2021 TLX - Full release on May 28th

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

In the market at the end of the year / 2022 for a mid-sized sedan.

Questions for you

1. Would you buy this?
2. If yes, which package/trim would you pick, and options?
3. If you weren't to buy this, why?
4. Any recommendations / alternatives?
5. Is the interior the usual Acura interior in terms of materials?

I've always felt that Acura's interiors aren't the greatest when compared to say its Japanese counterparts, and definitely its European competitors, despite it being compared to them. I find that their interior materials don't age very well.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Are there Mugen and Spoon parts for it? but not troll

Interesting you don't like their interiors, cause I actually quite like them except for the stupid button shifter. Doesn't save any space(I feel it actually uses more space) and is not intuitive to a first time user (I feel the same way for BMW's bouncing stick too).

[!Aznboi128]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

The 2.0t?
FWD or AWD?
How's the rear seat space?
How's the transmission? There were quirks in the RDX which I didn't like, specifically when you slowed down to a crawl, it stays in a higher gear and it took a longer split second than I would like to down shift and go.

The long hood thing is weird, it's a transverse layout right?

Yes 2.0t, only engine available at the moment
SH-AWD, in Canada you can't get FWD
rear seat is okay, tight about the same as Lexus IS or Infiniti Q50
depends on driving mode, in normal it seems to want to hold on to a higher gear but once you give it some throttle it downshifts and go. Not the fastest but not the slowest neither.

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

In the market at the end of the year / 2022 for a mid-sized sedan.

Questions for you

1. Would you buy this?
2. If yes, which package/trim would you pick, and options?
3. If you weren't to buy this, why?
4. Any recommendations / alternatives?
5. Is the interior the usual Acura interior in terms of materials?

I've always felt that Acura's interiors aren't the greatest when compared to say its Japanese counterparts, and definitely its European competitors, despite it being compared to them. I find that their interior materials don't age very well.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Are there Mugen and Spoon parts for it? but not troll

1) hmmm if you were someone that likes how card drives you would want to look into this. Comparing this to Q50 and IS this is far better.
2) Looking at the specs I would get the Tech package. It gives you everything you need without the glitter the a-spec has.
3) The only reason why I would consider something else is if I want something a bit bigger. For example the Accord with the 2.0t is faster and roomier front, rear and trunk space but it's not as engaging to drive.
4)Infiniit Q50/Lexus IS for your Japanese rivals, G70/Stinger for Korean, Ct5 and Tesla model 3 for American, Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 for German rivals
5)hmmm the door cards can be better, the upper trim feels a bit cheaper wished it was leather.

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Interesting you don't like their interiors, cause I actually quite like them except for the stupid button shifter. Doesn't save any space(I feel it actually uses more space) and is not intuitive to a first time user (I feel the same way for BMW's bouncing stick too).

I get these cars for a week but even within the week the shifter is easy to get used to for owners it should be muscle memory in a few weeks.

[BIC_BAWS]

Curious to know if the 10spd auto is better than the last gen ZF9. I know a few people who really didn't like the last gen's ZF9 and was the ultimate reason they didn't purchase. I'm curious how the TLX Type S compares to the Q50 Red Sport 400. HP wise ofc no comparison, but apparently the Q50 Red Sport 400 doesn't even drive that nice.

[!Aznboi128]

Hard to say without driving them back to back but the 9-speed had its fair share of issues.

As for the type S, we'll have to wait.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Interesting you don't like their interiors, cause I actually quite like them except for the stupid button shifter. Doesn't save any space(I feel it actually uses more space) and is not intuitive to a first time user (I feel the same way for BMW's bouncing stick too).

Ergonomics aside, I've always felt that Acura interiors felt cheap compared to their rivals.

For example, I don't care for their seat fabrics or their plastics. Plastic toys from Fisher Price and Lego feel like a premium product in comparison. They tend not to age very well at all. unless this has changed, this has always been Acura's major downfall for me to consider them a top contender when car shopping. Only exception is NSX, but who are we kidding here.

The last time I went car shopping was back I think in 2011 or 2012 when I had considered a TSX. I walked on the purchase as it boiled down to the interior bothering me so much.

@Aznboi128 - Thanks for that. Was looking at the CT5-V online today. Seems neat. Interesting price point. Lexus (new) would only leave the ES as a feasible option; The new IS is worth considering but not on the list now. $90K for a GS opens up the door for other makes/models (Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio is an interesting choice) but I'm not part of the 1% Revscene Elite who owns a $2.5M house.

