So - I'm wondering if anyone has an 'older' persons opinion - yes - 'older' is all relative. If so, what did they say? Here's my story - and it's not about trying to bash the new 4G.

I am on my 6th Acura... I pretty much get a new one every 2-3 years. I love Acura... quality/price, etc. I currently have a WDP 2007 TL. I have only seen the 4G online and in magazines and on tv - not in person yet. I hate the new design BUT I am hoping my opinion changes when I see it in person.

Soooo - here's the scoop. My mum and dad are sitting here in the kitchen with me and the mail was brought in. There was my Acura Expressions Magazine showcasing the new TL.

I handed the magazine to my parents and asked their thoughts. My dad laughed and said - "it looks nice on the cover but I prefer your current TL."

My mum looked at it and said "I hope you're not getting one of these!" I asked why such a statement and she said. "It's ugly." Well - I near fell off my chair. I asked her to clarify and she said - "the back is the same as your brothers car and I don't like his (he has a nissan). And the front is just not as nice as yours." I said - ok - thanks for clarifying.

Then they both said - "if you do get one of those - make sure you don't order the one that comes with the big bird beak on front."

OMG - I nearly died laughing. They have no idea how I feel about the new design so their first impression was not motivated by my thoughts. My mum said, "your current car is much nicer looking - don't get that one - I don't like it."

So - that's just me sharing what just took place at my kitchen table with my 72 year old mum and dad.

Anyone else ask anyone "older" for an opinion?

 

Well I'm in my early 50's, a lot of people (not me) classify that as "older". I bought an '08 because the grille on the 4th Generation is a deal-buster for me. I might be interested in a SH-AWD version in the future but there is absolutely no way that I will ever buy this car with the existing grille.

 

Lol...good story.

I took my dad (56) with me to the Acura dealership when I test drove the 4G TL. His opinion? "That car needs a new nose more than Michael Jackson does." Alright. He was also turned away by the amount of tech and buttons in the car. Understandable for a person who doesn't even know what copy&paste is on a computer.

I showed my mom (52) a few pics of an SH-AWD from a magazine. The first pic was a back/side angle. "That looks sharp." The next pic was a front/side angle. "Ooh. I think I like my car better." She has an 09 MB C-class.

I think it's safe to say that an "older" person's opinion on the car is about the same as most people's. I personally like it and think that the design is just going to take time to settle for some.

 

I'm 62, and I agree with your parents. Those are exactly the things that turn me off about the 4G.

FWIW, my 26 yo daughter agrees. We both also much prefer the '07 Accord styling to the '08. Once again, it's the front and rear of the exterior.

YMMV

 

Ok, I am 60+ and I have loved the looks of the car from the first picture. As soon as things settled down for me, I will have one

 

What is "older" Do I fit the bill? I love the new TL. I am waiting for the MT6 Sh-AWD. Then you'll see something. Then the talk WILL change. That is the start of something NEW!! With it on the maket. The "others" will up the anti. Watch. I think the new TL is smashing. Its what we need when we needed it. Just the option of this old fart!

 

I am 57 and was so looking toward the 4G and trading in my 05, I personally do not like the looks of it and will buy soemthing else

 

This is all interesting because it seems like Acura is trying to get the TL into an upper class of vehicle-the Luxury Sedan (from the Sports Sedan). One would think that a Luxury Sedan would appeal to an older clientele.

 

My father in-law's 54 and he absolutely loves it...says it's his next ride.

 

I'm over 40, and still find the front end look very offensive. I've constantly been looking for another Acura to replace mine 2nd Gen. which has the crappy tranny. Now the '09 TL is off. Seems like it'll either be a restyled front end '11 Type-S TL or a '10 V8 RL. There is also rumour of a new coupe-like 4-door Acura which will be positioned in between the TL and the RL.

 

I'm 47, old for some, young for others, I bought a new TL, test drove it and had to have one, I think it looks great, inside and outside. I'm an industrial salesman, I get so many compliments on the TL from my customers. I have yet to have someone not compliment me on it.

 

I will not buy a TL to replace my 06TL6MT. Just can't get by the styling.

