2023 Acura TLX

2023 is a carry-over year within the second generation (2021–2025, pre-2024 facelift); the volume 2.0L turbo four makes 272 hp, with the low-volume Type S V6 at 355 hp. Mid-pack for a mid-size luxury sedan.

The volume 2.0T delivers 280 lb-ft across a broad low-rpm plateau; the Type S raises that to 354 lb-ft.

Unchanged powertrain from 2021–2022; instrumented tests of the 2.0T range about 5.7–6.5 s depending on outlet and drivetrain, so ~5.9 s is representative — behind six-cylinder rivals.

Strong low-end turbo response with little lag, but the four sounds coarse and strained when revved hard and trails the six-cylinder smoothness of German and Genesis rivals; the cabin-insulation upgrade only arrived with the 2024 facelift.

The 10-speed automatic is smooth and quick with paddle shifters in most driving, with occasional low-speed indecision and busyness at part throttle around town.

Acura's torque-vectoring SH-AWD is a sophisticated system, optional on Base/Technology/A-Spec and standard on Advance and Type S — but the volume car is front-drive by default.

Two gas turbo engines (2.0T four, 3.0T V6) with no hybrid, PHEV or EV option, behind electrified mid-size luxury rivals.

EPA rates the volume front-drive 2.0T at 25 mpg combined; SH-AWD costs 1 mpg and the Type S V6 drops to 21.

EPA city rating of 22 mpg for the volume FWD 2.0T, with no hybrid assist.

EPA highway rating of 31 mpg for the volume FWD 2.0T, helped by the tall 10-speed.

The 15.9-gallon tank times the 25 mpg EPA combined rating gives about 398 miles for the volume FWD 2.0T.

EPA's annual fuel cost estimate for the volume FWD 2.0T is $3,300 at current premium prices — high because the car is premium-fueled and gas-only.

Premium 91-octane is recommended (not required) for the volume 2.0T, which per the guidance puts it at the bottom of the 50–79 band; EPA rates every variant on premium and there is no regular-fuel, hybrid or plug-in alternative.

NHTSA rates the 2023 TLX 5 stars overall in both FWD and AWD form, with 5 stars in every test except a 4-star front-passenger frontal result.

The 2023 TLX carries IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ (2022 criteria) and is rated Good in every crashworthiness test IIHS lists for it: small overlap front on both sides, the original moderate overlap test, roof strength, and head restraints. Points come off because the page reports no result under IIHS's tougher updated side and moderate-overlap tests.

AcuraWatch is standard on every 2023 TLX: AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise with low-speed follow, lane keeping, road-departure mitigation, traffic-jam assist, traffic-sign recognition and high-beam assist. But blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are missing from the base trim and start with the Technology Package. They didn't become standard until the 2024 refresh.

IIHS rates the standard Collision Mitigation Braking System Superior in both vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian tests. There is no published nighttime pedestrian rating to push it to the top of the band.

Blind Spot Information with Rear Cross Traffic Monitor is alert-only, with no active steering or braking intervention. It is optional, not standard: it comes with the Technology Package and above, which covers most of the trims actually sold.

The camera-based Lane Keeping Assist System is standard and centers the car at highway speeds, with Traffic Jam Assist covering low speeds. Reviewers find it functional, but not as smooth or confident as the best-in-class centering systems.

Adaptive cruise with Low-Speed Follow and Traffic Jam Assist is standard across the lineup. It works through stop-and-go traffic and pairs with lane keeping, a capable setup if not the most refined in the luxury class.

No hands-free mode is offered on any 2023 TLX trim. Traffic Jam Assist and LKAS are hands-on Level 2 aids, unlike BlueCruise or Super Cruise.

IIHS rates the LED projector headlights Good, and they come standard with high-beam assist on all trims. They are not curve-adaptive.

The low, long-hood, fastback-style roof and raked pillars give typical sport-sedan sightlines with some rear-quarter blind zones. A rear camera is standard, and a surround-view camera is available only on the upper Advance and Type S trims.

IIHS gives the LATCH hardware its top Good+ rating for easy-to-use lower anchors and tethers. The rear seat is snug for a mid-size sedan, though, which limits how easily multiple bulky seats fit.

Conventional five-seat sedan across every 2023 trim.

Low roofline and standard moonroof leave front headroom at the low end of the sedan band.

Front legroom is mid-pack and fine for tall drivers.

Fastback-style roof trims rear headroom below most mid-size luxury rivals.

Rear legroom is tight for a 194.6-in-long, 113-in-wheelbase sedan; reviewers flag the back seat as cramped for the class.

Trunk is small for the segment; the rear seat folds 60/40 to extend it.

Conventional console bin, cupholders, door pockets and a 12V outlet; the wide console housing the touchpad eats space without adding clever storage.

