Sigh..... New 2009 Acura TL

[1SICKLEX]

Car & Driver
2009 Acura TL 1st Drive
As always, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. And so does ugly.

BY MICHAEL AUSTIN
October 2008

Let’s just get this out of the way. Yes, the beaky nose on the new Acura TL looks odd. Maybe it’s just the shock of a new look; maybe it really is weird-looking. We’ll need more time to gaze critically upon it before we decide. We can, however, testify that it looks better in the flesh than in photographs and that the rest of the TL’s angular, modern shape is assuredly handsome, especially in the pointed shape of the trunk. And while it might look odd, the car’s grille carries a familial resemblance to the rest of the Acura lineup. Puns aside, the TL stands out as the face of the brand. It spearheaded Acura’s sales resurgence in the late ’90s and remains Acura’s bestselling car.

The success of previous TLs centered on two aspects: a powerful V-6 engine and lots of standard equipment. The new TL predictably sticks to that playbook but adds another page with the addition of optional all-wheel drive. The standard TL’s V-6 gets a displacement enhancement from 3.2 liters to 3.5; power is up 22 horsepower to 280, and torque grows by 21 pound-feet to 254. Both numbers are, however, slightly lower than the output of the 3.5-liter in the old TL Type-S. The all-wheel-drive TL, dubbed SH-AWD and equipped with the same rear-wheel torque-splitting system found in the RDX and MDX, comes with a 3.7-liter engine rated at 305 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. It’s basically the same powertrain as in the updated RL [C/D, September 2008], with variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing and lift all on a single cam. Both TL engines are mated to a five-speed automatic, which seems outdated in a segment where six and seven speeds are common. Visually, the SH-AWD model is differentiated by the functional front brake ducts next to the fog lamps, four exhaust tips at the rear, and 18- or 19-inch wheels and tires.

As before, the TL is based on the Accord, although this one doesn’t share any major dimensions with the Honda. Exterior dimensions are all bigger than the outgoing model’s, with length growing a full six inches, to 195.3. The bigger size doesn’t translate directly to the interior, though. The front seat is slightly smaller, while the rear seat is a little bigger (legroom is up 1.3 inches). Trunk space is bigger by just less than one cubic foot.

As for the rest of the Acura playbook, the TL still boasts an impressive amount of equipment. The Technology package, an option box that 70 percent of TL buyers are expected to tick, adds to a long list of standards: keyless entry and ignition, a 10-speaker ELS surround stereo with 12.7-gigabyte hard drive, and a navigation system. That nav boasts real-time traffic information, specific lane routing for multilane highways, and an industry-first Doppler radar weather-map feature.

The insides share a familiar look with other Acuras, but the multifunction controller knob and the bevy of buttons that surround it seem less confusing and cluttered than in the RDX. Material qualities are first-rate, and this car feels far more upscale than the previous one did.

Driving the TL back-to-back with its predecessor makes it clear that major improvements have been made, with one exception. Body motions are better controlled, road and wind noise have been all but eliminated, the brakes feel solid, and the TL corners with a more level attitude than its compliant ride would suggest. Torque steer, long a TL drawback, is far better managed. On the other hand, steering feel has lost the plot. The new TL uses electronic power assist, as opposed to the old hydraulic unit. It’s more precise on-center, but the old car’s steering was better weighted and offered much more feel.

Despite about 250 pounds of added weight, 32-percent-stiffer springs, and increased damping force, the SH-AWD rides better than the standard TL. The engine note is slightly throatier, and the handling is more responsive, too, thanks in part to optional 19-inch tires shod with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires.

Saleswise, this is Acura’s most important car, and even with prices holding steady (starting at about $35,000 and moving up to $42,000 for a loaded SH-AWD), it’s possible that potential buyers could be turned off by its funny face. Which is a shame, because everywhere else (except for the steering), the TL is the most focused and best executed car in Acura’s lineup.

[Bruce Leroy]

pictures???

