mmarshall

Well, if you like that grille, each to his own. Its mileage, granted, is no econobox, but is not out of place with a big, heavy car, AWD, and a 300 HP engine. The much lighter Subaru STI and Mitsubishi Evo, with AWD and 300 HP, don't do much better.

TripleL

Mmarshall,

Excellent Review (as Always!!)

You may recall that I am and have been a huge fan of this car. To quote myself from a previous thread "It’s a fun & reliable AWD car that has just the right balance. To me the car does nothing great, but everything well... what more can you ask for." Mmarshall I value your opinion and overall your review reinforces those feelings.

BTW I agree about the tire noise. When I drove one in 2005 tire noise was one of my few minuses to the car. Now with the 45 series tires I'm sure it's a little worse.

Thanks,
TripleL

mmarshall

Well, on this car, open the hood and, for the average person, it's STILL hard to tell....the lousy plastic covers and panels hide almost everything. People who are not car-savy might have a hard time figuring it out.

And with some Hyundai's, it's worse. They mount the V6 transversely and then bolt the engine cover on 90 degrees off, front-to-back, to make you THINK that the engine is longitudionally mounted. Didn't fool me, but it might some people.


I pretty much agree with you, although the only real difference on the 2009 is the grille. The new tires and suspension, though, decrease ride comfort and don't give much back in handling or steering response....that is one of my complaints.

mmarshall

Thanks. The RL, IMO, has better build quality than the current 5-series, but don't expect its steering and overall driving feel to be like a BMW. The SH-AWD and the new tires give the RL some cornering grip, but there is some body roll, ride comfort is not particularly good to compensate, and the steering response is not particularly fast. The BMW 550i will definitely outrun the RL on the drag strip, but BMW does not market an AWD xi version of it.

In a nutshell, the 5-series outdrives the RL, but the RL has superb build quality that BMW can't match. Both, however, have some frustrating dash controls.

As for the Genesis, I recently reviewed the 3.8 version (the 4.6 was not yet available). I'm sure you read it, so I won't go into that car here again.

Give us some comments, BTW, on what you think of these cars when you drive them.

mmarshall

Thanks.


This car, IMO, does do one thing great......it does not give you cheap materials. Acura put the money into its build quality that other automakers should be doing but often don't.

The tire noise isn't bad......just noticeable when compared to super-quiet cars like the Lexus LS and GS. My biggest complaint with the new 45-series tires (and I stated it before) is that they lessen ride comfort without adding a lot steering response in return.

I value your opinion as much as you do mine.......If I didn't, I wouldn't do reviews, expecting responses in return.

TripleL

Noted!
Gotcha on the 45s. I have them on my IS and it took a while to get used to the 'sporty' ride. On most roads the ride is fine, but on choppy roads ride comfort does suffer for sure. I'm almost ready for new tires an am looking for alternatives, but that's for another thread.

Thanks again,
TripleL

rdgdawg

Will do... I did read your Genesis review (kudos as always)...

I agree on build quality, which is becoming bigger priority for me, and no 550xi is an issue on a $65K car. The Audi enthusiast I speak often on here and I drove a 4.6 in Milwaukee... both of us were VERY impressed, even with, get this, TWO 2007 BMW 550Is with no miles (under 300 on each) selling for $45K!!! Yes, that's right, no typo!!! They have both sat 15 months + in Milwaukee, however neither have NAV. So even with that type of deal we both agree for the $$ the Genesis was remarkable... and we are "drivers"

We also felt the build quality of the Genesis to be on par with the 550.... in other words, plus and minus to each = a wash... and I'm reading on BMW forums about software & trans issues popping up again on 04-06 5-series...

Next up, drive the RL, will compare all 3 once done...

...and lastly your input (as well as others on CL) has me convinced that if you do your homework and research (using this forum primarily and others of course) which will no doubt help you find the BEST/DREAM/PERFECT car you are searching for and make a choice you should live happily with... so kudos to CL as well!!!

Thx again Mike!!!

leedogg

Acura loves to bundle their cars with ****ty tires. I have no idea why they compromise in an area that is such a factor in noise, comfort and performance.

mmarshall

Sure. Have fun shopping and test driving. Let us know how it goes.

mmarshall

I don't think it's the individual tires so much as it is in the way Honda/Acura designs their unibodies, chassis, and sealing. I've noted tire noise in Honda/Acura products even with the same tires that run somewhat quieter in other cars.

The RL, for example, has good, thick insulation pads both under the trunk lid and under the hood, yet some tire noise still crept in. This suggests that the wheel-well soundproofing may not be as effective as some other makes. Subaru, for instance, had road noise problems with the redesigned 2008 Impreza....they added more wheel well insulation this year and the problem improved somewhat.

rsantiago

Mike, thanks for the wonderful review on the 09 RL, always a pleasure reading your reviews.

Btw, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind doing a review on the 2009 Honda Fit??

mmarshall

Thanks.


You got it. Coming up.

I'll have to see if any are available and unsold, though. The Fit is a hot-seller, and doesn't stay on the lot very long.

xcntuatd77

I dont agree it to be industry leading benchmark for build quality.

The audi S5 is the definition of that. In AND out.

mmarshall

Audis are not known for their reliability. The A5, like most Audis, is nice, and has a nice interior. Both have nice sheet metal, but it's hard to beat the RL's materials inside. The Audi may look nice, but its interior hardware, to my senses at least, did not feel as solid as the RLs....though, I agree, it was close.

IsraelRX

Nice review.

The 2006 RL was on my short list next to a Legacy Spec-B, M35x, G35x and the FX45 i'm driving.
I felt it was a good car, but short on power and a bit expensive for what it delivered.
How do you compare it to Infiniti's M? and what makes you think the SH-AWD is better than the ATTESA?