The 2015 Acura TLX: A Critical Examination
In the bustling hubbub of the 2014 New York International Auto Show, Acura took the stage to reveal its latest entrant in the luxury sports sedan category - the 2015 TLX. Developed with a vision of merging red-carpet luxury with an athlete's spirit, the TLX strives to create a unique niche that encompasses both upscale refinement and sports-sedan dynamism.
Engine and Transmission: High Power Meets Efficiency
Acura has chosen to power the 2015 TLX with two of its exclusive high-output direct-injected i-VTEC® engines. The first, a 2.4-liter 16-valve, 4-cylinder engine, generates a commendable 206 horsepower, while its sibling, a 3.5-liter 24-valve V-6, pumps out an impressive 290 horsepower. The choice of two such distinct engines allows the TLX to cater to a wider range of performance expectations from its prospective buyers.
Further enriching the car's performance palette are the all-new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (8DCT) paired with the 2.4-liter engine, and a new 9-speed automatic transmission (9AT) mated to the 3.5-liter V-6. Both transmissions promise superior handling and responsiveness, making the TLX a competent performer in sporty driving, emergency maneuvers, and long-distance cruising alike.
Exterior Styling: Athletic Meets Luxurious
The exterior of the 2015 TLX seems to embody its athletic spirit. Sporting a new design with tight body surfaces, dynamically sculpted fender arches, and purposeful character lines, the TLX boasts of compact sports-sedan proportions. Luxury is not an afterthought, as shown by Acura's signature Jewel Eye™ LED headlights, standard across all models. The inclusion of these features indicates Acura's commitment to blending sporty aesthetics with the opulence expected of a luxury sedan.
Interior: Tech-Loaded and Comfort Oriented
The TLX's spacious five-passenger interior does an excellent job of reflecting its dual nature. Premium elements like soft-touch, one-piece instrument panel upper cover, alloy and wood-grain design accents, and available Milano leather seating surfaces contribute to the car's luxury quotient.
The tech-savvy might appreciate Acura's incorporation of its most advanced safety and driver-assistive technologies including Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS™), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow and Blind Spot Indicator (BSI). These technological additions potentially make the TLX one of the safest options in the sports sedan segment.
Safety and Driver-Assistive Technologies
The TLX also advances Acura's reputation for delivering cutting-edge safety and driver-assistive technologies. The TLX incorporates a new cooperative monocular camera and millimeter wave radar system that expands both the fidelity and scope of the vehicle's road-sensing capabilities. This fusion of camera and radar technology underpins the TLX's available Collision Mitigation Braking SystemTM, which can now provide enhanced car-to-car and car-to-pedestrian collision mitigation while also enhancing the capabilities of the Adaptive Cruise Control.
The TLX is the first Acura vehicle to deploy a new Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system included with the Advance Package. RDM uses the monocular camera to recognize painted lane lines, Botts' Dots and Cat Eye markers to determine lane boundaries. When the vehicle's current travelling direction would cause it to stray from a detected lane, the system warns the driver and assists by applying corrective steering input, and if required, braking force to help the driver maintain their current lane.
Additional standard and available driver-assistive features include Blind Spot Information (BSI), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Expanded View Driver's Side Mirror, Lane Keep Assist System (LKAS) and new Cross Traffic Monitor.
The TLX also employs Acura's next-generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, along with advanced supplemental restraint systems – including front, side, side-curtain and driver's-knee airbags – to provide a high level of occupant protection in a wide spectrum of collision scenarios. The TLX is anticipated to earn a Five-star Overall Vehicle Score in the NHTSA's NCAP safety ratings, and a TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
All-New TLX Body and Chassis
The TLX is built on an all-new platform (body and chassis) that was designed from the ground up to support and enhance the vehicle's outstanding driving dynamics, luxury-sedan refinement, class-leading fuel efficiency and high-level collision safety.
The chassis features a newly designed four-wheel independent suspension system – McPherson Strut front and multi-link rear – with revised geometry and new Amplitude Reactive Dampers for improved ride comfort and handling performance. New Motion-Adaptive Electronic Power Steering delivers a high level of steering precision and responsiveness while aiding fuel efficiency. It also works cooperatively with the vehicle's VSA traction-control system to help the driver maintain vehicle control in slippery road conditions.
The TLX's unit body utilizes advanced lightweight materials, including ultra-high-strength steels, aluminum (hood, bumper beams and front subframe) and magnesium (steering hangar beam and engine mount), to minimize weight while providing for a high degree of rigidity that benefits both dynamic performance and occupant safety. Also incorporated into the body is the next generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) frontal body structure, and a new one-piece, hot-stamped-steel door stiffener ring, similar to the design first applied on the 2014 Acura MDX. The new, sleeker body design is also optimized for class-leading aerodynamic efficiency and boasts a 15 percent improvement in Cd.A versus the outgoing TL.
In their effort to significantly reduce the intrusion of wind, road and engine noise into the cabin, Acura engineers paid special attention to body sealing, reducing open air paths by 50 percent compared to the outgoing TL. The TLX is also the first Acura to utilize acoustic spray foam, which is applied in 10 critical locations throughout the body. Additional noise-reduction features include triple door seals, the expanded application of body sealing and sound absorptive materials, an acoustic glass windshield, and electronic Active Noise Control (ANC).
-Ed
2015 Acura TLX