 

I moved from MD to NOVA last year and it quickly became apparent that if I was not going to lose my sanity by sitting in traffic I was going to have to trade in my '07 Honda S2K so I could use the HOV lanes. I drove more than enough cars in the last six months to last a life time. Living in Germany for 4 years and having friends with autobahn cruisers, I was lucky to have had the opportunity to drive fast cars from different manufacturers for extended periods of time. In my recent quest for practical transportation I drove most of the class leaders between the Acura TSX and Jaguar XF except for Lexus. I simply detest the nav and experience I had with my IS 250AWD. I patiently waited for the 4G to appear. Not sure of the design from the pictures, I was going to go with the Jade Silver RL/Tech until my 22 year old daughter called telling me that the TL was in the showroom and I needed to check it out. My wife and I swung by for a look see, drove all 3 Acura offerings and both really liked the TL. Price for price, handling, reputation and return on investment, the TL simply can't be beat (IMO). Even with the price breaks on outgoing 3Gs, the return on investment for paying 2008 dollars for quickly outdated technology wasn't a smart move for me. In the month that I have had my 4G I have had nothing but compliments and have had trouble getting out of some gas stations and parking lots because of being stopped so people could take a look. The only other car I have had that I have received this kind of attention was my Cooper "S". As a matter of fact, I have gotten a lot of thumbs up from 3G drivers. The only negative vibes I have gotten are from this web site. I don't need to impress anyone but me nor do I need to justify my choices to anyone. I've been part of many websites associated with the cars I've owned. This site by far has more bantering going back and forth than any I've been on. One of the Lexus sites was very close when the new IS replaced the previous model. I am 50, a driver that loves to run through the twisties, I've had my share of track time - though this car may not be as much fun to take through the Dragons Tail as my Cooper and S2K were but this is a very refined automobile on a global scale that I very much consider a sport sedan.

 

It's ugly to everyone except the owners, no matter the age!

 

I think the car looks much better in person than in pictures. As an "older person" I am comfortable with the technology and the looks wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. However, my one concern is that the new "pricing" structure would push me too far out of my car budget. I have bought 3 TL's in the past (00, 04, 08 navi) based on value for the money. Unless they have some really sweet deals in 2 years when my current lease is up, I may be looking elsewhere.

 

I am a former 05 TL owner and now an 06 RL owner.

I was appalled at what Acura did to the 09 RL, which does not look as bad as the 09 TL.

The 3rd Gen TL still is wonderful design. It is forward, agressive, and has not faded IMHO. The 09 TL is forced.

I do think the 09 TL has improved in some materials, fit and finish, especially in the interior. The glovebox actually does align correctly now. I cannot speak to the plethora of rattles and buzzes my 05 TL was haunted with. Those reports will come online as more owners report in.

I am not at all happy with Acura's current styling cliche. While at the Tampa Bay Auto Show last week, there was a rep from Acura querying my thoughts on the new styling of Acura. My response was: "Although I realize Acura is marketing the TL to a bit younger clientel, I find the current styling of Acura to be...

1) Juvenile
2) Unsophisticated
3) Contrived

I hope Acura grows up before I am ready to replace my 06 RL."

And if you want a more objective opinion, GOOGLE the phrase 'ugly beak' under images. The 4th image returned is an 09 Acura TL.

 

My point proved!

 

coudn't agree more. both older gens of the RL & the TL looked smarter, aggressive and clean. to me imho, the TL doesn't seem much sporty to me anymore, its in the high end zone, where it fits with other brands such as Bimmer and Merc. But then again, I gotta be honest, the engine isn't boring at all, it is good, especially in 3.7 SH-AWD, though most people wont notice much of a change.

I will be waiting in line for the 4GTL TypeS if it does come out again...it should pump out 350 ponies from a wonderfully tuned v6 engine (i really hope so). The 4G TL & TL-SHAWD both have a lot of power and feels really good to drive. I just prefer the 3G tl's design since I own one and I dont think any current 3G TL Owner will get over it for the next 4-5 years. If you guys think about it, customizing the new TL's might just bring out a lot of changes!!

 

Ive been in the market for a 3G 6-speed to replace my 2G and my mom (48) saw the commercial for the new TL. She told me i should wait and buy that one instead of the one i want lol. i told her sure, buy it for me

 

If you are still living at home you need to quit trading cars every 2 years and put some money aside for your own place.

 

If you google the term bad ass 2009 Acura TL, look what comes up!

 

Hehehehe..... I can understand your assumption that I still live with my parents.

