2010 Acura RL - Quality Review

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There's no shortage of comfort inside the Acura RL, though it's fit for only four adults.

"As a flagship model, the 2010 Acura RL's interior disappoints as much as it impresses," says Kelley Blue Book, though they also praise the RL's "spacious accommodations, the Technology Package's triple-setting heated and cooled front seats, padding in all the right places, and a cabin that's both quiet and easy to enter and exit."

Up front, the 10-way power-adjustable front seats provide soft yet supportive seating. Headroom is good, and the controls are all easily within reach, if somewhat confusing to comprehend at first. ConsumerGuide says, "Most adults will find sufficient headroom and legroom," though they add, "Some shorter drivers may feel a bit 'buried,' but ample seat adjustments and a standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel help compensate." Kelley Blue Book isn't impressed with the RL's front seat arrangement: "We were less enamored by the driver seat's lack of lower support during long drives, [and] perforated leather upholstery that felt like it had been borrowed from a Honda." Edmunds, on the other hand, likes the wide door openings that make for convenient entry and exit and "for the driver, 10-way power-adjustable seats make finding just the right position easy."

Rear-seat space is unimpressive, considering the 2010 Acura RL's 110.2-inch wheelbase and 72.7-inch width. MotherProof says the backseat of the RL "is roomier than last year's and fit three kids in booster seats with no problem." ConsumerGuide observes the rear of the RL has "enough headroom for all but the very tall. There's fine knee space behind all but the tallest front occupants, though foot space is limited."

The Acura RL's real strong suit is quietness in the cabin, thanks to thicker glass and more insulation than rivals, while high-quality materials, including glossy, rich wood and solid, pleasant-feeling plastics, provide a relaxed, premium feeling. Edmunds remarks, "Around town and on the highway, the cabin remains as hushed as a public library on a Friday night." MotherProof says, "The interior is quiet, with some noticeable engine noise but very little noise from the road." Car and Driver notes, "A new interior noise-canceling system really does suck up the road rumble."

Automobile Magazine says the RL's interior is well appointed, comfortable, and well made, but "the HMI (human-machine interface) factors definitely need a re-think...none of the functions - ranging from adjusting the temperature to changing a radio station - strike me as intuitive." Edmunds notes, "At first, all the buttons on the center stack can be confusing since there are just so many." ConsumerGuide finds a similar issue, reporting, "Centered on the console is a tilting and rotating knob that acts as the primary control for the navigation system; mastering its use requires time and patience," though they go on to call the RL's interior "an exercise in understated luxury. Most surfaces are padded or richly textured, and assembled quality is top notch."

Cargo capacity in the trunk is a bit on the small side, offering considerably less trunk space than similarly sized cars, such as the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO, and "Cabin storage is unexceptional," observes ConsumerGuide.