2023 Acura TLX Type S Review

The Type S separates itself form other TLX models with an exclusive 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine. It generates a healthy 355 horsepower and 354 pound feet of torque. Acura has a long history of making some of the smoothest V6 engines on the market and by turbocharging this one, none of that is lost. Even though it lacks VTEC, the 3.0-liter revs freely, producing a pleasing soundtrack complete with turbo whooshes.

The car includes four drive modes, Comfort, Normal, Sport, and Sport +. The latter is exclusive to the Type S and requires an extra-long hold of the dial to engage. Regardless of drive mode, the engine produces a good amount of power, with extra low-end torque that would make short work of a Lexus IS 350 F Sport in a drag race. That stated, the Type S turbo can’t quite match up to the more powerful units found in the BMW M340i or Mercedes-Benz C 43 AMG.

Like other TLX models, the Type S uses a 10-speed automatic transmission. It does a great job seamlessly transitioning between gears under normal driving circumstances. Start playing with the various drive modes, and there’s an obvious difference in how it behaves. There’s an advantage to having so many forward gears, as Acura can really utilize them for different priorities, such as fuel economy or performance.

The steering wheel mounted paddle shifters produce quick upshifts, with a very Germanic bark out of the exhaust during first-to-second gear changes. Unlike the German competition though, downshifts aren’t quite as crisp or satisfying using the paddle shifters. Despite there being rev matching downshifts in the Sport modes, there seems to be a slight delay between tapping the paddle shifter and the lower gear engaging. Leave the transmission in full auto mode and it does a better job with deceleration gear blips.

Even with ten forward gears at the Type S’ disposal, fuel economy for the sporty TLX isn’t great. Officially it’s rated at 19 mpg (12.3 L/100 km) city and 24 mpg (9.8 L/100 km) highway which trails much of the competition. Compounding its abundant thirst is the fact Acura recommends the Type S uses premium fuel.

Like most sedans with sporty intentions, the TLX Type S has more than just a punchy engine. Included in the package is a double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension. There are Brembo four-piston front brake calipers clamping down on a 14.3-inch discs. Acura has included what the company calls high performance chassis bracing, as well as an adaptive damper system.

Those adaptive dampers offer quite a range of suspension flex – more so than found in many other similarly equipped sedans. In the Comfort setting, even smaller speed bumps are hardly felt. Switch the dampers to Sport, and car really stiffens up. Although this means more road imperfection make their way into the cabin, the benefit is better controlled body motions when cornering.

But the real secret to the TLX Type S’ handling is the Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) system. This torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system does such a good job sending power to the outside rear wheel when cornering. Even though it has a front-wheel drive bias transversely mounted engine set-up, the car rotates the same way many rear-wheel drive bias cars do.

SH-AWD makes handling at high speeds intuitive, seamless, and easy to modulate. It really hides the car’s portly 4,200 lbs. (1,905 kg) curb weight and less-than-ideal 59/41 weight distribution. It’s one of the better handling front-wheel drive bias AWD chassis on the market. The whole package maximizes the grip from the 255/35R20 Pirelli P-Zero summer tires.

At 194.6-inches (4,942 mm) in length, the Acura TLX resides in murky waters when it comes to luxury sedans. Decidedly longer than a BMW 3 Series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class, it’s slightly smaller than a 5 Series, yet still a bit longer than a E-Class.

Price wise it competes firmly with the smaller luxury sedans, starting at a price of $41,245 (all prices include destination charges) in the United States, or $54,595 in Canada. As tested, our 2023 Acura TLX Type S tester came in at $57,745 ($64,095 CAD).

That’s significantly less expensive than an equivalently equipped Audi S4, Mercedes-Benz C 43 AMG, or BMW M340 xDrive. Granted it gives up a bit of power to those vehicles, but it does offer more space. Moving away from Germany, the TLX Type S just under cuts the Genesis G70 3.3T AWD Sport Prestige and Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD.

Acura has come a long way in the past decade when it comes to styling. Other than a large front overhang that’s a by-product of the transverse engine set-up, the TLX is well proportioned and pleasing to the eye.

The Type S includes a sport appearance exterior, diamond pentagon grille, black rear spoiler, black front splitter, and black rear diffuser. There are no fog lights on Type S, but seeing at night won’t be an issue thanks to the brand’s Jewel Eye headlights.

The two standout features of the TLX Type S exterior, at least in our eyes, is the exhaust and wheels. We’re a sucker for a good quality quad exhaust tip layout, and the TLX has a fantastic design. The large, angled pipes look as good as they sound. Also looking good are the upgraded 20-inch split-spoke alloys that feature a simple, yet sporty, and timeless deign.

Our tester arrived with the Modern Steel Metallic exterior paint. In America, this would relegate us to an all-black interior, but in Canada it’s possible pair the grey exterior with the two-tone red interior.

The dual power sport front seats include perforated Milano leather with Ultrasuede inserts. They’re heated, ventilated, and quite comfortable. Headroom up front is 37.2-inches (946 mm) while legroom slots in at 42.5-inches (1,079 mm). The rear seat is a bit tighter, with 36.3-inches of headroom and 34.9-inches (886 mm) legroom. Despite these numbers, all but the tallest of adults will still fit in there. In the trunk, up to 13.5 cubic feet (382 L) of cargo can be stored.

Standard on all TLX models are safety features like collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation, traffic jam assist, forward collision warning, and lane departure waring. Our tester also includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, as well as parking sensors front and rear.

Other features found on the top-of-the-line TLX Type S include push button start, ambient interior lighting, a 17-speaker audio system, a wireless phone charger, rain sensing wipers, a wiper de-icer, a 7-inch multi-function display, and a 10.2-inch infotainment system. The latter is non-touchscreen and controlled exclusively with Acura’s True Touchpad Interface.

It’s such a chore, and sometimes frustrating, performing seemingly simple tasks with the True Touchpad Interface, like changing a radio station or navigating various menus. The high levels of concentration and precision shouldn't be required to select items on screen. On a positive note, we appreciate all of the hard buttons in the center stack that control the climate control.

The TLX Type S embodies all Acura has learned about making sport sedans and the car is more than the sum of its parts. But does that make it the best kept secret in the luxury performance sedan world? There’s a strong case to be made here, especially when considering the TLX’s size and price.

It may not be quite as sharp, from a performance standpoint, as some of its German rivals, but the TLX Type S is unique and offers good value. If things like the True Touchpad Interface aren’t a deal breaker, it’s definitely worth a look by those seeking a fun to drive, premium sedan.

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