Keep in mind that this is all relative so saying that the 2010 RL is the least reliable car in the lineup is not necessarily that bad ... the SH-AWD TL is the best & Acura is 5th overall for automakers.

Really? Surprised to hear it. Even so the RL is more reliable than the best of many lesser makes, doesn't bother me a bit.

Edit: Was just on the CR site (I'm a paying member so I see all the data). The 2010 RL is "recommended". It is predicted to have average reliability, less than average depreciation and gas mileage, much worse than average cost to own, but everything else is above average or excellent. This just confirms my statement above.....the "least reliable" Acura actually scores well in CR's testing.

I take CR with a grain of salt. Personally I've never been crazy about their brand preferences as they seem to be EXTREMELY preferential to Honda and Toyota. When the new Camry came out, they gave it a 'Recommended' before the statistics were even in. They wound up eating crow when the V6 models began having serious transmission issues.

Ever since they gave the Camry that edge when nobody else got the leg up, I don't even pick up a CR magazine.

The least reliable Acura is "only" 10% more reliable than the average. Yeah, we could do worse.

I'm surprised to see Cadillac so far down the list.

How's the 'Dragon' holding up neuronbob?

no one surprised to see Scion at the top?

i don't buy into these reports, it is all about the owners and how they care for the car, i'm sure any car taken proper care of would hold up great..... How could the 2010 RL be much different from the TL practically the same car

They treat these cars they 'rate' as if they just got off a plane, late at night, in an unknown city and jumped into a rental car of a make and model they have never driven, nor care to glance at the manual for instructions to use a specific feature.

Too often cars are dinged for "confusing" controls. CR's baseline for every car is a 4 cylinder base model Camry and like a refrigerator, should just work with no driver involvement. Further, too many surveys complain that things do not work, when in fact it is merely user error. That does not make the car unreliable or troublesome. It makes the user an idiot.

The RL has been dinged complex controls. Well it is a complex vehicle. And for nearly every feature of this car there are redundant or TRIPLE redundant controls (control center stack, voice control and steering wheel controls). CR expects a complex vehicle to be intrinsic and intuitive to the average refrigerator driver.

The RL is a very intelligent vehicle. More intelligent than most drivers.

I was surprised to see Caddy that far down the list. I've had only one minor issue with the V.....clicking wheels at low speed in full lock turns. It is a known problem likely related to the material in the stock wheels where they interface with the hub. Only known solution is to go to aftermarket wheels. Too bad, because I like the stock wheels. Other than that, 7k miles, one oil change, no unexpected dealer visits.

I agree w/ your post 100%. I don't trust CR ever since I saw a Craftsman tractor beat a John Deere lawn tractor. I have owned both and trust me there is NO comparison! Their testing is flawed but many people use their recommendations as if gospel.

I am an avid reader of Car&Driver and they too give demerits for issues that seem to be driver error. One example may be BMW's iDrive. They dinged them repeatedly but I bet regular BMW drivers learn how to use it fairly quickly. Another article dinged the new RAM pickup because it "allowed" them to lock their keys in the car. They ended up smashing out the center back window to gain entry (cost like $600+). That is plain stupid. I am certain that AAA could have gained entry in 30 seconds w/o any damage. That is BS reporting!

Not really considering that it is made by Toyota. In addition, they only have 3 rather simple (not a lot of options/gadgets like luxury cars) low volume cars. In other words, there is less chance for things to go wrong. They were #1 last year as well.

As usual, J.D. Powers has a slightly different take on things. They are not as high on Scion & rank the RL as a segment leader: JD Power 2009 Article

Indeed.

You also have to look at the components of how the survey is taken. Most Scion buyers are purchasing their first new vehicle. They are excited to own a new car and criticizing it is criticizing one's self...not likely. As is human nature, most of us would claim any new car we chose to buy as the best thing since sliced bread. This translates into a subjective view of the car.

