2022 Acura TLX Type S Review
Acura TLX Type S
Price as tested: $55,145
3.0 Liter Turbo V6
355 HP / 354 TQ
0-60: 5.1 Seconds
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Guy who did stuff: Yousef Alvi
Reviewing the ‘base’ TLX last year left me with a sense of the following:
‘‘ACURA IS BACK!!’’
A squirty chassis, paired with excellent steering and well equipped cabin along with the best AWD system on the road today…the only thing that was missing was a bit of ‘oomph’
Well Acura delivered that ‘oomph’ courtesy of this Type S variant. Now waging into battle with a 3.0 liter Turbo V6 making 355 HP and 354 TQ. The TLX Type S now has the numbers to back up it’s aggressive design. But how does it stack up to the competition?
Let’s break it down!
The Great
Styling
Steering
Transmission
Styling
The 2022 TLX Type S does not get lost in a parking lot but if you wanted some added attention in your life…get this Goldmember inspired color for added flair. All kidding aside, you really should…the color is a shimmering, metallic and gleaming image that draws your eyes to the aggressive lines of this TLX Type S. It looks like nothing else on the road today.
This TLX Type S sits squat, low and ready to pounce! The front end resembles an angry wasp and while it falls apart a bit toward the rear, the enormous 4 tailpipes button everything back up.
Steering
The TLX Type S has one of quickest and the most direct steering in sport sedandom. Dial the Type S into Sport + and just a mere glance at the steering wheel, the TLX will telepathically turn into a bend. Blend that with the fact one can actually FEEL the torque being applied fore, aft and side to side…the TLX Type S doesn’t just deliver on the steering front, it lays waste to all of it’s competitors on feel.
Transmission
The 10 Speed Automatic’s introduction years back wasn’t a pleasant one. It was jerky, slow and just awful. Each subsequent year it gets better but something magical happened in the past 12 months.
EVERY new Acura I have driven this year, the transmission has been phenomenal!
In this TLX Type S, this maybe the best iteration thus far! So good in fact, it’s almost as good as the ZF 8HP and that is high praise.
The TLX Type S transmission is not just quick, it feels direct and substantive with each shift. It actually delivers a ‘snap’ dual clutch like gear change when driving with gusto.
Calming down and driving around town, the gearbox delivers buttery smooth shifts that fade into the background.
The Good
Ride
Handling
Brakes
Ride
What makes a sport sedan truly special is it’s ability to calm the eff down and deliver a calming ride. The TLX Type S scores on that front with a well damped suspension that makes long drives less of a chore and more of an occasion. It’s not perfect and we will get to that below.
Handling
Driving the TLX Type S in the mountains is an experience. An experience that will make you truly appreciate the upward trajectory of the Acura brand.
The Type S has an urgency behind the wheel that feels intoxicating. There is a sense of confidence coming from the AWD system and pair that with strong brakes…it is almost sensational (more on that below)
The Bad
Infotainment
Brakes
Weight
Ride
While the suspension tuning of the Type S is spot on…it falls apart on the 20 inch wheels. The 35 series Pirellis transmit harshness and road noise that don’t completely ruin the ride on the Type S but does sour the overall effect of the excellent suspension.
Weight
Driving around town and driving anything below 7/10ths the Type S feels like feather weight. Effortlessly gliding through corners with ease.
Drive beyond 7/10ths and the weight becomes apparent in quite a hurry. That lovely initial bite of the brake pedal fades away and you find yourself sinking your foot down on the pedal further and further, that rapid fire front end movement starts to wash away and all of the amazing reassurance from the chassis starts to evaporate.
All because this sucker weighs over 4200 pounds! Which is more than all of it’s competitors, which leads to the unfortunate fact the Type S is slower than all of it’s competitors as well. From the M340i to the G70, they are all faster than the TLX Type S.
Acura has done magnificent job hiding that heft and around town it’s not noticeable but when you start driving beyond 7/10ths…it becomes quite apparent.
The Ugly
Blind Spot Detection
Blind Spot Detection
For the life of me, I don’t understand the Blind Spot monitoring on this car. Doesn’t matter if it’s a massive tractor trailer or a Mini Cooper, if they happen to be riding along from the B pillar on back…it doesn’t sense it at all.
Overall:
The 2022 Acura TLX Type S a worthwhile option to the ‘safe’ German alternatives. Combining gorgeous looks, modern interior and superior steering…the TLX Type S is a genuine player in the sport sedan segment.
