AlCan

Change is HARD stuff for a lot of people, especially 3G loyalists. However, given time, they might change their mind.

The 09 TL is a bold statement to ALL cars out there. Watch out... it says.

Personally I love my royal blue 09 TL Tech. I upgraded my 17" stock wheels to the 18" stock rims, and it just looks so good.

What I can't stand is people trying to vandalize my car already... twice... even though I try to be careful where I park.

Melba Toast

I HATED this car at first but it grew on me so much that after the first drive I ended up buying it the next day!

PortlandRL

It took me a VERY long time but I'm slowly coming around on the new TL. You have to ask me about it in the right color, with the right wheels and on the right day, though.

blkaspec

not sure if anyone has commented on this yet, but the new 4G has a lot of similar characteristics to the 3G with the RonJon body kit...a more rounded front end, the negative sloped rear bumper...its not exact but it appears to have taken some of the basic design cues.

Ganplosive

Anyone else find it ironically hilarious that KeithL bashed on the 4g TL, yet has a picture of it as his avatar? (Look to page 1 of this thread, after neuronbob's posts.

danimal1968

A lot of people who at first strongly disliked the 4g have started to change their minds.

Ganplosive

Yeah, I was one of them... but the one thing I didn't do was scream out loud my feelings before it was established. This goes to show that some people talk way, way too soon (considering that a lot of the hate comments were made before the car was even seen first-hand)

jjsC5

I agree that sometimes after a while a car that I origanally thought was ugly grows on me. In some ways, I think it's not a matter of changing my mind so much as just accepting or getting over the hatred. I am starting to at least consider the TL to replace my CTS this winter, but I still don't like the look of the car - I'm just going into the acceptance mode. Sort of like Houston's summer weather. It's still miserable, but I've come to accept it and I still live hear because it's all about compromises.

But wouldn't it be nicer if more car companies would build cars like Aston Martin does where the first time you see it you instantly fall in love with it - and it never gets old? It doesn't cost any more to design a good looking car as an ugly, or even controversial design.

Sphyrna

Problem is different people have different tastes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. For me, I did instantly fall in love with the look of the 4g TL.

Blast00ftime

the front grill is really different.. not for me. The back though is really like. I'd say the third generation is still better

TunerBoy

All I have to say is I think the 2G and 3G TL look 1,000,000,000,000 times better than the new 2009 TL.

YetiTL

I absolutely love the 4G TL SH-AWD. I stare at it often!

To each is own but I'm really happy with the changes

jeffpa

Personally, I truly have a hard time understanding why so many people have issues with the looks of the 4G TL.

From the first time I saw it in person at the 2009 Greater Pittsburgh International Auto Show in February, I thought the 4G TL was really good looking. Out of all of the cars at the show, I spent the most time checking it out...the styling, the engine, and the interior (most of all to make sure my 6'2" frame would fit inside comfortably).

I have not owned/driven a car since I was 20 years old in college. I am now 39 and, since that time, have owned four pick-ups and six SUV's...so it really says a lot that this 4G TL got me back into a car after all these years.

I picked up my 4G TL SH-AWD Tech on June 12 and not a day has gone by where I regretted my decision!!!

ndabunka

I like the ronjon adaptation in the banner at the top of this page. By blacking out the "leading edge anvil, it looks more "modern"

buzzmag

I now drive a 2006 RL. Because the 2010 RL is nothing more than same 2nd Gen look, I considered a 2009 TL. At first, I wasn't turned on by the new look TL. But today, I saw a black 2009 TL SH-AWD with front, side and rear spoiler kits installed plus a very narrow pin striping. The grill is still a bit hard to take but overall, the car was hot and nasty. I really liked it.

I will of course test drive the TL before I make a decision because quite frankly, the RL is a magnficent car and I don't want to make a choice basewd solely on looks.

EssTooKayTD

I think the 3G is a great looking car, but I really think the 4G just gives off an authoritative vibe.

I think people will come around to the styling of the 4G.

craverkc

I have to admit I did not like the 4g Tl's at all at first it took about 6 months for it to grow on me. My 02 was going out so I took the 09 for a test drive and it was over from there. The car is amazing both inside and out. I got the Palladium color so the grill isn't that bad and I really like the back end of the car no other car out there looks like this one.

mayday813

I looked long and hard at the 4G, test drove one and even put an offer on a FWD Tech but I just didn't feel good about that front end design. I certainly agree that it doesn't cost any more to come up with a good design. Ended up trading our 2003 TL-S for a 2009 Infiniti G37 Journey. We still have a 2005 TL six speed which I stilll think looks better than the 4G. Just my opinion.

Hacura

My problem with Acura now their lousy body kit for the 4G. It's clear there's not much effort going into the design of these kits...at least not in comparison to the 3G kits that extend the TL as they should.

This just adds to the incomplete styling cues of the front. It's comical to see RonJon's concept kit that just finishes the 4G front end nicely. Not to mention it probably took them a fraction of the time to figure it out.

SpicyMikey

The only thing I don't care for in the new design is how the plastic grill protrudes up into the hoodline area. Looks wrong. Adds nothing to the agressivness. Tweek that on the MMC and I agree it's a good looking car that really stands out. No mistaking it for anything else.

04TLinSYR

I withheld my opinion until I had seen a few 09's. Having spent the Summer in DC, I've had a chance to see quite a few in 'real world' views. When I first saw it, I thought, "wow, Lexus really amped up their GS". That's what the 09 TL looks like to me. It looks much bigger than it really is.

I lived in Europe for 4 years back in the late 80's-early 90's. I thought then (and still think) the Alfa Romeo 164 was the sweetest sedan ever built from a styling perspective. I don't think they ever imported them to the States, but not sure...never seen one over here. When I saw the 04 TL, the 164 immediately jumped to my mind. The 3G TL had many of the same styling cues and general lines. Very sleek and looks smaller than it really is.