[JDMDreams]

^^ buy a model 3 then save the gas maintenance money for the $2.5m house? As a dd it's really hard to justify buying a gas car now. Now that regular is pretty much back at $1.4 and no one will want this 5 years down the road when you want to get rid of it.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Ergonomics aside, I've always felt that Acura interiors felt cheap compared to their rivals.

For example, I don't care for their seat fabrics or their plastics. Plastic toys from Fisher Price and Lego feel like a premium product in comparison. They tend not to age very well at all. unless this has changed, this has always been Acura's major downfall for me to consider them a top contender when car shopping. Only exception is NSX, but who are we kidding here.

The last time I went car shopping was back I think in 2011 or 2012 when I had considered a TSX. I walked on the purchase as it boiled down to the interior bothering me so much.

@Aznboi128 - Thanks for that. Was looking at the CT5-V online today. Seems neat. Interesting price point. Lexus (new) would only leave the ES as a feasible option; The new IS is worth considering but not on the list now. $90K for a GS opens up the door for other makes/models (Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio is an interesting choice) but I'm not part of the 1% Revscene Elite who owns a $2.5M house.

I drove a friend's beak TL from Vancouver to Penticton and it was nice. Again it was the transmission that bugged me but it's quite an old design nowadays so you can't compare it to the current industry standard in a ZF8. Plus I'm a manual guy so most automatics don't do it for me (I was unhappy with the DCT in my F56 Mini as well).

Acura always felt like a well put together Japanese car. You get in and you know right away it's Japanese and not a Euro. The latest Toyotas design all seem quite American in comparison where everything is chunky.

I like how the new IS looks, I don't like how it's a rehashed last gen car which is already 8 years old. Granted, we test drove the IS350 RWD F Sport when it came out in 2013 and it was easily the best drive out of Audi/BMW/MB. But that infotainment touchpad thing..... Why is the IS out of contention? The ES is quite far away from what the IS is, and much more grandpa feeling than the TLX.

[bcrdukes]

Size wise, the IS would be smaller than the Corolla iM I'm coming from. The ES being grandpa feeling is for consideration because it's grandpa. I don't live in Vancouver anymore and the roads here in Toronto are atrocious. The Porsche will continue to serve its purpose as a fun car.

That being said, the Corolla can stick around for a while as I don't need to replace it. It's slow, reliable, somewhat fun, but slow. Did I mention that it's slow? Any how, a new car is just a want. There are time where a higher output car is sometimes required to get in and out of lane changes in Toronto because everyone makes a left turn like the Asian lady in Family Guy at 120km/h+

[BIC_BAWS]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Ergonomics aside, I've always felt that Acura interiors felt cheap compared to their rivals.

For example, I don't care for their seat fabrics or their plastics. Plastic toys from Fisher Price and Lego feel like a premium product in comparison. They tend not to age very well at all. unless this has changed, this has always been Acura's major downfall for me to consider them a top contender when car shopping.

I still think my civic leather and interior quality is better than the comparable ILX of the same gen LOL.

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

@Aznboi128 - Thanks for that. Was looking at the CT5-V online today. Seems neat. Interesting price point

All in CT5-V Blackwing is 110K.. but it beats the competition with the MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I would never consider an American car (tho I did consider CTS-V/ATS-V in my thread), but it comes in MANUAL. V8. SEDAN. 668HP. + GM/Cadillac SuperCruise

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS

Curious to know if the 10spd auto is better than the last gen ZF9. I know a few people who really didn't like the last gen's ZF9 and was the ultimate reason they didn't purchase. I'm curious how the TLX Type S compares to the Q50 Red Sport 400. HP wise ofc no comparison, but apparently the Q50 Red Sport 400 doesn't even drive that nice.

The 10 speed is a big improvement over the ZF9 - definitely crisper and faster shifts. In the RDX the tuning is so-so though but I found the TLX tuning to be much improved. It's not a DCT or a ZF8 but in the TLX (in my short drive) it was plenty good enough.

[!Aznboi128]

Yea, the CT5-v is 50k exactly the same price as the a-spec that I have. The CT5-v has much more power, better suspension and a whole bunch more. Cadillac has one of the price per performance ratios but would you buy it? that's a whole other question.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by !Aznboi128

Cadillac has one of the price per performance ratios but would you buy it? that's a whole other question.

I think we all know the answer.

[ijaz_97]

Originally Posted by !Aznboi128

Yea, the CT5-v is 50k exactly the same price as the a-spec that I have. The CT5-v has much more power, better suspension and a whole bunch more. Cadillac has one of the price per performance ratios but would you buy it? that's a whole other question.