And people who buy a car that is very appliance like are not likely to criticize unrefined aspects of the vehicle, just as long as it goes. I was always amazed how neighbors raved over the quality of their Saturns. Yet when I rode in them they were buzzy, coarse, plasticky wallowing rides. But some of these people went to Saturn Love Fests to rave over the BEST cars in the world!

Similarly, I find 'initial quality' a bit superfluous. Although ANY new car should have zero defects, I am more concerned how they hold up 18 months, 3 years, 5 years sown the road. Every Ford I have owned (in the past) was initially a joy (Merkur XR4Ti, Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Thunderbird SuperCoupe) but the DAY after the warranty expired they disintegrated before my eyes.

So these ratings, though worth adding into consideration when making informed decisions, should never be the determinate of what your wallet bleeds for. I for one, find this forum the most intelligent, well debated, responsibly critical and realistically detailed of ANY automotive resource I have encountered. That is because we OWN these vehicles and report real life experience and balanced observations as opposed to the brief encounter opinion of a so called industry journalists with an agenda or unrealistic experience to accurately reflect the nature of these vehicles.

hate those things... really anything the masses own i hate.

Acutally, my RL is my worst experience with Honda. My driver seat doesn't move up or down, the lumbar support in the driver seat is broken and makes a cracking noise, the driver door handle doesn't work when it gets wet, the AFS warning stays on, the power socket beside the shifter doesn't close. The car is out of warranty. For an $80,000 car, Acura only gave 3 years warranty!!!!

I love the car, just have to fork out the money to repair these little flaws.

in the US it's a bit cheaper, $56,000 top of the line.

Is yours a 2005? I've heard those had more problems than any newer models.

Yup, its an 05 A Spec.

In Canada they were $69.990 plus the A Spec package was $8000 then obviously the 15% tax, frieght, PDF, Gas, admin fee, licensing made the price way over $80,000.

for $70,000 I'd drive my 09 to you

check this, we get screwed in Canada.

http://www.acura.ca/Acura2006/BuildY...e=RL&year=2010

Even our wireless providers suck.

Saying '10 RL is the least reliable is like saying Miss January is the ugliest Playmate.

I think I got the elite...I will take offers

it's got some mods on it too, take me to Canada!

In social psychology this is called 'cognitive dissonance', which leads to rationalizing the new car purchase by ignoring factual evidence about the car's quality and reliability.

I wonder when respondents to Consumer Reports, JD Power surveys and the like realize that their responses may have a direct effect on the value of their vehicle, and thus become less honest in order to retain higher blue book values.

For example, I own an 02 Odyssey, and fully expect my transmission to crap out on me shortly (BTW, thank you Honda for not extending the warranty on the 02s like the 99-01 even though THEY HAVE THE EXACT SAME ENGINE).

It is not in my best interest to report the impending transmission failure as a problem, as it just lowers the ratings on my model year, in turn lowering the value of my vehicle and making it harder to sell. So I just may ignore it and give the car stellar ratings.

Too true!

Surprised at the Mitsubishi strong showing. Cadillac almost dead last. What happened there? My RL has certainly had it's share of issues. My SC was absolutely bulletproof and that car generally rates the highest in most surveys anyhow. The GS AWD, surprising giving the reliability of their AWD SUVs but I have read of several issues on this car.
Still, compared to older surveys, many changes here. Germans have really dropped also.

[QUOTE=TSX69;11441905]Keep in mind that this is all relative so saying that the 2010 RL is the least reliable car in the lineup is not necessarily that bad ... the SH-AWD TL is the best & Acura is 5th overall for automakers.Have own mine since brand new & have had zero problems with it. It just crossed 100K. Also own a 2007 since new I have had to replace minor things on it but it currently has 215K & I still drive it on long road trips I am curious if it will go to 300K

It's interesting to see this thread bumped 10 years later and you have issues like oil consumption on the 3.7s.

Hate to say it, but it's also interesting to see a decade later that even the least reliable Acura was quite reliable. I was just looking over the latest Consumer Reports survey data. I know a lot of people hate CR for the perceived bias of their reviews, and they never liked the RL. But their surveys are historically just that — independent survey data — and they're traditionally the best reliability data available to the general public.

