Acura's Owner Event

2012 Acura TL Reviewed by Automobile Mag

The Acura TL is an excellent car, and duly impressed my family when I chauffeured them to a Father's Day dinner. The TL manages to blend impeccable comfort with enthusiastic performance. One moment, the TL is a subdued large sedan with a comfy ride, gentle transmission shifts, and slick styling. The next it's a snarling sports sedan, with prodigious acceleration from its V-6, tight steering, and a transmission that's eager to jump between ratios.

TLs equipped with the Technology Package have an ELS/Panasonic 440-watt, ten-speaker surround-sound system. It was developed with input from sound engineer Elliot Scheiner, who's won six Grammy awards. I have won zero Grammys, but I think the ELS system is one of the best car-audio setups I've ever heard. From the deep bass of Tiesto, to the crisp vocals of Lauryn Hill, to string arrangements by Mark Ronson, every track I played from my iPod sounded fantastic.

Jake Holmes, Associate Web EditorWow, what a difference a transmission can make. I feel that the six-speed automatic better suits the TL than does the six-speed manual we tested a few weeks ago. The TL is not as athletic as some of its competition (the Volvo S60 and the BMW 3 Series immediately come to mind), so the automatic seems more appropriate. This is really a car for those looking for a sporty sedan, not a true sports sedan.

Compared to the old five-speed automatic, the new six-speed makes the most of the TL's great 3.7-liter V-6. It provides smoother shifts, slightly better fuel economy, and a better arrangement of ratios that help keep the engine within its power band. Along with the more-refined schnoz, it competes the package to make the TL the luxury sedan Acura has wanted it to be. In many ways, it is a more sporting alternative to the Lexus ES350, which is one of that brand's top sellers.

Donny Nordlicht, Associate Web Editor

2012 Acura TL SH-AWD AdvanceBase price (with destination): $45,970
Price as tested: $45,970

Standard Equipment:
3.7-liter SOHC 24-valve V-6 engine
6-speed automatic transmission
SH-AWD system
4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
Vehicle stability assist
Tire pressure monitoring system
XM satellite radio
MP3/auxiliary audio input jack
USB audio interface
Heated front seats
Bluetooth connectivity
Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
Power windows/locks/mirrors
Auto-dimming reaview mirror
18-inch wheels
Power moonroof with tilt
Acura navigation system with voice recognition
Rearview camera
Acura/ELS surround sound system with 10 speakers and AM/FM/DVD-A, CD, DTS Dolby Digital Pro Logic II
Hard disk drive
Push-button ignition
Dual-zone automatic climate control
Blind spot information system
Ventilated front seats
19-inch alloy wheels

Final Day for 0.9% Financing

HENDRICK ACURA - Today is the final day of the 0.9% APR Summer Event for All Acura Models!  Simply contact us and set up your appointment time and we can review this with you!  Available on all New Acura Models!  Offer expires this evening!