BostonBrian31

I checked out the new 09 TL today.

I really don't like it, the back looks like a honda civic.

Legendaryjarl

more reason to hate it if u can't afford it

jzacuto

Oh, it's not the price! If you can get over the looks, it's still a tremendous value considering the features and the power. It's that I just can't justify spending $40K for a car that (personally, and to each his own) I'm not completely in love with.

Considering the price point of the 3rd gen TLs, it's just a huge leap in price for the risky gamble they took on whether or not buyers would like a radical redesign.

It's even harder to swallow the price when the FWD w/ tech package at 280HP is considerably higher than the 2008 TL-S w/ Navi at 286HP.

The sales guy said reactions to the exterior design have been mixed. If I were Acura, I'd want the reactions to be overwhelmingly positive.

I dunno, in the end to each his own, and I know it sounds stupidly corny, but deep down inside I really wanted (and tried!) to like the redesign because I just... love... Acura!

AcuraVic

First, let me say that it looks better in person than in the pics.
It looks muscular viewing from the front. The wheel wells bulge out.
The base TL needs standard 18" in wheels, as the 17"s look like 15" because the car size overwhelms the wheels. The flat, almost concave hood is different, maybe if it was convex it would be more attractive.


Inside, I think Acura deisgned the interior for a less sporty crowd. The dash speedo pods are sporty, but the rest of the interior is very 'accord esqe'.

The car is bigger than the 3g, but feels smaller inside. Probably because there is allot of stuff to see in the cabin, or maybe the seats were up to far

biggygo

If you just don't like the car, you don't. There's no accounting for personal taste - it's very subjective. What's NOT subjective is the pricing on the two cars (08 vs 09).

You compared the 2008 TL-S w/ Nav and 286 HP ($38,985) with the 2009 TL w/ Tech and 280 hp ($39,445).
$460 is CONSIDERABLY higher to you? For a brand new design (which you can argue is good or bad) that is (unarguably) larger and more spacious, virtually eliminates the torque steer that plagues high powered FWD vehicles, is quieter and smoother riding...I think you get the point.

Like I said, I'm not going to argue styling with anyone (I happen to like the new TL - maybe because I haven't been accustomed to the older body styles and it's not a big shock to me) but I find it hard to believe that once you get past the styling, you won't find the new TL to be a better vehicle for an extremely competitive price - a great value.

If not, there are still some 2008 TL's out there - you better snatch one up!

Justy

I saw the 4G TL today. My reaction:

Front: Ugly, ghastly
Side: OK, bland and big
Rear: Not too bad but busy.
Tires/Wheels: 17" wheels too small; 50 series sidewalls too large
Interior: Very attractive
Test Drive: None. If I dislike its appearance, a test drive is superfluous.

As you can see below, I'm an "Acura Guy." When I first saw the 3G TL, I immediately wanted to replace my 2G TL. I didn't experience that today.

I concede that I'm an old fart; maybe Acura is appealing to a younger buyer. For me, I prefer the 2009 Audi A4.

jzacuto

You're totally right... we could argue aesthetics until the cows come home. You either like it, or ya don't. Man... dealers ARE slammed with 2008s though! 101 West in Calabasas, CA has DOZENS of 2008 TLs and two TL-Ss! But with a 2006 TL/Navi, is it really worth the move to one two years newer? *sigh* Sadness!!!

ILoveMy1999RL

IT LOOKS WORLDS BETTER IN PERSON....i was appalled by the photos but it really has an agressive demanding presence in person. don't knock it till you see it up close!

wheelman322

Checked them out yesterday. At first I thought it was ugly as sin, then I stood and stared at it for a while.....it helped. The new acura grills are gonna take some getting used to, but once you get past that, the rest of the car really looks good. 5 months from now, when you see them as much as you see the 3G's, they'll look alot better.
The interior, IMHO is very tasteful....reminds me of my old 05 RL. Acura seems to be gearing this car towards the current 2 and 3 G owners who've maybe grown up and had a few kids and maybe need a bigger sedan.

Johns

For everyone who says the new TL is "ugly". I reserve the word ugly for truly repulsive car design like the defunct Aztek, and the old Subaru Tribeca. I also think most SUVs are ugly but that"s another story

s3nta

i hate the grille...it reminds me on saturn cars grilles!!... and also the profile is the same as nissan altimas( old ones)....

zot09

I saw one on the road today, and I can say that it looks much better in person, especially the rear. Saying that doesn't mean much though, it still looks waaayyyy too busy.

lilvinnyb

I kept a totally open mind about the new TL and decided to wait until it came out before voicing any opinion.

