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| Photo Credit: Acura |
Created for a premium-minded clientele, sport sedans continue to be a fruitful market for auto companies even as other vehicles prove popular with the larger population. The initial formula of marrying solid handling and strong engine power combining with a well-appointed interior is not immediately complex. Though the creation of a sport sedan may sound easy, the major challenge for car makers is selling the sizzle as much as the steak. A successful sport sedan manages to win over drivers with a well-tuned, well-balanced character-fueled experience behind the wheel.
As a relatively younger luxury car brand compared to leading German and American brands, Acura had immediately garnered attention for its modern take on premium motoring. With their TLX sedan, the Honda-derived luxury marque’s combination of contemporary refinements and energizing performance in an accessible four-door style. For 2021, the Acura TLX is completely revised for battle in the sport sedan segment for its second generation in the marketplace.
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| Photo Credit: Acura |
The 2021 Acura TLX instantly conveys a stronger, bolder performance look than its predecessor. Drawing inspiration from their Type S Concept car shown at last year’s Monterrey Car Week, body lines along the hood and door panels are more deeply defined on the new TLX sedan. Other styling details of note with the 2021 TLX are prominent wheel arches, shortened rear decklid and Jewel Eye LED headlights incorporating ‘Chicane’ daytime running lights bidding tribute to Acura’s sports car racing prototype program.
The redesigned sedan is based on an all-new platform boasting incredible rigidity and a low overall weight. Acura touts the 2021 model year TLX’s chassis structure is 56 percent lighter compared to the outgoing model it replaces using aluminum and hard-pressed steel. The new Acura TLX sport sedan’s upgraded handling will include variable-ratio steering and an electro-servo brake system derived from the company’s NSX supercar. Standard wheel size for the 2021 Acura TLX will grow by a single inch to 18 inches while new 255-series performance tires pledges to add 20 percent greater lateral grip. An A-Spec sport package will be offered with 19-inch wheels in addition to gloss black exterior accents and a larger rear spoiler.
Inside a slightly larger cabin area, the TLX sport sedan features a steady flow of comfort and technology within a “Dual Personal Cockpit” theme as a wide center tunnel divides the two front occupants. The 2021 Acura TLX’s interior design also features advanced sport seats and the option high-grade materials. Another option on the TLX is a LED ambient interior lighting system allowing occupants to choose between 24 light schemes. A 10.2-inch HD quality center display operates through the interaction of a new touchpad interface. With 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, a host of connected and/or cloud-based services will be available. The new Acura TLX will also include a full array of safety features such as the AcuraWatch suite of accident-avoiding driver assists as well as a new front passenger airbag design.
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| Photo Credit: Acura |
Under the hood, the latest generation Acura TLX will feature an all-turbocharged engine lineup delivering upgraded power over the 2020 vehicle. The base powerplant for the 2021 TLX is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that includes the Honda/Acura VTEC technology and direct injection in addition to the turbocharger. This new 2.0-liter double overhead cam powerplant boasts a performance output that eclipses both the previous model’s four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines. Generating 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, the base engine for the 2021 model year produces 32 percent greater horsepower than the naturally-aspirated four-cylinder it replaces. Unlike the previous TLX, the second generation version of the sedan will make available the luxury brand’s SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) system with its base powerplant.
The 2021 Acura TLX will also serve as the launching pad for a new generation Type S model. Attached to Acura’s performance-tuned models through the 2000s, the Type S moniker was last seen in Canada on the Civic-based CSX sedan in 2011. The reappearance of the performance nameplate with the TLX will combine standard SH-AWD with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine. Output for the higher performance TLX Type S has yet to be disclosed. Arriving in the spring of 2021, the Acura TLX Type S sedan will also stand out with features such as quad exhaust outlets, more aggressive aerodynamic features and 20-inch wheel designs.
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| Photo Credit: Acura |
Another recent change to the Acura product line has reformed the purpose of the TLX as the second generation model will enter showrooms. The luxury brand announced last month the discontinuation of the larger RLX sedan after the 2020 model year. Previously positioned between the ILX and RLX, the all-new Acura TLX is now being elevated to the top range sedan for 2021.
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