My wife is getting more and more ready for a new car so today we did some intensive car shopping...we test drove the Infiniti Q50 Sport AWD, the Lexus IS350 F-Sport, a wild card SUV option, the Cadillac SRX, and an Acura TLX V6 Advance.
We actually ended up back to the Lexus dealer later on and we drove the Lexus GS 350 as well and we may end up getting this last one...an awesome car and terrific deals to be had.
Ok let me immediately get to the point.....is Acura serious?? Did they do any sort of benchmarking on their supposed competition before coming out with this turd on wheels?? Is their head so much up their behind these days?? What are they smoking?? I'm sorry for the harsh language but my initial impression on the car has been definitely reinforced after driving it today.
Let me repeat, word by word, some of the comments of my wife, which is not too much or a car type, as we were driving it.
"hmm it looks a bit cheesy inside...a bit cheap"....after a while, "it's kind of a step down from you car"......
The salesperson ask us what other cars we were considering so we told him....the first thing out of his mouth was that the TLX was costing few thousands of dollars less than these cars....sure I said to myself...these cars worth thousands more than this thing and you can see it right away....for what it is this car is actually expensive.
In one word....underwhelming.
The only saving grace is the somewhat more modern design of the dash compared to the 4G TL......but the wood look a bit fake.
You get the immediate feel that the TLX is a step down from the TL, it feels less substantial.....the panel doors are less elaborate, the doors do not close with the same "thud", the plastic is a bit shinier.
Stomp on the gas and you get one second of boy racer wheel spinning with the car still even with the traction control on, a Nissa Maxima behaves much better than this at launch....another Acura half assed decision is not making the SH-AWD version readily available at launch....you know they are the smart ones....
Does Acura really think that this thing is even remotely in the same cleague as the IS and Q50?? these 2 cars are not in an other class but on an other planet
I repeat, this car may compete with a nice optioned Malibu turbo at most...I repeat a Malibu.....A Buick Regal GS IMHO is ahead and not by a little.
Both the Infiniti and the Lexus "wrap around you" so to speak as you drive them....precise, superb handling, top notch fit and finish, light years ahead.
When I got my TL SH-AWD 6MT it was a terrific value proposition...getting a car as big as a 535i xDrive even sportier in feel and as capable performance wise for 45K sticker instead of over 60K.......a very distinctive look, ok some hate it but at least it was different, nobody can deny that.
This car is so bland, boring and derivative on the outside, rather ordinary on the inside and definitely ordinary in dynamic traits (my driving experience)...I'm not even sure it's a step up from a regular midsize sedan nowadays.....there are few non premium midsize family haulers that I would pick before this.....the Fusion, the Optima and maybe even the Altima.
It's hard for me to understand how a 4G TL owner could trade his/her car for this...I think my TL deserve an extra hand wash and wax treatment this week....
...and before the usual 4G haters chime in saying that I could be a typical 4G owner trying to feel good about my car go back and read the message...I'm putting my money where my mouth is......my 4G TL was the first and last Acura I will ever own, Infiniti or Lexus is going to get my money next....
I will soon let you know what we decided.
I wish all the best to Acura but I have the feeling that this car is not going to seel too well...unless they discount it heavily and/or target regular midsize sedan buyers, I hope for them to be dead wrong...but I really cannot see how someone interested in a BMW 3er an IS or an Infiniti Q may look at a TLX...
