Acura this year celebrates its 25th anniversary – a significant milestone for the luxury import brand launched by Honda to compete in the growing mid-size import sport-luxury segment. That segment today is as crowed as the 405 Freeway at times, which includes rivals such as the BMW 3-Series, Lexus ES350, Infinity G-Sedan, Cadillac CTS and many more. Nearly every major carmaker has a vehicle in this segment.
But how does the Acura TL stand up against the traffic? Following this test, I can say confidently that it is very near the front of the pack, with many new and innovative features in this newly refined TL. Most notably, it delivers fresh looks, improved performance and upgraded technology. Most apparent are the visual changes that incorporate new front and rear styling, but also present is a new Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic transmission for better performance and fuel economy, revised interior appointments, a host of technology upgrades, and an even quieter cabin.
“The 2012 Acura TL is refined, yet aggressive,” said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales. “Already known for its great performance, the enhanced TL has a sophisticated new look and an all-new 6-speed automatic transmission that will take performance to the next level.”
Acura seems to have a clearer vision of the design language of the TL. “With the 2009 TL, the exterior design was a lot about passion,” said Damon Schell, Senior Designer, Acura Design Studio. “With the 2012 TL, we pushed for an increased level of sophistication.”
The TL blends this new look with increased performance, due to a new Sequential SportShift 6-speed automatic transmission that is applied on all TL models fitted with an automatic.
For 2012, two distinct versions of Acura’s performance luxury sedan are offered, with either a 3.5-liter or 3.7-liter V6 engines. They are a 280-horsepower, front-wheel-drive TL along with a powerful 305 hp TL paired with Acura’s exclusive Super Handling All-Wheel Drive™ (SH-AWD®). The performance-minded 6MT model (with 6-speed manual transmission, handling and steering improvements) will continue to be offered in the 2012 TL SH-AWD® lineup, helping broaden the TL’s appeal among luxury performance sedan buyers.
In keeping with its mission as a driver’s car, the TL interior features a “dual personal” design that provides both the driver and front passenger with their own personal space. Inside, the 2012 TL benefits from a refined cabin that includes instrument cluster changes, new surface finishes for many interior appointments and available ventilated front seats. Technology improvements abound with refinement of Bluetooth® Audio, new “active pairing” functionality for Bluetooth®-enabled cell phones.
Some standout features I liked best are the distinctive interior leather finishes (ours was a saddle-brown), the blind-spot warning system, Acura Navigation System (among the best at any price) and exceptional smooth feedback in the steering wheel. The outside rear-view mirrors could be a bit larger, but that’s my only complaint.
Fuel economy ranges from 18-mpg up to 29-mpg, and for our test we averaged 27.5-mpg blended highway and city driving. Pricing for the TL starts at $35,605 and up for the many options and packages available. Our very well-equipped test car was a 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Advance with the 3.7-liter engine and nearly every factory option, price as tested was $45,970 including destination charges.
Acura offers a full line of performance luxury vehicles through 270 dealers within the US. The 2012 Acura lineup offers six models including the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan and all-new Sport Wagon, the turbocharged RDX luxury crossover SUV, MDX luxury sport utility vehicle and the ZDX four-door sports coupe.
The 2012 TL is covered by Acura’s 4-year/50,000 mile new vehicle limited warranty and a 6-year/70,000 miles power train limited warranty. Additional benefits include Acura Total Luxury Care® (TLC®), which provides free 24-hour roadside assistance, concierge service and trip routing.
For more information about Acura vehicles, visit your local Acura dealer or online at acura.com.
By Vince Bodiford
TheWeekendDrive.com