Spending some quality time behind the wheel of this 2025 Acura TLX A-Spec made me realize two things: luxury sport sedans are still charming, and pretty much no one else out there cares about that fact. Let’s dive in.
How has the Acura TLX aged?
When this second-generation Acura TLX debuted in 2020, its striking good looks instantly caught my eye and I still find it attractive to this day. Acura gave the TLX a very subtle facelift last year, but the looks carry on unchanged this year. I am more than OK with that. The silhouette is a good blend between a sedan and a coupe, with a swooping roofline and wide proportions, and I think the heavily sculpted lines have aged well. This A-Spec tester sits between the base TLX and the spicy Type S, which gets a similar styling dress-up along with special badging, but keeps the base engine.
Inside, the TLX is unchanged from previous years. It still features a button-shifter finished off with a chrome drive-mode selector on top, and Acura still uses a good amount of physical buttons for the climate controls, making for an easy user experience. Unfortunately, unlike the 2025 Acura MDX, you still control the infotainment using the old and clunky touchpad. But with the TLX rumoured to be getting the axe after this generation, I am not holding out hope for an update to a touchscreen.
Fortunately, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto minimize the need to use the touchpad, and the 17-speaker ELS Studio sound system plays a decent soundtrack. Also on the tech front, Acura offers their full suite of active safety and driver assists standard on all TLX models, including adaptive cruise control, automatic high beans, lane-keep assist with departure warning, and much more.
How does the TLX A-Spec drive?
Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the TLX A-Spec puts out 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It is a healthy amount to get the TLX going effortlessly, and turbo lag is not really noticeable thanks to the quick-shifting 10-speed automatic. If you are looking for the most acceleration prowess, do yourself a favour and spring for the Type S and its 355-horsepower twin-turbo V6. Officially, the TLX A-Spec’s fuel economy is rated at 11.3 L/100 kilometres in the city, 8.1 highway, and 9.8 combined. I averaged 10.5 L/100 km over my mixed commute. Acura recommends premium fuel to fill the TLX’s 60-litre tank, but it will gladly accept 87.
I loved the size and shape of the steering wheel; it fit so well in my hands and the response is quite accurate, despite the lack of weight or feel. The chassis is tuned to offer a bit of fun, though understeer is evident if you push it too hard entering a corner. While the closely related RDX offers suprisingly more feel, I almost always prefer wringing out a sedan over a crossover because of their inherently better balance and stability, and that preference applies to the TLX as well. Acura’s all-wheel-drive system delivers power to the front wheels first, but I had zero issues with traction and torque steer is minimal.
Another reason I prefer sedans is for their sheer comfort. They generally do not need to be as stiff as crossovers, because they do not need to compensate for the additional suspension travel and weight. The TLX A-Spec delivers well on this front, soaking up bumps and other road imperfections much better than the Type S. There is good headroom and legroom up front, and although the sloping roofline limits headroom in the rear a little bit, the bench is actually quite wide and supportive. The TLX’s trunk is only 382 litres, but the wide opening makes loading it up easy.
Final thoughts
The 2025 Acura TLX A-Spec starts at $54,990, with the only two options selected on our tester being the Urban Grey Pearl exterior colour and red leather interior, both of which bringing it to $56,490 as-tested. With most buyers shifting to crossovers, pushing demand — and subsequently prices — up, there is a good sense of value to the TLX. I just hope it sticks around for at least another generation so they can fix the infotainment.
