2015 Acura TLX

Groundwork throughout the structure and tech-ends makes it one of the best ever produced by the Acura itself. The 2015 Acura TLX has a price range of $31,445 to $44,800 depending on the trim level and specs. Although a pretty competent car in its segment, it faces steep competition from the likes of some of the established names in the market such as the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

Acura has a different approach in this regard. The variation is pretty much driven by a powertrain upgrade as it gets a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine with 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission as well as a 3.5-liter i-VTEC V-6 engine with 9-speed automatic transmission. After that comes the package availability, which allows one to avail of either the Technology Package or Advance Package. It has an overwhelming grip along with Precision All-Wheel Steer, which makes it a maestro even on rough terrain. In terms of specific details, the TLX with Technology package has been flaunted with Driver seat memory settings and leather upholstery.

The TLX with Advance Package gets even better with the proper ventilated front seats for comfort and convenience. The top-dog among all the permutations and combinations is the SH-AWD V6 with Advance Package, evidently the costliest and the most feature-bound, it can be as expensive as $45,740. It has those occult ELS Studio Premium Audio System with 10 speakers and Song By Voice integrated alongside. The superiority extends with AcuraLink Selective Service Internet Access, Real-Time Traffic Display, and Handsfreelink Wireless Phone Connectivity. 

We Recommend

The TLX is technically offered in three formats, and all of them have myriads of specifications tagged to their names. One may start to feel muddled up when gauging the drive layout, powertrain unit, and additional packages to find that special one. The base 2.4L I-4 engine with Technology package seems to offer the best value at minimal affordability. Creature comfort and performance curve come inherent in that configuration with an added ease in long hauling. It even rates better than others in terms of fuel economy.

Acura offers two different engine options for the 2015 Acura TLX. Starting off with a 2.4L i-VTEC inline-4 engine, it produces a maximum of 206 HP and 182 lb-ft of torque. For an extra adrenaline rush, you can opt for the bigger, more powerful 3.5L i-VTEC V6 producing 290 HP and 267 lb-ft of torque. While the base I-4 is paired with an 8-speed Dual Clutch Transmission (8DCT) with torque converter, the V6 gets a 9-speed automatic gearbox. Moreover, the front-wheel-drive comes as a standard, whereas the V6 variants can be coupled with an all-wheel-drive system. Taking 6.8 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and a quarter-mile time of 15.4 seconds for the base engine variant, you won’t call the TLX slow. 

Not the quickest in the lot, yet the Acura TLX manages to sweep past most of the rivals in the segment. Among all with their base engines, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class has a slight edge in the competition with regards to its performance prowess, which is kind of obvious from the power output figures. But it is not by any huge margin, to say the least. The Merc is also quite a bit more expensive than the rest. On top of that, it shares the podium with the Acura TLX for the top speed, thereby making the latter a more practical purchase. 

The base 2.4L I-4 of the TLX has EPA fuel-economy ratings of 24, 35, 28 mpg respectively in city, highway, and combined. The front-wheel-drive TLX with V6 and P-AWS has an EPA fuel-economy rating of 21, 34, and 25 mpg in the same order. Opt for the TLX SH-AWD variant with the same V6 engine under the hood, the mileage on the highway drops further down to 31 mpg, with the other two remaining the same. A relatively bigger fuel tank of 17.2 gallons allows it to achieve an overall range of up to 602 miles at the max. 

The Mercedes C-Class, just like performance parameters, outclasses all, and the 18-gallon fuel tank gives it the freedom to go as long as 612 miles. But again what dents all these is its higher price status. At the same time, one can have the same exhilaration for that long with the TLX itself, and that too at a relatively lower price. The BMW might be parallel in its returns, but it is its range that is beaten by 40 miles from the segment leaders.

The all-new lineage means nothing less than content interior ambiance and atmosphere. Luxury and premium feel have been bestowed inside the cabin with the help of leather upholstery and Zebra wood-finished trim. The power-adjustable seating along with memory functions for the front ones have been embedded into it. The leatherette smells all over the door inserts and steering wheel as well. Further adding to that, the cabin is nicely insulated and can disconnect you from what’s happening outside. Not just that, the temperature tipping is regulated by the Voice Activated Dual Zone Front Automatic Air Conditioning.

While the front legroom of the TLX is pretty impressive, its rear-seat legroom is one of the least overwhelming aspects in its class. Yet with an interior volume of 107.6 cu-ft, it is one of the roomiest sedans. It also has a class-leading cargo space of 13.2 cu-ft, which adds a feather to its wing of wholesomeness. The others are also somewhat on a similar scale only with very few variations altogether. The capacity to seat 5 in a roll and comparable spaciousness make them equally desirable in this domain. Major interior features include:

• Power adjustable front seats with driver seat memory
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Leather upholstery
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel 

How intuitive is the 2015 Acura TLX’s infotainment unit?

The Acura TLX is no less than any rivals when it comes to infotainment units. The combination of an 8” audio/information screen and 7” touch screen display unit along with a 335-watt 7-speaker audio unit is quite engaging. This can further be upgraded to the ELS Studio Premium sound system with 10-speakers but will cost one some extra bucks.

The other standard features that can be easily spotted inside it are the CD player with AM/FM radio, along with Bluetooth, AUX port, and USB for connectivity. Apart from that, there is the availability of SiriusXM satellite radio and an Inbuilt navigation system with a 3D view for 24x7 serviceability. Some other salient infotainment features include:

• 8” Multi-Information Display (MID)
• 7” On-Demand Multi-Information Display (ODMD)
• 7 / 10-speaker audio system
• XM radio
• Pandora and Aha integration

The 2015 Acura TLX is as appealing as its siblings. The road presence and staring look have been embossed on the fascia. The 17" x 7.5" Aluminum-Alloy wheels suit the curvature along with the 225/55R17 High Performance All Season Tires, which improve the contact patch and grip. Moreover, it gets a little touch of creases and bodylines around the fender. The metal-accented grille has Acura badging templated in the center. The chassis is encompassed by steel and aluminum panels and holds the Programmable Projector Beam LEDs. All in all, it becomes worth investing in as it compels others to have a glance. 

The Acura TLX is one of the heaviest and lengthiest among all the rivals, yet it has supreme handling controls. It has a decent ground clearance of 5.8 inches, which is manageable when fully loaded. Others have the same figures only with little variation, but it is the weight distribution for the BMW which makes it easy to maneuver machinery around the corners with little technological aids. On the whole, it would be better to keep it inconclusive as there is hardly any gap which can be pointed out against any specific one. Few major exterior features include:

• 17” / 18” alloy wheels
• LED headlights and taillights
• LED fog lights
• Auto-dimming side mirrors
• Sunroof

Developed from the ground up, the TLX is built on an Advanced Compatibility Engineering structure which gives you extreme dampening against the collision energy. It scored an overall NHTSA rating of 5 stars in all the individual tests while accompanying a rollover risk of 9.8%. To further assist the structural integrity, it gets advanced safety features like the Collision Mitigation Braking System, Forward Collision Warning, and Road Departure Mitigation as per the package selection. The list also includes the Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, Lane Departure Warning, and Blind Spot Information. Some of the features are:

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow (LSF)
• Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)
• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
• Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS)
• Blind Spot Information (BSI)

The TLX is Acura’s attempt at a market highly dominated by the Germans, and they’ve done a pretty good job at it. It is on par with its rivals in terms of its performance, convenience, and economy. Moreover, it is available at an affordable rate and in myriads of options. The range from practicality to sportiness, everything is sorted with this sedan. Therefore, the 2015 Acura TLX makes it to the wishlist quite easily.