By Frank S. WashingtonDETROIT, MI – I was a bit surprised during my short-week test drive of the 2012 Acura TL.
Acura, the luxury nameplate of Honda, always possessed the same characteristics of the mother brand that have made owners of both so loyal. Those traits are conservatively styled, dependable and technologically advanced. But fun to drive? I don’t think so.
That is changing as the Acura TL transforms into a sporty midsize luxury sedan. I had the Advance trim line but I don’t think trim lines mattered. The thing I noticed about the Acura TL was that it was an awful lot of fun to drive. The car almost demanded assertive driving.That spunk came from under the hood. My test vehicle was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that made 280 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability and paddle shifters.
For those who want a bit more oomph, there is a 3.7 liter V6 available that makes 305 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. In addition to the six-speed automatic transmission, the engine of the Acura TL can be mated to a six speed manual gearbox.
The manual shift capability was more than just sport in name. It had double shift down capability at the driver’s command. In other words, I could make the Acura TL downshift from sixth gear to fourth gear. And the car featured Acura’s Drive-by-Wire™ system that created a blip of the throttle to help match gear and engine speed while downshifting.
My test engine was quiet and responsive to my input while the transmission’s gear shifts, in full automatic mode, were just about imperceptible. Cornering was great, braking was even better and I was particularly impressed with the Acura TL’s suspension.
It featured a wishbone set up in the front and independent multi link in the back. The bottom line is that the Acura TL smoothed out some fairly ruddy roads.
The car also featured Acura’s SH AWD system. In short, this advanced all-wheel-drive system not only can send up to 70 percent of the TL’s power to the front or rear wheels; it can apply power to an individual rear wheel. When cornering, the outer rear wheel can be accelerated up to five percent faster than the front wheels with 100 percent of the rear torque going to that wheel. The result is and was great handling.
When the 2012 Acura TL debuted at this year’s Chicago Auto Show, Acura said, “The 2012 TL’s refined new look includes a redesigned front bumper with improved aerodynamics, a revised grille, updated headlights and turn signals, a new fog light design and a shorter front overhang. At the rear, a new rear bumper incorporates a significantly repositioned license plate opening and smaller rear reflectors, while updated taillights and a thinner rear trunk edge trim add to a sophisticated new look.”
The bottom line is that the TL turned heads during my test drive, thus, it now has a distinctive look that gives it some street credibility.
My test car had a secure feel. The shoulder line seemed like it was at my shoulder, making me feel encased in the car. The heated and cooled sport seats were awfully comfortable and the front headrests reminded me of those found in Volvo products, which frankly are amongst the best in the business.
Controls were tightly packed in an angular u-shape underneath the navigation screen which was set deep in the dash and created a ledge. The template of the center stack as well as the instrument pod had the honey combed pattern of carbon fiber.
My Acura TL had a bunch of equipment that included a backup camera, a navigation system, Bluetooth, satellite radio and heated side mirrors. All-in all, I thought the new Acura TL was nicely done. But Acura cannot let up; the TL resides in perhaps the most competitive segment of the luxury market.
The sticker on my test vehicle was $42,420.
Frank S. Washington is
editor of AboutThatCar.com.
This was printed in the October 9, 2011 – October 22, 2011 Edition.
