Type S looks promising and they have priced it well.

This segment seems to be heating up. What’s interesting is of all the companies Lexus probably has the most unique offering in this segment with the upcoming IS 500 & it’s glorious V8.

 

Packaging prefers front row comfort over backseat comfort, that's beyond obvious as both front leg & shoulder room are more comfy than Mercedes E class, I don't know where you got the cramped interior from. RWD proportions are the reason why it has such an aggressive presence on the road. The car is the real tweaner, not a compact sedan nor a midsize but really in between with some shortcomings of the midsize but with some benefits of the compact. Some of the features in Advance trim did rollover to Type-S most notable being active dampers, 16 way power seats, folding mirrors but there are some omissions such as heated steering wheel, HUD and 360 camera. Acura really thinks they can get customers to upgrade to Advance or Type S trims because those are the only trims to offer rain sensing wipers, what a ***** move.

 

No, the cabin space is very much in line with a compact sedan despite being a midsizer on the outside larger than a 5 Series. Go watch any review, and the limited cabin space has been a point of contention for almost every reviewer. I suppose it has some decent shoulder room because of its unusual width, but compare it to a 5 Series or any other midsize cabin and it's puny, especially the legroom. I don't see any benefits of the compactness, because the only thing compact about the car is the cabin space. And if rear seat space doesn't matter, then don't make it a sedan.

If Acura wanted an aggressive RWD proportion, they should have been smart enough to actually make the car RWD. Instead, we're left with a car that has somewhat RWD proportions, but can't hide its FWD character because it still needs that massive front overhang to fit in the turbo 6 under the bay. Heck, the Stinger and CT5 are both tweeners, both RWD, and both manage more usable cabin space than the TLX. Faster and lighter too.

And yes, omitting so many of the Advance features from the Type S was just a boneheaded move. It might be a value proposition in its segment at $54K (dealer markups aside), but it's also missing basic options that one would expect to be available from a $54K car sold today. Might as well make it a $60K car and throw everything in, or at least give people the option in the form of a PMC trim.

The whole crux of the vehicle appears to be based solely on emotional appeal specifically targeted at the Honda nostalgia crowd who would be able to overlook its many shortcomings because they want an Audi A7 made by Honda and would be happy to pay the asinine dealer markups like the CTR.

 

No kidding. This is a nice Japanese sports sedan from Acura..not supposed to be so roomy. Supposed to fit like a glove

I agree. It looks promising. Not a bad looking car.

Lexus sets themselves apart in the segment. Although the engine model is on the older side, Lexus was brilliant for doing it.

 

2,000 limit is ONLY FOR THE 2021MY. They're not bragging about it. Who knows what 2022MY will bring in terms of overall mix/allocation. Let's stop jumping to random *** conclusions.

I've presented information that shows that a 14% mix is not some sort of crazy low mix of a higher performance variant in this segment.

It is NOT like the Type R. Type R is roughly 5,000 units a full year, or roughly 2% of overall Civic sales.

 

It is only the rear legroom that is a bit cramped in the TLX, the rest of the car is roomy and comfortable and it is not like most competitors in the entry or even mid sized class have that much more rear leg room or even as much but they still should have given it more rear legroom. A 5 series does not have that much more rear leg room, 36.5 vs 34.5, about 2 inches more which is not much considering it is another class/size up.

A RWD platform is expensive and complicated, it also likely means they have to design new engines/transmissions for it too, we all wish it was a RWD platform but if it was it would definitely be a lot more expensive. Look at the sales numbers of the Stinger and CT5, they are poor, the RWD platform does not help their sales, same with the G70 and IS and GS for that matter. The TLX does not have a massive front overhang.

The Type S has several Advanced features/options, it is just missing a few, heating steering wheel, heated rear seats. That is not a deal breaker for most people and it could always be added later.

Dealer markups have nothing really to do with the pricing, they don't last forever and not every dealer does it, the TLX is still significantly less expensive then several competitors prices when it comes to pricing and the markups will go away once the demand dies down and they can't get the over inflated prices on them, nobody is going to pay 70 or 75K for a TLX. You complain about the dealer markups/price but then also say they should raise the price and offer it fully loaded. You just don't want to like it no matter what, have been negative from the get go, you were saying it would be priced in the 70's at the beginning of this thread, then said 60's and complained, now it is low 50's and you are still complaining.

The car has a much wider appeal then the nostalgia crowd and it does not have many short comings, at least they didn't stick a lame 4 cylinder in it like they will be with future AMG cars. It is a solid package and something a buyer will not have to worry about owning out of warranty or buying used unlike most of its competitors. Until the IS500 with its really puny rear seat comes it is much quicker then a IS or ES with a nicer interior. This is also just the beginning for this Type S, it will get more power, more performance, likely more features to address any "short comings".

