[5Gs]

From Hit to S**t: When Planned Obsolescence Goes Wrong

 

[Esrever]

Take the Acura TL, for example. When Honda's luxury division rolled out the third-generation TL for the 2004 model year, every auto rag on the rack at Barnes and Noble was willing to forgive it's front-drive layout in favor of it's respectable performance and handsome, contemporary styling. It was a proper, classic Acura like the venerable Integra, just larger. When it came time to replace it for the 2009 model year, Acura addressed the sole criticism of it's front-drive layout by making the new TL all-wheel drive, which improved its driving dynamics, only to completely screw it up by styling it like a bloated Saturn Aura with squinty headlights and cheese slicer for a grille.

How does the TLX continue this narrative? Is it better than the last TL? Maybe it wasn't so hard to make a better vehicle when the last one wasn't that great anyway.

 

[tino]

How does the TLX continue this narrative? Is it better than the last TL? Maybe it wasn't so hard to make a better vehicle when the last one wasn't that great anyway.

Maybe, but it would certainly be a sad day if the 04 TL is STILL better. In terms of improvement though i just dont see anything that makes the TLX pop and me say WOW I MUST HAVE ONE! The pieces are there just configured inappropriately.

I mean no AWD and DCT together, DCT only available with the 4 pot a FWD... REALLY....

 

[typeess]

The new TLX may not be perfect but it's still far better than what Acura has done with the last generation. Just not sure if this will be as good as the gen that was a hit

 

[5Gs]

the new TLX is a very nice upgrade over the previous

the only knock you could have on it would be the death of the 6MT

its not hard to improve on the previous gen since it was so widely disliked.

 

[tino]

the new TLX is a very nice upgrade over the previous

the only knock you could have on it would be the death of the 6MT

its not hard to improve on the previous gen since it was so widely disliked.

agreed, but what will be hard is convincing shoppers that its different this time. The product could be excellent but if shoppers still have a bad taste in their mouths from the last TL/TSX its goign to be awfully difficult to even convince them to head out to the showroom.

 

[typeess]

Going off of looks alone I think that will attract many people to it and show them it's something totally new from Acura, that they're deserving of another try.