2008 Acura TL Type-S Montrose CO

November 3, 2009   By Brian Alexander, Content Editor



2008 Acura TL
DriverSide Overview
In the past decade, the performance sedan segment has become increasingly competitive and therefore increasingly important to car manufacturers. While dedicated sports coupes may get most of the attention, the mix of practicality and performance offered by sedans translates to meaningful sales in the showroom. Enter Acura’s bid in the segment, the 2008 TL Type-S . Highlighted by a powerful V-6, the TL Type-S is a well-delivered front-wheel drive sports sedan that works as well as a daily commuter or family-mover as it does on a twisty back road. Loaded with standard features at a more than reasonable price, the TL Type-S offers a lot of bang for your automotive buck.








What's to Like
The Acura TL Type S offers good interior quality and comfort, along with sporty dynamics and aggressive aesthetics. Standard satellite navigation with live traffic can be a lifesaver for the everyday freeway commuter.

What's Not to Like
The TL Type S is fitted with stiffly sprung sport-tuned suspension for improved handling, but over choppy surfaces such as patched asphalt in downtown areas, the stiff suspension can be harsh and cause torque steer while accelerating.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
A practical balance of everyday usability and performance-oriented dynamics is the best way to describe life behind the wheel of the Type-S. Thanks to VTEC valve lift, the 3.5 liter V-6 has a powerful top-end charm that constantly tempts you to push it towards the redline. Formula One wannabes will immediately appreciate the automatic transmission’s paddle shifters, which make sorting through the gears about as easy as clicking a mouse. Torque steer isn’t too problematic as long as the traction control is activated, but with it off, too much enthusiasm with the go-pedal at low speeds – especially with a manual transmission – will see you inadvertently shifting lanes, while pinning the throttle mid corner will induce mild but controllable understeer.

Engine and Drivetrain
While the standard TL comes with a 3.2-liter V-6, the Type-S receives a larger, more powerful 3.5-liter V-6 with VTEC, which produces 286 horsepower and 257 ft-lb of torque – numbers that translate to strong acceleration and passing ability at any speed. While the mid-sized TL’s mass keeps the engine from being too much of an eye-opener before VTEC kicks in, once it does, the V-6 pulls smooth and hard, with linear power. Customers can opt for either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic at no extra charge.

Interesting Vehicle Features and Options
The TL Type-S comes with just about everything you’d want standard, including a navigation system, an eight-speaker 225-watt sound system, steering wheel controls and seat heaters. In fact, the Type-S comes with so much standard equipment that the ...

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