The Acura TLX is a high-end luxury car that goes up against the likes of the Audi A4 sedan. Does it stand up to its rivals, or does it fall flat like some other sedans on the market? Consumer Reports wasn’t all that impressed with the hype of the TLX. The CR review explains just why they don’t come close to their competitors and why other vehicles, like the Honda Accord, do.

What you’ll get with the new Acura TLX 

All packaged up, the TLX is impressive. Consumer Reports awarded good marks for reliability, fuel economy, price, and acceleration times. It particularly impressed them that the transmission and braking performance were top-notch for a vehicle that lands in the higher price range.

Under the hood, you’ll find a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that boasts an acceleration time of 7.4 seconds. As an alternative, you could choose to upgrade to the V6 motor, which provides plenty of power to push the car from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. 

Another feature that Consumer Reports gave one of their highest marks on was the transmission. The eight-speed dual-clutch provides the automated manual technology that’s rising fast in our modern vehicles. However, most of these types of transmissions bring some unwanted vibration issues, but the torque converter seen with the TLX helps to eliminate that. 

What the Honda Accord offers

One of the TLX’s unspoken rivals happens to be the Honda Accord. While it’s not marketed as a high-luxury vehicle like the TLX, it manages to hold its own quite well with what it has to offer. Consumer Reports gave it a score of 82 out of 100.

The Accord impressed them with its fuel economy, road handling, interior quality, cargo space, and seat comfort. Powering it up is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that puts out 192 hp. Matched with it is a CVT automatic transmission that helps it go from 0 to 60 mph in just under eight seconds. 

An engine and transmission upgrade are available with the higher trim levels. You can choose the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a 10-speed automatic. At 252 hp, it not only provides tons of power, but gear shifting is also incredibly smooth. 

Does the Honda Accord or Acura TLX offer more value?

The Acura TLX looks good mostly on paper. The features are impressive, for sure, but there’s nothing to make it stand out in its class. In fact, competitors provide much more luxurious interior than what you get with the Acura. Performance is mediocre when you put it up against its rivals, and its reliability isn’t quite as good.  

The Accord isn’t considered a luxury vehicle, but it has plenty of features that put it into the luxury class in its own right. High-quality materials are used throughout the interior, with comfortable seating and plenty of legroom, which make it more than capable of taking on the TLX. 

When you compare the two, the Honda Accord offers more standard features for the price than you’ll find with the TLX. When it comes to safety test, the Accord eeks out a victory. The TLX got all five stars from the NHTSA, and so did the Accord. The IIHS gave a “good” rating for the TLX in all areas except for the front small overlap driver’s side. The Accord received all “good” ratings across the board. 

In the end, the Accord is just as much a luxury vehicle, if not more, than the TLX, which is marketed as one. When it comes to price, you might want to consider choosing the Accord instead of the TLX for better overall value.