2021 Acura TLX Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos

You’d be forgiven for forgetting about the mid-dimension Acura TLX sedan. 

Up in opposition to heavyweights from other luxury automakers, the TLX fell behind. Up in opposition to best-advertising crossovers from Acura, the TLX acquired missing in the shuffle. 

This time about, the 2021 Acura TLX sculpts a daring form about zesty turbocharged engines and powertrains to jog our recollections. It goes on sale later on this yr, when a scorching TLX Type S sedan is penciled in for early upcoming yr. Acura suggests the TLX will start off in the mid-$30,000 range and construct from there. 

Evaluation continues underneath

Model and effectiveness

The 2021 TLX is a useless ringer for a idea motor vehicle that’s manufactured the rounds for Acura now for a few of many years. That’s a excellent point. 

The new TLX enlists strains, creases, and angles into company of a more natural and organic form than its predecessor. The nose of the TLX, which is much larger this yr, visually pulls its hood and fenders ahead in a form that gathers at the diamond-patterned grille that hints at its tension. 

Together the sides, the TLX’s lengthy hood and extra inches between the dash and entrance axle hints at a rear-push desire it doesn’t have. The athletic cabin reaches again towards a shorter rear decklid and pinched window line. The door handles increase from entrance to again, which helps make the TLX seem like a sprinter, poised in the blocks. 

Close to again, the significant trunk lid spoiler is perched on prime of extensive taillights, which are stacked on large exhaust ports—or even more substantial quad-tipped finishers on the Type S. 

Inside of, the TLX employs more correct angles to body its contemporary interior with a racier motif. The infotainment screen is planted on prime of the dash, over air vents and local weather controls, and a center stack significantly drops to the armrest. Acura’s center-mounted, force-button shifter controls the ten-pace computerized transmission and a rotary knob for push find mode figures into the middle. It’s not as large as a similar setup utilized in the NSX, but still dominates precious authentic estate. 

Less than the hood, the TLX is run by a 2.-liter turbo-4 or a 3.-liter turbo V-6. The base motor helps make 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, will increase of sixty six hp and 100 lb-ft over the base motor in past year’s TLX. 

That’s paired to a ten-pace computerized and entrance-wheel push as regular. Acura’s all-wheel-push system, which can send out up to 70{0764260a27b4b31ca71a8adf79c3ae299a61e6f062052eee3f0df84ce9b30ade} of its power to the rear tires, is out there on turbo-4 autos. 

Acura didn’t specify the power from its turbo-6 in the Type S, but explained it would be stouter than the optional 3.5-liter V-6 discovered in past year’s motor vehicle. All-wheel push is regular on the Type S and Acura suggests the torque-vectoring system has been enhanced with sharper switch-in and power response. 

The TLX rides on a 4-wheel unbiased suspension that’s been upgraded from past yr. MacPherson struts ended up replaced in entrance by double wishbones, which are usually utilized in more high priced luxury autos these types of as the BMW 5-Series. In again, multilinks tie up the rears with self-confidence and convenience. 

Comfort, basic safety, and capabilities

By the figures, the new 2021 TLX is almost three inches for a longer time from bumper to bumper than the outgoing version, with 3.seven inches extra between the wheels. It’s also more than two inches broader and a half-inch decreased than the past product, on-development with “longer, decreased, wider” for just about every other sedan on the earth. 

The interior of the new TLX isn’t appreciably much larger, having said that. That’s most likely owing to the lengthy house between the entrance axle and dash, which was lengthened by almost 8 inches for a sportier seem. 

A-Spec and Type S versions will get prospers inside these types of as a flat-bottom steering wheel, LED ambient lighting, and big metal paddle-shifters. 

The trunk will be modest for its class, but will supply thirteen.2 cubic feet of cargo home. 

All TLX sedans will be equipped with computerized emergency braking, active lane control, adaptive cruise control, driver-guidance capabilities, and multi-stage entrance airbags created by parent enterprise Honda. 

Acura didn’t specify what trim concentrations the TLX will be supplied in but explained that a ten.2-inch infotainment screen with a touchpad controller would be regular. A seven.-inch driver information and facts cluster is regular and a ten.5-inch head-up display is out there. Quality audio will be on the menu, even though it’s unclear if Acura will supply it a la carte. (Acura has usually bundled possibilities into Advance and Tech offers with many extra capabilities.) 

The 2021 Acura TLX will go on sale in the drop.