![\"\"](\"http:\/\/multimedia.detroitnews.com\/pix\/28\/e0\/f1\/a6\/67\/79\/20140903143745_hp_1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Behold the\u00a0irrepressible X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once the most neglected letter in the English dictionary. Once the mark of illiterates. Once only whispered in close quarters like \u201cIt\u2019s X-rated\u201d or \u201cHey, pal, XYZ.\u201d Now it is proudly displayed from every facade in America. X-Men, X Factor, X Games, Xbox, Brand X. My cable company wants me to buy Xfinity. I apply Rain-X to my windshield. The No. 24 letter in the alphabet is No. 1 in the hearts of marketers everywhere.<\/p>\n In the auto industry X branding is an epidemic. SRX, XTS, Model X, xB, MKX, XL, XF, XJ, XC60, XC90, X1, X3, Xenophobia (okay, not that last one \u2014 but it would make a fine product for import haters).<\/p>\n X is the mark of youth, sportiness, edginess. But not necessarily success. Lincoln MKX hasn\u2019t X-actly set the world on fire.\u00a0Scion\u2019s X-line<\/a>\u00a0may soon X-pire. And Acura\u2019s X-vehicles haven\u2019t X-ited either.<\/p>\n Until now. The\u00a0MDX was 2013\u2019s hottest luxury SUV<\/a>\u00a0in the scorching, midsize SUV segment with a 29 percent sales jump vaulting it to No. 3 behind \u2014 what else? \u2014 the RX and SRX from Lexus and Cadillac, respectively. With Acura\u2019s small RDX a sales hit too, Acura wants to translate ute sales gains to its moribund sedan lineup.<\/p>\n Say hello to the new, 2015 Acura TLX. It is X-cellent.<\/p>\n The Acura is an All-American, designed and built in the USA. TLX product chief and former Ohio Northern U. basketball star Mat Hargett assembled a team of California designers and Ohio engineers to compete against the world\u2019s best. With a fresh game plan, the imposing, 6\u20198\u201d Hargett hopes to replay Acura\u2019s sedan glory days.<\/p>\n It was just ten years ago that the\u00a0Acura TL was the No. 2 best-selling<\/a>, small lux four-door in the U.S. \u2014\u00a0its 71,000 in sales<\/a>\u00a0trailing only the vaunted BMW 3-series. \u201cI think in 2005 the TL took the market by storm with great technology and stylish looks at an affordable price,\u201d Hargett told me at a TLX test flog through Northern Michigan.<\/p>\n With the TLX, the Acura returns to those fundamentals after a series of marketing and styling miscues.<\/p>\n \u00a0Alphabet soup lineup<\/strong><\/p>\n Despite doubling its entry lux offerings \u2014 the TL was joined by the TSX \u2014 Acura\u2019s sales fell by half since 2005. By replacing the bigger TL and smaller TSX, the TLX is Acura\u2019s focus against the 3-series, Audi A4, and Cadillac ATS. The GLX fights on in the midsize category, while the Honda Civic-based ILX \u2014 launched in 2013 \u2014 tries to wrestle entry-level lux buyers from the Audi A3 and Mercedes CLA.<\/p>\n Okay, so Acura\u2019s model lineup is an alphabet soup. So counting by numbers (Audi\u2019s A3, A4, A5, for example) makes more sense. So at least Acura, like Cadillac, has learned the glories of plastic surgery.<\/p>\n While Caddy has leaned its bulges with liposuction, Acura got a nose job. Remember the beak? The previous generation TL\u2019s signature chrome grille was variously compared to a parrot\u2019s bill, a buck-toothed bumpkin, or a locomotive cow-catcher. None of them flattering.<\/p>\n The TLX\u2019s new honker would make a Hollywood plastic surgeon proud. The softened septum concentrates attention on the eyes. And the TLX peepers are a marvel. Like the MDX and GLX before it, the TLX gets 10 \u2014 ten! \u2014 \u201cJewel Eye\u201d LED headlights. These are celebrity spectacles. Elton John would kill for these rims. Bono, get yourself an Acura.<\/p>\n Maybe the celebrity specs are why Acura press materials refer to the TLX as a \u201cred carpet athlete.\u201d But lux can\u2019t live on looks alone. Indeed, the $30,000-$40,000 sedan segment has become the industry\u2019s fiercest battleground.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve had this conversation before. Earlier this year, I compared a $44,000, AWD Audi A4 with a $36,000 AWD Ford Fusion Titanium. Both 4-banger turbos. Both leather. But with the premium Fusion packing similar options to the Audi, it was hard to justify the extra cash unless you are brand obsessed.