2015 Acura TLX Review

The TLX is instantly recognizable as an Acura thanks to familiar styling cues and the controversial corporate grille. Of course, like all new Acuras, the TLX features the Jewel Eye LED headlights as well as a whole complement of LED lighting around the exterior.

Claiming customers found the TL was a little too large for the class while the TSX wasn’t sporty enough, Acura has built the TLX to bridge the gap between the two. With an overall length 3.8 inches shorter than the 2014 TL, the TLX rides on a nearly identical wheelbase and offers similar interior space. Adult passengers will have no issue fitting in the rear seats thanks to an understated 34.5 inches of rear legroom.

All the usual luxury amenities are offered inside including heated and cooled front seats, the latest version of AcuraLink, Siri Eyes Free technology and an optional ELS 455-watt, 10-speaker audio system. The front seats provide good comfort and the materials used inside the TLX are what we expect from Acura, but nothing more. Soft and pleasant to the eye, the materials don’t have a rich, upscale feel to them as found in some of the TLX’s competition. The dual infotainment screens on the center stack, an Acura staple, are excellent.

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Even if the exterior and interior of the TLX aren’t exactly ground breaking, what’s under the skin is. Two all-new engines and two innovative new transmissions have been fitted in the car. Base TLXs come with a new direct injection 2.4-liter four cylinder making 206 HP and 182 lb-ft of torque. Despite similar displacement numbers, this engine is not a carryover from the TSX.

Paired exclusively to the four-cylinder is Acura’s new eight-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) that sends power to the front wheels through a torque converter. Unusual for a DCT, Acura installed a torque converter in this transmission to eliminate the jerky initial engagement found in most DCTs. We didn’t get a chance to drive the car in any stop and go traffic, so it’s hard to say if it works. What does work though is the short spaced gearing. Gears one through seven in the new transmission have shorter ratios than fifth gear did in the old five-speed automatic.

Gear changes are quick for both up shifts and down shifts and the new four cylinder loves to rev. Near redline, the four-pot does get a bit buzzy, but it’s well worth the noise to play with all 206 HP and the downshift rev matching dual-clutch transmission.

SEE ASLO: 2013 Acura TL Review

If you want more power, there is a new 3.5-liter direct injection V6 that makes 290 HP and 267 lb-ft of torque. Not available with the eight-speed DCT, the V6 uses an equally innovative nine-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the four-cylinder TLX, the V6 is available with Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, which now relies on a smaller rear differential that doesn’t impede trunk space.

The V6 and nine-speed auto are adequate for this car, but don’t feel all that special. Throttle lag is noticeable in AWD-equipped models, especially outside of Sport Plus mode. Acura offers four drive modes with this model as part of what it calls an “Integrated Dynamics System” that offers the choice between fuel economy minded Econ mode, Normal, Sport and Sport Plus.

It might come as a surprise, but the more powerful model is also the less engaging car to drive. Capable cruisers on the highway, the V6 and nine-speed auto don’t add up to be a joy to drive. Think of this combination more for the right lane crowd while the four-cylinder and DCT are better suited for left lane bandits.

TLX models with the V6 engine get an electronic gear selector that uses buttons to operate the transmission instead of a conventional shift lever. Acura claims this is to save space. It’s unique looking, but it requires acclimation. For example, I kept grabbing for a shift lever that isn’t there, sort of like reaching with your left foot for a clutch pedal after switching between cars with a manual and automatic.

With so many gears available in either configuration, fuel economy ratings for the TLX are impressive. Four-cylinder models are expected to get 24 MPG city and 35 MPG highway while the front-wheel drive V6 TLX is rated at 21 MPG city and 34 MPG highway. All-wheel drive equipped V6 models lose three MPG on the highway, but Acura claims the car will average 25 MPG just like its front-wheel drive sibling.

The four-cylinder TLX has an entry level weight of 3,483 lbs and V6 models are lighter then similarly equipped 2014 TLs. Some of the weight savings comes from the new nine-speed automatic that is actually lighter than the old six-speed automatic in the TL.

Every TLX comes standard with Acura’s Precision All-Wheel Steering (P-AWS) system that turns the rear wheels slightly, making the car more maneuverable. For those who want even better handling, there is Agile Handling Assist (AHA). This system uses the TLX’s stability control to modulate the brakes individually, helping the car rotate through a corner better. Handling for all models is composed, but not overly sporty. Four-cylinder models feel noticeably lighter and more agile.

Pricing for the TLX will be aggressive with base models starting at just $30,995, which is less than a BMW 320i. Even a fully loaded TLX V6 SH-AWD with the Advance Package will cost only $44,700.

Discuss this car at our Acura TLX Forum

Acura is positioning the TLX against the likes of the Infiniti Q50, BMW 3 Series and Audi A4. That may seem a bit ambitious, but it depends on which TLX we’re discussing. Although higher end versions of the TLX will have a tough time stacking up against this competition, the four-cylinder, dual-clutch version is an engaging, spacious, premium sedan at an excellent price. Even if Acura does not succeed in winning conquest sales, the manufacturer has built a car that should keep loyal customers happy.