The 2003 Acura TL-S sold for two primary reasons: a wonderful 260-horsepower V6 and a lot of standard content for a low 30s sticker price. But few found its styling highly attractive and no review of the car failed to mention that its front-drive chassis lacked the balance and agility of the pricier BMW 330. For 2004 Acura has thoroughly redesigned the TL. It is again based on the latest Accord, which was redesigned last year. One change I’m personally very happy about: a six-speed manual will at long last be an option. That car, however, will not go on sale until November. Not wanting to wait that long before checking out the new TL, I took an automatic for a test drive.

Acura TL Reliability

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Styling

With the redesign styling moves from my least favorite aspect of the TL to my most favorite. Where the new car was boxy, plain, and endowed with unfashionably long overhangs, the new one is a tightly proportioned blend of taut surfaces and sleek curves. As on the new Nissan Maxima and Saturn ION, the roofline is a smooth arc, within which a squared off rear side window lends an agreeably jaunty character. (Saturn in particular should study how Honda executed this theme.) The new proportions help a great deal. The TL lost half a foot in length while gaining an inch-and-a-half in width and three inches in height. These changes lend the car a much more purposeful, “broad shouldered” look. The V6 continues to be transversely mounted ahead of the front axle, necessitating more overhang than you’ll find in a 3-series or G35, but the way the front end curves into the muscular fenders disguises the extent of said overhang. While many front-drive sedans appear oddly proportioned, this design lacks any obvious flaws. To my eye it is perhaps the best looking sedan currently available—honestly. It recalls some of Alfa’s widely lauded recent designs, but with an additional level of refinement and no jarring lines. I am still in shock that Honda managed to create it, as its past products have displayed no such skill. I would not be surprised to learn that an Italian design firm played a role.

Update: I finally occurred to me the other day where I've seen a similar design before: the $64,000 VW Phaeton has a very similar side window outline. The Acura, with a more aggessive overall design, is better looking.

The also new-for-2004 TSX, based on the European-market Accord, looks even more like it was switched at birth with an Alfa, but compared to the TL it looks overly square and ungainly. Think of it as the plain younger sister. The two cars are not far apart in size—the TL is three inches longer and wider. The TL’s extra width is key—width affects perceptions of a car’s size more than length does. Especially since it is styled to look even wider than it is. This perceived extra width rightly suggests stronger performance. More on that later.

The TL even more strongly resembles the TSX inside. The interior is not as striking as the exterior, but it is attractive in the conventional manner. It looks especially good in ebony, as the trim strips flowing down each side of the center stack and console and along the dash and door panels is then the fashionable metallic sort. The tan interior is trimmed with fake wood. I sat in the old TL for comparison. I had always thought its interior nice, but it feels crude and dated compared to the new one. One tacky feature from the old TL, chrome power lock switches that resemble the power window buttons in 1980s Buicks, thankfully did not make the journey to the new interior.

The TL got one tough break: I drove it less than an hour after sampling the 2004 BMW 5-Series. The materials in Acuras have tended to lag those from Lexus and the Europeans, and this continues to be the case. Especially when compared to those in the much more expensive 5-Series they look downmarket, with the leather too shiny and slippery and many plastic surfaces a bit hard to the touch.

Compared to similarly priced sedans, however, the Acura does well. It certainly feels a notch or two up from the Infiniti G35’s, Nissan Maxima’s, Lexus IS 300’s, and Cadillac CTS’s. As in the TSX, tight panel fits suggest precision and quality. Still, this interior is no threat to the Lexus ES 330 for those who prioritize sheer luxuriousness or the Audi A4 for those who prioritize design. Based on the new 5-Series I also expect that the next 3, due in a couple of years, will have a top-notch interior. So while the TL’s interior is very good overall it is merely average for the segment.

Accommodations

Once upon a time Honda’s were noted for their virtually knee-height instrument panels, which afforded an extraordinarily expansive view forward. With each new generation of Accord, however, the instrument panel has risen, such that with this new TL, with its relatively low seating position, the view forward no longer distinguishes this Honda product from its competitors. Those used to the previous TL will find the instrument panel especially prominent. I suspect the reason is that a more enveloping interior, while less practical, feels both more upscale and more sporty. For the record, the seating position is higher and more upright in the TSX.

The front seats are not as aggressively bolstered as I’d like to find in a performance-oriented sedan. Lateral support is marginal at best. The old TL seats were better in this regard. The new seats do feel more upscale, and are comfortable, though not unusually so.

Typical of Honda, the controls are well laid out and easy to use—with one exception. As in the Accord and many other recent designs (Saab 9-3, Mazda 6) the LCD readout for the HVAC and audio system controls is located at the top of the center stack, not next to the controls. The instruments are if anything a bit too large. Their lighting, even during the daytime, is a fashionable neon blue that I suppose others find appealing but that did not quite work for me. The color seems a bit rich and out of sorts within this interior. The audio system supports DVD-audio, and from what I’ve read is outstanding. I’m less of an expert in such matters—all high-end systems sound great to me.

The rear seat suffers a bit from the stylishly arcing roofline. Its cushion is mounted fairly low, compromising both thigh support and the view forward. The old TL’s rear seat was superior on both counts. Headroom and legroom are both just adequate for average sized adults sitting behind the same. The German compacts have tighter rear seats, but the G35 and Maxima both treat rear seat passengers considerably better. The rear seat in the CTS is also a bit better. Uncomfortably close to home, even the smaller TSX does better here. It seems the striking exterior has a price.