I actually thought it looked pretty nice in the promotional pics.

Well I finally saw them on the lot and could not get away from thinking...."old mans car". The back looks pretty nice, the front ok. When I look at it from the side it looks like a larger, less sporty maxima. Give me the RL or 2008 type-s over the new TL.

Interior looks SCHWEET though.

brianhed

I am a solid disliker of the new design.

Also, I feel like Acura is trying to push the TL buyers up to a more expensive plane while at the same time having the TSX take the old TL's price range. For me, I can't afford the jump up, so I will stick with used TL's for the forseeable future.

AZP-TL

It's not an age thing. The interior is just about the only part of it I like, having said that I think it could look good (especially in black) with some modding such as a custom and smaller grill, removal of the trunk lip and painting over that horrid silver strip in the rear.

I totally agree though, I would take an 09 A4 or BMW 335i anyday over this.

pbcmedia

i havent seen it in person yet, going to the dealer this weekend to test drive and take a nice long look at it up close and personal, but form the commercials and online views that i have seen, the interior blows me away, looks more classy than sporty, u almost think ur sitting in an RL instead. but the back view of the car (the trunk area to be exact) repulses me, maybe because im used to my 3g body style, but i dont think they shouldve sunk in the trunk like they did..... it just throws the body off...imo at least

jeffboston05tl

Saw the Acura promo on youtube. Visceral reaction = UGLLYYYYY! Particularly rear treatment. Looks like a design by GM. I was looking fwd to the 4WD version to replace my wonderful 2005 TL. Recently test drove BMW335xi- great great handling, accel, roadability... but it remains a very small car. And BMW charges you $$ for each and every accessory that is std with Acura.

jproy

The wife and I went to the dealer in Baton Rouge on Sat.. She and I have always owned Acuras. She drives a new RDX. I dont like the exterior but it drives great and the interior is nice enough. She preferes the new nav over the touch screen. I rather the touch but dont live with the other on a day to day basis so I am not qualified for opinion.

We got out of the car and she thinks the new TL looks stupid. We have owned two TLs and would be in there target market. The only thing we liked was the interior. I did not tell her anything about the car or my opinion before we saw it as I wanted to see her reaction.

After her STRONG negative reaction we both laughed and made fun of the silly exterior features of the car we thought were aweful. I think it's just as bad in person as in the pictures. There is way to much going on from way to many places with random filler for large spaces. I cant believe the put 17" wheels on as base parts. They look terrible. The satin crome is abundant and aweful. Aside from what it costs, it probably is a great car and a bargain considering what you get but DAMN it is ugly and I wouldnt consider buying an ugly car at that or any price point from Acura much less anyone. I will not be getting one. Im sure initial sales will be good as they always are(fools buying at MSRP just to have the first one) but I see any of you getting steep discounts once the lots get full of these things in 6 months. Hope I am wrong. I think Acura has lost its way bigtime. If not, its just not for me anymore.

240sxsexy

I wrecked my 2g TL type s last week and WAS debating between the TL-SH with 6 speed and the new g35 sedan till i saw the tl in person. Im going with the infinity. I loved my acura but to me the g35 is so much more sexy

Legendaryjarl

I wish acura has people monitor this website, all these negative opinions about the new tl, they should. I was gonna say where and what I don't like about the new tl, but ppl before me summarized it all.

5o9

That Asian Jack O Lantern smile looks somewhat better on a silver car

Anansi

I went by the dealership yesterday to take a look and I would have to agree with you. I think it's because silver doesn't contrast with that monstrosity of a grill as much.

I, like many, thought that the interior was pretty nice. Not sporty at all, just nice in an RL luxury kinda way. The interior, well everything I would say about it has already been said so I'll just leave it at that.

Having seen that I'll now buy the extended warranty for my '07 because it looks like I'll have it for a while.

KeithL

Even if they do they only thing that they will really monitor is SALES, if it tanks then if they don't think it is the economy they may realize it is the styling, otherwise if it hits their sales targets they could care less.

sekitori

I don't like the front end and the car has become much too large for me. For those reasons, I would never consider buying it. But I agree with that statement about the silver color. I saw my first '09 TL TV ad a couple of days ago. Considering the complaints concerning the front end, I think it was done very well.

