Well, I just got back from test driving the '04 TL....It was an automatic without Navi - Sticker: $33,100 (add $2000 for Navi)

My impressions:

1. Power - It has some nice pickup to it and allows you to punch it a bit for a quick boost of power. I didn't find it noticably more powerful than my '03 CL-S 6 Speed even when using the Sports Shift.

2. Handling - It took some pretty tight curves at high speeds with ease. I went over some bumpy roads as well, and it held the road well. It didn't have as much of a sporty feel as the CL-S, but close.

3. Comfort - The front seats were comfortable, but not as much as the '03 CL-S. The back seats were MORE comfortable than the CL-S.

4. Convenience - The steering wheel controls are well laid out. I like the look of them as well, although with the silver/metal buttons and trim around them, I could see them looking worn with time. The Blue luminese Instrument cluster really looks nice.....I was very bright during the day...I would be interested to see it at night. The XM Satellite radio is a nice feature although I lost signal several times during my ride by travelling on some back roads with trees. The radio is MUCH more powerful than the CL.....has separate control for Subwoofer and Center channel (as well as typical Bass/Treble, Left/Right and Front/Back). Had some great sound for a factory radio...probably one of the best I've heard (still not as good as aftermarket, but I wouldn't expect that) No Navi in this one so I couldn't play around with that, although the brochure shows a Navi similiar to the '03 MDX with a bigger screen.

5. Space - Leg room is fine in the front....a little less in the back when compared to the earlier TL's. The trunk is SMALL! Much smaller than our CL's....this was a major disappointment. The salesman also mentioned that if they come out with a new Coupe (ala the CL) it would be on the same chassis, so have the same smaller trunk as the new TL.

6. Engine - Lots of plastic covers and frames around the engine. Looks kind of cool, but not really any function to it. Looks like it won't be too hard to install a CAI....will just have to remove a bunch of plastic. They do have a new type of sound dampening cover on the inside of the front hood that is more solid and looks like it will last longer than the foam stuff of the past.

7. Exterior look - From the front it looks nice.....I don't like the look of the rear although it looks much better in person than in the photos I had seen. From the side, it doesn't look as sleek as the old TL or the CL......nice, but more sedan like than sporty like.

Conclusion - Nice, but may not be worth the $33,100-$35,100 price tag. If the 6 speed with Navi was available when I purchased my CL-S back in June, I might have considered it due to the 4 doors, updated Navi, XM Sat radio, etc.....but I think the CL-S and older TL's look nicer, and have more room and I probably would have stuck with the CL-S.

 

stereo has a center channel? thats pretty cool.

 

its 5.1 audio system

 

wheres the 5th channel speaker?

 

Is it a 5.1 Bose system?

 

It's not badged as Bose, but the saleman thought that it may be Bose under the covers...he wasn't sure.

 

I thought the car will be available later next week. You did the test at the dealer's I suspect.

 

Sounds like an overall mediocre review to me, much like C&D's review "nice, but not worth the cake." Acura is going to be in trouble on this one I think.....it's so ugly.

 

The looks of the 2nd gen TL/CL are sooooo much better than the 04 TL. I think it's an ugly car, even if the interior is sex.

Oh, and NOTHING beats the placement of the stereo controls in the CL-S. I drive with my hand in that spot naturally, so it's very, very convenient for me. I'm sad to see that it was moved in the 04.

 

no......

 

Nice first impression. How was the fit and finish on the interior?

 

Nice review. I'll have to go pass the dealership to see if it looks better in person, like you said.

 

At least they ditched Bose.

 

Yes.....they got it in last night (10/02). I was in picking up the newest addition to our family (an MDX) and they had just gotten it in. I was going to take the test drive last night, but our kids were getting a bit too antsy waiting for us with the paperwork and going over the new vehicle and I didn't want to make them wait any longer. I told the saleman I would be up at lunchtime to take it out for a drive.

Leather was nice....no creaks, squeaks or other annoying noises, and it all looked very impressive on the inside.

 

unixadm,

Thanks man... It make me feel much better with those "........ CL-S is better..."

 

eek! You saying the stock CLS handles better?

 

Creaks & squeaks won't be really known until a while after someone takes delivery. I didn't notice any until 6-9 months down the road.

 

Remember, the '04 TL is not a Type-S, so we'll see what's in store in the years to come.

