Hey Everyone!
I got into a 21’ TLX A-Spec SH-AWD a couple of weeks ago, and I love it!
As I've read, like most of us, I came from a 2020 Accord Sport 2.0t 10speed. It is mostly just me in the vehicle most times, so the smaller back seat isnt a big deal to me. Do feel power difference here and there, but the handling of this AWD is amazing. I love the nicer materials and the more luxurious options on this car. I went with the modern steel exterior and the red leather inside. It's stunning, that's for sure. I want to do some small modifications to it, mostly cosmetic. Love seeing everyone’s vehicles too and their own style.

 

Hey Everyone!
I got into a 21’ TLX A-Spec SH-AWD a couple of weeks ago, and I love it!
As I've read, like most of us, I came from a 2020 Accord Sport 2.0t 10speed. It is mostly just me in the vehicle most times, so the smaller back seat isnt a big deal to me. Do feel power difference here and there, but the handling of this AWD is amazing. I love the nicer materials and the more luxurious options on this car. I went with the modern steel exterior and the red leather inside. It's stunning, that's for sure. I want to do some small modifications to it, mostly cosmetic. Love seeing everyone’s vehicles too and their own style.

Congrats! I went ahead and made the jump myself (Joined the TLX club. Intro and first impressions from...) and I am absolutely loving it. I look forward to driving the car every chance I can, more so than any other car I've had.

I've got a thing for red cars, but I have to say that MSM looks fantastic with the A-Spec package. Beautiful car!

 

So far, so good for me. As someone else mentioned in this thread, in a vacuum, the TLX is a great car. It does fall short compared to its competitors in some areas though.

However, all things considered, I personally enjoy the balance of performance/comfort that the TLX achieves. I think the suspension is tuned well for my preferences and the power is fine for everyday driving. I enjoy the TLX more as a grand tourer than a sports car, but it can be sporty enough when I want it to be (though better tires would help a ton).

The interior is otherwise wonderful, seats are comfy, and the ELS sound system is fantastic! This car is also quite good-looking on the outside, which I've found I care more about than I thought I would.

I've had German cars before from VW and BMW. I personally believe the Germans make some of the best driver's cars in the world. I had a 2011 BMW 335i that was one of my favorite cars I've ever had (and likely always will be), but it had every single common issue that was discussed in forums for that car.

My family has also had 3 VW GTIs and each one has had their own flaws (though my family has been lucky enough that they've all been reliable for us, actually). Interesting thing about all the BMWs/VWs my family has had: water pumps/thermostats are reported in forums for those cars as common issues/parts that fail. All of them. My BMW 335i ended up having a water pump replaced that failed around ~45k miles.Some owners/enthusiasts even replace them before they fail as a preventative maintenance measure. That 335i would've left me stranded if I hadn't noticed the symptoms sooner. I think it helped that it failed while it was winter too. That turbo inline-6 and the sporty chassis sure was sweet to drive though.

All that said, I'm far less worried about the longer-term reliability of an Acura than I am of any German car I've had or would've otherwise been interested in getting. Edit: I know any car is bound to have some issues too though, of course, but the severity/nature of those issues can make a big difference.

I'll admit the TLX isn't quite as sharp/responsive as those German cars, but it's a really good value and still delivers as a car that drives quite nicely, if you ask me. I think the TLX would compete more closely with its competition if it had better tires from the factory too. The drivetrain could use some tweaking and has room for improvement, but the complaints I read about it or watched on YouTube reviews haven't really panned out based on my experience actually driving it.

I'm leasing the TLX right now though and I've admittedly only had it for a week, so I suppose we'll see how my perspectives develop/change the longer I have it.

 

I had a 2013 BMW 535xi that I traded in for my TLX. I felt like I was living on borrowed time with the BMW and I was disappointed with the way that the 8 year old car had no technology support from BMW anymore. That said, that 5 series was the best car that I've ever had and very dependable overall. Two gaskets and routine maintenance in 4 and 1/2 years of ownership. There is a reason why the 5 series sells for $20k-30k more than the TLX. They are far better cars. That said, I wouldn't own an older one that I needed to depend on at all.

I do agree that the TLX is a great balance of performance, luxury and price. I'm hoping that the TLX does prove more reliable and that I can be driving it for a while. When my car is out of warranty, I plan on doing a ktune if there isn't a better option.

