Road Report: Luxury Compact Sedans
Buick rides high when it comes to making the most of your luxury dollars and cents. The Regal, with its $34,485 as-tested price, is a well-equipped car for the money. Its 24 mpg overall is respectable when coming from a 259-hp motor. It also boasts Europhile driving qualities and above-average reliability. The Acura TLX has a low starting price, and its options packages provide good value for your incremental dollar. The base engine may lack driving thrills, but it’s a sound, less flashy alternative. Value is often about more than what comes out of your pocket. The Audi A4 and Volvo S60 historically have offered attractive leases that undercut the big German brands—if you are flexible about the timing. But the BMW 328i exemplifies the idea that paying a few extra bucks is worth it. The Bimmer is rewarding to drive, gets great fuel economy, and delivers enough luxury appointments to justify its price.
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Or should I just buy a loaded Accord?
What do you really get with an Acura TLX that you don’t get from a loaded version of its corporate cousin, the Honda Accord? To find out, we compared our four-cylinder TLX, which stickered at $35,920, with a $33,090 Accord EX-L V6. Both did well in our road tests, but the Accord finished with 84 points vs. the TLX’s 80.
In addition to costing about three grand less, the Accord’s 278-hp, 3.5-liter V6 has 72 more ponies than the TLX’s 206-hp four-cylinder.
The Accord is a full second quicker than the TLX to 60 mph. But with the TLX, you get a modern eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission, which has a more direct and sporty feel than the Accord’s conventional six-speed.
But the driving experience is quite different. Whereas the Accord V6’s power delivery is lush and smooth, the TLX’s feels crisper and more guttural. The Acura was more capable in handling and braking, and it has a quieter cabin; we found the Honda’s ride to be choppy.
Both come with such important standard features as dual-zone climate control, backup camera, and power driver and passenger heated leather seats. Their infotainment and safety suites are similarly equipped.
The TLX’s touted all-wheel steering didn’t seem to benefit agility or maneuverability. And the Accord’s conventional halogen headlamps illuminated stronger and farther than the Acura’s hyped LED setup.
Sure, the TLX has three more stereo speakers and one more year of warranty. And though it’s slower, the TLX rides better and feels sportier. If those things, plus the prestige badge, are worth the $3,000, go for it.
