cetialpha5

I'm curious if they're actually the same. Like some cars with parking sensors just have them on the back but not the front like Mercedes. Or their keyless go might just be the front doors not the back or they only use one button to both lock/unlock instead of two separate sensors. And while adaptive cruise control has been around since 2003 on the E class, every generation gets better and some say the latest is actually one of the best out there, don't know how some of the others do it. Used it on a Ford not too long ago but didn't really like it, too abrupt and I felt the distance was a bit too close. Still being first costs money and low volume means it can't all be made up in sales so the options have to cost more.

JTK44

I have a 2018 Ford Edge Sport. It has adaptive cruise control for a fraction of the cost on my 2019.

You do realize that the distance on both the Ford and Mercedes when you engage adaptive cruise control is adjustable.

Having said that the adaptive cruise control on my E450 is better than on the Ford.

W205C43PFL

Well, I mean technically the Acura competes with Mercedes, both luxury brands, so for Honda Accord like another forum member stated to beat Mercedes that is a different thing altogether. Although even Accord has been creeping up in price lately, I would personally choose Mazda over Honda.

W205C43PFL

I mean they should though, MB spent so many years and probably decades on these driver assist technologies and also on safety technologies, it will be a joke if their systems are inferior to competitors or non-luxury brands

W205C43PFL

I personally think the Mazda 3 is superior to the other Japanese car brands given my experience with them in fit and finish, interior design, exterior design, NVH. Although I am an MB fan myself, I have to say from my test drives and experience, the Mazda 3 is more refined than an A-Class, the panels and everything is more solid and so is the sound insulation, even the engine is much more smooth than a A220 and A250 (that said, just my personal experience)

Would be a great second car or beater car for winter. If I have to choose between those models you mentioned, Mazda no doubt will be my pick, they are just doing something completely different and not following the footstep of the other brands. CX-90 with the inline-6s being one of them. I think the big part of it has to do with Mazda not having a luxury brand, Honda has Acura, Toyota has Lexus, Volkswagen has audi, etc.
Here is a good video explaining things they did that make it more of a luxury brand than anything:

JTK44

Couple of points in comparing the TLX rather than the Honda to the C Class:

As of December 2022, which is the latest full year data available:

• The TLX is basically a non entity: it represents about 10% of Acura sales: 10,500 out of total sales of over 100,000
• 15 times as many Accords were sold as compared to TLX: 150,000 vs. 10,500
• 70% of Acura sales were the MDX, 45,000 and the RDX 25,000

The TLX is an overpriced Honda Accord.

see: https://www.best-selling-cars.com/us...ales-by-model/

JTK44

Just my opinion:

I think very, very few cross shop an Acura with a Mercedes, Audi or BMW.

I think Acura tries to compete with Infiniti and Lexus.

Just my opinion: Neither Acura nor Infiniti have established themselves as a luxury brand - the same way that Volvo is not a luxury brand.

Both Infiniti and Acura offer near luxury experience at high price: Sales do not lie. Both fall far, far behind Lexus which is a luxury brand.

Without the MDX and RDX, Acura would have folded years ago.

ua549

If I had to buy another Asian brand car it would be a Mazda. I 've owned 2 Mazda 3 series. I still own a Hyundai Elantra GT that replaced a Jetta (my daughter's cars).

(I can buy Asian brands now that my WWII veteran family members have passed.)

W205C43PFL

I think you have a valid opinion, Volvo is considered as premium brand I wouldn't consider them luxury as well, Although here in Canada they are priced like BMW, Mercedes and audi, which absurd.

W205C43PFL

I see sounds like you have quite some experience about them ,what do you like about them and dislike about them (disclaimer: I get it, it is not a Mercedes... but I am still curious)

js_cls

Agreed, the Mazda 3 is an excellent vehicle. Reminds me a bit of VW back in the day when they were so much more premium than other commuter brands, although unlike VW, Mazda has reliability. My oldest son has a 6-Signature, NB Miata, and the wife has a CX-9 (likely soon to be 90) and they have been nothing short of excellent vehicles. If only they would make a RWD 6 but sadly the market dictates SUV’s.

JTK44

This is a real dilemma for many, but it seems that Audi, BMW, Mercedes and VW do seem to present a similar problem.

