This luxury car perfectly combines performance and reliability

Some cars are built to look cool. Others are built to go fast. Very few manage to thread the needle where everyday usability and real performance meet, especially in the luxury car segment. Then there’s the 2025 Acura TLX Type S – a sedan that refuses to follow trends 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 uncomfortable, but doesn’t bury its impressive performance under layers of inscrutable technology. Meanwhile, its engineering roots – built on Honda’s disciplined architecture and Acura’s long-standing reputation for reliability – give buyers something that most luxury sedans struggle to offer: the confidence that this car will still feel powerful and reliable years later.

The Acura TLX Type S is fast, but not alone

355 horses from a refined V6

Under the hood of the 2025 Acura TLX The Type S features a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 that produces 355 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque – numbers that keep it respectable among sports sedans. This is not an artificially inflated power for the sake of headlines. The engine’s torque curve delivers usable thrust from low revs through the mid-range, making everyday passing and highway acceleration feeling intuitive rather than frantic.

This powerplant is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission that shifts quickly and comfortably in normal driving, or with firmer logic when you choose the sportier driving modes. It’s a combination 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 right off the bat when pushing it to full potential, during rolling acceleration maneuvers and corner exits, the TLX Type S’s turbocharged V6 really seemed to shine, with excellent Brembo brakes and a firm yet fully controllable pedal to match.

– Chris Chin for TopSpeed

Four-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 is maintained even under hard input – a testament to the adaptive damper system and precise suspension geometry. What’s especially remarkable is how these mechanical elements work together without feeling artificial. There is no forced torque vectoring gimmick. Instead, the car’s behavior resembles the work of engineers who understand how a driver feels performance, not just how they measure it.

Practical performance for everyday use

0-60 and fuel consumption: both checked

The TLX Type S accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.7 seconds thanks to its hot 3.0-liter turbocharged V6. It’s not launching as a dedicated sports car, but it feels lively and confident – ​​punchy without the face melting.

Fuel economy is around 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, with about 21 mpg combined. That’s about what you’d expect from a high-performance V6 sedan with AWD with this balance of performance and weight. It’s not efficient by hybrid or electric standards, but it’s perfectly reasonable for what this machine is. There are some downsides to wanting a luxury car that is both reliable and fast. Fuel economy is one of those things, and yet the Acura isn’t bad.

Interior comfort and everyday usability

Luxury without blackout

Inside, the TLX Type S feels like a premium sedan without trying too hard. Acura’s Precision Cockpit digital instrument cluster and center-mounted display clearly present relevant information instead of bombarding you with menus. Thanks to generous seat adjustability and a calm dashboard layout, long miles feel less like an endurance event.

The front seats are typically 12-way electrically adjustable with lumbar support, making them suitable for drivers of different sizes. Behind you, rear passengers won’t find limousine-like legroom, but there’s still plenty of room for adults on highway journeys without complaint. Cargo space is about 13.5 cubic feet, which is typical for midsize luxury sedans and good enough for weekend luggage or daily errands.

Acura makes technology that serves

Acura’s infotainment won’t win any design awards, but it delivers what most drivers want: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, intuitive climate control and a heads-up display on higher trims. It works without the need for endless swipes or fiddly menus, a subtle distinction that many luxury buyers quietly appreciate. Safety technology reflects 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 functionality without turning it into a rolling smartphone.

Reliability and cost of ownership

Acura’s reputation is not hyped

Acura has long benefited from its parent company’s reputation for making cars that work. RepairPalFor example, the 2025 TLX family – including this Type S – rates highly for reliability with a 4.5/5 rating and strong performance among midsize luxury cars. Honda’s engineering philosophy leans conservatively where it matters: simple, robust mechanics; proven transmission calibrations; electronics that help rather than complicate: they all contribute to a car that does not require the dealer’s attention for every quirk.

Acura TLX recall

It’s worth noting that there has been a recall affecting some TLX Type S models in recent years – related to a software issue with the fuel injection control module that dealers addressed via reprogramming – but there were no catastrophic failures associated with this fix, and Honda’s recall campaign was proactive and transparent. This is the kind of confidence buyers can guarantee when they choose an Acura or Honda branded model.

Cost of ownership factor

According to data from Kelley Blue BookThe five-year cost of ownership for the TLX Type S – including fuel, maintenance, insurance and depreciation – is $68,128, which lands in the mid-range for entry-level luxury vehicles, neither at the bottom nor at the top. That’s a good sign: you’re not paying a toll on reliability as you chase performance. This combination of technical restraint, proven components and thoughtful packaging makes the TLX Type S one of the more balanced performance sedans on the market.

TopSpeed’s opinion

Proven technology 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 from sedans to SUVs. That makes this Type S one of the last of its kind: a performance-oriented sedan that was born at the moment when this segment is dying out. That context changes the way smart buyers look at it. Instead of chasing the latest SUV, some opt for a sedan that’s still purposeful, engaging and satisfying to drive.

Comparing the TLX Type S to rivals from BMW, Audi or Mercedes, it’s easy to fixate on peak power 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. It may be that European competitors are faster on paper, quieter at highway speeds or more luxurious in terms of material quality. But how many of them can deliver the goods every day without frequent dealer visits or unexplained quirks?

Sources: Edmunds, Kelly Blue book, RepairPal, NHTSAThe EPA