View Poll Results: Do you like the rear design of the 2009 RL?
Yes
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84
58.74%
No
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59
41.26%
Voters: 143. You may not vote on this poll
Do you like the rear design of the 2009 RL?
#1
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Do you like the rear design of the 2009 RL?
I do. Too bad they screwed up the front.
Trending Topics
#8
Black
The half-baked, rice-burner-meets-Accord (or Civic?) taillights ruin it. As does the "hump" in the center of the trunk that aims to out-ugly the original current-generation 745i (E65).
#10
Safety Car
![Thumbs up](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/icons/icon14.gif)
I do not like the reverse lights in the chrome but the shape of the rest of the lights is nice - in a spacey aggressive way - they would have gone well if they put the same shape of headlights as on the MDX.
#11
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Dang, this is as split as the Democratic Party nominating contest.
#12
Well done Acura specially in the front end the grill is perfect, look 10 time better than the current one, yah have remember that this is a refresh not a redesign so everything not going to be perfect so get with it
#13
Drifting
I'll have to wait until I see the real thing. Not really sure if I do or don't from the pics.
#15
Safety Car
Originally Posted by Treblig
I'll have to wait until I see the real thing. Not really sure if I do or don't from the pics.
When I see some of the shots taken from ground level, in darker colors, like the red and dark gray, the car does not look AS objectionable.
#19
Go Big Blue!
I definitely would say I like the new rear better then the current rear. Neither are fantastic but it's an improvement. I can even accept the new nose. I just can't get passed the grill. The human eye likes things symmetrical. How can they think that looks appealing?
#20
Three Wheelin'
the rear trunk area, while not offensive like the front grill, downgrades the RL product to something more akin to that you would see in a Honda showroom. Even the new wheels look like something you'd expect on an Accord.
#22
Originally Posted by lindros2
The half-baked, rice-burner-meets-Accord (or Civic?) taillights ruin it. As does the "hump" in the center of the trunk that aims to out-ugly the original current-generation 745i (E65).
Maybe there's some unwritten rule that the high-end cars' trunks have to be some minimum size, and the result is that ugly bulge. It looks larger than if it were more aerodynamically designed.
The previous TL's taillights were OK, but they were much better than this.
Maybe they're trying to go after the 745 market with all this. But I'd think people buy some of those BMWs despite their styling, for the handling.
#23
Senior Moderator
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by 2007AcuraRL
the rear trunk area, while not offensive like the front grill, downgrades the RL product to something more akin to that you would see in a Honda showroom. Even the new wheels look like something you'd expect on an Accord.
#24
Proboscis-free zone
The old rear looked like a cross between an E-class and S-class Mercedes. It had class.
The new rear looks to me like an unholy marriage between a Honda Civic and a Bangle-Butt 7 series.
And notice that they put the weird vertical folds on the bumper. Those were a defining feature of the atrocious Acura Concept Sedan (and can be seen in real life on the rear bumpers of the Cadillac CTS
and the best-selling Acura CL).
![Thumbs Up](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![Why Me](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/whyme.gif)
And notice that they put the weird vertical folds on the bumper. Those were a defining feature of the atrocious Acura Concept Sedan (and can be seen in real life on the rear bumpers of the Cadillac CTS
![ugh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ugh.gif)
#25
Instructor
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: central valley CA
Age: 71
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I like the look of the rear end just as I do the rear of the Accord. Unfortunately it looks too much like the rear of the Accord. The front end looks like Hillary
#27
Safety Car
![Talking](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif)
My favorite of the bunch is the 2009 RL. I never liked the GS350 as it always looked like droopy eyelids to me & the M35 lights were just way too big. The Mercedes looks OK & the I could never appreciate the latest BMWs over the previous generation.
I have to say that I really like the shape of the exhaust pipes - it is a small change but definitely adds a unique flare.
I have to say that I really like the shape of the exhaust pipes - it is a small change but definitely adds a unique flare.
#30
Don't jive my 3.5
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chicago, IL
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Originally Posted by cai06
I like the rear design the most. Much better than the competition IMHO: M35, E350, 535, GS350
![](http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7696/25691447er6.jpg)
![](http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1607/50675172cz8.jpg)
![](http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6571/2qpc1.jpg)
![](http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2566/65766779vx1.jpg)
![](http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/4858/59312278da7.jpg)
![](http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4001/47564253bg3.jpg)
![](http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7696/25691447er6.jpg)
I'd have to say that the M45/35 has the best looking ass.
