Compare the2024 Honda AccordVS 2023 Acura TLX

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Accord are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The TLX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Accord Touring has a standard Low Speed Braking Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The TLX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Accord and the TLX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Accord its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The TLX has not been fully tested, yet.

There are almost 4 times as many Honda dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Accord’s warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Accord’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the TLX’s camshafts. If the TLX’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Accord’s reliability 25 points higher than the TLX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 14 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 3 places higher in reliability than Acura.

As tested in Motor Trend the Accord Hybrid 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Accord gets better mileage than the TLX:

Regenerative brakes improve the Accord Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The TLX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Accord uses regular unleaded gasoline. The TLX requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Honda Accord higher (7 out of 10) than the Acura TLX (5 to 7). This means the Accord produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the TLX every 15,000 miles.

The Accord has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The TLX doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Accord stops shorter than the TLX:

The Accord has a standard space-saver spare (not available on Hybrid) so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the TLX; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The Accord Touring Hybrid handles at .88 G’s, while the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Accord’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the TLX’s (38.4 feet vs. 40.1 feet). The Accord’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the TLX with 19/20-inch wheels’ (38.4 feet vs. 40.2 feet).

The Honda Accord may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 700 pounds less than the Acura TLX.

The front grille of the Accord uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The TLX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Accord Touring Hybrid is quieter than the TLX Type S:

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Accord a Large car, while the TLX is rated a Compact.

The Accord has 12.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the TLX (105.7 vs. 93.4).

The Accord has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more rear headroom, 5.9 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and 1.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the TLX.

The Accord has a much larger trunk than the TLX (16.7 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

The power windows standard on both the Accord and the TLX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Accord is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The TLX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Accord, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Acura TLX isn't recommended.

The Honda Accord outsold the Acura TLX by over 13 to one during 2022.