2021 Acura TLX

Most Acuras are more luxurious and higher-priced versions of vehicles made by Honda, its parent company, similar to Lexus and Toyota or Infiniti and Nissan. In Acura’s case, the formula usually works well. Its sedans and SUVs have earned Consumer Reports’ recommendations for cabin comfort, handling, above-average reliability, and engines with smooth power delivery. Like Honda, Acura’s lineup is mainly SUVs, but includes some sedans. The Integra is an upgraded version of the Honda Civic, and competes with the most affordable vehicles from manufacturers like Audi and BMW. The TLX is similar, but slightly larger and more expensive. Acura’s SUVs range from midsized and three-row down to compact and two-row. Across the lineup, fuel economy is usually average. Despite Honda’s success with the technology, Acura sells no hybrids. For both new and used, reliability can vary between models, but the better options often near the top of our rankings.

The redesigned for 2021 TLX is an sleek sedan that's larger than the competition but not roomier. The standard 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine is paired with a 10-speed automatic and together feel energetic. Front-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel drive optional; the more powerful Type S only gets AWD. The ride is quite comfortable and handling is nimble, but the driving experience is underwhelming. Road and engine noise undermine the premium pretense. Drivers interact with the infotainment display via a touchpad. We found this system very distracting and unintuitive to use. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane centering assistance, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance are standard. Initially the Technology package was required to get blind spot warning, but it became standard with a refresh in 2024. The refresh also brought a larger infotainment screen with quicker processing and, according to Acura, a quieter cabin.