You have to step up to the SH-AWD model to get the "good" seats with bigger bolsters. The only thing that detracts from this system is a bit of early morning sunlight glare on that screen.Īs good as the rest of the interior is, the front seats are a bit hard and flat compared to others in the class. screen provides clean and clear map data, with more details than many systems in this segment. The display makes excellent use of a limited amount of real estate on the dash, and most of the common functions are graced with a hard button instead of a menu choice. We were particularly impressed with the user interface on the navigation system.
The boffins at BMW who invented the iDrive menu system need to spend a few days commuting in the TL-the controls are intuitive. The interior of the 2009 TL has many pleasing attributes-the binnacle's styling and functionality is very well thought out. The new electric steering is very quick and accurate, but it still doesn't offer quite the tactile sensation of a certain German marque. However, with all-season rubber, we were able to find the limits when we pushed the TL really hard. And like many current Honda and Acura products of late, the TL is very quiet. The chassis is nicely calibrated to provide good grip as well as a smooth ride. The standard V-6 pulls strongly, and there's no perceptible torque steer. We had an ample opportunity to amble through the picturesque Connecticut countryside in this new TL. And the SH-AWD model comes with larger Brembo brakes, as well as cooling ducts in the front facia to help maintain fade-free stops. There's also 245/40ZR19 summer-treaded rubber, on a zoomier-looking wheels. So in a cornering situation, the system can load up the outside rear wheel with torque, and, according to Acura, help pull the TL through the turn.Īll of this goodness rides on 245/45R18 M+S-rated tires on, of course, alloy wheels. But that rear axle can send 100 percent of the torque to either side. The front-to-rear bias is normally 90:10, but can send as much as 70 percent to the rear. In other words, it has a torque vectoring rear axle. Both TL variants use a revised five-speed automatic.Īcura's Super Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) proportions torque to not only the front and rear axles, but actually provides extra torque to the outer wheels in corners, providing extra stability and road feel. This V-6 gets Honda's VTEC variable valve lift and timing program applied to both the intake and exhaust cams, delivering plenty of top-end boost while preserving a decent idle and emissions qualities. The base TL is still front drive, but the chocolate-chocolate chip version benefits from all-wheel drive and a 305-hp, 3.7-liter V6 with 275 lb.-ft. The TL offers a combined ETA rating of 21 mpg, up from 20 mpg. A slight increase in fuel economy comes from changing over to electrically powered steering, which, unlike conventional hydraulic power steering, consumes energy only when the wheel is turned. Power is up from 254 hp and 233 lb.-ft., boosted by the larger displacement, increased compression ratio and enhanced intake and exhaust port flow. of torque, based largely on the 3.2-liter engine it's replacing. The standard model is powered by an uprated 280-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 with 254 lb.-ft. You'll see two basic flavors of the new TL. And from behind the wheel it's impossible to detect any of that shared Accord DNA. This new TL chassis is stiffer than before in all bending tests. Some parts, like the front subframe, are aluminum on the TL, replacing the steel one in an Accord. In Honda's case, "platform" means front crash structure, suspension pickup points and systems behind the metal that only a dealership tech will ever see. This new TL is larger in every dimension, and comes based on the same platform as the new Accord. The last two generations sprang from Ac ura's design studios in Los Angeles and engineering facilities in Ohio. The TL benefits from its third redesign since 1999, and Acura has learned the value of designing United States-market cars right here in the United States.
Conveniently landing in a parking lot normally used by the American LeMans Series team's transporters, we were treated to a tech presentation in the races shop-and later, plenty of time behind the wheel on those great, twisty, Connecticut two-laners. Our drive started with a quick helicopter ride from Manhattan to Patron-Highcroft Racing's race shops here.
Good thing Acura has a completely freshened lineup for 2009, with an update on the flagship Acura RL, an all-new TSX and, now, an all-new TL. They'll simple languish on the showroom floor. With nearly a dozen serious players competing for over a million sales annually, no automaker-not even BMW-can afford to offer dated products.
The entry-level premium sedan segment is one of the auto industry's most competitive battlegrounds.