Experienced by Adrian McQueen
Photography by Adrenaline Lifestyles
This week my eyes were set on the 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance. The model sent my way arrived in a Fathom Blue Pearl hue. Upon first look I immediately noticed the genuine mesh grille with the prominent Acura emblem. The Jewel Eye LED headlights and fog lights stood out as well. This sporty automobile is sitting on a premium set of 19-inch alloy wheels. Just by taking in the lovely sight of it in the driveway let me know that I would be off to a good week.
The TLX has an interesting history. Honda launched the Acura brand in the mid-1980s with sporty and luxury models. In 2014, the Acura TLX made its’ debut as a mid-size luxury sedan, being first shown as the “TLX Prototype”. The TLX was designed in Acura’s Los Angeles Design Studio and was promoted to be the replacement of the TL and TSX sedans. At the 2014 New York International Auto Show, the official TLX was unveiled and then hit the market in August of that year.
The interior of the TLX was just as stunning as the exterior. I loved the leather trimmed sport seats. The new infotainment features including Wifi, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The TLX has an 8.0-inch screen in the dash and a 7.0-inch touchscreen directly below it. The top screen is used to display navigation and the backup camera. The lower touchscreen is used to control the radio, climate control and more features. There is also an heads up display and a wireless phone charger. Our model came equipped with the ADVANCE package that has the Acura ELS Studio premium audio system comes complete with 17-speakers that carried crystal clear sound throughout the cabin. The gear shifter design is still growing on me. The buttons are in a conventional “P-R-N-D” sequence; Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive and the Parking brake.
One of the most important aspects of any vehicle on the road are the safety features. The TLX comes with AcuraWatch that includes Lane Keeping Assist System with Road Departure Mitigation System and Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow. Other safety features that are in the TLX are the Blind Spot Information System, Tire Pressure Monitoring system with Tire Fill Assist, Vehicle Stability Assistant, drivers and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags, side curtain airbags and even a driver knee airbag. Acura made sure that all bases were covered.
The TLX comes with a 2.0-liter, direct injection VTEC Turbo 4-cylinder engine making 272 hp backed by a ten-speed automatic transmission. There are four driving modes: Econ, Normal, Sport and Sport+. Using the Sport and Sport+ driving modes, I experienced little wind and road noise in the cabin. Accelerating from light to light and maneuvering through turns was a pleasurable experience. It wasn’t a sports car experience but it was not lagging in response either. I feel that Acura achieved the power output goal that was to be reached. The brakes reacted almost instantly at the slightest touch.
The Acura TLX measures up nicely to its’ five main competitors in the entry premium sedan segment such as the Audi A4, the Mercedes – Benz C300, the BMW 330i, the Lexus IS and the Infiniti Q50. The 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD Advance that we tested comes in at $49,325. The 2021 Acura TLX is competitively priced and built to go toe to toe with the competition. Please enjoy my photo gallery.