Front sport seats are supportive (12-way power standard, 16-way with thigh extension and bolsters on Advance), but the tight rear bench limits long-trip comfort in back.

Mostly supple and well controlled, with occasional stiff impacts over sharp bumps; adaptive dampers are limited to Advance and Type S, so volume trims use passive amplitude-reactive dampers.

Road noise on coarse pavement is a consistent complaint, below luxury-class expectations despite acoustic windshield and Active Sound Control.

Heated front seats and dual-zone climate are standard and ventilated fronts arrive at A-Spec, but heated rear seats are Advance-only and the heated wheel is standard only on Advance (a dealer accessory elsewhere).

Launch pricing for the 2023 base TLX 2.0T FWD, about $2,500 above the 2022 base; Acura's later 2023 release lists a slightly lower $40,745 with a reduced destination fee.

Acura publishes no trim sales mix; the Technology Package is treated as the volume configuration, consistent with adjacent model years.

Industry estimates diverge widely; a midpoint between CarEdge's low figure and Edmunds' high figure is used, partly offset by the 2-yr/24k complimentary maintenance.

KBB shows 42% depreciation in the first three years; extrapolating at the TLX's typical ~45% five-year depreciation gives roughly 46% retained.

Standard Acura basic coverage, mid-pack for luxury brands.

Standard Acura powertrain coverage; trails Genesis/Hyundai-group 10-year coverage.

New for 2023: a transferable 2-year/24,000-mile complimentary maintenance plan plus three years of AcuraLink Security and Remote services, on top of Acura roadside assistance — a short included-maintenance window, but more than most mainstream rivals.

$45,245 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (46% retained, or about $20,813) leaves about $24,432 in depreciation. Add the projected $5,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $29,932 in total.

J.D. Power gives the 2023 TLX an Average Quality & Reliability score of 79/100. The 2023 model is a carry-over year in the second generation (launched for 2021), before the 2024 facelift, so the platform had two years in service with no major changes. Consumer Reports rated the brand near the top that year, but the TLX's model-level prediction is closer to average.

Acura was 4th in Consumer Reports' 2023 brand reliability ranking and 8th in J.D. Power's 2026 VDS, the study that covers 2023 model-year vehicles. That is consistently upper-mid-pack, but other years have been weaker: J.D. Power's 2025 VDS, covering MY2022, put Acura 24th of 30.

Four NHTSA campaigns cover the 2023 TLX. Two reach the volume 2.0T trim: a brake pedal pivot pin that was not secured, and a front-passenger occupant-classification airbag sensor. The fuel filler neck weld recall covers only 167 units, and the FI-ECU stall recall is limited to the Type S. That is above-typical activity, and some of it involves safety systems, but there is no structural or powertrain recall on the volume trim.

The volume trim's K20C-family 2.0L turbo four is shared with the Accord 2.0T and has a solid record. Owners of this generation report some issues with the 10-speed automatic and SH-AWD: torque-converter shudder, harsh downshifts, and transfer-case spline wear. Acura issued a shift-logic TSB for these, so the record is mixed rather than proven.

The second-generation cabin is a clear step up from its predecessor. It uses open-pore wood, real aluminum trim and soft-touch materials on most surfaces, which is strong for the roughly $45K volume price point. It still falls short of the class leaders' richness, and the True Touchpad Interface draws criticism.

The TLX is built at Honda's Marysville, Ohio plant, and press reviews report tight assembly with no squeaks or rattles. Owners did complain about cabin noise, which Acura answered with added insulation in the 2024 facelift, so the 2023 car still has that weakness.

Acura has roughly 270 US dealers. Metro coverage is reasonable, but the network is thinner than Lexus's or the big German brands' in rural areas, and its service satisfaction sits around the premium average.

Shared Honda parts (the 2.0T engine and 10AT) keep commodity parts plentiful, and repair costs are well below the German luxury rivals. SH-AWD and electronics parts are dealer-sourced and cost more.

The 10.2-inch display is standard but is not touch-capable; all input goes through the console touchpad, so the effective touchscreen benefit is lower than the size suggests.

The absolute-position touchpad is widely criticized as distracting and unintuitive, and it loses its direct mapping inside CarPlay/Android Auto.

CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every trim, and CarPlay is wireless from the 2022 model year on; wireless Android Auto could not be confirmed for 2023, and the touchpad makes projection clumsy to drive.

Natural-language voice recognition is standard and 3D-view navigation with real-time traffic comes from the Technology Package up, but the touchpad pushes most owners to phone projection.

Even the base car gets a 10-speaker premium system, the Technology Package brings a 13-speaker ELS Studio, and A-Spec/Advance get the well-regarded 17-speaker, 710-watt ELS Studio 3D.

The 2023 2.0T trims use analog gauges flanking a 7-inch color multi-information display; a full digital cluster arrived only with the 2024 facelift (12.3-inch).

