S2000 Driver

The Acura TL is a strong luxury midsize sedan
--with the exception of the grille.

As-tested price: $42,995
Drivetrain: 3.7-liter V6; AWD, five-speed automatic
Output: 305 hp @ 6,200 rpm, 273 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm
Curb weight: 3,986 lb
Fuel economy (EPA/AW): 20/20.1 mpg
Options: None

OUR TAKE: If you overlook the hideous face Acura plastered onto the front of the new TL, you are left with a really strong luxury midsize sedan.

There is solidity everywhere you look in the TL, from the impeccable engine and transmission combination and the well-built interior. The engine is quiet with a strong linear power delivery that gets things up to speed quickly, and the five-speed automatic is a slick unit with fast and almost unnoticeable shifts. We do wonder, though, why Acura didn't opt for a six-speed that probably could have squeezed another mpg or two on the EPA ratings.

As we learned from our dearly departed long-term MDX, SH-AWD is just the ticket to have in snowstorms. Significant accumulations just didn't faze the all-wheel-drive TL. When the road crews finally plowed and salted the roads, it was a comfortable cruiser that stays firmly planted when dancing around corners, while the brakes offer a firm pedal and good bite. We would like slightly quicker steering response, though.

Complain about the explosion of buttons in the interior, but some think it's the lesser of two evils when compared with a touch screen or iDrive-like system. The interior is like a shrunken version of the dash from the MDX, and that's a good thing because it looks great. The comfortable seats are shaped like the MDX's that we raved about.

With a base price of $43,000, the Acura also offers a decent value. BMW's 528i xDrive comes with a $5,000 premium over the TL SH-AWD with a less-powerful engine. For a BMW with a comparable engine, you're looking at a $10,000 price difference. You give up the German pedigree and will lose some in the handling department, but we're sure many would be willing to forego such things for $10K.

We're eagerly waiting for the announced six-speed manual to come this fall--and hopefully a Type S version.

Source: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...IEWS/902269983

Entire contents ©2009 Crain Communications, Inc.

Colin

Of note: All the mags have been forced to do a second review of the TL to cover the AWD. IMO this is why the product intro are being staggered. It keeps you "in the press" longer.

chrisp0410

A good read, its funny, as the press continues to spew about this 4G TL, fewer and fewer complains and more and more accolades are heard. This is a good thing.

vybzkartel

Wow, they actually mentioned the 5-series, in a TL review! About time!

S2000 Driver

That's what I cross-shopped.

crxb

I drove a 535i. still waiting for AutoWeek to put the winter comparo online

JAB00

Without fail every reviewers dings the 4G for the beak and the multitude of buttons.

Acura would have had a bona fide hit if they were more conservative with the front design. It's almost incomprehensible that it was finally approved. A BMW or Mercedes can get away with controversial aesthetics because of they're blue blooded with established pedigree. The Japanese upstarts like Acura or Infiniti cannot.

Anyways, it's still a solid car and people will buy in spite of the controversial looks.



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Listening to: Quantic - Life In The Rain
via FoxyTunes

037

BMW 5 series does not handle better than TL, check out their skidpad numbers. HPT AWD TL pulls a .93G, where do you see a 5 series apart from M pull that?

PetesTL

That number is just about grip. I like to see some slalom numbers on both cars.....that'll be the real test.....I still think the TL will win though.

037

Well, according to C & D the 04 TL was on par with BMW for slalom.

Also, a similar technology was presented in a Nissan GT-R...and that whooped everyone and their parent company.

GearDriven

Unfortunately even the slalom is not that great of a number. The problem with many of these "cold, hard numbers" is that they explain something.

Car X, with tires y, can go z mph around and around in a circle/slalom/etc etc etc before it slips.

none of them are really very good measures of "handling" unless you plan on dodging cones and doing donuts all day.

Handling for a road car to me is "how does the car handle on the roads you drive, in the manner you drive" Do I have to get to 11/10th before I can stop the car from understeering and push the tail out? Does it turn in crisply at 2/10? 5/10? 7/10? How does it handle the emergency situations I need it to? (a C box would be a good test of that)

Benchmarks are benchmarks and they can be cheated just like all the school exams where the teacher teaches to the test instead of focusing on learning.

After test driving all manner of BMW, Lexus, Audi, Infiniti, etc... I picked the Acura because for the way I drive, on the roads I drive, it "felt" the best. For laptimes, numbers, and 10/10ths driving, I prefer a car with prancing horse on the emblem or even a Spec Miata, but those don't make the greatest road cars.

tmnhs81

I totally agree. I'd hate to dig through menu, a simple press of button is fine.

Ramrodthrusterpuppy

Even though the beak is still the one thing that really bugs me about the 4G....it bugs me less and less the more that I get familiar with the car as a whole. I still love BMWs and Audis (S5....one day), but I think that pound for pound and dollar for dollar, the 4G is one helluva an automobile. Here's hoping (again) for a 4G Type S 'cuz I will get one

SupaRookie

not bad. the front doesnt bother me as much as the rears.

KeithL

I love how they think a Type-S is coming soon, Acura if I recall does it at MMC so we have a few years to wait, but I am eager to see a Type-S 4G, I hate the display backlights in the AWD, I miss the RED of the 08 Type-S