Okay, I know A LOT of people don't like the beak Acura has decided to adopt. However, I think it looks worse on some cars than others. (I'm talking to you TL & RDX.) After reading Motor Trend's Eight Luxury Sport Sedans Comparison, sedans on the market for less than $60k, and viewing the pictures, I realized that the RL isn't the worst offender when it comes to looks. Not even close IMHO. So, take a look at these two pictures and give me a ranking of the best looking car to the worst. (1 is best, 8 is worst) If you please, you can break-up the front and back. No biases b/c of what you own, straight rankings of fugly.

The Front:


The Back:

 

Front:
1) E350
2) RL
3) 535i
4) GS 350
5) A6
6) G35
7) CTS
8) XF

Rear:
1) XF
2) A6
3) RL
4) GS 350
5) 535i
6) E350
7) CTS
8) M35

 

I'm not ecstatic about any of them from the front. If I had to choose one I'd probably go with the Bimmer or the Benz. I'm 100% not a fan of the front end on the 09+ RL. They took a clean classic design and just trashed it IMO. I do however like the back end of the 09+ RL. The XF has the best looking rear to me but the front is pretty far down the list.

 

Front:
1-Benz E350
2-Audi A6
3-Acura RL
4-Bimmer 535i
5-Lexus GS
6-Caddy CTS
7-M35
8-Jag XF

Rear:
1-Jag XF
2-Acura RL
3-Benz E350
4-Audi A6
5-Lexus GS
6-Bimmer 535i
7-Caddy CTS
8-M35

 

Front:
1) E350
2) A6
3) M35
4) 535
5) GS350
6) RL
7) CTS
8) XF

Rear:
1) XF
2) RL
3) A6
4) E350
5) 535
6) GS350
7) M35
8) CTS

 

Front:
1. E350
2. A6
3. XF
4. M35
5. GS350
6. 535i
7. CTS
8. RL

Rear:
1. A6
2. XF
3. GS350
4. E350
5. M35
6. RL
7. CTS
8. 535i

 

beak this, beak that, how about shaver face?

 

Front:
1.535
2.E320
3.A4
4.GS350
5.CTS
6.RL
7.M35
8.XF

Rear
1.XF
2.RL
3.A4
4.535
5.E350
6.CTS
7.GS350
8.M35

And for the record, the new Lexus design language is light years better than the Acura beak IMO.

 

However, the new Lexus grills are still weird to me. Looks like the predator. The germans and possibly nissan/infiniti with its catfish like grills are doing it right at the moment.

 

IMHO

Front
1. Mercedes - It is a Mercedes. Looks just like a Mercedes.
2. Acura RL - I do not think it is that bad. Much tone down compare to TL. But at least they give you more chrome to worry about. Right now my 2006 RL got scratch on the chrome part that cannot be removed.
2. Jaguar - OK looking.
3. BMW - What can I say, it is the BMW standard.
3. Audi - It is better than Lexus or Infiniti
3. Cadillac - Totally different than any of the other front. At least I can say it is a Cadillac
4. Lexus - Kind of dull
5. Infiniti - I never did like the front of it

Back
All the back of the car are kinda short. I like more room for luggage.
1. Mercedes - Does not look that much different than any Mercedes. The middle sharpness is excellent. TL and the old CL back overkills the style but Mercedes brings it back for me.
2. Jaguar - The lights are interesting. The Jag emblems really jumps out at you.
3. Acura - The lights are strange. Too much clear plastic. Not dual color like Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes, and Jaguar
4. BMW - I kinda like the tail pipe to be separated. Make it more symmetrical.
4. Audi - Plain and simple. Nice clean and smooth.
5. Infiniti - That quad pipe gives the look. But the back is a bit high.
6. Lexus - The round light is interesting.
6. Cadillac - Again, totally different. But that makes it a Cadillac

 

Sorry, but yes, the 2009-up RL is the worst offender in the front. Just poorly proportioned. The beak should be smaller. It reminds me of a Mercury fogeymobile for some reason.

I love the rear, though.

The Audi, BMW, Cadi, and Jag have the best fronts IMHO. The others are plain and inoffensive.

I like the rears of the Audi, Cadi, Jag, BMW, and RL. The CTS rear looks far better with the V body kit on it....it's much more aggressive.

 

E350

 

I dunno Bob, I would take a beak over a polar bear nose any day. Audi's grill is

 

What, no Buick??

 

It is unfortunate that the RL looks the way it does from the front because from behind the wheel, it really is a joy to drive on longer road trips (despite some understeer before the SH rear diff starts to do its job). My parents own one and I had numerous opportunities to drive it over the last two weeks and really enjoy that car, in spite of the beak.

 

The beak is really that bad, yes. That E-350 sure is a good looking car... and its predecessor had a lot of influence on the 05-08 RL aesthetics.

 

Exactly. RL is one of the best cars I have ever owned. In fact it ties with the V for that honor. It completely rocks. All it ever needed was a performance variant with a big pushrod engine and it would have been PERFECT.

If we can get that performance in the new RL with a hybrid engine, I'd jump on that, too. Can't wait till April when it's unveiled.....400 hp.....42 mpg.....decent looks.....a performance suspension for those interested....SH-AWD.....that's my dream 3G RL....but now I've gone totally off topic. Sorry!

 

Just like he said. I don't like the beak on any Acura, but it's much worse on the RL than on the TL, RSX or MDX, because it's a Frankenstein surgery on a car whose proportions weren't made for it. The misalignment between the top of the headlight enclosure and the top of the grille makes it even worse.

For me personally, I'd pick the Audi, Infiniti, Cadillac and Jaguar. The four of them overall, and the first three as viewed from the front.

 

 

Having a bad day?

 

 

Holy thread bump!

And yes, the beak is still really that bad.

Thankfully, it's been toned down somewhat in the new RLX. I can't wait to drive one.

 

You can bump this thread all you want but it doesn't change the outcome. Yes, the 09+ beak is horrific. Completely destroyed the timeless classy design of the RL.

 

I think I can guess the outcome, but figured I would get more data points for an overall ranking.

 

If Acura placed the gladiator shield in the middle of grill opening area as to leave equal grill space on all side, it would look pretty good.

 

Happy to see this post. I have long disagreed with Motor Trend on their choice of words used to describe Acura's front end nose. At first I was a bit shocked, but came around to where I liked it. In fact if it cuts down on the amount of rock chips you will get on the front end of your car, I LOVE IT!

 

That's becasue no one wants to see it in their rearview mirror!