While the recent and highly successful relaunch of the Acura Integra has been hogging most of the brand’s headlines, the Integra is not the only sporty car that Acura builds. In fact, it’s the all-wheel-drive TLX Type S that remains Acura’s quickest and best handling sport sedan. Add in numerous updates for 2024 and it clearly demands our attention once again.

We are indeed looking closer at this updated 2024 Acura TLX Type S sport sedan and noticing quite a few changes. For starters, it’s one very aggressive looking four-door. Most of that due to the Type S upgrades which include a front splitter, rear spoiler and diffuser, big quad exhaust tips, Brembo brakes, and 20-inch wheels, though all TLXs get updated front fascias and grillwork for ’24.

Inside the tech-heavy interior, things look and feel great with upscale materials and fine stitching. A new 12-inch Precision Cockpit Digital Instrument cluster, ELS Premium Audio, wireless phone charging, and ambient lighting are now standard on all TLXs.

The upgraded infotainment screen grows from 10- to 12-inches and features faster processing, though after spending a year with an Integra and its touchscreen, having to use the touchpad interface here in the TLX is a clear step back in terms of functionality. Updates specific to the Type S include a surround view camera and a 10.5-inch Head Up Display. And there’s no taking a back seat to luxury in the back seat of the TLX; plenty of comfort and space for adults, plus some new charging ports.

A 272-horsepower 2.0-liter I4 turbo comes in the standard TLX, but thankfully the Type S’s fire-breathing 3.0-liter turbo V6 is still under the hood here, putting out 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. No changes for either engine, but we’ll take that as a great thing these days. And there may not be any additional power, but there is sharper throttle response in Sport+ mode than before, so it will give you the impression that you’re working with a little more. Transmission remains a 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive is standard with the Type S and A-Spec, only the base TLX remains front-wheel-drive only.

Spring maintenance was still in progress at our test track and things weren’t quite fully prepped for the season just yet, so the Type S’s all-wheel-drive traction was much appreciated; as it allowed us to pounce off the line and rip to 60 in just 5.0 seconds flat, a tenth quicker than the last Type S we tested in ’21. It ripped through first and second gears quickly, before settling down a bit as it worked its way to the end of the quarter-mile in 13.5 seconds at 104 mph.

While far from a noisy car, Acura has installed some thicker carpet to quell what little road noise was apparently seeping in. Thankfully, they didn’t do anything to dampen engine or exhaust noises, as they sound fantastic.

This TLX scooted through our cone course quite efficiently, behaving as if on the proverbial set of rails. Type S tuning includes additional bracing for the chassis, plus firmer settings for the adaptive dampers that are part of the double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension.

Acura’s SH-AWD has been torque-vectoring power between all four wheels since long before that was commonplace; and its technical heavy-handedness is evident, as while it was slicing through the exercise with precision, it wasn’t always obvious how it was all happening. The Brembo brakes felt great, and were fade-free, but at 125 feet from 60 mph, stops were closer to family sedan territory than the typical sport sedan.

But there’s no skimping on active safety here, with full Acura Watch features including Lane Keeping Assist, Collision Mitigation Braking, Road Departure Mitigation, and Advanced Pedestrian Detection standard on all TLXs.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 19-City, 25-Highway, and 21-Combined; we averaged a good 23.6 mpg of Premium. That’s a slightly below average Energy Impact Score; using 14.2-barrels of oil yearly, while emitting 6.9-tons of CO2.

A simplified pricing structure now leaves you with three TLX choices, Technology, A-Spec, and Type S; things start at $46,195; this Type S will set you back $58,195.

Is it worth it? Well, it all depends on what your priorities are. If you’re looking for a super comfy luxury commuter, then probably not. But, if you’re looking for a superior driver’s car, with the most performance you can get in an Acura sedan, and plan on putting it to good use, then the 2024 Acura TLX Type S is absolutely worth it.