#31
Proboscis-free zone
Originally Posted by Acuraboy7
I'd have to say that the M45/35 has the best looking ass.
But...if you're going to put it that way, then look again at the 2005-08 RL versus the 2009. Our version reminds me of a good-looking girl in well-fitting jeans. The MMC looks like a wide-glide stuffed into some low-riders.
![ugh](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ugh.gif)
#32
Safety Car
![Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/icons/icon6.gif)
![](http://content.mkt912.com/ra/2008/02/11/1461377/Cont_6.jpg)
Upon closer inspection, it looks like the cut out for the exhaust does not exactly match the shape of the tail pipes? It would have been nice if they cut it exactly the geometrical shape to match, it looks more round ...
#33
Proboscis-free zone
Now I'm finally getting what really bothers me about the trunk. It looks like a dowager's hump. (Medical term: senile kyphosis.) That massive chromed crossbar shouts "low class"--reminds me of a Chrysler. The creases in the bumper are a ripoff of a not-great styling cue from Cadillac. And why oh why would you make perfectly designed taillights smaller? To make the car a less visible target for distracted teenaged texters so they can rear-end you better?
#34
Instructor
Originally Posted by cai06
I like the rear design the most. Much better than the competition IMHO: M35, E350, 535, GS350
![](https://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7696/25691447er6.jpg)
![](https://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1607/50675172cz8.jpg)
![](https://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6571/2qpc1.jpg)
![](https://img181.imageshack.us/img181/2566/65766779vx1.jpg)
![](https://img166.imageshack.us/img166/4858/59312278da7.jpg)
![](https://img174.imageshack.us/img174/4001/47564253bg3.jpg)
![](https://img292.imageshack.us/img292/7696/25691447er6.jpg)
#35
Black
Originally Posted by evantec
Maybe they're trying to go after the 745 market with all this. But I'd think people buy some of those BMWs despite their styling, for the handling.
Back in the 1980s Acuras did have a higher-end flare. The Legend, the Vigor, and even the Integra were great "entry level luxury" cars.
What happened (why didn't the brand "evolve" to be the Japanese BMW to Lexus' Mercedes identity) ? Infiniti leapt ahead, and now Acura is more of a "rebuilding Audi" than BMW...
#36
Suzuka Master
Originally Posted by cai06
I like the rear design the most. Much better than the competition IMHO: M35, E350, 535, GS350
![](http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1607/50675172cz8.jpg)
![](http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6571/2qpc1.jpg)
Hyundai Genesis rear/side shot
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...i-SideRear.jpg
I actually like it more than the MMC RL's rear, but not as much as the current RL's. Though I'm not fond of the chrome in the middle of the tailamps. There's just too much going on in the rear of the 09 RL for my tastes.
#37
Go Big Blue!
Originally Posted by lindros2
I just wish the RL (and all Acuras in general) had the cachet of a BMW. People indeed buy those for the propellor emblem on the car, not knowing or caring about its driving excellence.
Back in the 1980s Acuras did have a higher-end flare. The Legend, the Vigor, and even the Integra were great "entry level luxury" cars.
What happened (why didn't the brand "evolve" to be the Japanese BMW to Lexus' Mercedes identity) ? Infiniti leapt ahead, and now Acura is more of a "rebuilding Audi" than BMW...
Back in the 1980s Acuras did have a higher-end flare. The Legend, the Vigor, and even the Integra were great "entry level luxury" cars.
What happened (why didn't the brand "evolve" to be the Japanese BMW to Lexus' Mercedes identity) ? Infiniti leapt ahead, and now Acura is more of a "rebuilding Audi" than BMW...
Acura targets a different type of customer. Maybe that will change over time but it is what it is for the immediate future. I'm an Acura kind of customer. If they started offering all these ala carte options and variants on each model and significantly increased the advertising budget, then the price would go up for the same product and it wouldn't be such a great value anymore. They'd probably loose their current market niche.
#38
Look at the JDM Legend.. if the front is all you are complaining about, the front can be changed. Not buying a Honda because you don't like the way that it looks to me sounds only slightly absurd. They've always been known for rogue styling, and sometimes it creates a niche, a change or a new way of looking at things that wasn't there before.
If you don't like it. Change it. It's not worth wasting your money on some other companies inferior product
If you don't like it. Change it. It's not worth wasting your money on some other companies inferior product
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)