2016 Acura TLX

Prices for the 2016 model year start at MSRP $31,695. It competes against rivals in its segments like the Mercedes-Benz CLA 250, Audi A3, and the BMW 3 Series. In this review, we shall find out what the Acura TLX has got on offer and all that make it a desirable option for buyers looking for a compact luxury sedan.

The 2016 TLX is offered in 3 trim levels and 2 engine options. Prices for the base spec, front-wheel-drive TLX start at around $31,695 and climb all the way up to $45,750 for the top-spec Advance all-wheel-drive trim level. We’ve listed the trims and their features in detail in the table below:

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Well, the base spec TLX gets a lot of standard features and equipment and that would just suffice for anybody looking for an entry-level luxury sedan. The higher trims are just too pricey and you can buy a bigger car at that price point and so the base spec trim makes the most sense. At $31,695 it is an undeniably good amount of equipment.

The 2016 Acura TLX is offered with 2 engine options. The standard TLX is equipped with a 2.4 liter, normally aspirated 4 cylinder engine that makes somewhere around 206 horsepower and 182 lb-ft of torque which is pretty neat. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox and power is just sent to the front wheels. This engine is capable of taking the car from 0-60 mph in about 7.5 seconds and can cover the quarter-mile distance in 15.8 seconds.

For some exciting driving experience, Acura also offers a larger 3.5 liter, V6 engine. This unit makes 290 horses and 267 lb-ft of torque and is available in front-wheel drive and Acura’s super-handling all-wheel-drive configuration. The TLX when equipped with this V6 unit is capable of doing 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds and a quarter-mile run in 14.5 seconds. The TLX does feel a touch slow for its power figures. It is a pretty sedate car to drive. It just drives like its platform sibling - the Honda Accord. 

The Acura does have good power figures compared to its rivals but they simply do not translate into performance. The Mercedes-Benz CLA has the highest power and torque numbers in the competition and is about 1.1 seconds faster than the TLX. On the other hand, the BMW makes just 180 horsepower and yet is quicker than the Acura by a few tenths of a second. 

The 2016 TLX does manage to deliver decent fuel economy numbers, however, it isn’t quite the best in the segment. The TLX in standard guise goes in the city for about 24 miles and on the highway, it can travel about 35 miles on a single gallon. It delivers 28 mpg combined which is quite good and on par with all the cars in the segment. The TLX V6 on the other delivers 25 mpg combined.

The CLA Class triumphs over all the other cars in the segment yet one more time. The Mercedes-Benz gets an EPA rating of 30 mpg which is the highest in the competition. The BMW and the Acura both deliver 28 mpg combined while the Audi delivers the lowest - 27 mpg combined. However, the TLX has the longest range due to its large fuel tank.

The TLX has a rather dull gray and silver interior color scheme and then there are wood textured trims on the center console and on the door. The color and trim texture combination looks a bit mismatched and does not go well. The quality of plastics is just decent and there are a lot of bits made out of scratchy plastics. But, the poor quality of the interior is compensated by the comfortable seats. The seats are quite snug and offer good support. Both the front and the rear seats accommodate passengers well and keep them comfortable even on long journeys. The amount of head and legroom is decent and is ample for average-sized adults. 

On the flip side though, fitting in 3 adults on the rear seat is going to be a bit of a squeeze and it is best suited for 2 adults and a child. The TLX has the largest trunk in the competition and with about 13.2 cubic feet storage volume on offer, it indeed can swallow a good amount of luggage. Plus, there are many storage spaces inside; like large cubbies in the center console and the front armrest. Also, you have bottle holders on all four doors and there are also 4 cup holders- 2 at the front and 2 at the back.

In terms of interior design, we found the CLA’s interior to be the best in the segment. The quality of materials and plastics is top-notch in the Mercedes as well. In terms of sheer space though, the BMW sedan is better than all the cars in the segment while the Mercedes is the worst. The Acura has a decent amount of space. The list of features and equipment on all the cars is pretty similar though. Standout interior features:

• 10-way power-adjustable, heated front seats
• 60/40 split-folding rear seat
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Leatherette seats

How intuitive is the 2016 Acura TLX ’s infotainment system?

The 2016 TLX gets 2 LCD infotainment monitors in the front. The 6-inch screen at the top of the dash is exclusively reserved for the navigation system while the one at the center is the infotainment system display. The infotainment system is quite simple to use and is pretty intuitive. The interface is well laid out and that’s perhaps the best part about the car. Standout infotainment features:

• 7-speaker Acura premium audio system
• HD radio
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• Bluetooth smartphone integration
• Pandora compatibility
• Siri Eyes Free

The 2016 TLX is a stylish car but its presence isn’t as prominent as the Audis and the BMWs. At the front, there is that large signature Acura pentagonal grille with the Acura logo sitting in the center. Then you have those sweptback ‘jewel eye’ headlights that look very striking. The car has a clean and handsome face but somehow that isn’t just enough to grab eyeballs.

The side profile is quite similar to the Accord. 

It’s the classic three-box design with a teardrop-shaped cabin section merging nicely into the squared-off trunk tail. The wheel arches are clean and prominent and give the car a sober aura when looking from the side. The tail section of the car has a wing-shaped split tail-light design that looks pretty cool. The car bears a very sophisticated persona and the design is simply well done.

The TLX is a good-looking car and there’s no second thought about that. However, it just doesn’t get enough attention like a luxury vehicle owner would want. The BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi all have dramatic designs and that just gets a lot of attention. The looks of these cars are enough for them to attract buyers. But it is bigger than all of its rivals. Standout exterior features:

• 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
• Heated outside rearview mirrors
• Sliding and tilting the first-row sunroof
• Programmable projector-beam LED headlights with LED daytime running lights
• LED brake lights

The 2016 TLX has impressive safety ratings and Acura clearly hasn’t compromised in this area. The TLX gets a 5-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a ‘Good’ rating in almost all the IIHS crash tests. The list of safety features isn’t all that long but it gets some segment-exclusive features like driver knee airbag. Standout safety features:

• Front and rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot warning system
• Lane-departure warning and lane-departure intervention
• Forward collision alert
• Forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking

The 2016 TLX tries hard to get along with the entry-level German luxury sedans but just fails in certain aspects while excelling in others. A lackluster powertrain, lazy driving character, dull cabin design, and basic exterior styling all contribute to the Acura lacking the oomph factor that buyers in this segment are in search of. The Acura TLX is not a bad car but then the cars that compete against it are just better than it.