 

What "random-*** conclusion"? Dude, they literally highlight it in their press release. The 2000 unit limit is a limit, and what you've presented does not change the fact that this thing is already being slapped with ADM's like the Type R, which is not the norm for any of its fellow turbo 6 rivals. Like I said before, and which you have brushed aside, if this was an industry standard, Acura wouldn't have even mentioned it in the press release. This is a very limited production vehicle, and Acura is banking on that exclusivity to attract buyers into an otherwise uncompetitive product.

I wish "wait for 2022" was an excuse that works for the dealers that are going to price gouge the crap out of this thing. Until then and we have actual solid evidence that this will be a regular production model like the rest of the competition, it will remain exclusive.

 

 

lol, the amount of excuses you make to defend this vehicle is incredulous. You harp on almost every manufacturer for making $45K 4 cylinders, yet eat it up when Acura does it with the same vehicle. It's alright, you love Honda and you are the perfect customer that Honda/Acura wants to appeal to with this inferior product, because you have an emotional connection to the Type S/Honda heritage that allows you to brush aside all its flaws like you did above.

First of all, the TLX has only 93 cubic feet of interior space. A 5 Series has 99. The EPA rates the TLX as a "compact vehicle" because of its tiny cabin. I'm not sure how Acura measured its legroom, but go visit any review and they all say the same- this car is as cramped as any other compact sedan like the IS on the inside and nowhere near the likes of any midsizer like the E-Class or 5 Series.

RWD means low sales numbers? What? The best-selling vehicles in the segment, the C-Class and 3 Series, are both RWD-based. The CT5 and G70/Stinger would both not sell much regardless if they were FWD, because neither of them are made in the same volume as the TLX. The sheer volume at which the TLX is made would make a RWD platform profitable, and the fact that lower-volume brands like Genesis would actually invest the money in a proper RWD platform as Acura loafs around with its usual transverse FWD setup doesn't exactly reflect well on Acura.

This vehicle will be priced well into the 60-70K range because of ADM's, that is a fact. Demand won't die down because with only 2000 Type S being made, it will be an exclusive model no matter what. So yes, the fact that Acura priced the vehicle into the mid-$50K's is a moot point when it is made in limited numbers that essentially invite dealers to scalp the crap out of buyers. And let's be clear here, I never had a problem with the TLX being an expensive vehicle or Acura going upmarket, in fact I fully expected it. Go see my comments on the MDX. It is not a matter of what I want, but an objective view at what Acura wants with this vehicle. But the fact of the matter is that despite the lower MSRP, this thing will not be sold at MSRP. And even if it's in the $50K's, the fact that you can't equip basic features on it like a heated steering wheel unlike every other manufacturer without opting for a lower performance engine is nothing but laughable.

I'm not sure what gave you the impression that this will be a reliable vehicle, Acura has been mid-low tier in reliability in every reliability ranking and has had a slew of serious problems with the MDX and RDX. Now with a more complex and untested brand-exclusive turbo V6, you expect it to be reliable on what basis?

Finally, the TLX has a humongous front overhang. The wheelbase is only 113 inches, the rest of the length has to go somewhere for it to be longer than a 5 Series with its 117 inch wheelbase, so guess where it went. I'm not going to bother reposting pictures since they're all over the thread, but there's really no denying something so visually and blatantly obvious.

 

The amount of whining and complaining you do about this car is incredulous, even the negative speculation that mainly turned out to be false. Did someone in a Honda/Acura do something personal to you, it sounds like it?

When have I ever given Acura or the new TLX a pass for going with a 4 cylinder/replacing a 6 cylinder with a 4 cylinder? I have complained about that too, it is lame, they should have kept the J series or let the turbo 6 cover non Type S options of the car too which they may do. Right, I love Honda, that is why I have bought/owned 2 generations of Lexus GS for the past 15 years, I would not consider a 4 cyl TLX, told my dad not to get one, though the 6 cylinder turbo version is a car I would consider. Emotional connection to Type S? What are you talking about, another wrong prediction not based on facts like you have been doing this whole thread.

The last or current TLX is not cramped all over, it is just the rear seat leg room where it is a little cramped but it is still usable, a 1st, 2nd Gen IS had unusable rear seats, the 3rd Gen is really bad. I don't think just Acura gives the interior dimensions all by itself, I think there is a standard, if they say it is that figure it is that figure. You know what other car has a cramped rear seat, my GS350 which is a mid sized/mid level car. I have sat in the back of both the TLX and my GS and they are both pretty bad, very similar, with the way I sit when I drive the rear seat in my GS is basically unusable, the GS is just slightly more comfortable then the last TLX since it has a more traditional sedan profile/shape where the TLX is a little more fast back.