I did find it interesting that you also had a CX-9.....that's what my wife drives right now.

 

The CX-9 was great! It was comfortable, quiet, and handled surprisingly well, but it just came with TERRIBLE tires from the factory. I've never felt less safe driving in the winter than I did with that car and with the OEM Bridgestone Ecopias that came with it from the factory. Replacement tires made successive winter driving experiences MUCH better.

My wife ended up getting an SUV though (she didn't want to take on the CX-9 because she didn't want something that big) and we simply didn't need two so I bought something fun, a VW GTI, since my family has had a couple before. I found that the nostalgia of having those GTIs misled me into getting something less comfortable than I'd like in my (relatively) older age though. The GTI also turned out to be a tighter fit than expected with a family (my previous GTI experiences were from me being single/dating and without children). I thought I had researched it well enough as a family vehicle, but sometimes real-life experience is needed to really feel some things out. The GTI is an amazing and fun car, and I'll always look back at my time with them positively (for the most part), but they're just not for me these days.

 

The stock Michelins that come on the A-Spec are terrible. There is no way I would trust them in the winter.

I already replaced them with Continental DWS06+ and the difference is night and day. I’m sure going to a dedicated summer tire would be better still, but I didn’t want to have to swap tires seasonally. Have done that with my past several cars and just tired of the extra cost and hassle.

 

Just to spark an old conversation, how’s everyone enjoying their TLX a year later? Almost 16,000 miles in and i still love it.

 

Still very happy with mine. I first owned a 2015 and now a 2018. I am a bit jealous though of the new styling of the 2022's but I can't justify trading in right now!

 

Overall, I still really like the car. Only ~8500 miles after almost a year in to having it, but it's probably the most comfortable car I've had and I'm still surprised at how well it handles. SH-AWD has really exceeded my expectations with how effective it is at putting the power down when cornering on-throttle. It's an excellent every day car, long distance cruiser, and good for occasional fun.

The only real complaints I have are:

• a few interior rattles that admittedly don't present themselves consistently
• mediocre tires the car comes equipped with (better tires would do more to show off the car's capabilities so much more)
• the transmission - It works fine for day-to-day driving, but it's just not as responsive as I would like it to be. Perhaps the Type S's transmission is better (as it should be from what I've read), but the regular TLX would be appreciably more fun to drive if the transmission was tightened up even just a bit
• I also wish the engine made just a bit more power, but it's fine most of the time
• I suppose I wish there was just a bit more exhaust noise, but that's a personal preference

 

After reading about other technical issues (FAKRA connectors, especially), this thread is getting my hopes back up. I test drove a '22 A-Spec last weekend after months of watching videos, and I might get one myself. I'd be trading in my '17 Civic hatchback (I've only owned Civic hatchbacks dating back to 1990), so I'm hoping that I won't lose any reliability while making a big step up in performance and comfort.

 

I wouldn’t worry too much about the issues it’s still a pretty solid car after I had driven the 2021+ TLX for month as a loaner car when my 2019 TLX was getting major service done.
2023 models are out now and pricing has been released, not liking the price increase but I’m still gonna go ahead and try to move forward with getting a the newer TLX myself

 

Can't speak to the 22 model year, but the 21s were a new model year for the TLX. This was the 3rd time I bought a new model year car, and I swore I would never do it after buying the 18 Accord. I chalk up my issues with the 21 to the new body style and parts. It appear my issues (creaking in the steering column, fakra issue and puddle lights) have been resolved, so one has to believe that the 22 model year has resolved the issues that appeared in the 21 model year.

 

I sure hope so. There’s not a whole lot of traffic on this forum (and not many other TLX forums that I’ve found) so updated info has been hard to get.

I could probably also wait till the 2023s come out, but the market values of the 22s and my ‘17’s trade-in are at a pretty good sweet spot.

 

I’ve owned my ‘21 TLX A-Spec SH-AWD for 3 weeks, and here are my thoughts:

Things I like:

• Exterior looks. It’s a really good looking sedan IMO. I did tint the windows (35%), and added the Type S front splitter.
• Interior looks. The whole interior is very nice looking IMO. Ergonomic and easy to use, the steering wheel is great in the hand, and I like the gauge cluster with the red backlighting.
• Driving dynamics. I find the 2.0T to be adequate, and with SH-AWD the car has great grip on the corners.

