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Acura TLX vs Lexus IS

2025 Acura TLX vs 2025 Lexus IS — two compact cars compared on efficiency, size, safety and reliability.

Acura TLX

2025 Acura TLX

Compact CarsAWD/4WD
VS3 – 2Acura TLX wins 3 of 5 categories
Lexus IS

2025 Lexus IS

Compact CarsAWD/4WD

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The short version

The Acura TLX is the bigger car, about 9 inches longer.

Across all model years since 2005, the Acura TLX has had fewer recall campaigns (14 vs 15).

The two cars

The 2025 Acura TLX is a compact car offered with 2 engines (2.0L 4-cyl turbo and 3.0L 6-cyl turbo) and front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It measures about 195 inches long and 75 inches wide on a 113-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,999 lb (4dr Sedan).

The 2025 Lexus IS is a compact car offered with 3 engines (2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 3.5L 6-cyl and 5.0L 8-cyl) and rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive. It measures about 185 inches long and 72 inches wide on a 110-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,715 lb (300 4dr Sedan RWD).

Buying used? The 2024 TLX and the 2024 IS have the fewest problems in our data; avoid the 2015 TLX and the 2015 IS.

Basics

Compact Cars
Class
Compact Cars
Premium Gasoline
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 3.5L 6-cyl, 5.0L 8-cyl
Front-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive

Efficiency

25 MPG
Best combined MPG
25 MPG
22 city
City / highway MPG (best)
21 city
$3,300
Fuel cost per year (EPA)
$3,300

Performance & space

355 hp
Horsepower (most powerful)
311 hp
194.5 in
Length
185.4 in
75.2 in
Width
72.4 in
56.3 in
Height
56.3 in
3,999 lb
Curb weight (lightest)
3,715 lb

Safety & reliability

★★★★★
NHTSA overall rating
–
14
Driver-assist features standard
12
2
Recalls (2025)
0
14
Recalls, all years since 2005
15
4
Owner complaints (latest year)
1

Interest

8,272
Wikipedia views, 30 days
28,367

Buying used

2024
Best used year
2024
2015
Year to avoid
2015

Green = clearly better. Prices are not included. How we calculate this →

Which one should you choose?

Choose the Acura TLX if…

  • You want more power (up to 355 vs 311 hp)
  • You want more room (9 in longer)
  • You want more standard driver-assist tech

Choose the Lexus IS if…

  • You want something easier to park (9 in shorter)

Pros & cons of each

2025 Acura TLX

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 25 MPG combined, 13% below the 2025 compact car average of 28.6 MPG.
  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.

2025 Lexus IS

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • Lots of standard safety tech5 of 5 key driver aids standard on the versions we checked.
  • No recalls so far
  • Below-average fuel economyBest version gets 25 MPG combined, 13% below the 2025 compact car average of 28.6 MPG.
  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.
  • Modest powerUp to 311 hp, versus about 396 hp for similar 2025 models.

Full 2025 Acura TLX specs →Full 2025 Lexus IS specs →Compare fuel costs for your driving →Compare size & garage fit →