I took my CL-S to the dealer yesterday to have a spoiler installed and an alignment check. They gave me a silver TL-P to drive for the day. It had 24k miles, btw.

My impressions as follows:

1. I hated the automatic. Yes, it upshifted nice and soft but it always felt like it was hunting for the right gear. Only until I completely floored it would it downshift crisply without hesitation. The "sport-shift" seemed pretty gimicky. It of course had that nice lag like most "manumatics" do, and it didnt seem to shift any quicker than just letting the car do it for itself. What really pissed me off about it was that it would not hold 1st gear at all. I mean, it would still shift into 2nd no matter what rpm or how hard I took off from the line. What's the point of even having the sport shift if it shifts regardless of what you want anyway?

2. I was actually surprised by the power. It felt not that much slower than my CL-S, and it almost felt more powerful off the line. Maybe the gearing for 1st is steeper, I dunno.

3. The stereo had much more deep bass than my CL, but it did not sound as clear in the mid/highs. I noticed the TL did not have a-pillar mounted tweeters, which was kind of dissapointing. I realize the TL has the powered subwoofer which the CL does not.

4. Nice highway rpm's. I liked the deep 5th gear. 80mph was only like 2300 rpm, compared to my 6th gear 3000 rpms.

5. Way too much bodyroll/suspension floatiness. This is to be expected though.

6. Horribly pathetic tires. 205/60/16's on a $28k car? That's fuckin rediculous. I'm sure they ride better than the 17's, but they would squeal under minimal throttle around corners, and just felt plain bad during cornering.

7. The dark wood grain makes the interior too dark. The silver titanium look although not real, does brighten up the interior alot.

8. Seats were nice and cushy, but of course didnt have the nice side bolsters of the S.

9. I like the silver guages of the S better, especially during the day.

10. Dual level heat settings for the seats is kind of a waste, imo. And they buried the switch in an illogical place.

11. Fog lights were nice looking, but didnt really serve any function. Same could be said for the CL I'm sure.


Now, I realize most of that stuff is probably borderline nit-picking, but it's just my observations. I kinda left feeling that it didn't [b]feel[b] like a $28k car. I know it wasn't brand new, but I dont think that would have changed my mind on it.

 

yea, i'm a fan of the S

 

a very honest and through review.

You didn't take sides and bash it nor did you glorify it. YOU TOLD IT HOW IT IS!

You should be a car reviewer!

 

true...its a nice ride but lacks a little in the sportiness aspect....for that matter so does the type-s, although its a little better. Tires still suck on my S and suspension is still a little soft.

 

I'm probably one of the few people out there who isn't a brand whore, or biased towards a particular manufacturer.

I think the Type-S suspension could be a little sportier, but I think it is way overblown by members on this board. What car below $35k has a nice stiff suspension with minimal body roll, but also rides like a luxury car should? Not many huh.