Regrettably, almost every new Acura scores horribly now, even the bestselling SUVs. Some of that is small stuff like the infotainment. Some of is isn't, like the 3.7 oil problem, the motor mounts on the cylinder deactivation J Series vehicles, and the TLX's misbehaving automatic transmission. Many new Hondas aren't al that stellar, either. I've seen anonymous quotes from Honda lifers that as Soichiro Honda's legacy fades and company leadership passes more and more into the hands of corporate bean counters, the quality isn't what it was. Frankly, I believe it.

I wouldn't trust any acura that is made in America tbh. The RL has some quirks but the heart of the car will literally last for decades, this thing is built like a tank.

A Mitsubishi more reliable than a Lexus. Old numbers.

i wonder if a new ranking was done, but, these numbers are cold and static And mean nothing.

The high amount of electrical options alone on an RL, not to mention the build quality And interior, make it really no comparison at all.

Well, the more gizmos you have, the more there is to go wrong. No question that in surveys, there are "problems" as in "I can't find the preference settings for the trip computer," and there are PROBLEMS, as in "I'm stranded by the freakin' roadside." As waltthizzney aptly pointed out, the RL is definitely excellent at its core mission of getting you there and back.

That said, if a modern Lexus isn't suffering failures of its electronic gingerbread systems or its transmission logic and its Acura counterpart is, that's a legitimate strike against the Acura in a comparison. And if both an Acura and a BMW have electronics problems, but the BMW is more stylish and fun to drive, then the Acura has forfeited its historical advantage. To be honest, if I hadn't (correctly) expected my RL to give me a longer and more trouble-free life than a 530xi or whatever, there'd really be no reason to pick the one over the other. So, yeah, generally this stuff does matter.

Yea. If a car is loaded with options, it means more chance of something requiring being fixed, especially electronics. I have a feeling that's what put the mitsubishi above a lexus. but it's BS. Non-comparable.

Honestly with the kind of cars coming out these days, I dunno....

I would never buy an RLX and it's simulated steering. I want my old regular hands on feel steering. I don't want a car that can self-drive. I think they should be illegal, unless for the disabled and special circumstances.
I wouldn't buy an electric car either. It's a time bomb waiting to explode, and you're literally sitting on it. Batteries are lined up below all passengers!

In my opinion Acura should bring back the RL, update it's electronics, and improve it's flaws. Also, Honda in general should try and find out why its japan-made cars are better than ones made in canada and us. Worst case, move back the high end to japan.

I also wanna add, how this list shows the TL more reliable than an RL, to be quite laughable.

And here's another ranking, shows a different story: https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-used-acura

We love our RL's, and I think with good reason. Veteran poster Tampa RLX (formerly Tampa RL) put it well: Both cars are enormously capable, but they feel different. As you suggest, the RL is "analog," and its road feel reflects it. The RLX is "digital," with the extra layer of removal from the contact patches that implies.

The problem with bringing back the RL is that modern demands for fuel efficiency and weight savings make it impractical. The fuel economy of the RL's driveshafts and power-sapping mechanical drivetrain, even with the weight-saving aluminum, magnesium and carbon fiber in the car, doesn't meet present and future standards. The RLX was a test bed for the hybrid/electric alternative, and its technology has been warmly embraced by the public — except the public doesn't know it, because where they've embraced that technology is underneath the MDX SUV, which isn't advertised as a hybrid.

As for Japanese manufacture, of course the RLX is still manufactured in Japan. Interestingly, reviewers have commented and I've personally observed that some interior materials are cheap for the class, the paint on the doors in particular is riddled with orange peel and unworthy of a car half the price, and as mentioned previously, its performance on reliability surveys is less than reassuring. By contrast, Toyota still makes most Lexus models in Japan, yet the American-made Toyota brand vehicles (i.e., most of them except the Prius) score nearly as trouble-free as the Japanese ones, although their subjective sense of quality is much cheaper. Similarly, C/D remarked recently how impressed it was by the build quality and initial reliability of a Chinese-built Volvo it subjected to a long-term test.

