Road & Track give Initial Road Test of the New 2009 Acura TL

Acura shows how not to screw up a good thing.

By Mike Monticello • Photos by John Lamm
August 2008

Acura says the new fourth-generation TL is "by far the most technologically advanced sedan in Acura's history." But often technology and luxury spell H-E-A-V-Y, and for sure the adoption of all-wheel drive hardware on the SH-AWD (Super Handling All-Wheel Drive) model can't come without a penalty. The question is, would one of our favorite sports sedans lose its way and forget about enthusiasts?

The TL's new body — penned at the Acura Design Studio in Torrance, California — is dominated by its equally pointy front and rear, large wheel arches and the adoption of Acura's "power plenum grille." Despite an increase in size (6.0 in. longer, now up to 195.3 in.), the TL's body-in-white is actually 17 lb. lighter than the previous car's, while gaining rigidity due to a 48-percent increase in the use of high-strength steels. Still, the car gained about 85 lb. overall, the base TL tipping the scales at 3710 lb. and the SH-AWD at 3970.

The front-drive TL will use the 3.5-liter sohc V-6 from last year's TL Type-S, now rated at 280 bhp and 254 lb.-ft. of torque. The SH-AWD uses the 3.7-liter V-6 from the RL and MDX, with VTEC variable-valve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves (versus just the intake for the 3.5), producing 305 bhp and 275 lb.-ft. of torque. Its freer-flowing exhaust gives the SH-AWD a nice rip above 3000 rpm. Both engines are terrifically smooth pieces, providing decent power for passing…or for just "getting on it" for the fun of it. Both also come only with 5-speed automatics (with paddle shifters), but expect a 6-speed manual on the SH-AWD for 2010.

Acura added Electric Power Steering, which improves fuel mileage (estimated at 18/26 mpg for the TL, 17/24 for the SH-AWD) versus a traditional hydraulic pump, but they erred on the light side of steering effort. Although the EPS tightens up as speed increases, it just doesn't give enough feedback in medium-speed corners.

The suspension, however, works great. It strikes a nice compromise for both cruising through town and scurrying down a twisty back road. As the sportier model, the SH-AWD has firmer suspension settings as well as tighter steering. And SH-AWD not only constantly transfers power front to rear (ranging from 90 percent front to 70 percent rear), but it also varies torque between the rear wheels, giving more power to the outside wheel to help with turn-in.

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