[Mongo]

Like many of you, I've grown impatient with the lack of news, so I started test driving other cars. In the past couple of weeks I've driven:

Lexus IS 350 AWD
I was very impressed with this car. Really responsive and fun to drive. Its smaller size is the only downside (that and the bad navigation interface).

Infiniti Q50
Not impressed at all. New steering feels strange and unresponsive. Ride was harsh.

Audi A6
This is a nice car, but I expected more for the price. I had never driven an Audi before, so perhaps I'm just used to the Japanese interiors, but I found it strange. Seats weren't as comfortable as the others.

Acura TL SH-AWD
I have a TSX so I thought I'd give the TL another try. Other than the polarizing styling, it's still a really nice car. Smooth handling. Nice interior. Comfortable seats.

If the TLX ends up being a disaster, I'll probably go with the Lexus. What are you test driving?

 

[5Gs]

Which version of the A6 did you test drive?

The Q50 should have felt pretty darn quick. Those motors have so much torque... Always suprise me.

The new IS is a nice car. Its a little too small for me though.

 

[mr.smith]

Out of all the cars that you listed here I am most interested in the Lexus IS 350. I am waiting to see how the TLX measures up to its competition, but I am getting impatient. I'm sure that the Audi is also a nice vehicle. Maybe I'll also use some of this time to test drive the competition.

 

[Mongo]

Which version of the A6 did you test drive?

The Q50 should have felt pretty darn quick. Those motors have so much torque... Always suprise me.

The new IS is a nice car. Its a little too small for me though.

I drove the 2.0 Quattro "Premium Plus". My budget is under $50K so the V6 puts it out of my price range. I figured I could extrapolate what the difference in power would be, since the rest of the car is the same. Some aspects of the interior are nice (the wood accents are sharp) but others were not as nice, for example the seats were not as supportive or comfortable to me.

As for the Q50 - yes it was very fast. Plenty of power. For me it was the steering that felt off. Maybe I had it in the wrong driving mode (there are probably a dozen different modes when you consider the "drive mode" and the separate steering mode - I found it overwhelming, especially for a test drive).

 

[Mongo]

Out of all the cars that you listed here I am most interested in the Lexus IS 350. I am waiting to see how the TLX measures up to its competition, but I am getting impatient. I'm sure that the Audi is also a nice vehicle. Maybe I'll also use some of this time to test drive the competition.

Yep, I'm in the same boat. My TSX is really starting to show its age. Had to replace the timing chain (was stretched), it's burning oil, and making new noises it never made before.

I'm most excited by the potential for the TLX, considering the other brands are really stepping up their game in the luxury sport sedan market - the TLX could be quite a bit nicer than the TL. Look at the new Accord - it's an amazing car and the leader of its class. I'm hoping Acura achieves the same thing with the TLX.

 

[5Gs]

Acura will have to really step up their game with the TLX.

I really do hope they do because I've already skipped the 4th gen TL.
How much miles on your TSX?

1st or 2nd gen?

 

[Mongo]

Acura will have to really step up their game with the TLX.

I really do hope they do because I've already skipped the 4th gen TL.
How much miles on your TSX?

1st or 2nd gen?

1st gen (2004), 125K miles. It's been a great car, but it's now really starting to show its age. Had an Integra for 10 years before that so I've been loyal to Acura so far. Hoping they don't let me down...

 

[tino]

did you test drive a Q50 with DAS? I've tested a Q50 Hybrid with DAS and that thing is a ROCKET. electric motors provide it with gobs of torque and DAS in sport mode feels nice and heavy like a fine tuned hydraulic system...

as an aside I'm curious is Acura will do a sport hyb for the TLX, I mean the system is already in RLX and NSX... top down approach

 

[Esrever]

I don't think there is any official word on the TLX, but I agree with your top-down logic. It would be a draw for buyers I think. They could even do like Lincoln did with the MKZ and make the hybrid the same price as the gas-powered version.