[1SICKLEX]

MotorTrend
1st Drive: 2009 Acura TL

By Arthur St. Antoine

Give Acura credit: The automaker isn't doing the milquetoast design thing any more. The face of the redesigned, fourth-generation 2009 Acura TL four-door, sporting an inverted wedge of chrome in its mouth that stands out like a silver front tooth, won't slip down boulevards unseen. Nor will motorists driving behind miss the wide "V" of chrome where trunklid meets bodywork. You'll notice this new "emotion advanced" TL, all right.

Whether you cheer or spew raspberries, though, may well determine the fate of this hugely important Acura (in 2005, the well-received third-gen TL became America's best-selling luxury sedan and helped push the company's annual sales over the 200,000 mark for the first time). Thus far, the opinions around the MT water cooler have been...it would be charitable to call them "mixed."

Acura has done much tinkering under the skin, too. TL buyers, a loyal lot, expressed two primary wants for the new model: more rear-seat room and more performance. Though those objectives are seemingly at odds, Acura has delivered on both fronts-and more.

Wheelbase is up 1.4 inches, width grows nearly two inches, and overall length climbs by a whopping six inches. Yet overall weight, thanks to liberal use of high-strength steel plus aluminum for the hood and some suspension bits, climbs only modestly. Total cabin volume expands by more than a cubic foot; as intended, the new TL provides noticeably more rear-seat legroom than the outgoing car (Acura also claims the TL is the only car in its class that can fit a full-size family picnic cooler in the trunk). The structure proved its stuff in NHTSA and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, too, earning five stars or top "good" ratings in all crash tests.

For now, the TL Type-S model disappears-but hold your groans. Acura has hardly turned down the wick. Fortified with a high-compression (yes, premium fuel), 3.5-liter VTEC V-6, the base, front-drive 2009 TL now delivers 280 horsepower at 6200 rpm-just six horses shy of the outgoing Type-S. And newly available is the most powerful Acura engine ever: a 3.7-liter V-6, based on the unit in the RL, with VTEC variable timing on the intake and exhaust valves (a first for a SOHC engine) that kicks out 305 horsepower at 6300 rpm and 275 pound-feet of torque at 5000. Torque steer, the TL knows not thy name: The 3.7-liter mill feeds a new SH-AWD model, with a variant of the torque-vectoring, yaw-controlling Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system previously seen in the likes of the RDX and RL.

Both engines mate to a five-speed automatic transmission with Sequential SportShift; paddle shifters lie at the ready just behind the steering wheel. No manual is available at launch, but Acura says the TL will offer one for 2010. Fuel economy estimates, especially in view of the power increases, look respectable: 18/26 city/highway mpg for the base car, 17/24 for the TL SH-AWD.

Inside the sculptural, "dual-cockpit" cabin awaits a feast of advanced technology, enough to make the commander of a Los Angeles-class submarine jealous. Among the goodies are an excellent eight-speaker audio system with six-disc changer and XM capability, Bluetooth phone connectivity, and-hoo-yah!-full iPod integration, including a conventional AUX jack plus a USB port that allows complete control (and charging) of your iPod through the audio system.

Add the optional Tech package (available on both models; Acura expects 75 of TL buyers to check "yes" on the order box) and you'll upgrade the audio to an awesome, 10-speaker, 440-watt Panasonic surround-sound system, designed with input from Grammy Award-winning producer Elliot Scheiner, that includes DVD-Audio and XM Satellite Radio and, when you insert a CD, automatically rips the tracks to an on-board 13-gig hard drive for future playback. Also included with the Tech option is one of the world's most advanced navigation systems. Acura has upgraded the eight-inch display to full VGA high-resolution. It's a thing of beauty; using the USB port, you can even upload your favorite pictures to display as onscreen wallpaper. Enhancing the standard navigation info, which now boots quickly off the on-board hard drive and even includes preloaded scenic drives, the system also features available XM-fed real-time traffic info, traffic rerouting (if the road ahead clogs, the nav will lead you to a clearer path), and a plethora of real-time weather information including forecasts and scrollable Doppler radar maps just like those you see on the evening news. If a thunderstorm or ice looms ahead, the TL will do its best to guide you around it. There's also a rearview camera in case you simply decide to flee in reverse.