AcuraLink provides connected services and map/telematics updates, but no feature-adding whole-vehicle OTA program existed for the 2023 TLX.

For 2023 Acura made three years of AcuraLink Security and Remote packages standard, so app-based remote start, lock/unlock and vehicle locate work out of the box; no phone-as-key.

Only two front 2.5A USB ports and a 12V outlet, nothing for rear passengers; the wireless pad is standard only from A-Spec up (dealer accessory on Base/Technology).

Proximity keyless access with personalized settings and push-button start are standard; fob remote start is standard only on Advance/Type S (accessory otherwise) though app remote start works on all trims; no phone-as-key.

Multi-view rear camera is standard and front/rear parking sensors come from the Technology Package up, but surround view is Advance-only and there is no automated parking.

A large 10.5-inch HUD is offered, but only on the top Advance trim — not on the volume Technology/A-Spec trims or even the Type S.

LATCH hardware is easy to use (IIHS G+), but 34.9 in of rear legroom and a low roofline make rear-facing seats and daily kid loading a squeeze.

IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5-star overall with AcuraWatch standard on every trim; blind-spot monitoring is omitted from the Base trim.

Comfortable front seats and good audio, but a cramped rear seat with no rear USB ports, heated rear seats only on Advance, and a 13.5 cu ft trunk limit four-person trips.

Torquey 2.0T and smooth ride make traffic easy, and auto brake hold plus low-speed-follow ACC help, but the touchpad infotainment adds daily friction and the cabin is noisy.

25 MPG combined (FWD) is middling for a 272-hp sedan and the 2.0T is designed around premium fuel.

A 194.6-in body and 40.1–40.2 ft turning circle are large for the city; front/rear sensors (Technology+) help, but surround view is Advance-only.

A small-trunk luxury sedan with no factory tow rating; not meaningfully work-capable.

Honda's K20C 2.0T and 10-speed are proven in the Accord, but the low luxury sedan body and premium interior are not suited to hard use.

No onboard power beyond a 12V outlet, no tie-downs, roof rails or upfit ecosystem.

Supportive front seats, standard adaptive cruise with lane centering and a 31-mpg highway rating help, but road noise on coarse surfaces wears on long drives.

Available SH-AWD adds foul-weather traction, but 5.3 in of ground clearance and no rails or tow rating keep it pavement-bound.

A 60/40 split-fold rear seat helps with long items, but the 13.5 cu ft trunk is small and there are no roof rails or hitch from the factory.

Double-wishbone front suspension and available fourth-gen SH-AWD give the TLX composed, nimble cornering, though the 2.0T is heavy and not the sharpest in the class.

Quick, variable-ratio steering but light and short on communication in normal mode; Sport mode adds welcome heft.

Electro-Servo brake-by-wire system gives firm, consistent pedal response; no complaints of fade or long stops on 2.0T models.

The 2.0T delivers strong low-end torque (280 lb-ft from 1,600 rpm) and the 10-speed is generally well matched, with occasional busy shifts.

The four-cylinder sounds coarse under hard throttle despite Active Sound Control, and engine noise contributes to the loud-cabin criticism.

A curb-to-curb diameter just over 40 ft is at the wide end of the sedan band.

Low sporty seating with 12-way (16-way on Advance) seats and a tilt/telescoping wheel suits most drivers, but the touchpad and push-button gear selector take adjustment.

Handles crisply and pulls well for a near-luxury sedan, especially with SH-AWD, but the 2.0T lacks the character of the Type S or rivals like the G70.

Base TLX includes a 272-hp turbo, LED lighting, power seats and AcuraWatch, and 2023 adds standard AcuraLink and complimentary maintenance; but premium audio, navigation and blind-spot extras sit in the Technology Package, and the pre-facelift touchpad interface carries over.

Undercuts the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class at comparable equipment, and the 355-hp Type S at ~$57k is strong performance per dollar, though 2023 prices rose ~$2,500 over 2022 and the 2.0T is thirsty and noisy for the class.

Seven priced configurations plus the limited Type S PMC Edition, with FWD or SH-AWD on the 2.0T and a ~$16k spread from base to Type S — a broader ladder than the three-model 2024 lineup.

About 16,700 US sales in 2023, a rebound from supply-constrained 2022 but small against segment leaders and on a declining long-term trajectory that ended the nameplate after MY2025.

Acura is respected for reliability and value but sits below BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Genesis on cachet in the luxury sedan class.

Acura layered lease and finance offers plus loyalty/military/graduate bonuses on the TLX through 2023 as inventory recovered, though early-2023 discounts were thinner than in later years.

Third year of the second generation launched for MY2021 — a carry-over year with a mid-cycle facelift arriving for MY2024, so the 2023 is current but about to be superseded.

Praised for styling, handling and the Type S, but reviewers repeatedly fault the touchpad infotainment, cabin noise and fuel economy; mid-pack in class rankings with no major awards.