2021 Acura

[YungBoba]

I like Acuras and how they look now. I hated the "beak" grille era, but I think we all did

I am not huge on the Lexus spindle grille but they do look good on the sportier versions of the car where it has more of a mesh look, rather than seeing individual lines. The ES grille is just terrible though.

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[4S-TURBO]

Yes, make a PPHC edition that murders everything around a circuit for half the money.

[heavyD]

Is that rectangle in the grill with the badge for the collision radar? Never noticed it before until those two pics.

[YungBoba]

I would assume so, similar to Genesis.

[Sid03SVT]

Originally Posted by heavyD

Is that rectangle in the grill with the badge for the collision radar? Never noticed it before until those two pics.

Originally Posted by YungBoba

I would assume so, similar to Genesis.

ME beotching about the FCM rectangle this morning is what prompted this grill conversation

Boba - thanks for bringing up Genesis - I was trying to remember who else had the stupid FCM rectangle front and center, but for the life of me couldn't remember.

[samb]

My brother is an Acura guy and has a 2016 TLX. It looks sharp, is very comfortable, drives well, and feels nice. They're great cars for non "car people." If Acura goes too sporty I think they'd lose their target audience.

[YungBoba]

Well, that's why there's going to be a regular TLX and then a TLX Type-S

[4S-TURBO]

"Tales of Trackura" would be a sweet ad campaign tho.

[h3llsp4wn]

Looks like the TLX-S will make 355hp and 354tq. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a33460465/2021-acura-tlx-type-s-horsepower/

[96accord]

Originally Posted by Scooby-Doode

Type S confirmed to have 355HP/354lb ft TQ from Turbo V6 with 10Speed Auto and next version of SH-AWD.

Would have been nice to be closer to 400HP, but let’s see what Dyno numbers show and what magic tuners can whip up.

Originally Posted by h3llsp4wn

Looks like the TLX-S will make 355hp and 354tq. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...-s-horsepower/

Guess you didn't read this thread.. It was already posted

[h3llsp4wn]

Originally Posted by 96accord

Guess you didn't read this thread.. It was already posted

Haha I've been following the thread too, yikes! Pass the popcorn please ***127871; ***128518;

[AVANTI R5]

Review update: Improved 2021 Acura TLX missed its chance for greatness
J
Few buyers care about Acura’s sedans. They come for the crossover SUVs. The solution? A sharp-looking sport sedan in the form of a redesigned 2021 TLX.

Previewed in 2019 as the Acura Type S concept, the 2021 TLX rides on a new architecture with a new suspension and an attractive design that brims with emotion.

But it won’t be enough. I recently spent a week with the 2021 Acura TLX, pushing it around cloverleafs, studying it from various angles, and playing with every knob, button, and touchpad to accept the reality it’s too compromised. Here’s where it hits and where it misses.

Hit: A sport sedan suspension

After less than a mile behind the wheel of the TLX it became clear where the money was spent—on the suspension. The double wishbone front suspension is well tuned and pairs well with the sharp electric power steering. My SH-AWD Advance tester’s adjustable dampers provided comfortable, and varying, ride quality that was never too firm and always controlled. It’s too bad, however, that Acura didn’t take advantage of that suspension with better balance. The dash-to-axle ratio is longer and the cabin is moved rearward, but the engine still sits over the front axle and it hasn’t moved back. That change could’ve made the TLX and upcoming TLX Type S great sport sedans.

Miss: Obnoxious sounds

In normal day-to-day driving in Comfort mode, the 272-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 sounds like most turbo-4s, which is to say less than refined. The issue is compounded on cold starts. But put the car in Sport mode and the audio system pipes in noise to elevate the emotion. It’s intrusive on conversation and borders on laughable as it just adds noise without more power. It’s so obnoxious that I wouldn’t tolerate it in day-to-day driving.

Hit: It’s comfortable

It doesn’t matter which of the four main seats you find yourself in, the TLX is comfortable. The front seats hug you in the right places without being too tight. The rear seats have adult-rated knee room and leg room with bottom cushions that are more supportive than those of the A4. However, while the car is 2.9 inches longer than the outgoing model, the rear seat doesn’t gain leg room because the whole cabin has moved rearward. Acura missed a chance here: Either move the engine back to improve balance or create a larger cabin for more space.

