Unless someone can prove to me how Typhlosion is better - the only thing that I like about is that it can be a mixed attacker and gets decent coverage, - I will always choose Empoleon. It is a good special attacker and physical attacker - if you have access to Move Tutor - and gets Water, Steel, Ice special coverage, on top of Ground, Rock. Fighting, Ghost physical coverage. People always bitch about how choosing Piplup in Reborn made the first two gyms hard AF, but honestly, whatever starter you choose, Julia is a minor obstacle. For Florinia, you'd have to get a couple more mons - Swoobat, Pangoro, whatever. I mean it's not that big a deal. Empoleon's very non-existent for Kiki's gym, and having it's Fire and Grass resistances being cancelled is a bummer, but it's really good mid-game against Rock, Flying, Dragon, Fairy, even Steel.
Typhlosions a monotype, and I see very little use coming out of it that makes it better than Empoleon, but I really want to know why people say it's better.