No - they were sitting in "MY" kitchen, visiting me.

Just to clarify.. I do own my own home as my primary residence and a few other houses and condo's that I rent out.

 

OMG...funny!

 

I am older (77) and am on my 2nd acura. I love the way it handles and drives. Only problem I cannot download my phone contacts to the system because my phone does not have "phone book access profile". Anyone else with this problem?

 

What kind of phone do you have?

 

My mom is in her 60s and to say she loved my 4G TL is an understatement. She likes everything about it. My father does too but he is not a big fan of cars.

 

Most parents know that saying bad things to their son's car (no matter how ugly it is) is probably the worst thing they could do to harm their relationships. However, the ones who speak the truth are the ones not known to us : some strangers out on the streets for example.

 

I am just 60 so perhaps I qualify. I have had numerous luxury cars over the years including Jaguar, Mercedes, Infinity, etc. My previous sedans were a 2003TL-S and a 2005TL. I was originally waiting for the 2009 TL and I followed all the pretense and the early tidbits, etc. I was impressed with the engine and electronics, but not the overall look of the car. Yes, I feel it resembles others currently out and is not truly a new design element. Some of the parts are great but I do not feel that they jell together. I am an architect and I design luxury homes, so I have some experience with design elements and overall impressions. I decided the best value for me was to buy a new 2008 RL tech, which I did instread of waiting for the new 2009 SHAWD. I am glad I did so.

 

I was going to answer the OP, but then I am suffering from chronic CRS... would you repeat the question?

 

I showed it to my dad who is in his early 60s and he said that front grille is the ugliest thing he's ever seen.

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one that thinks that grill is horrible. Do they even use focus groups? I can't believe that design could actually be presented to actual customers and still get any sort of favorable ratings. Then again, look what Honda did to their entire line. I used to buy Honda, but then they got so ugly I moved on to Acura. TL's were the only car left that still had any resemblance to the nice looking design. Guess the '05 will be my last TL.

 

is it ugly or just an image statement? I think some of us are losing perspective on the purpose of something like this shield. It's not meant to be pretty. It's meant to be unique and identify the brand. To that end, I think they are accomplishing their goal

But seriously, the Eiffel tower was considered a monstrosity when it was first built. Now it's an endearing symbol of Paris. (http://www.paris.org/Monuments/Eiffel/)

Point is; you can't look at an image statement such as this shield and determine if it's "ugly" or not just by staring at it. Of course it's ugly!! Just like the Eiffel Tower was ugly when it was first built, and that big honking three 3 pointed star on front of an SL is ugly, and the drop jaw gril on an Audi is ugly. It becomes accepted, and then admired, only after it becomes a symbol for something desired.

I don't particularly like the shield yet either , but I believe Honda was very smart to do what they did. Fast forward 5 years from now and it will be fully accepted just like that ugly double kidney grill on a BMW. They now just need to build a product that is as unique as that face.

To answer the OP's question; I guess that's an "older person's" opinion. I'm 47

 

What? Give me a break, the car shoudl be appealing, true appealing to who is the question, but to say they woudl intentionally put somehitng that woudl not be considered enhancing to the look on the car is ridiculous. I'm sure they feel the shield identifies the brand and makes a statement, I'm sure they don't think it detracts from the car, but that is in the eye of the beholder...

OK good point, BUT I am sure those that designed it and approved it dod nto think so and thought it was a thing of beauty, and the public did not, well come see me in 100 years and we'll see if the 4G is in the same light....


I don;t know if I agree with that, I never found the 3 point star ona AMG benz a tunr off like I do the TL grill. Same with Audi, Iyou either liek it or not, and maybe you grow to accept it, but then if you are willing to buy smehitng you can accept rather than love good for you, do you accept your wife or did she grow on you and you accepted her

Maybe by some but the shiled on the MDX has been there a few years and it revlts me as much now as it did the first time I saw it.

 

An even older perspective (53)...
A lot of Cognitive Dissonance happening here.
The 4G TL will not sell as well as the 3G TL...because it's ugly.
It's better in person than in pictures...but it's still ugly.
That ugly beak will be gone in 5 years...mark my words.
It will not be a mark of the Acura brand.
BTW the Merc star and Audi grill are not ugly, they are distinctive.
The beak is ugly and distinctive!
I'm not sure Acura wants to be known for that.

