ductman

I am pu my 2010 this Saturday, I thought the interior and drive was great, why is their such bashing of this car, exterior and performance, sometime it is being compared to an oversize Honda Accord, is this the Rodney Dangerfield of cars? I also looked at a M35x, other than being larger I was not impressed, I was also concerned with the " tramlining:" issues with the M35x.

UniqueFlips

The main arguments against the car is the handling when compared to the defacto king the BMW 5-Series. Most of the reviews say that the car is too soft and that if it had been lowered a bit it would be very competitive. They all agree that the seats, tech and the SH-AWD are great it just doesn't handle like a 5-series. I have owned the previous gen 5-series and e-class and find it is a good balance between the two. I just wish there was a software update for the trans shift points, it is a little slow for my taste. All in all I love the car and I'm happy I bought one.

JPSMAN

They should equip the test cars with the ASPEC package and I think there would be better reviews in regards to the handling......

Chas2

Yeah, I agree, except there is no A-Spec package after 2008. Now they said that the 2009 suspension was upgraded, and leave out a description of the change in the front stabilizer bar(30 mm hollow vs 29mm solid), but whether it matches up to A-Spec is unknown. I believe A-Spec also had stiffer dampers....

2004 Press Release

"...The RL A-SPEC package enhances the already crisp handling and aggressive styling with a track-tuned suspension package that lowers the car by approximately 3/4 inch, 18-inch alloy wheels equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport tires..."

2009 Press Release

" For 2009 the RL features higher rate coil springs, larger diameter rear stabilizer bar, stiffer subframe mount bushings and improved design steering rack components. To further improve handling and looks, new 18-inch diameter 7-spoke aluminum wheels are matched with more aggressive tires (replacing the previous 17-inch wheel/tire offering)."

23109VC

The RL was poorly marketed. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the general opinion among most of the reviews I have read is that the RL styling is boring. I think the 09+ looks great, and I also think the 05-08 looks really good - it's a very sleek, classy looking car. I do agree that the lines are somehwat similar to the same era Accord...there is aperson at work who has an Accord, same color, same level window tint, and I've parked directly next to him...and when you look at the two cars side by side, I can see how a "non-car" person could mistake them, but to my "car guy" eye, there is no mistaking the two. The RL looks far more upscale and luxurious.

The RL, in stock form, is not as sporty as a 5 series, and the car reviews all test cars as if they are racing them on a track. I take all the car reviews with a grain of salt. I do recall, however, that back when the RL first came out, it won a luxury sedan comparo... I forget which one it was, but if you surf C&D or R&T it's in there. It beat out a lot of other cars.

fast forward to 2008, 2009, and the present, and it's no longer in favor. that happens. a new model is released, it's heralded as the greatest thing since sliced bread, then in a few years, as other manufacturers improve their cars, and the competition stiffens, the same car is suddenly "boring" or not up to snuff..

I've seen plenty of reviews where a particular cars wins a comparo, only to have a midpack finish a few years later...


you also have to take EVERYTHING the car mags say with a grain of salt. Do you REALLY think they are 100% objective? they have categories like "gotta have it factor" and other nonsense like that so they can fudge results and make whatever car they want win. My suspicion is that in many of these reviews, teh manufacturer who gives them the best long term testers, money, other perks - wins. It's not really about the best car, it's rigged, to some degree. sometimes it's obvious. they say stuff like "this car was slower, didn't handle as well as the others, cost more, but geez we just loved it so much so it won". they leae out the part where that manufacturer sent them $10,000 in unmarked bills and some free hookers...

seriously...the RL is a great car. it's not an M5, it's not a 550i, but I'd rather have an RL than the "standard" 525. if all out performance is a priority, buy somethig else, or buy a dedicated "fun" car. if you want classy, luxurious transportatin, that is reliable, and you can get tons of bang for the buck, the RL is an awesome buy.

I havne't added it yet, but the aspec suspension would likely make the RL handle VERY well. I"ve read plenty of reviews here where former 5 series owners have added aspec to their RLs and said it handles just as well if not better.

TampaRLX-SH

Reviews tend to be weighted by misnomers that do not apply to the actual experience most auto owners truly desire.

These misnomers can include:

1. Brand reputation and cache. A BMW could break down in the road test, but still be the finest driving car (if it ran). An Acura has a pesky pop up power port and it has 'shaky' reliability.

2. The only cars that perform well must delight the reviewer with F1 performance. Safety, refinement, smoothness, linear power and athleticism in the twisties is NOT performance in the mind of these mental giants. They know what performance is, not you.

3. Comfort should be annihilated at all cost. Refinement is the Anti-Christ. You must need one more g in a turn, a tenth of a second faster and your teeth fillings should be jarred loose on your daily drive to work to be a good car.

4. You need track like performance on the public roads.

5. You adapt to the car. They know what is best for all drivers. If their opinion of the best performing car does not apply to you, then you must be the problem.

It is wise to research a vehicle and perform due diligence. But truthfully, how many remain true to what appeals to them as apposed to what media, marketing and popular opinion dictates to them?