Stay with me now… the midsize Lincoln Nautilus SUV arrived for 2019 as essentially a name change for the Ford Edge-based MKX, which was in its second generation. It then quickly got a big update for 2021, taking on a whole new styling theme. And now, for 2024, the second generation of the actual Nautilus is setting sail. So, let’s see if it will be a big boom in sales for Lincoln.

The 2024 Lincoln Nautilus is the first Nautilus to actually be all-new. Since its days of being a rebadged and restyled MKX, and gussied up Ford Edge are gone, we arrived at our early California drive time with some naturally high expectations.

Now, there was a time when vehicle press releases bragged about items like horsepower, acceleration times and fine Corinthian leather; these days we get things like the in-vehicle user experience, screen sizes, vegan materials, and now Lincoln Rejuvenate, which is a “multi-sensory in-cabin experience including lighting and digital scenting.”

And it is that in-cabin sanctuary that Lincoln is definitely most proud of. Chances are you’ve already heard about the immense 48-inch screen which stretches almost the full-width of the windshield, integrated into a housing on the tabletop-style dash that flows smoothly into the door panels; they’ve even given the steering wheel more of an oval shape, just so you can see the screens better. And there’s another screen too, an 11-inch tablet-style touchscreen above the center console for controlling it all.

Fortunately, it all manages to look more classy than over-the-top techy, thanks to crystal-inspired details, subtle ambient lighting, piano-key shifter and a 28-speaker sound system that turns the interior into a recording studio control room. Creature comforts are essentially everywhere you look in the cabin, including the rear seat.

The Nautilus now rides on a different chassis than the current Ford Edge and will be assembled in China. It remains a midsize five-passenger utility, though overall length is about 3 inches longer than before. And, Nautilus also has more presence. The face is tall with slim headlights and finely detailed grillwork. Door handles are beautifully integrated into the beltline, providing smooth uninterrupted door panels without going the pop out handle route that many others have taken. Wheel sizes range from 19 to 22 inches, and the roof is painted black on all but the base Premiere model.

Highlights in the rear include standard dual chrome exhaust outlets integrated into the bumper, full width LED taillights, and lighted Lincoln script. Behind the standard power liftgate is 35.2 cubic-feet of cargo space; folding the rear seatbacks allows for a sizable 68.8 cubic-feet of gear.

The standard engine is a 2.0-liter turbo I4 rated at 250 horsepower, but a hybrid version of that 2.0-liter adds 100 kW of electric assistance for a 310-horsepower combined output. With the hybrid comes a beltless eCVT, or electronic continuously variable transmission. The standard turbo, on the other hand, works with a traditional eight-speed automatic. All-wheel drive is standard on all.

No word on if an EV version is in the works, or if Lincoln’s EV plans will revolve around launching entirely new vehicles like the Mustang Mach E-based Lincoln Star concept shown back in ’22.

The latest edition of BlueCruise hands-free driving is included, providing better lane positioning, and suggesting lane changes when appropriate. It worked great, though most of our early drive time involved keeping our hands on that oddly shaped steering wheel, relying on power from the hybrid powertrain. And, other than some touchy brakes, it was a sublime driving experience.

Power from the hybrid always seemed to be readily available, whether for getting off the line quickly or up to speed for highway merging. Handling performance was more than adequate, with plenty of grip in corners and only moderate amounts of body roll. And that huge screen was not as distracting as we were expecting.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings with the standard turbo are 21 City, 29 Highway, and 24 combined; the hybrid comes in at 30 City, 31 Highway, and 30 Combined. So, its Energy Impact Score is slightly better than average, using 9.9 barrels of oil yearly, while emitting 4.8 tons of CO2.

Pricing starts with Premiere trim at $52,010; from there it’s a reasonable step up to Reserve trim at $56,345, but a substantial leap to top Black Label which starts at $75,845. The hybrid powertrain is only $1,500 more, and we think well worth it.

Big changes have happened for 2024 in the Lincoln Nautilus world, and from our experience they’re all good. It’s bigger, quieter, more luxurious, and techier without being in your face about it. We love it when Lincoln actually puts more Lincoln into their vehicles, and we expect to see more of the same in the future.