Acura

TLX 2018

<p>The 2018 Acura TLX finishes in the bottom third of our luxury midsize car rankings. Though the TLX has a great safety score, a roomy interior, and a comfortable ride, many rivals are more luxurious and earn better predicted reliability ratings.The 2018 Acura TLX is available in three trim levels: base, V6, and V6 A-Spec. The base model TLX has lots of standard tech and safety features, but it has uninspiring engine performance. For more power, consider upgrading to one of the V6 models.<br /><br />    Acura TLX: The entry-level TLX sedan has a 206-horsepower four-cylinder engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive. Standard features include 7-and 8-inch infotainment screens, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, a USB port, satellite radio, seven speakers, a rearview camera, keyless entry, push-button start, dual-zone automatic climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, heated side mirrors, a moonroof, LED headlights, automatic high-beam headlights, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The AcuraWatch safety suite is also standard. It includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and lane keep assist.<br />    Acura TLX V6: The midrange TLX V6 trim comes equipped with a 290-horsepower V6 engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and 18-inch wheels. Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available.<br />    Acura TLX V6 A-Spec: The uplevel A-Spec trim has the V6 powertrain and adds a navigation system, HD Radio, a 10-speaker stereo, a wireless charging pad, remote start, leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, blind spot monitoring, parking sensors, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and 19-inch wheels.<br />The Acura TLX has a pleasing ride. The sedan remains stable around turns, its suspension soaks up bumps and dips in the road comfortably, and its brakes offer fine stopping power. Acura enhances the TLX’s handling with two high-tech systems. Front-wheel-drive TLX models have all-wheel steering (P-AWS), which adjusts the angle of the rear wheels to provide better maneuverability. All-wheel-drive TLX models employ a technique known as torque vectoring to achieve this, which sends more power to the car’s outside wheels when turning.<br />Even with these features, the TLX’s driving experience doesn’t live up to its sport sedan image. The standard four-cylinder engine yields adequate acceleration around town but lacks confident passing power at higher speeds. The available V6 is peppier, though it’s tied to a nine-speed automatic transmission that has a tendency to upshift and downshift too often. Base engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 206 horsepower, Available engine: 3.5-liter V6 with 290 horsepower, Drivetrain: standard front-wheel drive; available all-wheel drive. And affordable <br /> </p>