In a segment dominated by German and European badges, one Japanese luxury sedan continues to deliver standout style, performance, and value, all while flying quietly under the radar. It may not get as much attention as its rivals, but it absolutely deserves a spot on your shortlist.

With bold design, a refined cabin, and sharp handling, this sedan offers a premium driving experience at a more approachable price point. It comes packed with advanced safety tech, user-friendly infotainment, and enough performance to satisfy enthusiast drivers, especially in its sportier trims.

For those seeking an alternative to the usual luxury suspects, this sedan is a breath of fresh air. It blends precision engineering with everyday comfort, making it a compelling option for both commuters and spirited drivers alike. Here’s why this underrated Japanese luxury sedan might just be one of the smartest buys in its class.

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Acura’s TLX Is Much Better Than It Gets Credit For

Acura is not always looked at fondly, with many people feeling like they don’t differentiate themselves enough from their mainstream parent company, Honda. While this argument certainly has weight to it, we think that the TLX sedan has plenty to offer for the price that you pay.

2025 Trims and Pricing

The TLX sits in a bit of a weird spot, in between the compact and mid-size segments. It’s bigger than most of the luxury compact sedans out there but smaller than mid-size options. With this in mind, its price is pretty attractive, with rivals like the BMW 3-Series and Audi A5 starting a couple thousand dollars higher.

Acura offers the TLX in three distinct trim packages. The Technology and A-Spec come with a turbo-four while the Type S gets a turbocharged V-6. We’d go with the Type S as a value-oriented alternative to cars like the BMW M340i. It is much more affordable despite offering similar levels of performance and it comes with a plethora of standard features, things that other luxury automakers make you pay extra for.

Changes For 2025

The TLX has been carried over completely unchanged for the 2025 model year. This is, however, because it received a decent amount of changes last year, with Acura putting it under the knife for a mid-cycle refresh.

Last year’s redesign included a pretty big overhaul when it came to styling. A new front fascia was fitted that makes the luxurious sedan look that much more aggressive. As well as this, Acura offered new paint options for you to choose from, Urban Gray Pearl and Liquid Carbon Metallic, as well as some new wheel designs. Finally, the Japanese automaker also upgraded some of the interior tech, with a new gauge cluster and infotainment system being installed.

Warranties and Maintenance

• Limited Warranty – Four Years or 50,000 Miles
• Powertrain Warranty – Six Years or 70,000 Miles
• Complimentary Maintenance – Two Years or 24,000 Miles

Acura remains competitive with their bumper-to-bumper coverage, with most other automakers in this segment providing a similar plan. Their powertrain warranty, however, is longer than most. It doesn’t quite match the ten-year, 100,000-mile powertrain coverage offered by Genesis, though. Two years of maintenance visits on the house definitely does sweeten the deal as well.

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On the Inside, Acura’s TLX Is Much More Than a Honda Accord

As most people will know, the Acura TLX is based on the same platform as the Honda Accord. Where many of the luxury brand’s vehicles feature interiors that don’t stray too far from the standard set by their mainstream cousins, the TLX is pretty unique, and it comes with plenty of high-end features to justify its price.

Interior Dimensions and Comfort

The TLX has a wide and stretched body that makes it look bigger from the outside than it is on the inside. While its exterior dimensions make it bigger than most compact luxury sedans, the legroom on offer in the back seats is about on par for the segment. Its cargo capacity is the biggest area of disappointment, though.

Looking beyond dimensions, the TLX features a pretty plush cabin that balances the sedan’s upscale mission with its sporty nature. Attractive materials are used throughout the cabin, with the dashboard covered in soft-touch materials and seats upholstered in leather. Front seats can come with heating, ventilation, and a massage function, and they are power-adjustable too. Dual-zone climate control with air filtration is standard.

Infotainment and Technology

Acura upgraded the screens in the TLX for the 2024 model year, with the plush sedan now coming standard with a 12.3-inch infotainment unit that peaks out from atop the dashboard. This system is mainly controlled via a touchpad that sits on the center console, with some shortcut buttons installed as well. There is a pad for your wrist below the touchpad that makes its use a more comfortable affair. In front of the driver is another 12.3-inch screen that acts as the digital gauge cluster.

There are a ton of tech features that come standard in the TLX, including wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The standard sound system in the Acura is a 13-speaker ELS unit, but you can upgrade to a more premium 17-speaker 3D system on higher trims. You can also get dual wireless smartphone charging pads and adjustable ambient interior lighting.

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Choose Between a Perky Inline-Four or a Stoic V-6

While luxury is certainly a core part of the TLX’s identity, it also leans very heavily into being sporty as well. As mentioned earlier, this sedan is either powered by a turbo-four or a turbocharged V-6, but regardless of which powertrain you choose, you will find that it has a pretty raucous personality.

Performance Specifications

The TLX isn’t the quickest sedan in its class when it comes to acceleration to 60 miles per hour. Whether you opt for the inline-four or the V-6 in the Type S, it’s a couple of tenths behind the comparable BMW 330i and M340i. However, it is still pretty quick and delivers some pretty excellent value for the performance you pay. What really makes it shine is its fantastic chassis tuning, delivering one of the most rewarding experiences when you push it through twisty bits of road.

The Technology and A-Spec models come with the turbocharged inline-four, with the Technology coming standard with front-wheel drive and the A-Spec getting all-wheel drive. If you are going to go with the turbo-four, we’d suggest the all-wheel drive model. The Type S comes standard with all-wheel drive and the more powerful six-cylinder engine.

Fuel Economy

This is somewhat of a weak point for the TLX. Most other luxury sedans in this segment come closer to 30 miles per gallon combined. Obviously, as you climb the trim ladder on the TLX, efficiency dips. The Type S is particularly inefficient compared to its rivals, with the BMW M340i managing 29 miles per gallon combined and the Audi S4 getting 24 miles per gallon.

Safety and Driver Assists

• Collision Mitigation Braking System
• Blind Spot Information System
• Traffic Sign Recognition
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Low‑Speed Follow
• Lane Keeping Assist System

Every new TLX comes standard with AcuraWatch, which is a pretty comprehensive package of driver assists. As well as the standard collision detection and avoidance systems, Acura has added traffic-sign recognition and a driver-awareness monitor this year. Semi-autonomous driving is also on offer, with an advanced cruise control system and traffic jam assist.

The NHTSA has put the TLX through its paces, awarding it five stars out of five for safety in its crash testing.