- The 2024 Acura TLX gets a simplified model lineup, meaning more features on models from the entry-level TLX Technology to the hi-po Type S.
- The redesigned front fascia is the biggest news for this model year.
- There’s also a quieter cabin and larger dash and infotainment displays.
The second-generation TLX compact luxury sedan gets a mild redesign for its halfway point, with a focus on what Acura says its customers like most: the sedan’s big, elegant exterior design and well-stocked larder of interior features. While the overall profile of the TLX remains unchanged—why fix what was gorgeously unbroken?—the 2024 models get new, even more sparkling frameless grilles, additional color options, and, in a case of less is more, a streamlined model lineup.
A Simpler TLX Lineup
In 2023, there were nearly two hands’ worth of available trims, from the rather paltry entry-level base model to the limited Type S PMC Edition. Then there were choices about front- or all-wheel drive, and performance packages, and it’s no wonder customers asked Acura to simplify. For 2024, the Technology package is now standard, available only with front-wheel drive. A-Spec and Type S models round out the offerings, both with all-wheel drive.
The new grille for the base and A-Spec TLX (above) features a glittering wider diamond mesh pattern, a sort of spiderweb covered in dew, while the Type S (top) gets a tighter pattern. Both grilles are done in gloss black. Unseen, but sure to be useful, is a new radar behind the Acura logo. Type S also has a full surround camera. The TLX and A-Spec get a 19-inch split five-spoke wheel in dark gray, while the Type S gets 20-inch wheels in shiny black. Both cars were shown on all-season rubber, but the TLX Type S is available with high-performance summer tires, on copper 20-inch wheels.
Around the back, the A-Spec gets a new diffuser and round exhaust tips. The Type S, already with a more aggressive diffuser and quad tips, remains unchanged, although a carbon-fiber option is available for the spoiler. Two fresh paint colors make their way to the TLX: a new shade, Urban Gray Pearl (for A-Spec and Type S only), and the darker Liquid Carbon Metallic, which we first saw on the MDX (for TLX with Technology package only).
Nothin’ New Under the Hood
Don’t expect any major performance changes from any of the TLX models. The Technology and A-Spec use the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque as in 2023, although you’ll find it quieter in the A-Spec, which now has thicker carpets, more noise-cushioning padding, and acoustic glass in the front doors. Over at the Type S, it keeps its turbo 3.0-liter V-6, making 355 horses and 354 pound-feet of torque, but with the modes tweaked for quicker throttle response in the sporty settings. Both engine options are backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission.
Step into the cabin, after you choose either a red or black leather interior—the Type S additionally offers Pearly Orchid—and you’ll find a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a matching 12.3-inch center screen—that’s 20 percent more screen than the 2023 models; more important, it’s faster to respond to inputs. Phone connectivity is standard, and TLX now offers Amazon Alexa Built-In. Rear-seat passengers now get charging ports, and a wireless charging pad is standard on all models.
Shoppers looking for a glamorous alternative to the usual German sporty sedans can look for the TLX at an Acura dealer in late November.
Senior Editor, Features
Like a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.