Rockstar21

iTrader: (1)

seen one the first day they landed on the lot in baton rouge.

hated it alot then.

hate it even more now.

its truly sad to see that the classic body lines of ALL sedans and cars in general are fading into huge whale-like sharply carved shells.

im all about change. but if companies keep designing crap like this.. i'll be buying pre-owned for the rest of my life.

3rdTL

I let my $$$ do my talking. As I said in another thread, I was waiting to buy one of these until I saw it. I bought a Lexus and BMW instead. I may never come back to Acura. To the Honda Corporation: Dump your Acura designers and the ones responsible for the Civic dash. Put the Accord designers on probation, one more screw up and they're out too. I take that back, fire the Accord Coupe designers and put the sedan designers on probation.

3rdTL

Oh, one last thought. At a time when Acura should have kept the TL the same size or made it smaller, they made it larger. Instead of getting better gas mileage, the mileage went down. And worst of all, the new car isn't even faster than the 4G TL-S. Don't expect to see the TL win any comparisons in Car & Driver, Road & Track, or Motor Trend. It will probably vanish from those pages much as the Maxima has done for years.

youngmula

this car actually looks much better in person, and with ronjons new grill, some rims and a drop this is one sick ride.

Shift_Acura

+1

JetJock

Acura's last truly good looking front grill was the Legend Coupe. In all the future generations they started with that stupid chisel look. The 3G was the last of the decent looking Acura's, now they've lost their mind with this totally horrible car. I've reserved posting a comment until I saw enough of the new TL's in person. Every time I have to pinch myself that it's a new design and the last of the good looking TL's is long gone. I only regret I didn't trade my '04 for a '08TLS. I guess I better keep the '046MT in good condition until something that doesn't make me puke comes along. Don't tell me it's in the eye of the beholder, an ugly car is ugly plain and simple and shouldn't take "getting used to". The new Acura TL is one ugly car. I wouldn't even drive one when the Dealer suggested I drive it because I'm sure it drives great but I wouldn't want anyone to see me driving a new TL.

LessisBestmakingendsmeet

Its quite amazing how the 3G still looks fresh and new to this day. Whats sad is the new one is going to age horribly

stork_fan

I guess people dont like change. I love the car, the beak, the back, the interiors. The only beef I have is that the stock rims are too small!

When I saw the concepts and then the pictures online when it first came out I was not sold, but after seeing it in person, its amazing imho

LessisBestmakingendsmeet

Change can be good. Ugly rarely is. There is a difference. If you think this is amazing, you might try to kiss the owner of an Aston Martin.

714Acura

After seeing it on the road, I think it's finally growing on me. I have had my 2006 3G since July of 2006, and I have absolutely loved it, but am ready for a change. I dont think I'll stay with Acura.... I think Im ready for something German... Audi A5 perhaps?

mike03a3

Well, they've been out long enough . . . and I still think the designers screwed the pooch on the current generation Accords & TLs. Neither, IMHO, is as attractive as their immediate predecessors.

I really liked the 2G TL from the start, was a bit less thrilled with the 3G because I thought some of the styling cues were somewhat derivative, but nothing about it turned me off. Overall I liked the styling enough to buy one, but I still don't think it's a beautiful car. The 4G TL? The front and rear just plain turn me completely off. Now that they have put the 6MT in it, I'd seriously like to trade my TL-S for a SH-AWD/6MT. But it's just too ugly to fit in my driveway. Here's hoping there will be a mid-model facelift with a new front and rear. Fix it and offer a SH-AWD/6MT/TypeS and I'm sold. But first the botox treatment.

Xpert37

I love my 4G TL, there is nothing that I don't like about, including the grille. Not sure why people are having problems with this futuristic looking car.

sdg1871

I'm not enamored by the front end's look but no one will ever mistake it for any other car. It may very well grow on me.

sdg1871

So now that you've bought it, do you still like the look and are you happy that you got it?

TLNV

I too hated the way this car looked at first, but have to now admit that it certainly has grown on me.

Perhaps it is because I color matched the front & rear and added the 19" Diamonds. Either way I actually am digging the way it looks.

FWIW, I would say realistically that 90% of the people that see mine, (parking lots etc) all say that it is a very sharp looking car.

I think it is because the "beak" has been color matched and it isnt as in your face this way?

kc1953

I love the looks and performance of my tl sh-awd. The longer I have it the more I like it.

nearwater4me

I LOVED the 3G TL, I tried trading in my old R32 for one.
After numerous attempts, I decided not to. Dealers were lowballing me with the trade-in value.

When I saw the 4th generation TL, I was very, very disappointed.
Couldn't get over with that ugly front end.
Funny thing is, the more I see them, the more I get to like them!
Plus, I've always thought the side profile and the rear end looked nice.
If I had a baby on the way, I would definitely consider buying the new TL.

Dan

kens TL

I was intent on buying an 09 TSX but the more I saw of the TL, I started to become more interested. I test drove both cars back to back and that sold me on the TL. More room, great interior, more horsepower and better looking in my opinion. The people on the TSX forum were also complaining about the looks of the new design of that car. My only complaint is the base wheels, no upgrade option in 09.

2009 base TL

JAB00

The side profile on the 4G is fantastic. It looks very athletic and muscular. I like the rear end. The shield is still very iffy to me. Those who have put on the RJ grille look really nice. I bought my 05 3G brand new. I paid it off this past summer. So far I love it. I plan on keeping it for another 2-3 years before considering buying another car. If the TL has a modified (ie improved) grille by then, I'll trade in for one.