The minor changes don’t do much to elevate the flagship four-door, but that’s okay.
Acura says the 2024 TLX sedan gets a number of updates, but they’re hard to tell by looking – especially in the case of the top Type S sedan. The grille has a slimmer frame, and there are several new colors and wheel options. There’s thicker carpeting (shared with all 2024 TLXs) and additional insulation (shared with the mid-level A-Spec). The windshield camera and millimeter-waʋe radar mounted in the grille have a wider field of view than the 2023 sedans to aid in theoretically drier driving, and there’s a central infotainment screen. bigger.
However, those changes were so minor that I almost turned down the chance to drive the 2024 Type S. Then a last-minute trip to CES in Las Vegas suggested I might enjoy the ride. Arguably quieter and the AcuraWatch suite of driving aids is better – with a final push on some of the curious roads of the Mojaʋe Desert adding to the fun.
So there’s a lot to like about the 2024 TLX Type S. Its 3.0-liter turbocharged engine makes all the right noises, with a little extra rumble along with the naturally sweet musicality of a Honda V6 J-series. Acura’s Super Treatment all-wheel drive system with real torque makes the appearance standard on the Type S, actively destroying the car’s mid-corner underbody and sending power to the outside rear wheel. (The lower torque system uses reduced-force, damping-sensing braking application to simulate SH-AWD.)
And the TLX remains an attractive take on the midsize luxury sedan, especially in my tester’s new-for-2024 Urban Gray Pearl – a Nardo-ish color that goes from smoky in the dark to shimmering. Shine under direct light. The long hood and short deck seem a bit unusual when combined with a snouted front end, but the axle-to-axle ratio looks great and hides the front platform nicely.
Inside, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster provides plenty of information, and the larger center screen looks great too. It’s a shame it still runs on Acura’s complicated True Touchpad Interface. Of particular note is the automaker’s incredible ELS Studio 3D audio system, which relays uncompressed audio with incredible fidelity and enhances the quality of streaming services through through an impressive sound processor.
The Acura TLX Type S is also a lot more fun on a twisty road than I remember. My tester’s summer tires – the Pirelli P Zeros – gripped the road with tenacity, which was surprising given my previous difficult experiences with this tire brand and the Type S’s cornering attitude Much more neutral than its larger MDX tire equivalent. I can get some gentle throttle lift from the steering wheel if I really push it, a feeling that I think is the exact opposite of a modern Acura. The growling exhaust note and throttle response only add to the fun.
Now, if only the transmission could keep up. The 10-speed torque-vectoring automatic is a good transmission in everyday conditions, with seamless shifting up and down through traffic. It will be able to dive quite skillfully to pass two lanes quickly. But when you’re trying to tackle canyons, it seems to seek out high gears that aren’t appropriate for the task at hand, and it will ignore the shifter and upshift before redline unless your foot is completely off the mark. floor. I’ll put my manual hat on the shelf for a minute, but at the very least, this car needs more aggressive shift tuning in its sportiest driving modes.
And although Acura claims the new TLX is more refined at highway speeds than before, it still has some work to do. The wind seemed to have caught the B-pillar on my long drive towards Vegas – creating a whooshing sound for hours, you know, right next to my ears – and there was still a lot of tire-smashing noise. vehicle.
The automaker’s efforts on the AcuraWatch dryer booster were also unsuccessful. Whenever a car in an adjacent lane encroaches on the lane markings, the TLX’s adaptive cruise control system misreacts and applies the brakes. And despite the wider view from the cameras and radar, the lane-centering system doesn’t seem to work well. I don’t recall any of these problems the last time I drove a modern Acura, so I suspect the system just needs a little more tweaking.
Verdict: With a starting price of $58,195 including destination and handling charges of $1,195, the TLX Type S is about $5,000 cheaper than a BMW M340i optioned with those equipment Acura includes standard. The TLX is also about $1,000 more expensive than a similarly equipped Genesis G70. My tester’s $600 pearlescent paint job and $3,340 accessory car tires mounted on gold accessory wheels brought the total price to a staggering $62,477. – unless you want flashy rims, make a little cash, and just shop the aftermarket.
Keeping things under $60,000, the TLX Type S is a pretty neat sedan, with nice interior materials and a high-tech rear differential that give it a fighting chance against the more expensive Biммer and Old G70. Once Acura sorts out the clunky touchpad and annoying wind noise – and maybe adds a six-speed shifter – the Type S will be an unqualified winner.
