ACURA has axed an iconic model just days after making major changes to its services – much to the frustration of some drivers.
The Japanese brand, which is the luxury and performance division of Honda but is based primarily in the US, recently pulled the plug on its telematics system.
Acura have riled up drivers by removing a highly useful telematics service[/caption]
The Japanese brand have also binned off their TLX sedan[/caption]
And now the brand is also discontinuing the Acura TLX sedan, with production ending later this month.
That makes 2025 its final model year and marks the end of the second-gen TLX, which debuted in 2021.
The company has cited declining sales as the reason behind the decision, with Acura selling a mere 3,634 TLX units in the first half of 2025 – a huge drop from its peak of over 47,000 units sold in 2015.
The TLX’s lineage actually dates back to the mid-1990s, when the TL replaced the Legend sedan and ran for four generations before it was renamed TLX in 2015.
Now, with the TLX’s departure, Acura will only sell a single non-SUV model – the famed Integra hatchback – following the earlier discontinuation of the RLX sedan in 2020 and the NSX supercar in 2022.
But, Acura does plan to replace the TLX with a new electric SUV, adopting the RSX nameplate previously used for a sporty coupe in the mid-2000s, which will be built at Honda’s EV hub in Marysville, Ohio.
The RSX will ride on Acura’s new in-house electric platform, which will eventually expand to other Honda and Acura models.
This aside, Acura has also discontinued its AcuraLink telematics services for previous-generation models, sparking outrage among owners.
AcuraLink was deactivated from July 21 for several models, including the RLX (2014–2020), MDX (2014–2020), TLX (2015–2020), RDX (2016–2018), ILX (2016–2022) and NSX supercar (2017–2022).
While most pre-2018 models were previously affected by the 3G network sunset, hardware updates allowed continued connectivity.
However, even updated vehicles will lose access to features like stolen vehicle tracking, remote locking/unlocking, security alarm alerts and automatic collision notification.
Acura has promised pro-rated refunds for customers with subscriptions extending beyond the cutoff date.
But naturally, the decision has upset many loyal Acura owners – with many claiming it undermines Acura’s appeal to those planning to keep their vehicles for many years.
One response on social media summed up driver anger: “Gonna have to start asking AcuraClientCare for prorated refunds for all the times I try to use Acuralink and get a ‘Service Unavailable’ message.
“I’m paying for it and it’s broken more than it works.”
Acura replied to this individual in an attempt to find a resolution: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I’m sorry for the frustration you’ve experienced with AcuraLink’s reliability.”
How to save money at the mechanic
THERE are several services offered by mechanics that drivers should never pay for, according to a car expert.
Ron Krauch, an automotive writer, warned drivers not to trust everything they hear in the shop in an exclusive conversation with The U.S. Sun.
He said it’s important for vehicle owners to recognize the difference between their car’s manufacturer’s service schedule and what mechanics are trying to sell.
Any work referred to as a “dealer recommended service” is often an attempt at upselling, Krauch warned.
One of these useless upsells is fuel injecting clearing, which removes built-up dirt and debris from a vehicle’s fuel system to improve performance.
“Modern vehicles typically have fuel systems that are designed to stay clean, especially with the use of high-quality gasoline that contains detergents to keep injectors free of deposits,” he said.
Drivers should also always say no to engine flushes, as modern vehicles don’t need any help cleaning out “sludge or deposits.”
“Most modern engines and oils are formulated to stay clean, and if you regularly change your oil on schedule, you shouldn’t need this service,” he said.
And finally, no one should spend extra getting a premium oil change.
“Shops often upsell customers to synthetic or high-performance oils – even if the vehicle’s manufacturer doesn’t require them,” Krauch said.