Miss: It drinks gas

The 2.0-liter turbo-4 in the TLX isn’t efficient. My all-wheel-drive tester’s EPA fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 29 highway, and 24 combined simply don’t line up with German competitors, which crest 30 mpg even with 6-cylinder engines. It’s even worse in the real world. Over the course of 156 miles of mixed driving, I saw an unimpressive average of 19.2 mpg. Other automakers have done better with turbo-4s, and Acura should be able to match them.

Hit: Strong power

The 272-hp turbo-4 is a detuned version of the engine in the Honda Civic Type-R. It drinks gas because it taps into turbo boost quite often. Conversely, the power is readily accessible. It comes on strong early and remains available throughout the rev range. Acura doesn’t quote a 0-60 mph sprint, but it’s probably in the high five-second range

Miss: Atrocious infotainment system

The single worst aspect of the TLX is the infuriating infotainment system. Yes, it becomes slightly easier to use over time, but it’s still one of the worst infotainment systems on the market. The system uses absolute positioning that controls the main screen based on the position where you touch the touchpad. While you don’t have to follow a cursor around the screen, you still have to look at the touchpad and/or screen while driving, which is distracting. Worse, the interface doesn’t carry over into the Apple CarPlay screen, requiring you to then revert to a Lexus-like style of scrolling around the touchpad which is also not ideal. Touchscreens or scroll wheels should be used by all manufacturers. Please, enough with this touchpad nonsense!

The 2021 Acura TLX could’ve been what Acura wanted it to be, but it’s not. It’s really attractive, and the suspension and new chassis are great. But the engine didn’t move back like it should have, and that’s before we address the barely tolerable infotainment system. Acura’s headed down a better path, but we need to course correct a bit more to really get people to take notice.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance

Base price: $38,525
Price as tested: $49,325
EPA fuel economy: 21/29/24 mpg
The hits: Sharp design, NSX vibes, great suspension, comfortable seats, ready power
The misses: Bad infotainment system, inefficient, the engine should have moved

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/...-for-greatness

[JP Chestnut]

Sometimes (actually a lot of the time) these testers are too picky. Savageese liked it for what it is. At $38k ($40K AWD) it seems like a solid value. A lowest spec AWD BMW 3 Series is almost 10% more expensive and isn't an amazingly exciting alternative.

[heavyD]

Originally Posted by JP Chestnut

Sometimes (actually a lot of the time) these testers are too picky. Savageese liked it for what it is. At $38k ($40K AWD) it seems like a solid value. A lowest spec AWD BMW 3 Series is almost 10% more expensive and isn't an amazingly exciting alternative.

It does seem that screwing up on the infotainment system has become a pretty big sin these days. If Hyundai and Dodge can make easy to use systems I just don't understand why most of the Japanese manufacturers struggle here. Also the fuel economy is terrible for a 4-cylinder car. These would be pretty major gripes with a lot of buyers today.

[JP Chestnut]

Originally Posted by heavyD

It does seem that screwing up on the infotainment system has become a pretty big sin these days. If Hyundai and Dodge can make easy to use systems I just don't understand why most of the Japanese manufacturers struggle here. Also the fuel economy is terrible for a 4-cylinder car. These would be pretty major gripes with a lot of buyers today.

I agree with both points. However, RE the infotainment system -- these testers don't have a lot of time with these cars so they naturally favor "pick up and go" systems. For a car you own and use everyday, a little complexity might not be such a bad thing. I hardly drive my wife's outback with the HK system and even that isn't super natural to pick up every couple of months or so.

With said, if a company is going to put an ipad in their car, it probably shouldn't suck.

[lil'redwagon]

If they were using an iPad, they should just use a real Apple iPad, and it would be intuitive down to a 5 year old's level.

[VarmintCong]

The sport mode in my Si also sounds awful, when I get a free day I'm going to disable the piped in sound.