What are the differences between the 04 tl and 05?

Also what changed between the 05 and 06?

 

04-05 transmission i heard a little and 04's were likly to go on autos. and stering wheel "A" symbol is chrome in the 05 and the tape desk "acura" is smaller in the 05...thats about it....and im not sure about 05-06

 

I have one of each.

The seat bottoms are different. The '05, from what I understand, has a slight improvement in the sound system.

 

Here's a thread about it from the 3G garage- https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/2005-info-price-michelin-tires-updates-559480/

But basically:

 

A 2004-2006 TL with a 6 speed manual will have huge brake capilers in the front that are black.
A 2004-2006 TL with 5 Speed Automatic has silver small brake capilers all around.
A 2005-2006 TL have an extra line of stitching on the inside
A 2005-2006 TL have the seatbelt anchored to the seat and not the floor
A 2005-2006 TL has a A symbol that is part plastic chrome, the 04 has a full plastic one.
A 2004-2006 TL has solid RED tail-lights
A 2004-2006 TL with Quartz and Ebony interior have Carbon Fiber trim
A 2004-2006 TL with Parchment or Camel interior have ORANGE WOOD trim
A 2004-2006 TL has a 4 spoke steering wheel
A 2004-2006 TL says HONDA ON WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR PARTS
A 2004-2006 TL has FULL AMBER reflectors in the headlights
A 2004-2006 TL has RED rear side markers
A 2004-2006 TL has satin exterior
A 2006 TL has a rectangle indent in the rims to have the TPMS sensor

A 2007-2008 TL has euro blinkers on the side-mirrors
A 2007-2008 TL has Fog lights at the bottom of the bumper with DRL's where the fogs were on the 2004-2006 TL
A 2007-2008 TL has a honeycomb cutout on the rear bumper between the muffler
tips
A 2007-2008 TL has larger grills on the front
A 2007-2008 TL has clear lenses Tail-lights with red parts within
A 2007-2008 TL has a 3 spoke steering wheel
A 2007-2008 TL has ACURA ON THE WINDOWS AND EXTERIOR PARTS
A 2007-2008 TL BASE has fake black wood interior trim
A 2007-2008 TL BASE has a clear middle section of the tail-light


A 2007-2008 TL Base has satin trim on the exterior
A 2007-2008 TL-S has a fake Carbon Fiber interior trim
A 2007-2008 TL-S has half clear, half Amber front reflectors
A 2007-2008 TL-S had grey rear side markers
A 2007-2008 TL-S has Chrome Trim instead of Satin Trim
A 2007-2008 TL-S had Huge Black Capilers in the front, both on AUTO AND MANUAL
A 2007-2008 TL-S has metal racing pedals


A 2007-2008 TL has a 10 spoke 17 inch rim while the 2004-2006 has a 5 spoke star rim
A 2007-2008 TL-S has 17 inch GUNMETAL rims.
A 2007-2008 TL-S has black rear capilers
A 2007-2008 TL-S has gunmetal in the tail-lights
A 2007-2008 TL-S has quad exhaust
A 2007-2008 TL-S has vertical stitching on the door-panels
A 2007-2008 TL-S has TYPE-S embossed into the headrests

posted things in that list that were easily visible, to an extent, I guess that the Type-S emblems Should be on there, but for the red-lighting, you can only see that when the car is on...

IF you wish to add these smaller details, here they are:
2004-2006 TL ALL, the underside of the headrest, and rear arm-rest side (near the door) is vinyl
2007-2008 TL ALL, the underside of the headrest is felt, along with the rear arm rest

2004-2006 TL NAV uses 3.xx version, XM RADIO ONLY
2007-2008 TL NAV uses 4.xx version, XM NAV TRAFFIC, MP3/WMA, AUX, Dobly Prologic 2 added
2007-2008 TL-S ANC added
2004-2006 TL ALL - gauges are black with blue semi-ring, red needles and white, MID in right, PRNDML in left cluster
2007-2008 TL BASE - Gauges have brushed background, blue rings around, white numbers, red needle, MID in center, PRNDML in right cluster
2007-2008 TL-S - Gauges have brushed background, RED rings around, white numbers, red needle, MID in center, PRNDML in right cluster
2004-2006 TL NAV- HFL, Navi buttons in bottom left corner of steering wheel
2007-2008 TL NAV- HFL, NAVI, MID buttons directly on bottom of steering wheel face

2004-2006 TL NON-NAV - radio display and temperature display together in 1 unit, NO COMPASS, Manual Clock adjustment, Blue backlight added either in 2005 or 2006
2007-2008 TL NON-NAV - radio display and temperature display appear to be 2 units, Compass, Manual Clock, white text, no backlight

2004-2006 5AT TL ALL black leather shifter standard
2007-2008 5AT TL BAse, black leather shift knob
2007-2008 5AT TL-S Black Leather with carbon fiber center shift-knob

2004-2006 TL Standard suspension firm, yet soft
2007-2008 TL BASE- Suspension softer than 2004-2006
2007-2008 TL-S - Suspension firmer than 2004-2006, but less then 2004-2008 ASPEC

2004-2006 TL 3.2 ALL engine cover simple plastic with manifold uncovered
2007-2008 TL 3.2 BASE engine cover plastic covering entire manifold with A symbol
2007-2008 TL-S 3.5 Engine cover plastic covering entire manifold with A symbol, 3.5 In red on cover

2004-2006 TL Battery cover clips on
2007-2008 TL ALL battery cover has different attachment system with knob

2004-2006 TL Air box rectangular
2007-2008 TL Air box With cut on one side

2004-2006 TL, Headliner and pillars are grey
2007-2008 TL BASE - Headliner and pillars grey
2007-2008 TL-S- Headliner is ebony along with pillars

the 07+ has the switchblade keys too

 

Here's a pretty comprehensive list between the years:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/2005-2008-differences-mainly-sound-642291/

From what I can see, stitching on the seats and the seatbelt anchors which means the mats have a different configuration., and the passenger side airbag gets a shut off switch.

 

The seat stitching was a response to complaints of what Homer Simpson calls an "ass groove" on 2004 TLs. The three-panel lower portion of the seat was intended to minimize this effect, which is common on 2004s. I have an '04 and it's never bothered me all that much because if I'm in the car, I'm sitting in the driver's seat and thus don't notice the ass groove, and if I'm not in the car, it's 99% probable that I'm not looking at the driver's seat.

 

I have an 04 and I am rockin the ass groove