It showed what appeared to be a silver TL coming right at you. But it wasn't a daytime scene where you could actually get a really good view of the front end. Instead, it seemed to be a night time scene where the car at first was quite dark. It then briefly appeared much brighter by use of intense lighting but became dark again very quickly. These alternating bursts of dark and light continued a few more times. In other words, you could get a pretty good momentary idea what the front end looks like, but not a really clear one. Under those conditions, the front end of the silver car didn't look bad at all.

Since this TV ad was probably the very first view of the '09 TL for many people, its object seemed to be to create enough interest in the automobile so that people would want to see it more clearly. And where can they best do that? At the dealer's, of course.

To me, the people doing the TV commercials have a done a much better job of making the front end of the TL seem more appealing than the designers ever did. Whether its appearance on TV can result in increased sales is something else again because buyers will have to see the car for themselves--in several colors in addition to silver and without the "made for TV" visual effects.

05 TL 6-Speed

Just saw the new "Strength" video for the new 09 4G last night. I have to agree, the videographer did a better job at portraying the vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1-cVz0Lc8Y

crxb

I saw the new TL at the tx state fair today.

I wasnt sure about the new grill on the mdx when it 1st came out.

Now I like the look of the mdx.

The new TL - I don't think I will grow to like it. It looks like a huge ES350 only the ES30 is better looking.

Even the what is called ? The Caddi CTS is cleaner looking

4G Too busy, too much going on. Not a clean design like the 3G

All I can say is the SH version had better be a great drivers car

The interior isnt bad, not sure about the gauges

I was hoping it was better looking in person

trevelle

I just got my 09 TL Tech. I was a "wait and see it in person" but after seeing in person it looks much better than expected. After driving the tech model, I fell in love and traded my 04 non navi. Drive the tech model and see how your opinions may change.

pahns5

With some of the newer Honda/Acura designs I have to go back and look at them several times before I can get a feel for them. I warmed up to the Accord but after several times back to Acura the new TL still looks like a poor attempt to look different. From a distance the back end has way to much bumper with the tail lights positioned to high up. The front end looks like somebody stuck that grill on after the fact and a side profile shows kind of a slab-sided look. Alot of different designs going on that do not mesh well when put together as a whole.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

Trevelle- congrats on the purchase. Make sure you post up your info in the 4G Sign in thread. Also, feel free to start a new thread and post pics of your ride.

Mokos23

My gf thought the design of the new TL is a step backwards instead of advancing. She prefers the look of the cleaner less busy TSX. I'm thinking of the TL sales tank, expect to see a refresh sooner than later and/or putting a V6 or turbo from the RDX in the TSX and maybe SH-AWD. If they did do that though, it would hurt TL sales even more.

PetesTL

I think a lot of you 4G "haters" out there will eventually change your minds once you start seeing more of them out on the road. This was definately the case when I bought a BMW 5 series several years ago. The ridicule and slander I got from Bimmerphiles and other car enthusiasts was unreal.....but then, as time went on, and more of the new 5 series hit the streets, the whole attitude changed. The harshest critics became some of the biggest hypocrits. Now the 5 series is universally considered the "benchmark" in its class. I'm not saying the 4G will become a benchmark or anything, but I know by this time next year, there will be lot of new 4G owners.

jproy

I respect your opinion. That said, I still hate the bangalization of the BMW 3, 5, & 7. The exterior of those cars has come a long way with modifications much like those on a M3 vs Normal 3. The interior of those cars are ridiculous and now look cheaper than their non-bangalized brotheren. A cockpit should surround the driver not turn away from it like in the Bangal designs. I cant stand it. I felt immersed in the controls in the non Bangal cars. Also, I hate to say it, but no car drives as well as a BMW and that is a major selling point once you take the test drive. The experience with the road and car is unmatched. It is my opinion that experience is what has continued to sell cars for them. Also they have long established themselves as an "I have arrived", "I’m rich", "Look at me", car. People buy them just to say they have a BMW. It is my opinion BMW could slap there badge on a pile of crap with 4 tires and a steering wheel and people would line up to buy it. That is how well they are established. Most automotive magazines say the same thing, great build, unparalleled driving experience, questionable interior/exterior styling. I know I just went on a rant.

