A V6 With Brawn and Brains - 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Long-Term Road Test

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A V6 With Brawn and Brains - 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Long-Term Road Test

The 290-horsepower V6 in our 2015 Acura TLX has all the technology it needs to deliver solid power and solid mileage thanks to several technology tricks.

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elkoholic

Of note, look at the accessibility in that engine compartment - dipstick, oil filler, ignition coils (one bank, at least) front and center, and the battery and air filter are right up top, too. Gotta love Honda's smart packaging.

legacygt

If you don't realize the ECM, is there a possibility that the engine never really goes into 3 cylinder operation? Maybe this only kicks in under the lightest of loads going 55 on a downhill stretch of highway.

zoomzoomn

Honda has been doing allot of work on their VCM system. Early numbers of the current gen MDX had numerous complaints (notable droan when the system engaged), so it's nice to know that they got things worked out on that front. As far as start/stop systems, everybody is starting to use them and I haven't personally met one that I like yet! It was so bad on BMWs that they offered the early versions customers an opportunity to reprogram the car so as for the feature to remain off unless switched on and later cars automatically default to the last known setting.

The scariest start/stop story that I've heard is from a customer that was stopped at a an intersection of heavy traffic getting ready to make a right turn. The engine shut down just a moment before she decided to punch it and out into that traffic. Upon releasing the brake pedal and getting on the gas the car tried to restart, but was unable to keep up, bucked and then finally caught and took off like a scalded bunny! It made a normal in town manuever way more dramatic than it should have been and nearly created an accident. you combine incidents like this, the abrupt nature of the systems and then add long term reliability questions for the start and alternator (the alternator is often used to assist in a rapid and smooth start, LOL!) and it really begs the question as to why this is being pushed so hard. It stands to reason that sometimes, even in an MPG hungry automotive world, just because you can do a thing doesn't neccessarily mean that you should!

fordson1

elkoholic said:

Of note, look at the accessibility in that engine compartment - dipstick, oil filler, ignition coils (one bank, at least) front and center, and the battery and air filter are right up top, too. Gotta love Honda's smart packaging.

Mmmm...actually I'm thinking that filler would be okay for one quart bottles but a total PIA for the five-quart ones we all buy now. You would absolutely need a long funnel.

laurasdada

I have a '13 Jag XF. I don't find the stop/start obtrusive at all. Great car.