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2009 Acura TL Review

May 2, 2009

STYLING | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Controversial styling could be a hit or miss with consumers
Edmunds

Looks better in the flesh than in photographs
Car and Driver

New interior...is indeed seductive
Automobile Magazine

Acura has apparently decided that the Japanese reputation for conservative styling is not appropriate for Acura, so it's begun to unveil a new set of vehicles with rather dramatic styling. While the new look has certainly generated buzz, the jury is still out on whether or not this will boost sales of the new 2009 Acura TL.

Love it or hate it, the 2009 Acura TL is hard to ignore. Edmunds reviewers report that there are "two TL models available: the base car and the more athletic SH-AWD mode," and both share the distinctive new corporate look. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com won't necessarily call it attractive, but they never fail to mention the striking nature of the Acura TL's new mug. Edmunds says that "Acura's new goal is to be bold and brash, with aggressive lines and audacious details," and they go on to proclaim that "the 2009 Acura TL accomplishes just that." Initially, Automobile Magazine appreciates some of the concept drawings, especially of the hood, "but on the production car it strikes us as an oddly shaped appendage that looks out of place." Cars.com says that "there's just no escaping its looks," which they find hard to live with, and mentions that the new Acura TL "will certainly draw stares." On the positive side, Car and Driver reviewers feel that the 2009 Acura TL "looks better in the flesh than in photographs," and aside from the front, "the rest of the TL's angular, modern shape is assuredly handsome."

The overall look inside the 2009 Acura TL isn't quite as dramatic as the exterior styling might lead you to believe, but reviewers do find it attractive. Car and Driver notes that the cabin of the Acura 2009 TL lineup shares "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." Road and Track loves that the Acura TL's "new interior features a cool-looking 4-gauge instrument cluster and classy center stack," while Cars.com calls the hooded gauges "sporty." In terms of overall effect, Automobile Magazine reports that the "interior has been redesigned in a twin-cockpit style for the front seat occupants, with metal trim that twists and curves as it wraps around from door to dash to console. The effect might be confining, if the cabin had not grown wider."

Conclusion

Styling is always a matter of personal preference, but Acura may have gone a little too far with the redesign of the 2009 Acura TL.

STYLING | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:Controversial styling could be a hit or miss with consumersEdmundsLooks better in the flesh than in photographsCar and DriverNew interior...is indeed seductiveAutomobile Magazine Acura has apparently decided that the Japanese reputation for conservative styling is not appropriate for Acura, so it's begun to unveil a new set of vehicles with rather dramatic styling. While the new look has certainly generated buzz, the jury is still out on whether or not this will boost sales of the new 2009 Acura TL. Love it or hate it, the 2009 Acura TL is hard to ignore. Edmunds reviewers report that there are "two TL models available: the base car and the more athletic SH-AWD mode," and both share the distinctive new corporate look. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com won't necessarily call it attractive, but they never fail to mention the striking nature of the Acura TL's new mug. Edmunds says that "Acura's new goal is to be bold and brash, with aggressive lines and audacious details," and they go on to proclaim that "the 2009 Acura TL accomplishes just that." Initially, Automobile Magazine appreciates some of the concept drawings, especially of the hood, "but on the production car it strikes us as an oddly shaped appendage that looks out of place." Cars.com says that "there's just no escaping its looks," which they find hard to live with, and mentions that the new Acura TL "will certainly draw stares." On the positive side, Car and Driver reviewers feel that the 2009 Acura TL "looks better in the flesh than in photographs," and aside from the front, "the rest of the TL's angular, modern shape is assuredly handsome." The overall look inside the 2009 Acura TL isn't quite as dramatic as the exterior styling might lead you to believe, but reviewers do find it attractive. Car and Driver notes that the cabin of the Acura 2009 TL lineup shares "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." Road and Track loves that the Acura TL's "new interior features a cool-looking 4-gauge instrument cluster and classy center stack," while Cars.com calls the hooded gauges "sporty." In terms of overall effect, Automobile Magazine reports that the "interior has been redesigned in a twin-cockpit style for the front seat occupants, with metal trim that twists and curves as it wraps around from door to dash to console. The effect might be confining, if the cabin had not grown wider." ConclusionStyling is always a matter of personal preference, but Acura may have gone a little too far with the redesign of the 2009 Acura TL. 2009 ACURA TL STYLING | [6 out of 10] Edmunds: "Controversial styling could be a hit or miss with consumers" Car and Driver: "Looks better in the flesh than in photographs" Automobile Magazine: "New interior...is indeed seductive" Acura has apparently decided that the Japanese ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Audi A4, also redesigned for 2009, is a front-wheel-drive-biased vehicle just like the TL, but Audi has taken great pains to move its mass rearward and make it a sportier, more engaging drive—and they succeeded. BMW's 3-Series is the benchmark for its class due to its magical ride/handling combination, but it's a tighter fit inside and options are pricey. The Cadillac CTS presents as strong a styling statement as the TL, yet does so in an appealing way; rear-wheel drive, a well-sorted chassis, great powertrains, and a sumptuous interior complete a compelling package. Starting in the low thirties, yet with an interior that comes within inches of a Mercedes S550 for richness and room, the rear-wheel-drive Hyundai Genesis sedan is the value leader here, but soft handling means it won't win in the slalom. Volkswagen's Passat also brings great value and a stunning interior to the table, but just like the TL, its front-wheel-drive setup won't thrill driving enthusiasts.

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See the Acura TL in Other Years:

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Comments (2 total)

  1. By Michael #1, Posted: 6/5/2009

    Put 50,000 miles plus on then lets talk about true quality. You review talks about Acura quality but fails to mention that Acura had to be sued to provide support to previous Acura TL models that had issues with repeated transmission failures. From my experience the quality of the GM products far exceeds what I have seen with the Acura TL. For our money we our next car will not be from Acrua/Honda.

  2. By Craig #2, Posted: 8/5/2009

    The TL has excellent driving characteristics, great acceleration however I wasn't impressed with the ride quality on the sh-awd model, the FWD provided more comfort. The tech package is a must. The voice activation takes a few seconds to execute (all of them do though) but it works well. The ELS sound system is unbelievable and unmatched. The navigation has been on spot so far. Interior is busy with buttons but luxurious. Have owned GM cars for 20 years and will not return to them due to poor fit and finish and bailout fiasco. I hope to remain with Acura as I have been extremely happy thus far with their quality.

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