 

I thought Acura was going to can the "type-s" badging and instead just offer different transmissions (5AT / 6MT). If they were to introduce a "type-s" model, how much more would it be? Another $2250? That's over $35k for a 04 TL-S. Acura would not have a price advantage anymore over their competitors.

 

I have an 03 CLS6 with a navi. I wonder if Acura is charging too much for the navi option (which, I believe, should include Onstar and the nifty built in car phone). My Dad just bought an 04 Chrysler Pacifica, and their navi, but no Onstar, was a $1,550 option.

Off topic, but that Pacifica, read: a BIG station wagon, can do 0.77G's on the skidpad! Shows you what a Mercedes Benz suspension can do.

P.S. The thing will be one month old tomorrow and somebody already hit the damn thing in a parking lot. $1,300 damage.

 

you can buy a navi system online, an eclipse or something, brand new, for around a grand. yes, they charge too much, but all car makers do. thats their business!!

 

Skidpad numbers don't mean squat... Show me the slalom numbers... I would bet that Infiniti's FX line would outhandle the Pacifica all day and all night.



On topic...

I may revisit Acura ownership in a year or two when we're ready to get a sedan/SUV... I dunno how I feel about the '04 TL. I guess I'll just have to go drive one.

 

I believe the new TL already has a CAI, right?

 

acutally aftermarket ones are 1k, then you have to buy screen (brain)which is another 1k.

So yea.

 

nice review.

Ruf

 

Well, I believe the original poster was referring to a 03 CL-S six speed with HLSD(which he drives), whereas the 04 TL auto does not. The 04 TL six speed should handle as well as the CL-S six speed.

 

DVD Audio - cool.....

 

Of course not because 10 more crank hp doesn't come close to equalling the loss in the automatic drivetrain compared to your six speed. Plus manuals always feel faster. =)

And yeah the back seats are very nice and plush feeling.

 

we get to drive one next week at the delership i am getting mine. so i can't wait.

 

i got an invitatoin to test one out, i guess i'll give it a try

 

It's A Panasonic DVD-Audio system, not Bose or anything like the standard stereo setups. Here's a piece of an audio article on the 04 TL audio sustem.

More specifically, "the Acura/ELS® Premium 8-speaker Surround System with DVD-Audio and DTS, CD 6-disc changer, AM/FM Tuner and Dolby® Cassette" is standard equipment with the new vehicle. The ELS label presumably stands for Elliot L. Scheiner.

Quoting Mr. Scheiner: "Surround sound in a vehicle sounds great... when people hear it, they get it right away, they want it for their own car."

Along with DVD-Audio, the Acura ELS system also provides built-in DTS multichannel audio decoding, and XM Satellite Radio, providing the broadest possible range of digital and multichannel audio source options (including DTS 5.1 Music discs).

Speaking for DTS, president and CEO Jon Kirchner says: "The widespread adoption of home theatre systems has driven increased popularity in surround music in general, which is quickly leading to consumer demand for the same experience in the car. Acura's decision to include DTS as a standard feature in the 2004 Acura TL shows how they recognize and value the future of in-car entertainment."

Toyota's 2003 Brevis luxury sedan, available in Japan only, offered a DVD-based surround audio system, with DVD-Audio, DTS and Dolby Digital discrete 5.1-channel capabilities, as a factory-installed option.

In North America, Chrysler's 2004 Pacifica SUV model includes a DVD-based (but not DVD-Audio) home-theater-style 5.1 surround audio system by Infinity. As well, numerous after-market audio brands, including Alpine, Clarion, Eclipse, Panasonic and Pioneer, offer DVD car systems with 5.1 surround sound through Dolby Digital and DTS decoders (but again, not DVD-Audio).

But the Acura TL, with its ELS Surround System, will be the first vehicle available in North America with factory-installed DVD-Audio, high-resolution MLP and PCM capability (96/192 KHz, 24-bit audio), and discrete multichannel surround playback.

Harman Becker (the automotive OEM division of the Harman International audio manufacturing group) is developing DVD-Audio-based multichannel car audio systems for future models from Toyota/Lexus, BMW, Chrysler and others (branded respectively as JBL, Mark Levinson, Harman Kardon and Infinity), but these are not expected in production until the 2006 model year.