Out on the road, the TL immediately impresses with its quiet; almost no wind noise intrudes. Steering feel is much improved, thanks to a new variable-assist electric power steering (EPS) system as seen on the NSX. The TL SH-AWD edition feels more responsive still, thanks to tighter EPS tuning, firmer springs and shocks, larger wheels and tires (standard 18s versus 17s on the base car), and the added kick of the unique all-wheel-drive system, which can actively speed up the outside rear wheel to help point the car into turns. For maximum grip, the TL SH-AWD offers optional 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires.

Larger brake rotors all around, plus two-piston calipers up front, put a stout squeeze on forward motion (the TL SH-AWD gets functional brake ducts in the front fascia). That motion is deceptive, too: While the TL SH-AWD doesn't feel exceptionally quick, perhaps due to the cabin's quiet and the engine's refinement, Acura says it simply runs away from the outgoing Type-S in racetrack lapping. You'll know precisely how quick the new car is as soon as we have a chance to strap on our digital test gear.

While exact pricing hasn't yet been announced, Acura expects the base TL to start at roughly $34,000 and a fully loaded TL SH-AWD to check out for about $42K. Acura hopes to sell 70,000 TLs (about 75 percent base cars) in the first year, starting now (the SH-AWD arrives in November). Yet with natural competitors like the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, Lexus IS, and Infiniti G35, the TL enters a battle in full pitch. The new car looks equipped to fare well, but we'll only know for sure once the TL faces its rivals in a comparison test. And shows its new face to the public's fickle eye for style.


2009 Acura TL
Base Price $34,000-$39,000 (est)
Vehicle layout Front-engine, FWD/AWD 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 3.5L/280-hp/254 lb-ft SOHC 24-valve V-6; 3.7L/305-hp/275 lb-ft SOHC 24-valve V-6
Transmission 5-speed automatic
Curb weight (dist f/r) 3700-3900 lb (mfr)
Wheelbase 109.3 in
Length x width x height 195.3 x 74.0 x 57.2 in
0-60 mph 5.4-5.8 sec (MT est)
EPA city/hwy fuel econ 17-18/24-26 mpg (est)
CO2 emissions 0.93-0.99 lb/mile (est)
On sale in U.S. Currently

http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/4482/9080810001mini4lsb5.jpg

[1SICKLEX]

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.r34.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.act.f34.2.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.f34.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.act.f34.1.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.act.r34.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.fint.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.cc.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.ip.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.rint.500.jpg

http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com//media/il/news/2008/0808/09.acura.tl.eng.500.jpg

[Bruce Leroy]

FUGLY!!!!!

[Black4DrEK]

not feeling it... Most cars people are coming out with now... Just dont look good.. they got to much Going on with them....... to many Lines and angles . **** like that Looks Ugly

[C-loS109]

atleast it looks happy...

[Bruce Leroy]

Does Chris Bangle work at acura now?

[Nerdsrock22]

:(

I'll just take an old one, plz.

[slostang]

looks like shìt

[Black4DrEK]

x2^^

[Andy_013]

:(

I'll just take an old one, plz.
me too

[Mr. Clean]

if this car was a person:



http://www.apo.gatech.edu/umoc/historic%20ugly%20man.jpg

[1SICKLEX]

http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2008/08/thumb1280x1280_2752631183_a6420513e9_o.jpg
http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2008/08/thumb1280x1280_2752632113_9673f9fbcb_o.jpg
http://home.comcast.net/%7Ehighpsiawd/Triumph09TL.jpg
http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2008/08/thumb1280x1280_2753458812_42df98497e_o.jpg
http://jalopnik.com/assets/images/gallery/12/2008/08/thumb1280x1280_2752624845_f06de49379_o.jpg

[OneSlow5pt0]

looks good to me,little less boring than rest of honda's cars

[MR2DR]

acura fcuked up their line up with their beaky caddy wannabe grills

if it wasnt for their sh-awd plan for their whole line up, they would be ****ing screwed. better start slapping those rdx turbos everywhere. cant wait for their v8 RL's though.

[JITB]

lol man that front end is crazy.. crazy bad...

[Nittanys1]

I would drive it and drive it to the end!

[crxsiguy]

It Looks like A new Camry had a baby with a Ghetto black mans 300c with every chrome acc on it... Horrible

[The Youngn]

looks like a camry

[iNsTuN nOoDoH]

Resembles a new civic. They should've made the tail lights bigger somehow though. Looks alright, probably takes a little to get used to.

