Some cars are built to look cool. Others are built to go fast. Very few manage to thread the needle where daily usability meets genuine performance, especially in the luxury car segment. Then there’s the 2025 Acura TLX Type S — a sedan that refuses to follow trends, all while quietly proving that you can have both excitement and confidence in one package.
What makes this particular sedan interesting in 2026 is the way Acura straddles two automotive worlds. It offers enough firepower to shrug off general traffic without feeling obnoxious, yet it doesn’t bury its impressive performance under layers of inscrutable tech. Meanwhile, its engineering roots — built on Honda’s disciplined architecture and Acura’s long-standing reliability reputation — give buyers something most luxury performance sedans struggle to offer: confidence that this car will still feel punchy and dependable years down the road.
The Acura TLX Type S Is Fast — But Not Just
355 Horses From A Refined V6
Under the hood of the 2025 Acura TLX Type S sits a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that produces 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque — numbers that keep it respectable among sport sedans. This isn’t artificially inflated power for the sake of headlines. The engine’s torque curve delivers usable thrust from low RPMs through the midrange, making everyday passing and highway acceleration feel intuitive rather than frantic.
This powerplant is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and comfortably in normal driving, or with firmer logic when you dial up the sportier drive modes. It’s a pairing that respects the nature of a luxury performance sedan — fast when you ask for it, composed when you don’t.
Turbo lag is minimal, and while the TLX Type S didn’t feel quite as eclectic immediately off the line when giving it the full beans, it’s during rolling acceleration maneuvers and powering out of corners that the TLX Type S’s turbocharged V6 truly seemed to shine, with excellent Brembo brakes and a firm, yet totally manageable pedal to match.
– Chris Chin for TopSpeed
All-Wheel Drive And Precision Chassis
Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) gives the TLX Type S traction and confidence that rivals many European counterparts. Weight transfer is controlled, and cornering balance remains composed even under hard inputs — a testament to the adaptive damper system and precision suspension geometry. What’s particularly noteworthy is how these mechanical elements work in concert without feeling artificial. There’s no forced torque vectoring gimmickry. Instead, the car’s behavior reads like the work of engineers who understand how a driver feels performance, not just how they measure it.
The Japanese Car That Quietly Beats Luxury Brands At Their Own Game
A luxury sedan that shuns the spotlight, yet outshines its rivals in the areas that truly matter.
Practical Performance For Everyday Use
0-60 And Fuel Economy — Both Sense-Checked
The TLX Type S hits 0–60 mph in around 4.7 seconds thanks to its hot 3.0-liter turbocharged V6. It isn’t launching like a dedicated sports car, but it feels lively and confident — spirited without being face-melting.
Fuel economy sits around 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, with about 21 mpg combined. That’s roughly what you’d expect for a powerful AWD V6 sedan with this balance of performance and weight. It isn’t efficient by hybrid or electric standards, but it’s entirely reasonable for what this machine is. There are some tradeoffs in wanting a luxury car that’s both reliable and fast. Fuel economy is one of those things, and still, the Acura isn’t bad.
10 Reasons Why The Acura TLX Type S Is Still A Top ICE Sports Sedan In 2025
With a lower price than competitors from German brands, the TLX Type S has some major selling points.
Interior Comfort And Everyday Usability
Luxury Without Obfuscation
Inside, the TLX Type S feels like a premium sedan without trying too hard. Acura’s Precision Cockpit digital instrument cluster and centrally mounted display deliver relevant information cleanly rather than assaulting you with menus. Generous seat adjustability and a quiet dash layout make long miles feel like less of an endurance event.
Front seats typically grant upwards of 12-way power adjustments with lumbar support, making them accommodating for drivers of various sizes. Behind you, rear passengers won’t find limo-like legroom, but there’s still sufficient space for adults on highway drives without complaints. Cargo space clocks in at around 13.5 cubic feet, which is typical for mid-size luxury sedans and good enough for weekend luggage or daily errands.
Find 2025 Acura TLX and more cars for sale on our Marketplace
Acura Makes Tech That Serves
Acura’s infotainment won’t win design awards, but it delivers what most drivers want: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, intuitive climate controls, and a heads-up display on higher trims. It works without demanding endless swipes or awkward menus, a subtle distinction that many luxury buyers quietly appreciate. Safety tech echoes this philosophy: lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, automatic emergency braking — all standard or readily available — wrap the car in layers of practicality without turning it into a rolling smartphone.
Reliability And Ownership Cost
Acura’s Reputation Isn’t Hyped
Acura has long benefited from its parent company’s reputation for making cars that work. RepairPal, for example, rates the 2025 TLX family — including this Type S — highly for reliability with a 4.5/5 rating and strong performance among luxury midsize cars. Honda’s engineering philosophy leans conservative where it matters: simple, robust mechanicals; proven transmission calibrations; electronics that assist rather than complicate — all contribute to a vehicle that doesn’t demand dealer attention for every quirk.
Acura TLX Recalls
It’s worth mentioning that recent years have seen a recall affecting some TLX Type S models — related to a fuel injection control module software issue that dealers are addressing via reprogramming — but no catastrophic failures were tied to this fix, and Honda’s recall campaign has been proactive and transparent. This is the type of trust buyers can guarantee when opting for any model under the Acura or Honda brand.
Cost Of Ownership Factor
According to data from Kelley Blue Book, five-year ownership costs for the TLX Type S — including fuel, maintenance, insurance, and depreciation – is $68,128, landing in mid-pack for entry-luxury vehicles, not at the bottom, not at the top. That’s a good sign: you’re not paying a toll on reliability while chasing performance. This combination of engineering restraint, proven components, and thoughtful packaging makes the TLX Type S one of the more balanced performance sedans on the market.
10 Modern Sedans With V6 Engines That Skipped The Turbo Trend
These models prove that natural aspiration, though a fading aspect, still delivers solid results in today’s market.
TopSpeed’s Take
Proven Engineering And Quality Over Flashy Gimmicks
There’s a bit of irony in the 2025 TLX Type S story: Acura announced the end of TLX production in the summer of 2025, following the industry trend away from sedans and toward SUVs. That makes this Type S one of the last of its kind — a performance sedan born just as the segment is dying. That context changes how savvy buyers might view it. Instead of chasing the newest SUV, some are choosing a sedan that still feels purposeful, engaging, and satisfying to drive.
If you compare the TLX Type S to rivals from BMW, Audi, or Mercedes, it’s easy to fixate on peak horsepower or next-level infotainment. What sets the Type S apart is the sum of its parts: an exciting powertrain, an intuitive AWD system, sensible real-world performance, and the reliability backbone that comes from decades of Honda engineering. You might find European competitors are faster on paper, quieter at highway speeds, or more luxurious by material grade. But how many of those can deliver the goods every day without frequent dealer visits or unexplained quirks?
Sources: Edmunds, Kelly Blue Book, RepairPal, NHTSA, The EPA