2009 Acura TL

Sales might be sluggish for the redesigned Acura TL, but if the economy were better this sporty, entry-level luxury car would be a winner

By Thane Peterson

Editor's Rating:

The Good: More power, safety, sporty all-wheel drive, hot new stick-shift version coming for 2010

The Bad: Controversial looks, tight rear headroom

The Bottom Line: Acura's flagship sedan gets bigger, fancier and sportier

Reader Reviews

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Up Front

A funny thing is happening at Acura these days. For the '09 model year, Honda's (HMC) luxury division redesigned both its flagship Acura TL sedan, and its smaller, cheaper TSX. The net result: Customers are now flocking to the TSX, which is adapted from the version of the Honda Accord sold in Europe. It's one of the few models on the U.S. market that has seen its sales increase (by 7.6%, to 4,699) in the first two months of this year. With the economy in crisis, it seems that smallish, sporty European-style sedans with economical four-cylinder engines are in vogue.

Meanwhile, sales of the new TL, which debuted last September after being redesigned specifically to appeal to American tastes (bigger, more powerful, fancier), plunged 34.8%, to 4,807. That's about par for the course for an entry-level luxury car. Other models in the segment, from the BMW (BMWG) 3 Series to the Mercedes C Class to Toyota's (TM) Lexus ES, was off 25% to 40% in the first two months of this year.

So, should you run out and buy an Acura TSX, as so many other shoppers are doing? Not necessarily. If you want a more luxurious car with V6 power, the new TL has a lot to offer. It's priced about the same as the Mercedes C300, Audi A4, Lexus ES 350, yet comes packed with fancy digital conveniences and safety gear. I also really like the car's sophisticated new all-wheel-drive system, which dramatically improves handling. Due out this fall for the 2010 model year is a new stick-shift version of the all-wheel-drive TL that the company is billing as the "best-performing Acura ever."

The '09 TL is already sportier than before. The TL now comes standard with front-wheel drive and a 280 horsepower V6 that generates 254 ft.-lb. of torque (22 more horsepower and 21 more ft.-lb. of torque than in the previous TL). Alternatively, the new SH-AWD (short for "super-handling all-wheel drive") TL is powered by a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V6 that generates 273 ft.-lb. of torque. (The SH-AWD replaces the souped up Type S TL, which was dropped for '09.)

The TL starts at $35,715 with front-wheel drive and the smaller engine, rising to just under $44,000 for the SH-AWD version with the Technology Package, which includes keyless entry and starting, hard-drive-based navigation and surround-sound audio systems, and real-time traffic information and weather forecasts. As with other Acuras, the TL comes fully loaded. Other than all-wheel drive and the big engine, the Tech Package is just about the only option.

The downside is that the new TL can't match the fuel economy of the TSX, which gets 30 miles-per-gallon on the highway. The TL is rated to get 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway with the smaller engine, and 17/25 with the larger engine. In 212 miles of heavy-duty winter driving, I got 18.9 mpg in the AWD TL.

A strong selling point is Acura's wonderful safety record. Every model in Acura's lineup, including the new TL, is a Top Safety Pick of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is the highest rating the IIHS gives. The TL's standard equipment includes a full panoply of airbags, stability and traction control, and electronic braking assistance.

Behind the Wheel

One of the main raps against the new TL is its controversial styling, but I found that the car looks much better in reality than in photos.