Cargazing
By Derek Price
Acura has always struggled to find the right identity for its mid-size car, and I think they finally started to get the mixture right last year when they introduced this car, the TLX.
In my mind, the models that have filled this mid-range slot in the past have felt just a bit too much like rebadged Hondas. But with the TLX, Acura has finally created something that has that magical feeling of a legitimate luxury car, a certain presence that’s hard to describe but easy to sense. Every great luxury marque has it.
In the TLX, it starts with innovation.
You can get it with either a nine-speed automatic transmission or — my personal favorite — an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT).
Not to get too nerdy, but it does something that no other DCT does: use a torque converter to smooth out the shifts, which makes a big difference at low speeds. I usually love dual-clutch automatics because they shift ridiculously fast and feel so good to a driver like me who wants instant response from a car, but they often have a big downside, too. They can feel herky-jerky when you first start out moving.
The torque converter in the TLX fixes that problem, and I hope other car companies that offer DCTs will start doing the same thing with theirs in the future.
Acura’s attractive and sporty TLX focuses on technology to improve the driving experience, both from mechanical wizardry under the skin and thoughtful features in the cabin.
The TLX has some other cool engineering like four-wheel precision steering and what they call Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. When it senses a loss of traction, it can route the power not only to the front and rear but also left and right sides, splitting the output in a way that keeps the car pointed in the right direction even in challenging conditions.
And in typical Acura fashion, it’s got a cabin that makes good use of technology. It’s dramatically easier to use the digital interface than its cousins under the Honda banner.
Instead of tiny, hard-to-read buttons to the left of the touchscreen like Honda uses, the TLX has large buttons and several ways to operate all the controls. It’s far different and far better.
If you like pressing your finger on the touchscreen, you can do that. If you like using a big knob where your right hand rests, you can do that. And if you like using controls on the steering wheel and a small screen in the instrument pod, you can do that, too. It’s one of the better, more intuitive systems I’ve used in a luxury car, despite its ample options and features.
For Apple fans, the TLX comes standard with Siri Eyes Free, something I loved with my iPhone. When you pair the phone to the car using Bluetooth, it lets you talk to Siri through the vehicle without having to put the phone in your hand. That means you can ask questions, add calendar entries, check the weather, hear your email and text messages and get turn-by-turn directions — all the way-cool stuff that Siri lets you do, without your eyes ever leaving the road.
The TLX’s interior makes it easy to interact with technology using a touchscreen and big digital display on the center stack and an additional screen behind the steering wheel.
As expected in this class, the TLX is available with all the latest safety features: lane departure warning, forward collision warning, lane keeping assist, blind-spot sensors and radar cruise control, among others. The adaptive cruise is particularly nice for its ability to follow low-speed traffic, even bringing the car to a complete stop. When I used it in city traffic in Dallas, it felt like the TLX was almost driving itself, which made me feel a lot more relaxed after the crowded, stop-and-go pattern of rush hour.
Body styling has never been Acura’s strong point, but I think cars like the TLX are starting to change that. It’s handsome on the outside and not as controversial with that big ol’ shield grille Acura used to use. It’s classy in a subdued, unobtrusive way, which I like.
As a whole, I love how the TLX feels like a next-generation car, which is my favorite thing about driving a luxury vehicle. Just like the Mercedes S-Class always offers a peek at what ordinary cars will be like in 10 years, I get a bit of that same “glimpse at the future” feeling in the TLX.
It’s a car that’s pushing the auto industry forward.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2016 Acura TLX 3.5 V6 SH-AWD with Advance Package ($44,800). Options: None. Price as tested (including $940 destination charge): $45,740
Wheelbase: 109.3 in.
Length: 190.3 in.
Width: 73 in.
Height: 57 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter V6 (290 hp, 267 lb.-ft.)
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Mileage: 21 city, 31 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 9
Price: 9
Handling: 7
Ride: 10
Comfort: 10
Quality: 8
Overall: 9
Video Review:
2016 Acura TLX
bit.ly/2016TLX
Why buy it?
It offers advanced technology that’s also easy to use, with one of the best digital interfaces in the luxury market. The latest safety features, outstanding AWD handling and handsome styling enhance its appeal.