Nextourer

wow.. it looks larger than the numbers say. Must be all the new design cues meant to make a car look chunkier.

xcntuatd77

I saw this car in the flesh today and let me say i thought it was VERY HANDSOME!!

though yes i agree, the bozo the clown nose needs to go - it was more hideous seeing it on the maroon exterior they had at the dealership today. A silver exterior car would no show that nose that obviously though - same with the chrome strip on the rear decklid. However im sure you can the front done with aftermarkets or just get it painted same color as the car - dont know how that would bode. But the rear can easily be hidden by just painting it with he same paint color and it wont matter at all.

The interior of the car was black and the wood trim on the center console armrest area i thoguht was gorgeously done - very similar to the black fused with whites and greys wood look found in the GS/LS sedans in their wood trim but in a burgundy but very high end looking. Dont think it was real though lol

I thought the interior was excellent - much better looking than in pictures and though in pictures thecontrols looked all over the place on the center dash - it was not as so in flesh - very easy to spot and laid out intuitively.

i thought this car is a winner. $35,500 with automatic and well equipped coing as a standard base automatic - with EXCELLENT room both font and back.

i think it looks better than the 3/IS/E/ and even the new A4.

I didnt drive it but on comparing against looks and fit finish and feel etc and overall impression on eyecatching - it earned top marks versus any of those other cars by far.

Yes, i was very surprised. A loaded with tech pkg and all goodies that come with it including nav, weather, traffic, upgraded ELS sound, and keyless ignition, takes it to $38K which means about $34K invoice.

My opinion - hands down winner. I havent driven it but ido not think it will disapoint.

Vladi

Thanx for review!

I agree with you 100% that is exactly how I felt about the car when I was given a ride in one.
I think interior is the shining star of this car. Use of metal is the best I have ever seen, it gives you a feel of super solid cabin and feels great on touch like a real metal should. I would just prefer less buttons and metal nav ****.

mmarshall

Since most of the cars I review are brand-new, I don't use the brakes really hard or full-force, so as not to build up excessive heat (which can not only mess up the pads breaking in, but warp rotors as well) but I didn't notice any significant brake problems with the way I drove it. I'm also aware of the long-standing tendency of past Honda-designed vehicles to have undersized rotors and second-rate braking action. This car uses 12.6" rotors up front and even larger 13.2." ones in back.

I also don't usually review a car for the general purpose of getting max accelaration, handling, and braking numbers....for that, you would be better off consulting a publication like Car & Driver, Road & Track, etc.... My reviews are done more for the purpose of an overall assessment of the car, what you get for your money, and how the car does in everyday driving (what most people are interested in), not track figures.

It was not very reflective at all. The "textured metal" as Acura calls it, is a fairly low-gloss matte/grainy, silvery finish with little darker bumps on it, and doesn't have the plastic look or feel that so many other trims of its type do (Sorry I don't have any close-up pictures of it to post). Check it out at an Acura shop.....I think you'll like it. Chestnut wood-tone trim takes the place of it in some TL interiors.

xcntuatd77

i saw the chestnut wood in the car i saw yesterday...but its not listing in acuras website even as an accessory option or factory option. Do you knwo if its real and how you actually get this wood?

by the way i thought it lookd beautiful with the textured pattern it had.

Threxx

Thanks for the review.

Sounds like it drives better than it looks. You know there's a chance the looks will grow on many of us as it does with many cars with radical styling... a couple years go by and many of us will wonder what we found so offensive about the car. We might not call it gorgeous but at least won't be repulsed by it.

Unfortunately the TSX is really more my size and style but for 30 grand I expect more and want better economy on regular fuel.

08IS350

TL grow about 6" overall length but grow only about 1.5" wheelbase. Well, i can't live with that excessive overhang period. Even on TOV review, 5AT is dead at 3rd gear which slow you down during acceleration. Yeah, may be it will be ok for regular day to day driving. Thanks for review.

Lexwang07

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=jPAM3GJODkM

http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=nXhdUk...eature=related

Lexwang07

Motorweek's 2009 Acura TL Review
http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=rtnzFgTRCSg

Threxx

Did they get confused or something...? I'm 95% sure that's a TSX the guy is standing next to at the beginning of the video.

mmarshall

The Imitation Chestnut Wood is listed in the regular paper brochure's list of interior features....but doesn't list what specific package or color it goes with. Most automakers offer the wood with the beige interior and the metallic trim (or a darker color wood) with the darker gray/black interiors.

This car, and its list of options, has just been introduced, and Acura may be still making (or refining) some last-minute options and specs.

mmarshall

Yes, good catch, Threxx. Something's strange. That IS a TSX he's standing next to at the start of the show, but on the road for the test, it's a TL of the same color (either Mayan Bronze Metallic or Basque Red Pearl....hard to tell in the video).

BTW, I know John Davis, the host of that show......very casually, not on an every-day-friendly basis. I see him and talk to him at local auto shows. I'll pop him an E-mail and point that out.

mmarshall

I wouldn't be too concerned with the overhang.....you won't notice it on the road. The overall handling and steering response on this car is about as good as FWD mid/large-size sedans get, although the steering is not quite as darty-quick as the new FWD Nissan Maxima (see my review).


Can't always blame the tranny. This is a Honda/Acura engine, remember?. They tend to be peaky on the torque curve, which means RPM's to get max power. And, unless you are going to do serious drag racing, this engine/tranny combo is all....or more....than you will need 99% of the time.


Sure. Anytime.

mmarshall

Sure. Anytime.

I'm glad you will.....but I will have the same negative opinion of that Bozo-clown grille 5 years from now as I do today. Like Audi's oversize-square grilles, its MMI, and BMW's I-Drive, those are features I simply don't get used to.

The TL cannot use regular, according to the literature; I don't remember if the TSX can or not.

4TehNguyen

iTrader: (1)

Interior (real nice IMO, cant hotlink)
http://photo.netcarshow.com/Acura-TL_2009_photo_6a.jpg
http://photo.netcarshow.com/Acura-TL_2009_photo_6d.jpg
http://photo.netcarshow.com/Acura-TL_2009_photo_6f.jpg
http://photo.netcarshow.com/Acura-TL_2009_photo_74.jpg

get larger pics here:
http://www.netcarshow.com/acura/2009-tl/

TL: $34,995
TL + Tech: $38,685
TL SH-AWD: $38,505
TL SH-AWD + Tech: $42,235
TL SH-AWD + Tech + 19" wheels/tires: $43,325