2021 Acura TLX Pros and Cons Review: Solid Contender, But a Disrupter?
The redesigned premium sedan packs value, but lacks dynamic thrills.
Pro
- Sporty design
- Value
- High-quality interior details
Con
- Lazy transmission
- Below-average mpg
- Cozy back seat
It's best not to judge a car by its design, but sometimes we can't help it. The 2021 Acura TLX's more premium proportions and sporty detailing instantly distinguish the luxury sport sedan from its predecessor. But, there's more to the picture than just styling.
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Priced like a compact luxury sedan from Europe but built closer to a midsize, the Acura makes a compelling value play. But as a 'tweener, getting a sense of where it actually resides in the market can be a challenge.
After driving our all-wheel-drive A-Spec-trimmed test car on the track, testing director Kim Reynolds said: "There's a very mild but nice tremble to the steering that gives it an alive feeling, but the best quality is how enthusiastically it turns in."
With a standard 272-hp turbo-four engine, the 2021 TLX will beat with the heart of a turbocharged V-6 in Type S form (when it arrives in spring 2021). Both engines are mated to a 10-speed automatic that—at least with a 2.0T four-cylinder engine—produced divergent opinions among theMotorTrendstaff. A couple editors didn't have an issue with the transmission tuning, but others found its gearshifts subpar compared to European and Korean competitors.
"The engine makes good power, but the gearing of this transmission is far too tall and shifts far too slow to make good use of it," features editor Christian Seabaugh said. "The TLX's sheetmetal is writing checks this car just can't cash."
Associate road test editor Erick Ayapana agreed, saying he "would enjoy this car more if the gearbox was more responsive."
Then again, if the transmissionweremore responsive, the fuel economy might dip even further into irrelevance. As it is, the 2021 TLX 2.0T is less efficient than many competitors, including the Audi A4and Alfa Romeo Giulia.
At least AWD is available on both engines, not something the last-gen TLX offered. (Front-wheel drive is standard.) And as with other Acuras, value remains a strong point—even though this new car carries an MSRP thousands above its predecessor. For less than $40,000, a base 2021 TLX includes LED headlights, real aluminum trim, a 10.2-inch infotainment system, a 10-speaker sound system, heated front seats, and AcuraWatch active safety and convenience tech. It's a sharp-looking interior.
That 10.2-inch infotainment interface isn't a touchscreen; instead, it is manipulated via a touchpad controller on the center console whose learning curve and distracting nature divided the staff. As someone who spent a year in a 2019 RDX with a similar system, I know the system's one-to-one touchpad-to-screen-space mapping can make things easier than tasks might be with a Lexus touchpad. But most judges felt other automakers' touchscreen or scroll-wheel systems provide superior interfaces.
However, few cars will feel as well-screwed-together as the Acura.
"First impression of the cabin is excellent," senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said. "All the usual Acura stuff is here, but it looks high-quality. It even feels like quality. The A-Spec steering wheel is the steering wheel BMW owners have been dreaming of for a decade—beefy without being needlessly fat."
Great, but the new 2021 TLX can't overcome its issues of efficiency or performance of intended function. When we crowned the Genesis G70 our 2019 Car of the Year, the car wowed us with its remarkable balance—here's a small sedan that's engaging to drive but still has a good ride and premium feel.
The Acura doesn't inspire the same praise from our staff. The TLX confidently splits a couple well-stocked segments of smartly equipped luxury sport sedans, and we appreciate the TLX 2.0T for what it is—a good premium option with sporty styling and value but without the chops to back up its looks.
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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