2006 Acura Tl Review

TL On My Mind

I have long held great affection for the Acura TLs styling, but lately I had developed a great fear that it might disappoint me with confused dynamics or dated ergonomics. Turns out I had nothing to fear, on either count. Its interior design, like the exterior, is both stylish and functional, plus I was treated to a delightful comfort zone I havent been privy to since the Audi A6 I drove last winter. Everything was comfortable, from the pedals to the seats to the spacious headroom and sunroof overhead.

More than simply being comfortable, it was unassumingly beautiful; without drawing attention to itself, horizontal strips of metal lead the eye toward the center stack, housing one of the industrys most sophisticated sound systems: a DVD-based 6-channel audio system routed through 8 speakers for crystal clear sound quality matched only by top-tier home audio systems and live performances. As Justin commented: “I felt like I was being serenaded… by the Doobie Brothers.” Um, okay Justin. I had the same reaction, but for me it was Diana Kralls “Lets Fall in Love” that did it, bringing to mind visions of a leggy blonde playing the piano in a corner of a dingy, smoke-filled gin joint in a seedy part of town (okay, Ill give up on my Raymond Chandler rip-off right about… now).

Though this particular TL was lacking a navigation system, I never got lost or had need of its direction for any long trips; however, navigation is available for those wishing to spring for computer-guided mapping–available in the States with real time traffic updates, and with shutdowns to the highway system for the weekend it was in my possession, I could have used some safety valves to get me away from the massive traffic overflow that was invading even the normally calmest parts of town. As it was, I managed to massage my way through tense traffic with a relaxing grin on my face. After struggling mightily to switch the HandsFreeLinks operating language from a language I dont read or speak back to English (I spent about half an hour in a mall parking lot, with manual in hand, trying to figure that one out), I had my BlueTooth phone connected and could answer any call simply by tapping the button on the steering wheel or dialing a number by using the voice command functions. Very cool. The only annoyance was having to reconnect every time I turned the car off, even if I didnt leave the car.

The rest of its amenities were similarly cosseting, like the climate control, heated leather seats, which were power adjustable with two memory settings and properly comfortable and supportive for all but the most aggressive driving, and plenty of door pockets and storage space for buckles, Crazy Glue and loose pieces of string (Im a MacGyver fan, what can I say). Oh yeah, and the center armrest perfectly fits CDs, a surprising deficiency in many vehicles with central storage and a CD player. One other thing that I absolutely adored was the gritty, almost sandpapery texture of the center stacks grey facing, making buttons easy to grip, but more so, its just so different from the typical carbon fiber, glossy piano black, wood trim and matte plastics were used to seeing, that it stood out as a highlight. The effect was sandblasted-metal look and sublime functionality. Its very appealing and separates the cabin from wannabe entry-level brands, providing a unique Acura flair to distance it from rivals that do equal it in terms of tactility and assembly quality (Im talking Audi here). Acura used a variety of materials throughout the cabin, mixing brushed, matte aluminum and stippled aluminum brightwork, as well as some token carbon-fiber look plastics, to break up the black of all the leather, upper dash and door liners.

Comfort wasnt restricted to front seat passengers, as a quick trip with my girlfriends niece and parents showed that the back seat had plenty of room, even with a bulky child seat taking up plenty of central real estate. I was also happy knowing that the TL is a safe car, with front, side and curtain airbags to do a fair job of protecting all passengers in the event of an accident. Furthering my confidence is that the IIHS rates the TL as Good in both Frontal Offset and Side Impact crash tests, though it has a ways to go in regards to head restraint protection, achieving only a Marginal rating in Rear Crash Protection tests. However, its the TLs terrific confidence on the road, as well as its near undetectable VSA traction control assuring safe emergency maneuvers that will win you over, because there is no such thing as a good accident, unless you count the one that you avoid.

In order to avoid said accidents, Acura outfits the TL with 17×8 inch alloys wrapped in Bridgestone all-season rubber (235/45R17) that do a fantastic job in the dry and wet, pulling the vehicle down from speed with complete authority, although there was no snow available to test their mettle in the really tricky stuff. In support of the grippy rubber were 4-channel, 4-wheel disc brakes (11.4-inch ventilated up front, 11.1-inch solid rears) aided by Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, ensuring that each wheel gets the appropriate amount of friction to bring the car to its most efficient halt, and also ensuring better control coming into turns. TL models with the 6-speed manual get upgraded 12.4-inch front discs squeezed by 4-piston Brembo calipers.