<\/p>\n So too the Acura TLX. At $31,890 base it compares nicely to a $33,700, starter BMW 3-series. But compare to its sibling Honda Accord \u2014 made on the same platform in Marysville, Ohio \u2014 and the math gets ugly. Observe: A loaded $35,025 TLX comes with a 206-horsepower, 2.4-liter, 4-cylinder (what, no turbo?) engine, while a $32,910 2014 Accord is topped up with nav, driver assists, and a throaty, 276-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6.<\/p>\n Whoa. You\u2019ve gotta be seriously hypnotized by the Acura\u2019s headlights \u2014\u00a0look into my eyes-eyes-eyes-eyes-eyes\u00a0<\/i>\u2014 to justify the lux brand.<\/p>\n Step up to Acura\u2019s tech package, however, and the TLX value gets X-citing. Beginning at $41K, Acura offers its so-called Super Handling-All Wheel Drive option. That\u2019s a TLX SH-AWD, FYI. A mouthful, but the SH-AWD system is worth every letter. It\u2019s one of the best in the business.<\/p>\n Fan boys of Subaru\u2019s torque-vectoring, 38-grand WRX STI take note. If you want a refined luxury ride to go with your sensational handling, the TLX is your cup o\u2019 nitro. Acura was an early pioneer of the AWD system that speeds up the outer wheel \u2014 while slowing inner ones \u2014 to assist rotation through corners. So Michigan drivers can not only tear up twisty, Up North roads like M-119 in summertime \u2014 they can also conquer winter snows.<\/p>\n Against its formidable BMW 328i and Audi A4 classmates, the TLX more than held its own. Its AWD is superior to the Audi and the equal of BMW\u2019s X-Drive (I told you this X thing is outta control) system. Though exhibiting more body roll than BMW\u2019s superb chassis, the TLX rotates through corners with savage aplomb.<\/p>\n Inside the hushed cabins, space is surprisingly plentiful. With smaller entry-lux vehicles like the A3 and ILX in play, our test class has been given room to grow. The backseats of the TLX, 328i, and A4 all nicely accommodated my 6-foot-5-inch frame (Hargett the Giant was still pinched), a clear improvement from previous generations.<\/p>\n In interior quality, the Acura again beats the Audi \u2014 if not BMW\u2019s gorgeous trim and architecture. But the Acura\u2019s twin infotainment screens are more intuitive \u2014 and TLX is wired with tech-savvy blind spot warning, lane assist, brake assist \u2014 everything but X-ray vision.<\/p>\n Bottom line? The BMW is prettier, a hair-more-agile, less-user friendly for 52 grand \u2014 or a whopping $6K more than the Acura.<\/p>\n How much is a brand name worth? Which car do you want to park at the country club? You\u2019ll have to answer those questions yourself. The TLX deserves your X-amination. And it\u2019s just in time for Xmas.<\/p>\n Vehicle type:<\/b>\u00a0Front-engine, front or all-wheel-drive, five-passenger sports coupe <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Behold the\u00a0irrepressible X. Once the most neglected letter in the English dictionary. Once the mark of illiterates. Once only whispered in close quarters like \u201cIt\u2019s X-rated\u201d or \u201cHey, pal, XYZ.\u201d Now it is proudly displayed from every facade in America. X-Men, X Factor, X Games, Xbox, Brand X. My cable company wants me to buy […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15237"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15237"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15238,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15237\/revisions\/15238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/div>\nReturns to fundamentals<\/h3>\n
‘Red carpet athlete’<\/h3>\n
\n\n2015 Acura TLX<\/h3>\n
\nPrice:<\/b>\u00a0$31,890 base ($46,685 AWD V-6 as tested)
\nPower plant:<\/b>\u00a03.5-liter direct-injection 6-cylinder; 2.4-liter direct injection 4-cylinder
\nPower:<\/b>\u00a0290 horsepower, 267 pound-feet of torque (V-6); 206 horsepower, 182 pound-feet of torque (4-cyl)
\nTransmission:<\/b>\u00a0Nine-speed automatic
\nPerformance:<\/b>\u00a00-60 mph: 6.0 seconds (est. for V-6). Top speed: 125 mph (governor limited)
\nWeight:<\/b>\u00a03,774 pounds (AWD V-6)
\nFuel economy:<\/b>\u00a0EPA 21 mpg city\/31 mpg highway\/25 combined (AWD V-6); 24 mpg city\/35 mpg highway\/28 combined (4-cyl)
\nHighs:<\/b>\u00a0Tech-savvy; awed by SH-AWD
\nLows:<\/b>\u00a0Bland rear styling; Turbo-4, please
\nOverall:<\/b>\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n