Would be surprised if the Caddy makes it to 100k with no issues.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Size wise, the IS would be smaller than the Corolla iM I'm coming from. The ES being grandpa feeling is for consideration because it's grandpa. I don't live in Vancouver anymore and the roads here in Toronto are atrocious. The Porsche will continue to serve its purpose as a fun car.

That being said, the Corolla can stick around for a while as I don't need to replace it. It's slow, reliable, somewhat fun, but slow. Did I mention that it's slow? Any how, a new car is just a want. There are time where a higher output car is sometimes required to get in and out of lane changes in Toronto because everyone makes a left turn like the Asian lady in Family Guy at 120km/h+

Didn't know you were in Toronto.

This guy, who has a Porsche as a fun car, is ribbing people for 250k income

I hate to say it, but get a SUV. And I know the iM is slooooooow. I drove one in Australia on the Great Ocean Road. MIL also has one. It's slooooooow.

[BIC_BAWS]

Originally Posted by ijaz_97

Would be surprised if the Caddy makes it to 100k with no issues.

I mean it gets the Z06/ZL1's 6.2L SC V8, LT4 motor, so I think those are relatively reliable.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Didn't know you were in Toronto.

This guy, who has a Porsche as a fun car, is ribbing people for 250k income

I hate to say it, but get a SUV. And I know the iM is slooooooow. I drove one in Australia on the Great Ocean Road. MIL also has one. It's slooooooow.

Slow is okay in the city. 0 - 60 times don't matter when you're stuck on the Gardiner Expressway or on King Street during rush hour. I've since moved out of Toronto proper and the iM is still ok, except for highway driving where torque is really appreciated when getting on and off highways.

Porsche is nothing special; Just a Boxster S. Slow and cheap compared to Honda Civics in this day and age.

[prudz]

Originally Posted by lowside67

... said nobody ever.

RIP Burnt Orange Metallic. Along with "Phoenix Gold" on the E46 M3, and the similar C6Z orange color.

-Mark

real talk I love phoenix gold on m3's and austin yellow. Come at me bruh.

[twitchyzero]

i then present you imola orange pearl

[bcrdukes]

Bump

Hoping to keep this thread alive and for more reviews from !Aznboi128 (no pressure!)

The TLX is still on my list of candidates. I'm drooling for the Type S but unsure of its release date. I may try to book an appointment with Lexus to see the IS and the ES this weekend and hoping to see the Alfa Romeo Giulia today. Size wise, I understand the TLX and Giulia should be more or less the same.

Depreciation wise, the Alfa is going to take a huge hit. I'm more comfortable with Acura and Lexus being able to hold their value better. A big "No" to the Genesis as they are worth nothing and poor resale.

[AstulzerRZD]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Size wise, I understand the TLX and Giulia should be more or less the same.

Depreciation wise, the Alfa is going to take a huge hit. I'm more comfortable with Acura and Lexus being able to hold their value better. A big "No" to the Genesis as they are worth nothing and poor resale.

That would be kind of sad. The Giulia I looked at had a puny trunk (smaller than IS) and back seat.

[roastpuff]

The new TLX is big outside but really small inside. It's bizarre IMO and takes away an advantage for Acura from before. 355hp for a Type-S is also underwhelming.

[bcrdukes]

Originally Posted by roastpuff

The new TLX is big outside but really small inside. It's bizarre IMO and takes away an advantage for Acura from before. 355hp for a Type-S is also underwhelming.

You nailed it on the head.

Went to see the TLX A-Spec and the Lexus IS300/350 and ES250/350. The TLX is just bizarre. It still tries to brand itself as premium but the materials and fit and finish don't compare to Lexus in any way. And yes, the TLX looks big on the outside, but inside...it was like WTF?

Also went to see the Giulia today. Size wise (interior) it looks and felt almost like an IS300/350. While it drove nicely, it wasn't that much better than the Lexus. The trunk on the Giulia was awful. Alfa Romeo is a no go for me. Being a self admitted Alfa Romeo fan boy (and having once owned one) the Alfa will have to wait another day.

[roastpuff]

I went and put a deposit down on an IS500 today at JP Lexus. Barring any crazy pricing mismatches or options not being there that I really want (360 cam, ML Audio) I see that as my next car.

[bcrdukes]

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[double0seven]

Originally Posted by prudz

real talk I love phoenix gold on m3's and austin yellow. Come at me bruh.

I'm just not a fan of austin yellow. Might grow on me though