I think the new TL has nothing unique or new/special about it period insofar as styling is concerned. The Bangalization of the BMW the exterior has been salvageable by their Motorsport division. I never thought the Bimmers were boats either. The new TL is very fat and aside from all the things I could tear into about the exterior I will never get over the damn beaver toothed cartoon like grill/ front end. Even the Bimmer was, like it or not, unique, the TL is not. It is a compilation of designes off a bunch of other designs from other brands and then a whole bunch of random filler where the think tank ran out of ideas to dress up an awful final design. I like the interior even if it is Accord esque. I hope this car doesn’t tank for Acura. I hope I am wrong but I just don't see it. It will take a major redisign for me to look back at the TL for 45K. The polls for the TSX I remember showed more people liked it than disliked it by a good margin from what I remember. The polls here on the TL are quite clear and from a loyal bunch. I'm still ranting….

02type-s

I've seen it in person. Its fucking hideous. And I thought the new TSX was bad.....The new TL makes the new TSX look good!

What the hell is Acura doing..

apasion

It does not catch my eye at all, wow factor is missing. i will keep my 06 for a while.

summit21

I have not seen it in person, but based on pics and video I do not like it at all. I am the new owner of an 06 TL w/o nav. The exterior styling is downright hideous. Maybe after I see it in person my opinion will change. Some of you are correct in that as more and more are seen it will be more accepted, but never better than the 3rd gen.

mikmax1

I saw about a dozen at a local dealership. Nada...nope...won't happen. That snow-shovel grill is hiddious. I got rid of a Maxima because of the beak. Thought I'd get over it, but never did. This is worse. Ironically, the new Maxima looks pretty good, now. I don't need a new car for a year, so hopefully, lack of sales will convince Acura to change.

nik-ki

There is one thing that happens in all redesigned scenarios, people will critique to the highest degree. From the ground up the car is judged and compared. However, the end results are far from previous statements. When I first saw the 09 TL online, I had a strong yet negative opinions... I saw the TL this evening and truthfully I can say the interior looks amazing, Acura is opening into new markets just like every other car manufacturer in the world. I saw the tech, looks similar to any 09 line up. As for the exterior it looks sharp and sexy. You really need to see the car in person to judge as oppose to viewing them online.

myfirst_tl

Went and saw the car and.....

I'm not sure how people can say, "Oh, it looks soooooo much better in person."
The car looks the same in pictures as it does in person, give me a break.
The car is f-ugly and the interior is the same as the Accord and TSX with a $40K price tag??? I was very disappointed and it was a total let down

Eric Allen

I finally went to the Acura dealer today to see the new TL and see if it was in bad in person as it appeared in pictures…

Well unfortunately it lived up to the pictures.. What a bulbous mess, the thing is huge compared to the 3G, it didn’t help that the dealer had an 08 sitting on the floor next to it, which really drove it home.

The front end is just plain ugly, no matter how you look at it and all the different body contours and lines don’t work well together. I could probably live with the back but it’s only marginally better than the front. Also, what’s with all the chrome its everywhere including the roof line seams.

The only strong point of the car was the interior which was gorgeous and well done.

Sadly, I am now sure that the replacement for my 05 will not be a 4G TL. The front contenders now are the newly remodeled A4 or a G37.

Sonor Kid 2

I have a 2001 CL and a 2008 TL, I love them both and thought they were both great looking cars at the time, especially the TL.
When the last TL came out in 2004 I thought it was one of the better looking sedans on the road and Acura offered a lot of car for the money with this design.
It was sporty and really didn't look like anything else on the road as well, which I liked.
You look at this new TL and you have to be disappointed as it seems to borrow bad design cues from other companies while adding that new solid grill design Acura feels is their new trademark and is so ugly in my opinion.
Where is my sleek sporty 4 door sedan I was hoping for Acura?
I get and over weight over bloated design with less horsepower than I was expecting and an inflated sticker price.
This car is no longer a good value by comparison to other car companies, I'm sure this new TL drives better and has been improved in many ways but I just can't see myself ever buying one.
I'd much rather buy a Lexus IS or a 3 series BMW by comparison, oh well Acura maybe next time.
I'll say one thing, a 2008 TL type S is looking better all the time.