Things I don’t particularly care for:

• Gas mileage. Despite being slower than its German rivals, it gets worse gas mileage. I have a 25 mile drive to work that is a pretty even mix of highway and back roads, and on that drive I get about 21-22 mpg. So I’m getting about 2 mpg less than the blended rating on the window sticker.
• Back seats. I’m 6’4”, and in a comfortable driving position, there is not much space behind my seat. My wife is 5’5”, and there is more space behind her, but it is by no means a spacious second row, despite how large the car is externally. Also, the rear doors don’t open terribly far, which makes putting larger items in the second row problematic at times.
• The trunk opening is pretty narrow, which can make fitting taller items in the trunk difficult if not impassible (think things like coolers, larger boxes, etc.). This means you need to put them in the rear seat, but the lacking rear seat space and rear door opening angle are also not ideal (as mentioned above).
• External size. The car is very wide, with a very long hood. While this is what makes the car look so good, it also makes knowing exactly where the front bumper is troublesome for anything except the Advance model with its 360* camera. Yes, the car does have parking sensors, but I’m still not sure how confident I am in them.
  

Overall, I like the car. It looks and drives great. But from a usability perspective, I think it leaves a lot to be desired, which is unfortunate because the car is so close to being really great IMO.

 

At the dealer now to take another look. The tuba fits:

 

If you arent happy with your TLX and you express this you get to wake up to nasty texts. I paid 46K for something that dosent even work and she is mad about $650. The best part is im the bad guy who is no longer welcome at this dealer, the same dealer who sold me the car. The same dealer that delivered me the car with the tires at 50PSI and when I brought it in for shaking or a tire wobble they replaced breaks, but kept the tires at its maximum inflation level. At my job if i contacted a customer like this I would be in the unemployment line. I always wondered why the most scum bag kids growing up would work at car dealers, now it makes perfect sense.

 

A week and a half into owning a '22 SH-AWD A-Spec. So far, yes, I'm quite satisfied.

Nitpicks:
I'm not 100% sold on the touchpad. I like how the screen is far forward, making it easy to see, and suffers from zero glare, but there's no getting around how CarPlay needs a lot of extra fiddling to do stuff. Steps like "swipe-look-swipe-look-swipe-press" just to activate an onscreen element will never be as simple as a basic touchscreen's "look-tap". Absolute Positioning might be useful in CarPlay, but the elements are closer together than in Acura's own UI, so I don't think there's a good solution.

Kinda wish I could set a custom ambient lighting color for Individual Mode. The default blue-white-red colors for Comfort-Normal-Sport are fine, but I can't choose, say, one of the greenish themes for Individual while still using dynamic default colors for the other modes.

Oh and it would also be great to be able to turn off the infotainment display at night without digging into sub-menus (unless there's a way that I haven't found yet).

Kinda worried about the longevity of the brakes. I feel like Honda under-brakes all their cars, and out here in the 'burbs, where it's common to drive 50+ mph and then wind up sitting at a stoplight, I have to be mindful of heat management. I haven't "warped" brake rotors since at least 1991 (maybe 400,000 miles of driving Hondas?) but this is also the heaviest car I've ever owned, and I kinda wish I had stuck it out for a Type-S just for the bigger brakes.

I also need to get used to the size of the TLX. My '17 Civic hatch was the biggest car I've ever owned, and it already felt scarier in tight parking garages than my '02 EP3 hatch did. I was in a hospital garage last night and, going around some of the corners, I probably came awfully close to tapping other parked cars or curb-rashing the inside rear wheel several times. I know, I know, it should be fine because crew cab pickup trucks park in the same garage, but still...

Other than those, I sure like driving this thing. Eats up highway miles, the safety assists work fine, the stereo sounds fabulous, the seats fit me just right, AWD is so nice on slick roads, HVAC ergonomics are what I wish we can keep in the future, my wife falls asleep easily and gets some rest, and the styling is just right (chef's kiss).

 

I kinda wish I had stuck it out for a Type-S just for the bigger brakes.

If the brakes are that much if a concern, you can upgrade to the Type-S rotors & calipers. There are people that have upgraded their A-Spec to have the Type-S brakes.