[Evil Goat]

oh sweet....the 09 camry ive been waiting to see

[xlilvi3tx]

holy hot damn! straight up ugly!

[Maniacc]

What was Acura thinking when they were making this model? It looks completely disgusting. Nothing on the exterior looks nice.

Seriously. How did they go from this...

http://i33.tinypic.com/25sq0pf.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/2mext8x.jpg

To this?

http://i38.tinypic.com/73e2q8.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/vd1g5g.jpg

[Nerdsrock22]

seeing them back to back is actually embarrassing. I mean honestly.

HTF did this get approved?

[DecoyOctopus]

omg man i used to love TLs' and then they came out with the TL type s-ex, looked and sounded so sickkk. now this garbage....man it looks like a boxy version of the new camry.

[UpSideDownDesi]

saturn and camry had a baby....

[k20siboii]

just not feelin it
i like the older ones

[VooDooXII]

It looks too busy...especially in the back, but I think all they need to do is fix that grille. That ruins the new TSX too.

[sleepys4]

The new front grill is what kills it. The interior is looks great IMO.

[hybrid90accord]

THE GRILL KILLS it for me :(

[AirMax95]

looks like a camry

agreed! not digging it at all.

[OTG Signs]

Inside looks nice.

[4eGv6o3]

What was Acura thinking when they were making this model? It looks completely disgusting. Nothing on the exterior looks nice.

Seriously. How did they go from this...

http://i33.tinypic.com/25sq0pf.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/2mext8x.jpg

To this?

http://i38.tinypic.com/73e2q8.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/vd1g5g.jpg


Exactly, I use to want a TL now I say :2up: to acura. Not one of their sedans is good looking. I guess now this will give Infiniti a good strong hold in the market place.

[ATK_Designs]

I don't know, it doesn't look all that bad to me.

Can someone do a chop:

Black out grill + Front lower lip + taller and wider rear spoiler + smoked tail lamp would actually look hot.

[umairejaz]

we will all love it in about a year. Its weird like that.

[aneel]

we will all love it in about a year. Its weird like that.

took the word write out of what was going to be my post :thinking:

aneeL

[HatchMan]

looks like an edgy GS..... Fugly indeed.

[90_ACCORD]

yeah the bumbers just look really weird to me
i dont really know what it but im not likin it to much

[dz988]

fugly on the outside
but at least the interior is nice

[dz988]

fugly on the outside
but at least the interior is nice

once we see one tricked out thats when people start 2 change opinions

[alpine_aw11]

I like everything except the front, rest looks pretty good imo. But definitely not as good as they used to be.

[1SICKLEX]

once we see one tricked out thats when people start 2 change opinions
You shouldn't have to "trick out" a car to make it look good. THat means the design failed.

99% of lowered cars with bigger wheels and tint look better than stock, so thats not saying much.

The last gen TL was one of the best looking sedans out, this one looks like uber crap.

[LokiSays]

looks like a camry

what he said.

[J13eck]

atleast it looks happy...

lmao

[Terror]

i dunno man.. it bears a striking resemblance to my ******* lookswise... i might just hop in the new tsx.

[takume]

after i see the new tsx came out, I knew that Acura gonna do the same ****t to TL and even RL. Anyway, car looks like a Saturn and cheaps from the outside. I would rather pick the old one.

[JDMEK18]

whats up with that grill.. makes the car look like it needs a nose job..lolz man they messed this one up.... interior and engine bay looks awesome though!!

[2turbo4u]

Looks like a Pontiac Aztec han a baby with a Caddy CTS = that!

[Black Mamba]

yuck..

[osnap]

Does Chris Bangle work at acura now?LMAO. It does kinda remind me of a Bangle chassis... but only in that its fugly.

the front is just wrong :no:. the rear i can deal with.

[VooDooXII]

The rear actually isn't that bad...but there's too much going on back there, and the whole car looks too awkwardly narrow and tall.

[Kevykev]

What the hell is Acura Doing. The took the RDX and MDX styling cues and did some "other" sht with it.

The grills are killing me, makes me think of those ninja turtle things...mousers?