CONSUMER REPORTS AUTO ISSUE GAVE THE TL A NEGATIVE TO IT WIDE TURNING CIRCLE.
WHATS EVERYONES OPINION ON THIS

ALSO SAID BMW 3 SERIES IS MORE NIMBLE

 

everything they said is true. bmw is smaller and the tl has a huge turning circle.

 

Tl has a 39 ft turning circle while the accord has a 36

 

My wifes SUV turns a tighter circle than my TL. It's shame.

 

39 ft is a fairly large turning circle but i didn't read it was consumer reports. when the 99 came out the only negative they could give it was its brakes had a spongy feeling.

 

the lexus lx430 has a tigher turning radius. I personally think the turning radius sucks. In california there are so many uturns. I feel like i can't make the tight ones w/o the 3 point turn.

 

rx or ls?

 

turning radius on the '04 totally sucks. that's my biggest complaint that can't be fixed. my '02 Type S TL had a smaller turning radius..

don't even think about making a u-turn at an intersection unless you've got three lanes to turn into. pathetic Pathetic PATHETIC!

 

see i don't get it. the tl shrinks and the turning circle gets bigger

 

yeah, i mentioned this a few weeks ago in the "what do you hate about your tl" thread and didn't get any responses. What pisses me off is how the salesman told me, "go ahead and make the u-turn, it's got a real tight turning radius" and then when i didn't make it, he said i must not have turned the wheel enough. This being just my second car, I didn't argue.

Not that it would have changed my mind about buying the car, but hitting the curb on what looked to be an easy first u-turn and the now necessary 3-point turns are annoying

 

The turning circle is a derivative of FWD. In high powered FWD cars a large steering angle causes tons of torque steer. Ergo not cool. RWD cars always have a better turning radius for the same reason.

 

Wide tires/wheels may also be the culprit; they leave less clearance in the wheel well and the steering angle is limited to prevent rubbing.

Mike

 

I know dude, how friggin' stupid is THAT?

 

Vtecbrain is correct about FWD affecting turning circle. You thinl TL is bad, look at the Maxima with 18 inch wheels

 

i don't really mind the WIDE turning radius...my previous car was an F150 supercrew....heheheh....

 

poor turning radius, as well as vague steering feedback (they're trying to mask any sort of torque steer!)

 

Specs according to Edmunds:

2003 TL: 36.8 ft.
2003 TL-S: 39.7 ft.
2004 TL: 39.7 ft.

The '04 is the same as the '03 Type S.

Mike

 

I think so, tires are the factors.

04TL is not the longest FWD I ever had, but its turning radius is worst so far.

 

TSX: 40 ft.
TL: 39.7 ft.
RL: 36.1 ft.

The smaller cars actually have larger turning radii.

Competitor Japanese FWD:

Infiniti I35 40 ft.
Lexus ES330 36.8 ft.

And the RWD G35:

Infiniti G35 36 ft.

Mike

 

Thanks for the update. I don't see this happened in my cars so far...

 

Although 36.8 ft doesnt sound like a lot less (than 39.7), I'm amazed at the difference between my old TLs and the 04. There are many times I've ended up having to do a three point turn instead of a U turn.

 

Nah...my A6 4.2 and A4 had very tight turning radiuses (can't spell the proper term). Transverse mounted engine and big tires are the TL's downfall...the turning radius is an absolute emberassment....my mom's Odyssey turns tighter...hell our 745i does too

 

I read it in C/R as well and noticed it the first time I parked it. I have learned a lot reading this thread.