It’s something I’ve thought about doing if I decide to keep this car.

 

While I'm thinking of it (not really worth a new thread)...

What does the Suspension setting change on the base/tech/A-Spec trims? I know the Advance and Type-S have adaptive dampers, but what difference am I supposed to feel in my A-Spec when the suspension is set to Sport or Comfort?

It's also separate from the Steering setting, right?

 

I've been wondering the same thing...

 

Somebody help me talk myself out of wanting to swap my A-Spec for a Type-S.

My wife doesn't like the red color I got, and I kinda feel like I was hustled into getting it anyway. (worst part is that I bought the car in another state while she napped at home; she was resting for an overnight shift at her hospital!)

I told her that I could maybe do a trade-in and switch to a black, blue, or grey TLX instead, but that I'm also thinking of the Type-S with its engine and bigger brakes. I mean, honestly, that's the car I really wanted, and I took pictures of a blue Type-S outside of a local store.

She asked me how much they were, and how much I could expect for mine in trade, and she did some numbers in her head. Then she said to ask the local dealer what they could do.

Frick. I haven't even taken the transit tags off this thing and I'm thinking of making the swap. That'll teach me to not buy a car on a whim.

 

Take one for a test drive.
put it in comfort and take it down the highway.
Let the wife drive it. (Dont put it in sport + and drive it like a maniac with her in it)
Then both decide if its worth it.

Just my 2c

 

A couple things @BarracksSi :

Have you driven a TLX with the adjustable dampers? I drove an Advance, and in sport you can’t tell a difference with the A-Spec. In Comfort, the car is definitely more floaty, but if you’re looking at a Type S, you’re probably not going for comfort.

If you don’t care about the engine performance, but want the bigger brakes, you can buy the Type-S front brakes and swap them on to your A-Spec. Others have done this.

Personally, if I’m going to be dropping mid-50’s for a performance sedan, I’m looking at a CPO S5 or M340i. I got my CPO A-Spec for $42k, which I thought was a good value for the car. But if I’m spending Type-S money, I’m going with a better performing car personally.

 

A couple things @BarracksSi :

Have you driven a TLX with the adjustable dampers?
(snip)
But if I’m spending Type-S money, I’m going with a better performing car personally.

Not yet, at least not a TLX as equipped. I’m also assuming that the -S’s sport modes would have more edge than the Advance’s.

And as far as the cost goes… Yeah, I figure that if we go through with it, I’d be spending basically $65k on this car. Know what kind of car I’ve always really wanted? Well, a 718 Cayman starts at that price.

 

Also, I think that PRP is stunning with the black accents. It’s a great color IMO.

 

Another thing is, it's an automatic transmission, which my wife would be able to drive if needed.

I had wanted the FK8 CTR when it was announced, and although it was rare and subject to markup (like the TLX Type-S still sometimes is), it was of course a manual. She vetoed the idea right away, because she doesn't want to learn to drive stick (and she added, "if you get an automatic, and we're visiting friends, you can drink and I can drive us home" lol).

If the Type-S were a manual, it wouldn't even be an option for us, and I could more easily brush it off as just another cool car I won't have.

She's working a long stint this weekend, on-call overnight and a morning shift. I won't bother her with the question or "what if" stuff. If she decides we should do it, though, I'll be realistic, yet I won't stop her.

 

One month in and I’m pretty settled in, enjoying the red color and the engine.

Thought a lot about the brakes, and I’m not sure I’d want the Brembos after all. I’ve heard from more than a few people (including service techs) that the Brembo pads wear down quickly and need more frequent replacement.

I also feel more comfortable owning the venerable K20 in my car than the all-new engine in the Type-S. Yeah, it’d be cool to finally have a car with more than four cylinders and over 300 horsepower. But at the end of the day, with the K20, I can still easily get up to speed, I can get gas mileage on par with my wife’s CR-V, and I’ll have some more peace of mind when it comes to maintenance.

Still love the interior, love the styling, love that it’s not an SUV, love the AWD. And the puddle lights still work (knock on wood!).

 

16k Miles...still smile every day I drive it. Best worst financial decision I have ever made.

 

Have mine Tech now for 2 years and 25,000 and still love it. Best Acura or Honda car that I had ever owned.