bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

great post.

the new nsx is still a bit of an enigma, with lots of leaks and rumors, but hopefully it will be great.

yowps3

Acura is underrated.

I'd say at this point Acura's interior quality is superior to Lexus and all the other brands which have resorted to cheap, plain and tacky plastics and other materials..

The LS460 is the only Lexus that still actually feels like a LEXUS!

keyframe13

I actually agree with you. The quality is so much better. I own a TL, an old one and my 10 years newer IS is so flimsy and cheap inside, I acctually had the dealer add insulation and fix a lot of rattles.. Now I hear some more in drivers door.. TL was solid, build very well, never had a rattle problem or anything, no melting dash and orher cheapness like that.

TangoRed

The lights are for sure not changing. The mirrors aren't changing either- they're the same ones that are on the production RLX. There will be different bumper and wheel options but the most aggressive model will look no different than what you see here.

And keyframe 13, the last-gen TL was notorious for becoming a rattle trap so I wouldn't say Acura has always been on the forefront of interior materials.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

Interesting, as Lexus uses real wood and brushed aluminum in most models, and last I checked, Acura uses faux wood and silver painted plastic. Let's be fair - there's not a car in Acura's stable that can touch the LS, LX or GS in terms of interior quality. I've been in the RLX and new MDX as well - they are nice, but Acura is not churning out interiors that are comparable to the best of Lexus. Not even close.

Many people agree that cars built in the late 90s and early 2000s have interior materials that are more solid feeling than vehicles today. That's because there is more of a focus on weight savings, making interior panels thinner, and around 2000, all manufacturers switched from vinyl-based blends for interior panels to material blends that are heavier on plastic. This was done for the same reason that manufacturers went from oil- to water-based paints: the application and molding processes for these paints and molds released harmful gases that the EPA cracked down on. The old panels were softer with more "give" and I don't think manufacturers really started getting the process right with the new methods/materials until the last 3-4 years.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

As for this TLX Concept, I mentioned that I do indeed think it's a great looking car, but let's not lose sight of the fact that this is still a show car. The front and rear bumpers, side skirts and wheels will all undoubtedly be changed to something more conservative and cost-effective for production. Perhaps Acura will offer a package that adds some aero pieces, as they have done in the past, but this is a classic tale of the translation of concept car --> production vehicle.

Deeply flared side skirts add nice movement and depth to the bottom of the car. The front and rear bumpers both have a lot of visual impact with chrome trim and flared creases. Huge wheels and minimal wheel gap also lend a lot to the aggressive look. With all of that said, each of these are things that you could add to a Chevy Malibu and have much the same impact - a car that looks sharp and aggressive with a lot of curb appeal. Because of expenses and manufacturing processes, we know that's not what the final car will look like and when you sit back and consider this car as a whole, those bits add a lot of flair to the design. The tail lights are nice but relatively generic looking. The front end is typical Acura. The crease that runs from the front fender to the rear end is very nice, and also very similar to the Accord.

Again, I am not knocking this design because I think it's great, but I'm also not losing sight of Honda's last eight years of monstrosities and expecting the production car to look like the TLX Concept. I take this as the "general shape" of what we can expect the TLX to be.

However, perhaps the most sobering part of this design is that it sets the RLX up for another generation of failure. It seems that the RLX has already had a rough start (the only ones I've seen on the street are W Hotel house cars), and this TLX will surely be better looking, more aggressive and laden with more technology. The powertrain itself puts the RLX to shame, aside from perhaps the hybrid model. It's great that Acura allowed Honda Japan to design the RLX and Honda U.S.A. to design the TLX...or is it? RLX looks ten years old and the TLX looks on point. I still see Honda/Acura lacking the vision and management that Lexus or other luxury brands have. The fact that Audi has risen up, used Acura's FWD/AWD formula and run them over with it, is proof enough.

TangoRed

ILX concept > production for reference

neurocity

iTrader: (17)

No F'ing way the inside of my 09 TL-SH is better than the 07 GS450 I owned. The "dial-a-palooza" **** that is needed to do anything is nightmarish. Get through a call to automated AT&T with that dial then get back to me. The Lexus touch screen and BT cell interface kills Acuras solution.

The Star Trek enterprise amount of buttons that you never use is ridiculous. I wont even get into the the steering wheel buttons to jog through the center gauge screen. MPG, TPMS, SH-AWD distribution. Find me the fuel range number in less than 5 moves.

The inside is plastic and rattles. The sound noise from the outside would is deafening after driving Lexus for the past 8 years. Closing the doors feels like I'm going to break the car.

I'll lay out the the two pluses of the 4th gen TL-SH (I had a TL-FWD as a loaner once, WTF? My mothers Avalon handles corners better. A TL without SH is a crime.)

The SH awd is hands down the ONLY reason you should buy a TL. Chicago snows storms and the f'ing morons that drive their Q7's, ML's, X5's and Escalades around like its 85 and sunny. becomes barely noticeable in a TL-SH, Even with badly needing to be replaced tires...I dominated everything in the snow. Even lost a All Road Quattro with the SH.

The ELS stereo is better than the ML. It is really impressive when you have a 5.1 DVD-a disc in play. Since it's easier for Jack Burton to find a Chinese girl with Green Eyes. The point is kinda mute.

Parts are much cheaper. Oil changes... cheaper. Everything maintenance wise... Honda Cheap.


Want to know really how well the TL stands against an IS or GS. Look at the resale/auction value.

keyframe13

I think you hit the nail in the head. My Acura was 2000 so yes they must be some regulation and they start using eco friendly materials hance why out dashboard is freaking melting. I guess we'll never have good quality cars and pretty much in near future the recycling life of a car would me much shorter.

I was comparing the TL with the IS quality. I know tho that GS is a huge step comparing with IS.
MPLexus bring a very good point and I tent to agree with him.
I considered the 4th gen TL before getting the IS but is was like a pig for me. Altho the design doesn;t bother me at all, I kinda like it, it was too big inside. the gas mileage too poor. I wanted something smaller and easier to manuver.
Good points about the SH, all the reviews i read say is very advanced comparing with anything on the market.

mmarshall

Agreed......that's the case with many manufacturers, but not with Chrysler or GM (particularly the Verano, Encore, and Regal, which use German Opel interior materials). Both corporations are producing more solid-feeling cars (and interiors) than they did 10-15 years ago.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

you should do more reviews. you'd give clarkson some competition.

MPLexus301

iTrader: (3)

That's not really saying much for Chrysler or GM

Sulu

Agreed! First, the ILX introduced this design language that borrows bits and pieces from other Japanese makes -- Lexus and Inifiniti as I see it. Then the RLX increased its scale -- longer, wider, taller. And now, the TLX adopts the same sausage.

But I think this is the best implementation yet. The ILX is too small to carry out all the curves well. The RLX is too large, IMO; the curves are flattened out too much, making it look rather "No Name" / generic (one of the major supermarket chains here in Canada introduced a "No Name" brand -- that exact brand name -- of products some number of years ago in plain, yellow boxes).

So this new TLX must be the Goldilocks of Acura's new design language -- not too small and curvy, not too large and flat, but just right!

jwong77

The ILX in prototype form wasn't really that bad. I guess I was bamboozled by the wheel gap/flush wheel fitment of the prototype TLX. Will wait for production vehicle to form opinion.

LexFather

You are in Australia no? Acura does not exist there so what are you basing your opinion on?