2009 Acura TL

2009 Acura TL

The TL is at the heart of

Acura's sedan lineup, sitting above the entry-level TSX and below the range-topping RL. The outgoing TL has enjoyed a lot of success, despite what some would see as the handicap of a front-wheel-drive layout in a field that is increasingly moving to rear-wheel drive. Honda is trying to increase the prestige of the Acura name and is moving both the entry-level TSX and the TL up in size to better match them up against standard-bearers like the Mercedes-Benz C-class and E-class.

Design: Does more equal better?
A recognizable face, which usually means a distinctive grille, is something every luxury carmaker wants, including Acura. How else to explain the multi-faceted, modified-V-shaped gray plastic affair that now adorns the front end of the RDX, the RL, the new TSX, and this new TL? When you see early concept sketches of the TL, the grill actually fits in with the sculpted hood and the overall look of the car. But on the production car it strikes us as an oddly shaped appendage that looks out of place. The rear styling is more successful, distinctive but not strange. In profile, the TL seems familiar, as it repeats the prominent front wheel arch seen on the TSX (and some Infinitis) and its greenhouse and roofline hew to current luxury-sedan norms. If the TL looks bigger, that's because it is. Just like its little brother, the TSX, the TL with this redesign has grown quite a bit, in keeping with its upmarket ambitions. The car is more than half a foot longer and nearly two inches wider. The larger size yields a bit more trunk space and rear-seat room

First traffic, now weather
The previous TL was an early adopter of real-time traffic information, incorporated into the navigation system. The new TL goes a step further by adding weather info-including radar weather maps, forecasts, and alerts-supplied by XM satellite radio. The navigation system, which also includes an eight-inch screen, voice recognition, and a rear-view camera, is part of the aforementioned technology package. Two other elements to this geek's dream are keyless ignition and Acura's ELS audio system, a 440-watt, 10-speaker powerhouse with DVD audio and a 12.7-gig hard drive. Like the standard TL stereo, the ELS unit can also has USB and aux inputs (with seamless iPod integration), Bluetooth connectivity, and standard XM satellite radio (the latter includes a note function, which can remember the title and artist and a sample snippet of up to 30 different songs).

Bigger car, bigger engines
Like the previous TL, the new car comes in two versions, with two different V-6 engines. The base car's V-6 has grown from 3.2 to 3.5 liters. Output is up from 258 hp to 280, with an additional 21 lb-ft of torque for a total of 254 lb-ft. Fuel economy, however, remains 18/26 mpg. Replacing the old Type-S as the top model is the new SH-AWD. Its V-6 displaces 3.7 liters, and makes 305 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. As its name implies, the SH-AWD also comes standard with all-wheel drive, a first for the TL. Fuel economy for TL SH-AWD drops by 2 mpg (highway) compare to the old Type-S, for an estimated 17 city/24 highway. We were sad to see a manual transmission disappear from the TL options list. It will return for 2010, but for now a five-speed, paddle-shift automatic is the only available gearbox.