 

[Mongo]

did you test drive a Q50 with DAS? I've tested a Q50 Hybrid with DAS and that thing is a ROCKET. electric motors provide it with gobs of torque and DAS in sport mode feels nice and heavy like a fine tuned hydraulic system...

as an aside I'm curious is Acura will do a sport hyb for the TLX, I mean the system is already in RLX and NSX... top down approach

No, just a regular Q50. RLX sport hybrid does sound interesting. Price is the real question.

 

[tino]

I drove the Ford Taurus SHO a while back and was quite impressed. Goes like lightning, handles well, packed with technology and a $40K starting price... Not so bad...

 

[5Gs]

RLX hybrid will be like 100k out the door. Not really a good comparison

I'm surprised your TSX is showing age already.

I've seen some K24s go to 400k miles. They seem to be pretty darn bulletproof.

I think if you've gone from an integra to a TSX the next step up would be a TL.

And then one day an RLX maybe? And then an NSX as a midlife crisis car eventually

Its ok I've owned quite a few Acuras myself. I really do hope they come out with a TLX that is attractive. They need to recapture the hype of the 3rd generation TL when it came out.

I'm thinking a higher tuned 3.7L V6 hopefully with a 6 speed automatic (or maybe more gears) and a 6 SPEED MANUAL (BETTER KEEP THE MANUAL) FWD standard. SHAWD option. And if Acura throws enough premium features STANDARD I think it would do well. Stop making everything an option and make the TLX such a good value for the price that people will actually start to look at it over the german rivals.

 

[typeess]

I drove the Ford Taurus SHO a while back and was quite impressed. Goes like lightning, handles well, packed with technology and a $40K starting price... Not so bad...

Yeah they sure are. Twin Turbo V6!
I know the engine in the new Taurus Interceptor has the same engine, it's basically a Taurus SHO altered for police use.

Unlike Fords of the past, the SHO Taurus actually looks amazing, just not good enough to make me want one over an Acura.

 

[Mongo]

RLX hybrid will be like 100k out the door. Not really a good comparison

I'm surprised your TSX is showing age already.

I've seen some K24s go to 400k miles. They seem to be pretty darn bulletproof.

I think if you've gone from an integra to a TSX the next step up would be a TL.

And then one day an RLX maybe? And then an NSX as a midlife crisis car eventually

Its ok I've owned quite a few Acuras myself. I really do hope they come out with a TLX that is attractive. They need to recapture the hype of the 3rd generation TL when it came out.

I'm thinking a higher tuned 3.7L V6 hopefully with a 6 speed automatic (or maybe more gears) and a 6 SPEED MANUAL (BETTER KEEP THE MANUAL) FWD standard. SHAWD option. And if Acura throws enough premium features STANDARD I think it would do well. Stop making everything an option and make the TLX such a good value for the price that people will actually start to look at it over the german rivals.

Yeah I was a little surprised too. The Integra was built better I think. My friend has one with 290K miles and no problems. I still like the TSX but it's time for a change. I agree with everything you said except the manual trans. Im personally done with manuals. Too much stop and go traffic for me. Plus the wife will be able to drive the AT. Wait is that a good thing or bad thing...

 

[5Gs]

I think the fact that Acura still does manual tranmission in all their cars is the only thing keeping them alive from an enthusiast point of view

I like that you can get 6 speed in the ILX, TSX, and TL

And I hope that doesn't change.

 

[tino]

I think the fact that Acura still does manual tranmission in all their cars is the only thing keeping them alive from an enthusiast point of view

I like that you can get 6 speed in the ILX, TSX, and TL

And I hope that doesn't change.

yea but what disappoints me is that the manuals are relegated to the base packages, I remember looking at the ILX when if first came out and you couldn't get a MT with the luxury/technology packs... at least at that time, things may have changed

 

[typeess]

yea but what disappoints me is that the manuals are relegated to the base packages, I remember looking at the ILX when if first came out and you couldn't get a MT with the luxury/technology packs... at least at that time, things may have changed

I know performance and fuel efficiency are some of their reasons to not include a manual in the top models. an automatic transmission will deliver both as good or better than a manual.