I think the quality of a modern car has more to do with the management's commitment to quality and the engineering of the car than the location of its factory. For that reason, I also think Honda's apparently growing quality problems stem less from Ohio and more from grey corporate bean counters solidifying their grip on the company as they force more and more of the car to be engineered and built by outside subcontractors, a worldwide trend that's compromised quality in industries from automakers to Boeing. I'm afraid that in this respect, there's probably no going back for Acura/Honda.

I'm not sure that's so laughable. The TL was quite reliable except for the first couple years' automatic transmission. And the RL had a lot of teething pains throughout the car when it came out in '05.

Now, "reliability" and "durability" aren't the same thing. And we also know the RL is, as said here by waltthizzney, built like a tank.

I certainly agree with what you're saying. And yes, there's much to support the flaws being stemming from management especially after mr honda's death. He managed the company as their spiritual leader, and made hollisitc choices. Problem with that it cannot be replicated so it's value diminishes over time once that leader is gone. But its only my theory on that.

My main beef with production outside japan and Germany is corruption (hence so much outside subcontractors where possibility for corruption is higher) and the impact of unions on quality. A manufacturer can find themselves imprisoned by politics and a powerful union that has employee complacency and job security, coupled with corruption... There's more discipline and strive for excellence in Japan and Germany. It can affect things too.

I agree with you, Honda isn't looking like pro-active anymore, and is dwindling slowly but surely.

Yes, i probably have that feel more from durability. I was given in 2017 a TLX for replacement car, a 2016 or 2017, and i recall getting out of the car and just nudging the door, and the door stood there. i had to slam it to shut it. it felt like a thin iron sheet with locks. While the RL's door is well, you all know.

Inside that TLX looked and felt cheaper than an old RL.

But yes, reliability you're right, after all, they have the same engine i think, and quality parts are comparable. But I'll admit i'm uncertain why the TL made it to top reliable Acura and RL worst reliable Acura. That I don't get.

To be fair, the RL's doors and general solidity make most other cars feel tinny. The TLX was intended to replace the TL and TSX (Euro Accord), while the RL was being sold abroad as the Legend and listed here for $49,000 in 2005 U.S. dollars. The comparison is unfair to the TLX.

I do wonder about the "RL least reliable" thing, yes.

I agree with you about Soichiro Honda's fading influence as founder. The corruption and union thing, I dunno. Honda's US plant has no union. And I think you don't necessarily have corruption in a company just because you have Tier 1 suppliers managing major subsystems. I remember an annual survey of auto industry vendors rating the automakers with US plants, American and transplant brands both. The suppliers rated Toyota (#1) and Honda (#2) as by far the best to do business with, while the American brands lined the bottom of the birdcage. Some went so far as to say that if they were supplying the same part to a Japanese company or an American one, they would give the Japanese company a better part.

I think any organization has its tone set from the top. Or to apply that saying to the American car companies, a fish stinks from the head down. I think vendors meet the expectations set by the buyer, because that's what they must do to survive. Japanese management cultivates long-term relationships and mutual trust. Driven by Amerlcan business-school greed and Wall Street pressures, American carmakers think "management" consists of squeezing the vendor's balls on cost until their fingers touch their palm.

I remember when the Explorer was the best-selling SUV in America. The company making the frames for them made an angry public announcement that they were renouncing the business, because Ford demanded they supply the frames so cheaply they would not be able to stay in business. You don't make excellent products that way, and I think the recent trajectory of American carmakers has borne that out. Ford is in trouble and building junk, GM is basically a US brand slapped on Chinese parts, and Chrysler is a subsidiary of a European company. I fear Honda is slowly drifting from the Japanese approach toward the American one. I hope I'm wrong, because that doesn't end well.

Then moving back some production to japan would probably be the best way back up.