Why would such a sedate car need such superb brakes? Sedate? Ha. I got so comfortable cruising around town in luxury that I often forgot that there was 258 horsepower on tap. So, whenever I felt the need to escape a sticky traffic situation, I was treated to a burst of shocking acceleration–always surprising me with more than enough power, except when held against something like a Merc S500 screaming by at 200+ km/h… scared the HID headlights right off of me. As for my TL, its revised SAE numbers leave it at the aforementioned 258 and 233 lb-ft of torque, plenty enough for the 3,585 pound sedan, but down from previous Honda “estimates” of 270 hp and 238 lb-ft. No matter, this 3.2L V6 is a new-tech 4-valve per cylinder all-aluminum affair using Hondas VTEC variable valve timing for plenty of pull everywhere in the powerband. Most impressive was how well the automatic managed that powerband, never fluttering, sputtering or hiccoughing even through a twisty, hilly combination we like to call our test track. The 5-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission with Grade Logic had an answer to every question, demand or tantrum my right foot could throw at it, and the manual shift allowed a bit of pre-corner prepping, although it pretty much shunts you out of first gear at 3,500 rpm and wont let you back in, helping to save Honda engineers and technicians a lot of transmission repairs, Im sure.

While the 5-speed auto doesnt get the limited slip differential that comes as part of the 6-speed dynamic package, VSA manages throttle input to exorcise torque steer and even help with understeer, making this seem like an entirely manageable front-driver, although there are occasions when you might get a “What the???” reaction to the car dropping power or self-correcting when youre expecting the understeer to start pushing you wide–there is no indication in the gauges when VSA uses throttle cutoff to ease you back into fair territory–silent mothering, fair enough.

What the TL has that so many recent entries in this class lack is the balance of dignified classical proportion with a truly modern aesthetic. The new Mercedes E-Class is strictly traditional and I believe it is what Mercedes does best, in stark contrast to the flawed modernization of the S-Class (so busy with flared wheel arches, pointy lenses and Maybachian cues that it forgets all about its distinguished and elegant past) or the CLSs awkward proportions (which clearly pleases some as its popularity indicates, but it fails to do anything for me). The E-Class is more my type, despite it being the most dated and easily most old-fashioned, except perhaps the Jaguar S-Type, which seems suited to being the retro looker of the bunch. BMW, on the other hand, stuck with the proportions but gave the 5 such radical head- and taillights that it looks quite the screamer, but never the operatic vocalist; however, like many brands that hit their design high water mark in the 90s, BMW had nowhere to go but forward, and sadly, this often takes them past the perfect balance between modern and classic. Lexuss rejuvenated L-finesse is lost on the part Giugiario-inspired GS, making it look like two cars in one, never a terribly good formula in a midsize luxury sedan. My picks in this class are the Infiniti M, with only a slight bloating that seems to weigh it down, the Cadillac CTS, which is starting to look a little blockish as it ages, and the Audi A6, a minimalist masterpiece with a controversial grille to help it make headlines (for the record, Im pro-one-piece horse collar grille). My point in all this: The TL achieves the perfect balance in my eyes, better even than the A6. Whats great about cars is that there are many perfect designs, and each mark of perfection comes from one set of eyes at a time, which is why cars that try to please everybody never gain exorbitant praise from anyone. The TL may not make it into the pantheon of greatest designs ever to go from paper to autoCAD to metal, but its in my scrapbook.

From the delicate central crease that starts in the bumper and disappears through the grille and logo but resumes in the hood and the shallow groove that breaks up the solid panels of the doors (I have heard objections to the lights at either end of this groove, but think of them as punctuation, or anchors), to the simple, clean geometric shape of the headlight lenses and the technical housing of the HID projectors, the modern detailing brings this car and its simple, classic sedan proportions together in a feast for the eyes. The proportions are wrapped in edge-defining metal, with a rising beltline and truncated rear deck that brings tension to the table, but draws you forward along the car, as if youre falling in slow motion into a cool refreshing pool on a hot summer day.

Okay, maybe thats taking it a bit far, but I love almost every square inch of this design. This is exactly the kind of car that I would want to have if I had a one- or two-hour commute every day; satisfying my desire for exclusivity without being outrageous, delivering performance beyond its friendly price without a huge penalty in fuel efficiency, and Acuras reputation for reliability and a strong safety record are all strong selling points if a rational argument is necessary. But on an emotional level, I love almost every aspect of the TL, from its delectable looks to its fulfilling power, its rich accommodations to its savory handling, this is one dish that satisfies all of my cravings.