSX.”
Well, yeah. I can see that -- the NSX had the affluence of accepting no expectations aural the blow of the lineup. The TLX has to alive up to the addicted memories of the aboriginal TSX and the sleeper-status fun of the absolutely quick 3.7-liter TL with a stick. It absolutely feels added grown-up, added buttoned-down than both.
But a car with the tagline “yeah, it’s that affectionate of thrill” is alone adequately thrilling.
We had hoped for a little added action in the 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance.
Base Price: $45,595
As Tested Price: $45,595
Powertrain: 3.5-liter V6; AWD, nine-speed automatic
Output: 290 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 267 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm
Curb Weight: 3,774 lb
Fuel Economy: 21/31/25 mpg(EPA City/Hwy/Combined)
Observed Fuel Economy: 23.9 mpg
Options: None
