Trying to Like It - 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Long-Term Road Test

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Trying to Like It - 2015 Acura TLX SH-AWD Long-Term Road Test

There's a lot to like about the 2015 Acura TLX, especially with the V6 engine. But the transmission behavior is not one of them.

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stew4hd

Hi Dan, as a follow up to my earlier post, I did get Acura to take back that TLX. I ended up in an RLX Advanced and love it. It has a 6 speed transmission that is eager to go.

Idle stop... bad memories of that thing!

hacefrio

@stew4hd: wow, I'd like to hear how you persuaded Acura to take the car back, if you're up for recounting the story. Either here in the comments or via private message. Props for Acura's customer service if they took it back without much struggle.

subytrojan

Loved "like a possum with a hangover!" LOL!

emajor

This car is turning out to be a real disappointment from my perspective. Acura made the obligatory marketing hullabaloo about it being a consummate driver's car then saddles it with a intrusive stop/start and a crap transmission. Add the wallflower styling and none-too-exciting driving dynamics and this is just a dud. I think I'd take an Avalon, at least the transmission behaves.

I had hopes that this would be the reliable, driver-oriented near-midsize entry lux sedan the ~2004 TL was, but it seems far from it. I'm a rather risk averse buyer, but an off lease 328 or Q50 is a more appealing prospect than this new Acura.

allthingshonda

The styling, while not going to turn heads, will still look good 10 years from now. The start/stop system is a disappointment like all of these systems. Acura at least designed it to engage if the brake pedal is fully pressed. Easing up on the pedal as the car stops will keep it from engaging and leave the engine running. The transmission is the same ZF unit used in other applications with the same complaints. Although it's still a disappointment it works better in Acura products than any other.

The 4 cylinder TLX is the better choice and outsells the V6 by a good deal. No start stop system, Honda designed 8 speed DSG, less expensive and less maintenance than the SH-AWD V6. If Acura drops in the new 2.0 Turbo 4 as the standard engine at the mid cycle refresh the TLX will be a good value in the segment.

schen72

allthingshonda said:

The styling, while not going to turn heads, will still look good 10 years from now. The start/stop system is a disappointment like all of these systems. Acura at least designed it to engage if the brake pedal is fully pressed. Easing up on the pedal as the car stops will keep it from engaging and leave the engine running. The transmission is the same ZF unit used in other applications with the same complaints. Although it's still a disappointment it works better in Acura products than any other.

The 4 cylinder TLX is the better choice and outsells the V6 by a good deal. No start stop system, Honda designed 8 speed DSG, less expensive and less maintenance than the SH-AWD V6. If Acura drops in the new 2.0 Turbo 4 as the standard engine at the mid cycle refresh the TLX will be a good value in the segment.

I test drove the 4-cyl TLX and was quite impressed by it. I just wish Honda would allow you to option it up with all the goodies.

cube1us

This really nails it in terms of my feelings. I like most things about the car. But I test drove the 2016 V6 TLX ** THREE ** times, at first trying to understand why it was in my first test drive the car almost got away from me during the deceleration to a routine traffic light, and then trying to decide if I could live with it. So far, the answer to that latter question is "NO".