This price includes a smallish trunk. One by-product of cutting the TL’s length by half a foot was that two cubic feet of trunk space were lost. Here as well the TSX has a slight advantage and some competitors have a sizable advantage. Like the G35, Maxima, and IS 300, but unlike the others (including the TSX), the rear seats do not fold down.

On the Road

Last year there were two TL’s the base model with a 225-horsepower engine and a $2,350 pricier Type-S with a 260-horsepower engine. This year there is only a single model priced about $1,400 above last year’s Type-S, and it is outfitted with the same 3.2-liter V6, only now with 270 horsepower. Aside from more being better, I suspect Honda dug another ten horses out of the engine to keep five ahead of the new Maxima.

As before, the TL’s six is smooth, produces excellent power not only at the top end but also in the midrange, and makes wonderful noises while doing so (though I remember a bit more of the latter in the old car—can it be brought back?). No serious complaints here, although the car could move off the line with more gusto. Czturn in his excellent review notes that tall gearing is to blame. At thirty and up the engine feels quite strong, if not quite as strong as Nissan's less refined 3.5.

Aside from this gearing issue, the five-speed automatic remains hard to fault, with smooth shifts and reasonably quick responses to a heavy foot. As before the automatic can be manually shifted by moving the shifter into a special slot (to the left of the regular slot, the opposite of most) and then nudging it back and forth. Although this is the most common system I prefer paddles behind the steering wheel or the new Malibu’s shifter-mounted toggle switch. Transmission responsiveness to manual shifting is about average, which is to say it could stand to be quicker. (For lightning responses check out the Pontiac Grand Prix GTP.) No manumatic is as engaging as a true manual, and I look forward to driving that version.

The manual transmission TL will have powerful Brembo brakes as standard equipment. The automatic’s regular brakes performed well, though the Brembo’s might improve their tactile quality.

Thankfully torque steer is much better controlled in the new TL, with just a hint from time to time. I also found the variable assist steering much improved, with no unexpected and disturbingly drastic changes in assist during aggressive driving. The brochure says the new system is “torque-sensing.” I’m not sure how this works, but it seems to. That said, the new TL’s strong point is not its steering. It is a passable but not outstanding system, with good weighting and reasonable precision but duller than the best (i.e. BMW’s and Mazda’s). The system in the TSX feels lighter and more precise.

Handling is good but not outstanding. Pushing the new TL hard into turns uncovers safe understeer. The front tires yield long before the rears, but at least they do so progressively. The tires are 235s now instead of 215s, so grip has increased. However, unless on-ramps are your thing then grip isn’t everything. Along twisty roads the TL feels brawny, planted, and solid more than precise, agile, and light on its feet. If this might be an issue, then check out the more nimble TSX. Among powerful front-drivers the Pontiac Grand Prix handles a bit better, with a more balanced feel and higher limits, while the Maxima handles significantly worse, with copious torque steer and a generally sloppy feel when pushed.

The manual TL has more aggressive suspension tuning. In addition, higher performance tires are a $200 option with the manual. I’ll pay close attention to the difference the stiffer tuning makes when I drive that car. An even more aggressive suspension is available as a dealer-installed option.

Even with the relatively automatic’s relatively soft suspension the TL’s ride lacks the composure of the new 5-Series I drove an hour earlier. Although the ride was generally smooth, a few pavement imperfections provokes abrupt, almost harsh reactions. However, the 5 is much more expensive and the new TL does improve significantly on the old in this area. Noise levels are low, as expected in this sort of car.

Pricing

For quick, up-to-date pricing, and especially user-specified price comparisons, check out the website I created: www.truedelta.com. Why yet another vehicle pricing website? Well, I personally lacked the patience to keep using the others. They were too slow and required too much effort, especially when trying to compare prices. So I taught myself some programming and created a site where there is no need to dig through option packages, prerequisites, and the like one by one -- the TrueDelta algorithm figures these out for you in one swift pass.

The rest of this section is from when the review was originally written.

Both the manual and automatic TL’s have the same price: $33,195. (Add $2,000 for a nav system.) If you want a sub-$30,000 Acura sedan then the TSX is now the one for you. With its higher price, the TL is no longer the bargain it was. An Infiniti G35 similarly equipped is nearly as expensive, but a Maxima, perhaps a better comparison given its front-drive architecture, runs a couple thousand less. A Pontiac Grand Prix GTP is cheaper still, but while a better handler is much less credible as a luxury sedan. The TSX offers as much interior space and more agile handling but costs about $5,000 less. What are the TL’s better looks and extra two cylinders worth to you? European competitors are more expensive, especially the BMW 3-series which tops forty when similarly equipped. Overall the new TL seems very reasonably priced, but not a bargain.

Last Words

The new TL is a much better car than the old one, so much so that I feel a bit sorry for anyone who purchased a 2003. Its exterior styling is now its greatest strength, while its interior feels considerably more expensive. The chassis is much improved, while the engine remains excellent. These changes have come at the price of rear seat and trunk room and, well, price. The TL is no longer a bargain. People who like the car should like the price, while those seeking more agile handling will no longer feel compelled to buy one just to save a few bucks.

Despite it's weaknesses, I've given the new TL five stars because it is at least average in all areas, has a great engine, and has sheetmetal to die for.

To learn more about my reliability research and sign up to participate in it, visit www.truedelta.com.

Links to my reviews of related vehicles:
Acura TL-S
Acura TSX
Audi A4
BMW 330i
BMW 5-Series
Cadillac CTS
Honda Accord
Infiniti G35
Lexus IS 300
Nissan Maxima
Pontiac Grand Prix
Saab 9-3
VW Passat
Volvo S40 (2004.5)
Volvo S60

Amount Paid (US$): 33,195
Model and Options: TL automatic