Acura’s TLX Offers Best Bang for the Buck
Acura took two cars I’ve likedin recent years, the midsize TL and compact TSX, put them in a big automobile-size blender, and came up with one new model: the 2015 TLX.
The new vehicle, which also happens to be today’s test car, slots into the Acura sedan lineup between two other relatively new models, the entry-level (Acura prefers to call it “gateway’) ILX and the flagship RLX, formerly the RL.
Confused? Sorry, the rest of this is all about the TLX.
In essence, Acura created the new TLX, which is 3.7 inches shorter than the now-departed TL, in a length the company feels will fit the entry-level luxury segment. There it gets to compete against the likes of the Audi S4, BMW 3 Series, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Volvo S60.We expect itwill more than hold its own on its performance merits coupled with its price and projected reliability.
Our test vehicle was the base TLX with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, 8-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel-drive. It has the tech package, which adds navigation, a multiview rear camera, premium audio, blind spot information, forward collision warning, rain-sensing wipers, rear cross-traffic monitor, and lane-keeping assist system.
It also has the IDS button, the feature that changes everything. The TLX defaults to normal each time the car is started, but pushing the button allows the driver to select Eco, Normal, Sport, or Sport+. Warning: You get what you push.
Thanks to the miracles of computer engine mapping and the Honda-Acura tried-and-true i-VTEC engine, the engineers came up with a remarkable package, a vehicle that can be driven as an Econobox, a staid sedan, a sports sedan, or a no-holds-barred performance vehicle.
So many things came to mind while driving and thinking about the TLX that we’ll put them in segments.
VALUE PROPOSITION: The price of our tester (including destination) was $35,920. It’s not cheap but it’s a relative bargain (value proposition, if you prefer) when shopped against the competition.You certainly can spend more on a TLX. The middle model is the TLX with a 3.5-liter, 290-horsepower V-6 and 9-speed automatic transmission.Atop the lineup is the TLX SH-AWD, the only all-wheel-drive offering. It’s only available with the V-6.
NEW ACRONYM, Part I: Standard on all TLX models is P-AWS. It’s Acura’s Precision All-Wheel Steering system. Instead of a sporty, quick-response steering feel, it’s stable on the highway and a nice assist when parking.
NEW ACRONYM, Part II: LKAS. It’s Acura’s lane-keeping assist system that’s part of the tech package. On the way home from Middleboro to Newburyport on a foggy night, the LKAS regularly nudged ustoward a tracking line it preferred, especially noticeable on the snake-like on-ramp from Rte. 495 North to Rte. 24 North and going through Boston’s Big Dig. I can’t wait to experience the even more aggressive version called Road Departure Mitigation System that’s available on the upper trim levels.
A RUG RAT? Acura’s marketing folks came up with “Red Carpet Athlete’’ as a theme to describe the TLX’s dual mission of sports-sedan athleticism and increased luxury refinement.It sounds like a natural sponsor for ESPN’s annual ESPY Awards Show, where superstar athletes actually do walk a red carpet. And it wouldn’t be out of place there.
A SURPRISING CLAIM: Acura says the SH-AWD, P-AWS, LKAS, and the new chassis and suspension make this the most dynamically advanced Acura ever produced. It also has Agile Handling Assist (AHA), a curve control feature. That’s a “first’’ that normally would be introduced on the flagship sedan (RLX) or flagship SUV (the MDX).
DAYS OF FUTURE PAST: Acura has done away with the traditional gearshift lever in the TLX’s V-6 variants in favor of a push-button electronic gear selector. Fortunately, there are now several generations of consumers who never had to deal with the disastrous push-button selectors in the likes of the Edsel, DeSoto, and Plymouth Valiant. We’re assuming Acura’s will be foolproof.
FOUR CYLINDERS: I’m a proponent of four-cylinder powerplants and have appreciated the Honda-Acura family of i-VTEC offerings for the past 20 years. Through the miracle of engine-mapping and various computer settings, Acura has made its direct injection offering competitive with the opposition’s turbocharged vehicles. It also achieves outstanding fuel economy. We averaged 35.2 miles per gallon in a vehicle that is rated at 24 city, 35 highway, and 28 combined.
GENERAL OBSERVATIONS: Seats (comfy); interior (nice but short of real luxury and hardly ostentatious);interior space (bigger than you’d expect from the outside dimensions);gauge and center stack layout (attractive enough); exterior styling (standard midsize profile set off by traditional Acura grille, new jeweled headlights, and LED lighting on side mirrors, tail lights, and license plate light). Also, using the touchscreen is easy, though some simple tasks such as turning on the heated seats requires three touches (select seat, select temperature, exit seat menu) as opposed to simply pushing one button or turning a knob.
ON THE ROAD: There are those four driving modes to select—Eco, Normal, Sport, and Sport+. Sportgives the TLX amazing zip and the feel of a sport-sedan, something that traditionally hasn’t been in the DNA of Asian-made vehicles. Select Sport+ only if you want to push the revs to the 5,000 rpm area before each shift.
SO WHAT DID I REALLY THINK? This is a very nice sedan, worthy of the Acura badge, with a near-luxury interior, plenty of interior space, an amazing array of performance selections, strong fuel economy, and variable handling, depending on the drive mode selected. I’d welcome it in my driveway any time.
2015 Acura TLX 2.4L Tech
THE BASICS
Price, base/as tested (with destination):$35,920/$35,920. Fuel economy, EPA estimated: 24 city/35 highway.Fuel economy, Globe observed: 35.2.Drivetrain: 2.4-liter 4-cylinder, 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive.Body: 5-passenger sedan.
THE SPECIFICS
Horsepower: 206.Torque: 182 lb.-ft.Overall length: 190.3 in.Wheelbase: 109.3 in.Height: 57.0 in.Width: 73.0 in.Curb weight: 3,483 lbs.
THE GOOD
Performance versatility, build quality, fuel economy, value per dollar.
THE BAD
Snug rear seat.
THE BOTTOM LINE
When the TL was introduced a decade ago, we called it the best bang for the buck on the market. I think this TLX is, too.
ALSO CONSIDER
Audi S4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac ATS, Lexus IS 350, Volvo S60.
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