You mentioned Stinger/CT5, they both sell poorly, the top sellers in the segment are the 3 series, C class, and ES, mainly because of their names, packages, not just because they are RWD. I want RWD, not trying to knock it, wish they made the TLX RWD and think they should have but it is doubtful it would have made much if any difference in sales, it would have raised the price, that is for sure. The G70/Stinger/CT5 aren't selling because people don't want them, don't buy them, it has nothing to do with supply, if you want any of those cars you can get them, if there was demand they would make more of them, there is no real demand for them, they too have compromises/issues which keeps them from getting sales, the G80 sold plenty well because there was demand and it was a great package at a great price, it sold better then the RLX, it has noting to do with Genesis just can't supply all these buyers with cars. Yes, Acura should do RWD but for some reason they won't, the FWD products with Shawd are great products/packages in most cases and often drive better/offer a better package then some RWD competitors, pretty much nobody is taking entry level sporty lux sedans to tracks aside from journalists.

Only 2000 are being made for 2021, we are almost half way done with 2021 so the limited supply is not going to last forever, they will be making many more then 2000 TLX Type S's. Not all dealers are going to mark it up either, many will just sell at MSRP and not negotiate, they aren't going to get sales pricing it at 70K, they still need to sell the car to make money. Acura is not the only company to have markups nor is the TLX the only car. Buyers will likely be able to get it at MSRP or less after demand dies down. This is not a UK made Civic Type R where it has a much lower price, got universal great reviews, set records for turbo FWD hatches, had super high demand, and there was nothing in the US market that could touch it.

The biggest complaints against current Acura's are the 2 screen/touchpad systems, buyers hate it, that is what mostly drags the ratings down, the 9 speed auto got a lot of complaints too but there are no issues with Acura's that leave stranded on the side of the road/needing expensive maintenance/repairs. My family has only had Acuras for over 20 years, never had any issues with them, my dad has a TLX, it has never given him any problems, he doesn't care for the 2 screen system and the 9 speed occasionally annoys him but neither are a big deal, they are well built and reliable and no concern to own out of warranty unlike most of the European competitors.

 

After reading all this about TLX, I'm just thinking the IS500 all of a sudden makes a lot of sense now.

 

My speculation was wrong? LOL, I predicted the car would be made in limited quanities, that's come to fruition. I predicted fully loaded it would be in the $60K range, and while that didn't come to fruition, it's also missing plenty of features from the Advanced package to keep costs down. Even before the Type S was announced, I predicted the 4 cylinder could be optioned up to $50K- lo and behold that turned out to be true. So yeah, I'm pretty confident in my judgement. And if you think you can buy a Type S for MSRP anytime soon, good luck convincing the dealers that their limited production model should be discounted at a time when every manufacturer is having low inventory issues.

And please, go check out any other site to see just how unimpressed the public reaction is to the Type S. If you think my criticisms are scathing, you haven't seen anything from the likes of what actual Acura owners are saying on the Acurazine forums. This might be a strange concept to you, but I can judge each vehicle objectively without having my judgement clouded by the brand, which is why I praise the new MDX yet shake my head at the TLX.

You bring up the Genesis G80- it sells like crap. It was the Hyundai Genesis that sold well, and did so because it was offered at over 700 Hyundai dealerships. Why don't you go check how its sales fared from 2018 onward when it spun off of into the Genesis brand and had its dealership network eviscerated. Even the Genesis GV80, a crossover and the best-selling vehicle in the entire Genesis lineup currently, doesn't match the sales numbers of the current TLX- a sedan. Acura has zero excuse not to invest in a new RWD platform when it has substantially higher volume than Genesis to even out the costs, and more dealerships. Well, I suppose they're aware that their target customers are brand loyal and don't care if they make an uncompetitive product like the TLX.

No matter how much anecdotal evidence you come up with, a Lexus GS is larger than the TLX on the inside- 99 cubic feet. And no matter how much anecdotal evidence you come up with for reliability, the likes of Consumer Reports and JD Power have another story entirely. A turbo V6 made in limited production models from a brand that has never made a turbo V6 doesn't guarantee at all that it will be reliable.

From what you tell, me you you and your family obviously have a personal attachment to Honda and Acura. No matter how much you want to deny it, it's clear that you have a soft spot for them. Maybe you should join Acurazine and try to tell the dozens of Acura owners how wrong they are for calling out the car for what it is.

 

You are incorrectly comparing the TLX Type S to RWD models from other brands.

 

You mean like Acura's marketing?

 

but you already know the buyer of the TLX is not gonna buy rwd sedan from Germany.