FredS

The specs call for 16 city and 22 highway for the 09/10 rl. Wondering what gas mileage you are getting? My 07, I get 18 city and 28 highway.

briny319

I can't help you because I have an 05, but there is no 3rd gen RL yet. Your 09/10 is still 2nd gen.

Ballinger

Have you noticed a very similar thread that's currently active?

037

it's 2.5 MMC and I'm getting 14 mixed and 23 highway if I try real hard

briny319

Without getting into a big debate, I don't know how you guys were able to pay +$40k for something that looks like the 2.5 gen RL. I can't bring myself to get a TL and I think it looks better than the RL. No offense. The RL was never a looker but damn...

037

yea...i'm suffering twice a week.

neuronbob

Fred, the lower mileage partially reflects the change in the way mileage is calculated. The car (2G RL with MMC as has already been corrected above) is pretty much the same as your 2007, just with a bigger schnoz. Your mileage will be pretty much the same as what you are already getting.

TampaRLX-SH

Fred, keep in mind they are different engines.

The 2009+ RL has the 3.7 V6 300HP 271 lb/ft torque & EPA rated 16/22 MPG

The 2005-2008 RL has the 3.5 V6 290HP with 256 lb/ft torque & EPA rated 18/26 MPG

neuronbob

Yup I forgot about the bigger engine. My bad! Bad mod, bad mod....

phishfood

Lord, for that little jump in HP/torq I'll take the better mileage. I wouldn't mind going from 28mpg to 23mpg but I would hope it would be more than a few percent on the power curve.

Wonder what the 0-60 time is on 05-08 versus 09

Chas2

I think it is more than just a little bump in torque, it is also widening the peak to more of a usable plateau from idle to 3000 rpm. The engine is also lighter by 17 lbs and implements VTEC on the exhaust side, the first such implementation in a production Honda engine. See here for more info.

http://www.hondanews.com/categories/757/releases/4412

ENGINE ARCHITECTURE

The new 3.7-liter VTEC® V-6 is the largest and most powerful engine ever fitted to an Acura sedan and it incorporates many of the refinements and improvements that have been developed for other Acura powerplants. The new RL engine has a smooth-firing 60-degree V-angle, compact overall dimensions, and weighs 17.2 pounds less than the smaller displacement 3.5L engine it replaces. Aluminum alloy cylinder block construction (including unique aluminum cylinder sleeves) saves weight and improves cooling, while the first ever SOHC use of VTEC® for both intake and exhaust valves helps push power to an all-time high.

A special high-flow intake system, higher compression ratio, and a new design of close-coupled catalytic converters matched with high flow exhaust make the 3.7L engine the most powerful naturally aspirated 6-cylinder engine in its class.

TampaRLX-SH

That difference in torque delivery may also play into the tuning of SHAWD logic to engage in 1st gear as done with 2009+ RLs.

Overall, those 'small' changes were to improve the feel of the engine power and performance of SHAWD.

Still, my 29 MPG cross state trek is a very fair compromise IMHO.

TampaRLX-SH

For what it is worth, various 0-60 times have been reported on both engines, depending on the sources.

But for comparison purposes, Motor Trend clocked 6.7 seconds for the 3.5 and 6.5 seconds for the 3.7.

One or two publications I read actually posted 7+ seconds for the 3.7.

But such metrics are moot unless the tests are run side by side in same conditions.

Bottom line, these changes were more for 'feel' and perception than for improved real world performance metrics.

For my real world experience I am very likely to notice MPGs and very unlikely to notice .2 seconds in a 0 to 60 sprint.