Compare the2024 BMW 5 SeriesVS 2024 Acura TLX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 5 Series 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.

The 5 Series has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The TLX doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The 5 Series has a standard Active Park Distance 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 5 Series and TLX have rear cross-traffic warning, but the 5 Series has Brake Intervention (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The TLX’s Rear Cross Traffic Monitor doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the 5 Series 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 seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The BMW 5 Series achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The TLX has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

The 5 Series’ corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the TLX’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the TLX (3/36,000 vs. 2/24,000).

There are over 28 percent more BMW dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the 5 Series’ warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Acura vehicles. With 15 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Acura.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Acura is rated below average.

Engine

The 530i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 15 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 280) than the TLX’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The 540i xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 20 more horsepower (375 vs. 355) and 44 lbs.-ft. more torque (398 vs. 354) than the TLX Type S’ standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the 530i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Acura TLX turbo 4 cyl.:

	5 Series	TLX
Zero to 60 MPH	5.5 sec	5.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.2 sec	14.5 sec
Top Speed	155 MPH	131 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series gets better mileage than the TLX:

			MPG
5 Series
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	27 city/35 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	26 city/33 hwy
TLX
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/31 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/29 hwy
		3.0 turbo V6	19 city/25 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the 5 Series’ fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The TLX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Environmental Friendliness

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

Transmission

The 5 Series’ launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The TLX doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the 5 Series’ standard brake rotors are larger than those on the TLX:

	5 Series	TLX
Front Rotors	13.4 inches	13 inches

The 5 Series’ standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the TLX are solid, not vented.

The 5 Series stops much shorter than the TLX:

	5 Series	TLX
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	177 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

The 5 Series’ optional 275/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the TLX Type S’ 35 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 5 Series offers optional 21-inch wheels. The TLX’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The 5 Series has a standard space-saver spare tire 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.

Suspension and Handling

The 5 Series offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The TLX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 5 Series offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Acura doesn’t offer an active suspension on the TLX.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series’ wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the TLX (117.9 inches vs. 113 inches).

The 5 Series’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.5% to 47.5%) than the TLX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the 5 Series more stable handling and braking.

The 530i xDrive handles at .92 G’s, while the TLX A-Spec SH-AWD pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The front grille of the 5 Series 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 while cruising at 70 MPH, the interior of the 530i xDrive is quieter than the TLX Type S (68 vs. 71 dB).

Passenger Space

The 5 Series has 1.9 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room, 1.4 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the TLX.

Cargo Capacity

The 5 Series has a much larger trunk than the TLX (18.4 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 5 Series’ power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The TLX doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the 5 Series is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the TLX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the TLX, the 5 Series has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the 5 Series and the TLX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 5 Series 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.

The 5 Series’ standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Entry standard on the TLX doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The 5 Series’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The TLX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the 5 Series offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The TLX doesn’t offer cornering lights. The 5 Series also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the 5 Series to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The TLX doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The 5 Series’ standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The TLX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the 5 Series and the TLX offer available heated front seats. The 5 Series also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the TLX.

The 5 Series offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the TLX.

The 5 Series’ Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The TLX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Acura TLX by 34% during 2023.