The 2L four in the TLX is very fast and willing;. However, it is not particularly economical and is not that refined. It is acceptably quiet in gentle driving, but gets louder when summoned to provide swift speed gathering and takes the car out of the luxury class as far as refinement is concerned. Three modes, comfort, normal and sport, are offered. There are real differences between the three modes, with sport, firming up the suspension and extending the shift points and also adding artificial noise for “excitement.” The Comfort mode is very nice under most circumstances. It delivers a very supple ride with crisp handling. The transmission is smooth but is very keen to attain the next highest gear and with so many gears, frequent gear changes when leaving from a stop are a distraction and annoying. Very high gearing allows for 1500 rpm at 100 kilometres per hour. Very nicely weighted and geared steering is manipulated by an elegant steering wheel that is a pleasure to hold. With no lost motion, a firm pedal and fierce stopping power, the brakes are reasuring. Very good seat heaters. The steering wheel heater covers the whole wheel but heat output is weak and turns itself off quickly. The TLX looks very sleek from the outside, partially due to a very low roof line. In fact, it is too low to be practical as a sedan as even the front seat is hard to get into and headroom is very tight. The sloping roof line over the rear windows makes getting into the rear seat even more of a struggle. The front seats are very comfortable, but the bulky centre console and door trims leave front occupants feeling hemmed in. The rear seat is supportive but legroom is limited for such a large car and doesn’t seem any roomier than the smaller Honda Civic. The dash-topping infoscreen is not a touch screen as all functions activated by Acura’s loathsome touch pad system that uses a big and a small touch pad to access desired functions. Its graphics are great, but the system, which is very hard to manipulate while driving, is a failure. Even sitting a radio station is breathtakingly difficult and consulting the owners manual or Acura-produced YouTube tutorials were of little help either. Even answering an incoming phone call proves difficult. If you can find your way into the audio system, the ELS-branded system produces very pleasing sounds. Satellite radio sound quality, a weak point with a number of brands, is very good. That said, sound quality on Bluetooth audio was unimpressive and sound quality using a premium streaming system was not as good as it is on various Lincoln and Volvo products. Honda-Acura’s unusual gear selector is compact for easy packaging and is easy enough to use once you are accustomed to it. The knob for the drive-select modes dominates the dash centre stack and takes up a lot of space that could be better devoted to the climate controls, which are tiny. With contrasting pale gray piping on black leather, mostly attractive materials and convincing faux alloy accents, the cabin of the TLX looks upscale. There are a few budget-looking materials, including the carpeting and the headliner. The carpet stretches from the door aperture over the high and massive door sills, and are sure to look shabby after a winter of salty boots being hauled over them.

The TLX is based on the previous-generation Honda Accord. Two engines, a 2L turbo four with 272 horsepower; with a turbo 3L-V6 with 355 horsepower, are offered. Acura’s SH-AWD system, with torque-vectoring, is standard and the sole transmission offered is a conventional 10-speed automatic.

The base model, the 2L A-Spec, is, with a full safety suite, L.E.D. headlights, sunroof, navigation, leather and suede upholstery, front and rear sonars and wireless cellphone charging, is very well equipped. The Type S, powered by a 3L turbo V6, adds Brembo-brand brakes, adaptive suspension, a 360 degree camera system and 16 way power front seats, which accounts for around $3000 of the $9500 price bump between 2L and 3L power.

Before you settle on a TLX, have a look at the Honda Accord. It is offered in hybrid form, is significantly roomier and satisfyingly less expensive than the TLX.

Predicted reliability is very good. Maintenance and repair costs of an Acura are much lower than the European brands competing in this segment, and comparable to a well-equipped Honda Accord.