Production-Ready Acura TLX Sedan Debuts in New York

The 2014 New York Motor Show is finally here, and with it comes the all-new, production-ready Acura TLX premium sedan. Obviously, we’re all itching to see with car looks like, so go ahead and have a look below:

To be fair, we already knew that this car was on its way. Not only did we see the Acura TLX in prototype form back at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, but Honda had already told us that the Honda Spirior / Acura TSX successor would be coming to New York. When the Acura TLX sedan goes on sale at the end of this year as a 2015MY, it will replace the Acura TL and TSX.

Moving on to discuss the actual car, the Acura TLX is almost a direct replica of the TLX prototype from Detroit. You can see the prototype pictured below:

As you can see, the exterior changes are very minor. The front clip has been slightly toned down from the prototype, the wheels are smaller and not quite as sporty, the side mirrors are a little larger, and the rear bumper and taillights have been rounded out. Oh, and the fancy side sills have been removed. But, on the whole, the production-ready Acura TLX remains the same as the TLX prototype.

Moving beneath the hood, the 2015 Acura TLX will come with two powertrain options:

The first powertrain option features a naturally aspirated 2.4L four-cylinder engine that outputs 206hp. The engine is connected to the front wheels via a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission with a torque converter. This one gets an estimated EPA fuel-economy of 28mpg combined (24mpg city, 35mpg highway).

The second powertrain gets a 3.5L petrol V6 engine that outputs 290hp. This one gets the same 8-speed DCT and torque converter, but also has the option of including Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive if you don’t want front-wheel drive. Surprisingly, this higher displacement engine doesn’t lose very much fuel economy; it’s anticipated to get 21mpg in the city, 34mpg on the highway and 25mpg combined.

The Acura TLX’s improved fuel economy over the previous Acura TSX and TL is due in large part to its lightweight design. Acura specifically compares the TLX Technology Package to the outgoing Acura TL Technology Package, claiming that the new model is an astounding 145 pounds lighter than the old one.

Speaking of technology, Acura has made it clear that there will be lots of it in the new TLX luxury sedan. For example, the TLX gets cool LEDs infused around the headlights, side mirrors, taillights and license plate. Inside, it gets Smart Entry/Push Button Start for a keyless entry and ignition, along with a 7-inch On Demand Multi-Use Display.

Perhaps most importantly of all, though, is the attention that Acura has paid to the TLX’s drivability and ride quality. They’ve integrated a new feature called Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS), first seen on the Acura RLX last year. This basically allows the TLX to optimally maneuver each rear wheel independently. In addition, the sedan uses extra strong steel and noise-canceling foam for chassis rigidity and a quiet cabin.

The Acura TLX sedan may not be the flashiest premium sedan on the market, but it certainly doesn’t want for features. It’s exactly the type of luxury car you’d expect from a brand like Honda – not the most exciting, but reliable, quiet and soothing.

We’ll know more about pricing and availability when the Acura TLX goes on sale at the end of 2014. Until then, thanks for reading and come back tomorrow for more New York Motor Show news