W205C43PFL

Glad to hear the fleet is treating you well. Agree but I think they abandoned the Mazda 6 altogether that car has an outdated interior and stuff compared to their Mazda 3 and a bunch of SUVs, and even the fully electric MX? SUV., will be exciting if they ever put the inline 6 in a new Mazda 6 with the newest stuff from the CX 90, that would be a sweet sweet car I bet.

Keith66

I agree with the positive comments about the Mazda 3. I drove one hundreds of miles throughout Germany and Austria. Going into it I thought "this is going to suck, wrong car".

I was very impressed with it. The engine and handling definitely felt beyond its price point and turned out to be a joy to drive and comfortable enough, given its size.

I wouldn't own one myself, but I would definitely recommend it to someone shopping that class of car.

W205C43PFL

Thanks for sharing your experience. Will be exciting to hear what you think of the Miata MX-5, because that vehicle just stands out in the competition (non-luxury in terms of driving fun without breaking the law by going over the speed limit, I mean pretty much) then there is the Rotary engine based RX-7 again I heard very good things about both of these vehicles.

I just realized the fully electric SUV was called the MX-30, weird that Mazda used MX.... I wonder why when it was pretty much made exclusive for the MX-5 Miata.

W205C43PFL

It was the MX30, confused why it used MX when the MX-5 Miata is not electric in any sense, not even mild-hybrid.

Keith66

Thanks dude. Unlikely I would end up driving a Miata though. My Mazda 3 experience was purely by accident. My wife and I were over there visiting family and my mother-in-law had recently bought a Mazda 3, she knew we were headed down to Salzburg and since she doesn't drive much she wanted us to take it to put some miles on it.

My only regret is that my mother-in-law didn't have a GT3, lol.

W205C43PFL

I see : )

Roweraay

The TLX comes equipped with their SH-AWD, which is a Torque-vectoring rear differential that gives a rear-biased handling feel......can send upto 70% of the torque to the rear, and can send 100% of that torque to either side, which allows the car to carve its way through corners. The Accord is strictly FWD.

Having said that, the TLX barely has any space in it, probably a bit less room than a Honda Civic. The Accord is massive inside. They might share a few of the underlying mechanicals, but the TLX and Accord are not the same at all.

W205C43PFL

Weird there is less room than a Civic, didn't know that.

W205C43PFL

I wish Mazda Speed comes back, oh well. I still remember back then and their "Zoom Zoom" commercial on TV.

Roweraay

What I don't like about the Mazda3 is their switching to a non-independent rear suspension in the rear, in the current generation. I know their engineering budget is limited, and they have to prioritize, but that's a poor move in a car with sporting ambitions, IMO.

They did the same (non-independent rear beam suspension) in their CX-50 too. The CX-5 on the other hand has an independent front/rear suspension. Very inconsistent equipment strategy across their lineup.

Roweraay

TSX is a design from their American design studio (as is their RDX).......essentially, "Form over function". The hood is super long to give the appearance of a longitudinally mounted-engine, that's typical of RWD products, while in reality, it is a transversely mounted setup that's typical of FWD products, with AWD hardware added on. The long hood thus is purely for looks, with no practical benefit. So that impedes on the interior space (for the same overall length), since interior space maximization was not the design priority, unlke the Accord, where interior space maximization is a priority. I think the philosophy Honda uses for cars like the Accord is: "Man maximum, Machine minimum" (minimize exterior size, but maximize the space for the occupants).

Honda's Japanese design group does the reverse...."function over form", which is essentially a prioritization of functionality, even if they have to take a bit of a hit on the looks.

I am personally a "function over form" kind of guy.

Roweraay

If I am not mistaken, the current Honda Civic has more interior room than the Mercedes E-class, even though the exterior dimensions of the E-class are significantly larger. The Civic is extremely spacious on the inside. FWD and transverse mounting helps there.

So, without looking up the numbers, I believe the TSX would be comparable to the Mercedes E-class, both from an interior space standpoint, and also from an exterior dimensions standpoint. Having said that, I doubt anyone cross-shops them.

ua549

Actually the interior room is just about equal. Civic is roomier in some areas and E class is roomier in others. The differences are less than an inch in each interior measurement - front & rear leg room, head room, hip room and shoulder room.