TLX Type S: Sporty with Much Promise
Throttle House hails the 2021 TLX Type S for its styling, advanced tech, and rich exhaust notes, but is it really worth the ‘S’ badge?
After an eleven-year hiatus, the Type S badge is back on the 2021 Acura TLX Type S. In a recent video from Throttle House, hosts Thomas Engelsman and James Holland go over what sets the TLX Type S apart from the competition.
Retailing for around $52,000 the TLX Type S is hailed as a true performance-minded sedan with a touch of luxury. Unfortunately, the TLX has fallen a bit short of the competition.
Promising Sedan
Touching on the positives, the Throttle House team points out the incredible engine notes emanating from the rear of the TLX Type S. Acura did some of their best work in producing the exhaust system for this outing of the TLX. Staying within the vein of sound, the Type S seems to have put its best foot forward to impress true audiophiles.
Another high note for the Type S lies in its styling. While it may be a bit busy on the front end, the overall design, and especially the side profile, help the vehicle stand out as a particularly beautiful ride.
Inside, the Type S offers an impressive steering wheel, a well-designed interior, and a decent gauge cluster. But, the push-button shifter and trackpad leave a bit to be desired.
TLX Type S Performance
Under the hood, the lies a 3.0-liter twin-scroll turbocharged V6 boasting 355 HP and 354 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, Acura was unable to put that power to good use.
“There’s no getting away from the fact that it still feels slow compared to its competitors,” said Holland. “I think a part of that is that the TLX Type S has had a big lunch…This weighs over 4,200 lbs. It’s fat.”
Ride quality in the Type S is excellent until you attempt to push it into the realm of spirited driving. “Everything’s well-calibrated. It’s working together. There’s a synchronicity to the way that this drives,” said Engelsman. “But something happens when you start to push it.”
Engelsman explains that, unlike its competitors, the TLX is primarily FWD, but that Acura added a little thing called SH-AWD to make up the difference.
“When the clutch packs engage, it spins the rear wheels faster than the front wheels. Which should cause some oversteer,” states Engelsman “And in the Type S, they’ve calibrated it to be more aggressive than the regular TLX.”
Unfortunately, this changes nothing about how the car handles. Engelsman notes that the Pirelli tires simply aren’t gripping well due to the excess weight of the vehicle and that the brakes are inadequate for the bloat as well. “I cannot get anything but understeer out of this car,” said Engelsman.
Conclusion
“It’s just not quick enough,” said Engelsman. “It doesn’t handle well enough. The SH-AWD system does not make up for the extra mass. The tire choice is crap. The brakes didn’t work…”
The car hits most all of the marks quite well, but severely lacks in the performance department and unfortunately falls short of the promises that accompany the Type S badge.