Used car safety, rank #75 of 181
Acura TLX 2WD Safety Rating (2018-20)
Real IIHS driver death rates for the 2018-20 Acura TLX 2WD, a midsize luxury car, compared with its class and with the current model.
The 2018-20 Acura TLX 2WD has an IIHS driver death rate of 31 per million registered vehicle years against a midsize luxury cars average of 24.8, which is 25% above the class average. That places it #75 of 181 used vehicles with a safety score of 59.9/100.
What the Acura TLX death rate means
At 31 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, the Acura TLX 2WD is 25% worse than the midsize luxury cars average of 24.8. The 95% confidence interval is 0 to 64, which overlaps the class average, so some of the gap may be chance.
The other-driver death rate of 57 measures the opposite risk: how many drivers of other vehicles died in crashes with a Acura TLX. It is higher than the Acura TLX's own driver death rate, the usual pattern for this class. Remember that death rates describe vehicles and their drivers together: IIHS adjusts for driver age and gender, but not for where or how carefully people drive. Our score weights this model's own rate at 70% and its class at 30%; see how we rank used cars.
Compared with similar used luxury cars
The safest midsize luxury cars in the IIHS study, by our score, with the Acura TLX 2WD highlighted. It ranks 7 of the 9 shown; the class leader is the Lexus ES 350 at a death rate of 0.
| Vehicle | Years | Death rate | Score | Reliability | Used price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexus ES 350 | 2019-20 | 0 (0 to 29) | 94.5 | 4.0/5 | $24,000 to $35,000 |
| Audi A4 2WD | 2017-20 | 7 (0 to 21) | 85.6 | 3.5/5 | $18,000 to $30,000 |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan 4WD | 2017-20 | 9 (0 to 21) | 84.0 | 3.5/5 | $20,000 to $34,000 |
| Tesla Model 3 2WD | 2019-20 | 15 (0 to 33) | 78.6 | n/a | n/a |
| Audi A4 4WD | 2017-20 | 17 (0 to 36) | 77.4 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan 2WD | 2017-20 | 28 (5 to 51) | 64.2 | 3.5/5 | n/a |
| Acura TLX 2WD (this page) | 2018-20 | 31 (0 to 64) | 59.9 | n/a | n/a |
| Tesla Model 3 4WD | 2019-20 | 52 (9 to 96) | 42.8 | n/a | n/a |
| Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class 2WD | 2017-20 | 64 (11 to 117) | 35.0 | n/a | n/a |
Class average for midsize luxury cars: 24.8 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years.
Safety recalls for the Acura TLX 2WD
A recall is a defect the manufacturer must repair free of charge, however old the car and whoever owns it now. On a used car this matters more than on a new one: the work is only done if a previous owner took it in.
5 recall campaigns on the 2020 model year, covering air bags, fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling.
-
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
-
Air bags: sensor, occupant classification, front passenger
Risk: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge.
-
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024.
-
Engine and engine cooling: engine, hard parts internal/mechanical
Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing
-
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery, fuel pump
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed May 18, 2021.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-04. A campaign covers a range of build dates, not every car of the model year, and IIHS reports this nameplate across several years while these results are for 2020. Confirm against the VIN. Recalls do not affect the death rate on this page.
Acura TLX 2WD: Common Questions
Is the Acura TLX 2WD a safe car?
Not on this measure: its drivers died at a higher rate than its class average. IIHS recorded a driver death rate of 31 per million registered vehicle years for the 2018-20 Acura TLX 2WD, 25% above the class average (24.8 for midsize luxury cars). That earns a used-car safety score of 59.9 out of 100 and rank #75 of 181 used vehicles.
What is the Acura TLX 2WD driver death rate?
31 driver deaths per million registered vehicle years, with a 95% confidence interval of 0 to 64. Drivers of other vehicles that collided with a Acura TLX died at a rate of 57 per million. Source: IIHS driver death rates by make and model, covering 2018-20 models.
How does the Acura TLX 2WD compare with other midsize luxury cars?
The midsize luxury cars class averages 24.8 driver deaths per million; the Acura TLX 2WD sits at 31. Among the 9 midsize luxury cars compared above it ranks 7 by safety score; the top of that group is the Lexus ES 350 with a death rate of 0.