2009 Acura TL New Orleans LA
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New Orleans, LA
2009 Acura TL
November 18, 2009 By Jon Alain Guzik, Editor-in-Chief
2009 Acura TL
DriverSide Overview
The entry-level luxury segment is a crowded place, what with every manufacturer with an upmarket brand releasing a new, life-bettering piece of technology or brilliant way to transport you and your family in style and luxury beyond your greatest expectations every few months. But among the sea of upscale brands out there, Acura has always distinguished itself by utilizing a combination of legendary Japanese reliability and a surprisingly large amount of standard amenities to create well thought out vehicles. Since the introduction of the Legend in 1986, Acura has proved that Japanese automakers could produce a vehicle that can go toe-to-toe with the best that Europe and America has to offer. Acura is once again attempting to set the market ablaze with the all-new for 2009 TL. This fourth-generation TL carries a number of styling and mechanical innovations, including the most powerful engine ever placed in a production Acura.
What's to Like
The TL’s interior is superb on almost every level, we especially like that the standard leather clad driver’s seat is 10-way adjustable, which makes driving a comfortable endeavor for drivers of every height. The TL also offers plenty of power from either the 3.5-liter V-6 engine or the 3.7-liter V-6 engine and the all-wheel drive option. The TL’s suspension provides a confident yet comfortable ride over most surfaces.
What's Not to Like
The car’s razor blade grille isn’t for everyone and is the only part of the exterior of the vehicle that causes us to hesitate. Still, it looks better in person than via pictures. Also, the bolted-on rear fin looks a little chintzy to us.
The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
Acura is proud of the fact that the 2009 TL carries the most robust engine of any production Acura ever in its SH-AWD trim. While the 3.7-liter V-6 engine with standard all-wheel drive is the block with all of the bragging rights - serving up more power than the previous Type-S, even the less stout 3.5-liter V-6 has no problem getting up to speed. Both powerplants dish out creamy-smooth gusto that pushes the considerably sized sedan along, which is a good thing because, at 3,700 lbs in front-wheel drive and closer to 3,900 lbs with all-wheel drive, the TL is no lightweight. The front-wheel drive version feels flighty at higher speeds though, dancing around the road more than the 3.7-liter car, and road noise is more apparent in the smaller engine as well, even with the 18- versus 19-inch wheels. The AWD trim features a 20 percent increase in damping force and a stiffer ride overall – allowing the car to bear hug those hairpins. Sport mode in both trims lets you wring more rpms out of the engine, something necessary in a car whose peak torque is delivered much later in the powerband. Steering is light at lower speeds with...