I have fallen in lust with cars that looked great, won media approval, and left me disappointed in the long run (my former TL for example). But for those who take the time to see the RL for what it is and are not daunted by the press carps, will be truly rewarded.

You know you chose a car that appeals to you. We here can verify the value and durability of the RL. Thumb your nose to the reviews and those who have an opinion as to what you should drive. When they poney up the check, they can impose their opinions upon you.

In the mean time, enjoy your RL and keep you focus on how it pleases YOU.

GoHawks

I just took my '06 RL in for it's B16 service. It has 63K miles on it and I'm still in love with it. While I waited for the service to be completed I sat in the...

ZDX - Interesting er.. ummm... car? SUV? Whatever it is, it looks sleek except for the beak, but that's to be said for all Acuras now. Nice interior, but I still don't know what it's trying to be.

TL w/SH-AWD - 9.5/10s of what the RL is. I still like it from the side and back, but I hate the beak.

RL - As much as I think that the RL's interior is the most upscale of all the models, I must admit that it looks a bit dated compared to Acura's new interior design theme. I swear that when looking at the center stack of the newer models they looked like they're right out of a Transformers movie. I'm not saying that's bad, just saying what jumped in my head.

Like I said earlier, I love my RL as much now after almost four years and 63K miles. I've owned a lot of cars and I haven't been able to say that about many of them. Add to that that I only see my dealer a couple of times a year for maintenance.

A good barometer for me is if I walk out of a dealer without lusting for the newer models in the showroom. Not even so much as a slight pang in wanting to trade my current car in for a new model.

That to me is a testament as to the type of car the RL is.

TonyCD

The RL got some very positive reviews when it first came out (David E. Davis Jr. of Automobile, for example, gushed all over it).

But in addition to the very legitimate points made above, another reason the RL got hurt in reviews is that its virtues are subtle. Its craftsmanship is superb. Its interior materials are outstanding. Its paint and fit/finish are luxury-grade. Its controls are butter-smooth. But all that some people could see was a car that listed for nearly $50,000 and didn't have the presumed must-haves of RWD, a full-size chassis or a V8.

Indeed, many reviewers glanced at the much cheaper TL with its similar size, racy styling, comparable performance numbers and much lower price, and concluded without further examination that the RL was therefore a poor value. Consumer Reports -- which, much as we criticize them, is undeniable influential to a lot of people -- overtly ripped the RL by making the RL/TL value comparison. They even said that SH-AWD, the RL's signature feature, didn't meaningfully improve the RL's road behavior (which is utterly untrue).

The TL, a terrific car and a terrific value, was designed and built in America as a near-luxury sedan with sporty overtones tailored for American tastes. The RL was designed and built in Japan as a flagship executive express. It's quieter, smoother, heavier, and built from costlier materials. Whole different mission, which flew over a lot of people's heads.

ellover009

I think what hurts the RL is not having a bigger engine option, a nice V8 would make it a little more competitive, really hurts when you hear that the LS460 has similar fuel economy than the v6 in this car, so the RL is aiming to compete with vehicles that offer v8's, I would love if Honda would man up and offer a V8 engine.
A lot of vehicles in the same class and even lower class have a more lively acceleration and less body roll. Shoot if I dropped that kinda money for this car I would like to see it accelerate at least 0-60 in 6 secs or less and maybe offer a little less body roll, larger rl and bigger trunk would be nice.

I can understand why they say that the TL is competing with this car and eating away at it's sales. It's faster, sportier, offers the same 3.7 v6 engine and sh-awd, so imagine you have money but could use some extra pocket change and you weren't too large of a person the TL starts to look pretty decent. Sure is a little more cramped, the interior is not as nice and the styling is questionable (yet the young kids like it) but the TL's interior is not bad by any means of the imagination, it doesen't help that they kinda shrank the RL compared to the 96+ models, they made it almost TL size and then they made the TL larger over the years.

sleepinxlionhart

Not to go off topic, but that has also happened to other RLs? I thought it was only mine. The power port doesn't snap back in place anymore on mine.

TampaRLX-SH

There was a TSB issued for this problem.

http://www.in.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/SB/B08-002.pdf

wackjum

How about ashtray (utility tray) lid? Mine is broken too.

neuronbob

I have said the same thing many times in this forum. A-Spec wheels and suspension should be how the car is equipped from the factory.

And the marketing of this car was totally unforgivable. Personally, I think that if Acura won't market a car of this caliber, they might as well not try and do an "Infiniti"....no top range car at all. I'm still steamed about that....

sleepinxlionhart

Thanks again Tampa

470hpGS400

iTrader: (1)

Poor marketing
Dismal MPG
Acceleration that did not keep up with the times
Still a 5 speed which would improve the above 2 items
Aspec should have been a standard, it did wonders to the car.

Keep in mind that many reviewers only focus on handling and acceleration and seldom does handling in the inclement weather garner much attention in reviews which the RL does well.
Also, reviewers glance over the interior as well, though I read a recent article which hammered the materials used in the RL.

The RL just needs a strong refresh, more so than just the bumpers.
Nobody here would complain with an extra cog or two and a 30+hp bump.
Still, looking at safety and the overall package it is a tough car to beat.