Generic. Universal. One size fits all. Clothes don’t fit well with that sizing and neither does your car. Car guy Brian Champagne checked out a van and a car build that doesn’t fit everyone but might fit you.
If you can tell the difference between vehicle A driving by, and vehicle B, you might appreciate the TLX Acura loaned us. Vehicle A was a pickup truck.
The TLX is Acura’s flagship sedan and is all-new this year with tech like a home screen you can personalize, and tech that a driver might want, like being lighter, stiffer, and handling better. It’s built for driving, with an engine that sounds like it likes getting revved up.
And not as sexy sounding, though they’re giving it a shot, the Sienna minivan Toyota loaned us. All-new, and available only as a hybrid, it can spin its tires with 245 horsepower while getting 33 miles per gallon.
Toyota’s claim of “bold, sexy, and provocative design” is probably as true as it’s going to get for a minivan. Inside the power doors there’s crazy utility, which includes a big console between the front seats. Great storage, but you’ll be climbing over it to get to the back seats.
What do these vehicles have in common? They were both built to do one thing well. The TLX is a great sports sedan that will carry four adults around comfortably and fast. Our loaner had bright red seats. The Sienna’s everyday family living tech will astound you. For instance, when the washer fluid is low, it will suggest you contact your dealer for assistance.
Really, contact your dealer for washer fluid?
Where I’m headed is, if one of those lifestyles fits you, skip the everything-to-everyone crossovers and SUVs and get something that does its thing well.