 

The Edsel was ugly. Still is.

It made a statement.

It brought attention to Ford, as a brand.

Unfortunately adverse attention is NOT always favorable. The Edsel failed as a model and to this day is a mockery of Ford. Thank goodness the exploding Pinto distracted from bad call styling to bad call engineering.

This is a styling attempt taken too far, which in my opinion is not clever. It may be obvious it is an Acura styling cliche (as more of the masses fall victim to staring at it across a red light), but it is bad design, bad styling, overrought, overthought and the rest of the car get lost behind it. As good of a car he TL may be, it is worthless if people en masse will not buy it because it is, subjectively...ugly.

For those who like it, more power to them...it is their money. But do not try to convince me it is not ugly. It insults me that Acura's mentality is nothing different than a shock jock on the airwaves my taxes support. Yeah, it gets attention and defines a brand, but it is ugly and there is way too much ugly in the world already.

There is nothing clever here more than shock, even vulgarity of design to draw attention. Well you have my attention, Acura. It may not be the attention you want because Acura will not get my money to support ugly.

This style will not endear me to Acura. It will make me look elsewhere.

 

 

KeithL: All you did to refute my statements were to offer your opinion on styling. I can't respond to that. It would be like debating the best flavor of ice cream. The one you like best is the best. Besides, everyone knows chocolate chocolate chip is the best!

SBTL: If I remember correctly, the new style on the Audi was HATED by all the Audi lovers when it first came out. Everyone was trying to find ways to retrofit replacement grills on it. Now, it's a status symbol for Audi lovers.

Tampa: the Edsel didn't fail because of it's grill. It failed inspite of it because it was the wrong car for the time and had numerous quality and marketing problems. The unique face became a symbol of it's failure but wasn't the cause of it. It was actually well received. Had the car been successful we probably would have seen other brands imitating it in the late 50's.

http://www.failuremag.com/arch_history_edsel.html


I don't care for the beak either, but I don't believe we can predict the eventual acceptance or rejection of an image statement from this vantage point. Anyone who thinks they can with certainty needs a history lesson.

 

Reactions to the Edsel by the automotive press such as:

‘an Oldsmobile sucking a
lemon’ and another called it ‘a Pontiac pushing a toilet seat’


should endear me as much as the:

'power phlegm grille, dustbuster schnoz, big buck tooth and beakus giganticus'?

Better than the Edsel debochery, the TL is a GREAT car. But simply because of an ugly point of view, I will not buy one. And I suspect many, many more potential buys will think the same.

Ugly is as ugly does.

 

I'm sure you're right if we just ask each other on this forum. An Acura forum is a terrible place to judge styling changes with Acura's. Everyone here owns a TL, RL, TSX from BEFORE the styling change was made. It stands to reason that if you liked the subtle low key styling of the prior designs you will probably not like these bolder radical styles. Acura would be stupid to come to a forum like this for a focus group. We're not a good sampling of all the potential car buyers. We are definitely biased towards the prior style by the fact that we already bought one.

 

Granted, the passion on an Acura board, or any automobile enthusiast board is more acute than the general public. But I see overwhelming evidence everwhere I read, everwhere I converse that the reaction to this styling statement ranges from lukewarm to confused to outright disgust (of which I am the latter). Ad again, for those who like it....more power to ya.

But if the media and opinions of those who past here and elsewhere is even a small reflection of how the masses will react, Acura made a poor decision. Of course, sales volumes will best answer that. But it will be diffcult to pin it on styling since the auto industry has even greater challenges to hurdle. This was not a good timing for Acura to take such a bold (dumb?) gamble.

And I cannot respect ANY company that deliberately thumbs it's nose to it's current clientel in hope to gain more. If they fall flat on thier face, I will simply step over them on my way to another brand. If they want to take a 'like it or leave it' attitude, they better damn well be prepared to see the backsides of loyal Acura owners hightailing to another brand dealership.

I pray the rumors are true that Acura has throttled down on the 09RL model debotchery and is rushing the next Gen RL to market with a corrective approach to this style. For me, personally it might keep me in the brand if executed with ANY interest in what we have made clear. But for the TL, the bread and butter model of the brand, there are many, many more affected by this initiative and Acura OWES them something if they want to remain a viable brand.