Concerning the title, he car was deserving of a little more then the title of Poor Man's BMW. The Acura TL is a good car, but what makes it even better is the price tag. For much less then many comparative German sedans you get a car with performance that is nearly equal, good build quality, and a plethora of amentities. The TL is a great deal for anybody who doesn't want to shell out the extra 5 grand or more for a car that is just barely a step ahead.

Performance:
The Tl has a great engine. At 225hp it can get you along with ease with a 0-60 time of about 7 seconds. Though there is no choice of manual, there is a manual shiftgate in the automatic. It is handy for spirited driver but my one complaint is it shifts out of first gear for you which in some cases is too early if you are not quite gunning it. As far as the TL's road manners they are what is expected out of a quality sedan. Body roll is only greatly noticed through tight turns and still remains swift. The ride quality is very good, and as far as my personal tastes (I prefer tightly sprung cars) is a little bit too soft, but is well suited for luxury car. Anybody looking for a tighter handling car should look for the TL Type S which gets 260hp and a tuned suspension.

Interior:
The interior is nice and of good quality. The styling is a bit plain though, which is what is the usual of Honda products (except maybe the S2000). The seats are comfortable for long trips but are not supportive enough for hard driving. Both seats are power, and the driver's seat has adjustable lumbar support. The air conditioning/heat is very good and is easily controlled. The stereo system is pretty good and gets fairly loud for a stock system. It is manufactured by Bose and comes with a 1 disc in-dash CD. One feature of the interior i particularly like is is the center console. This consists of decent cup holders, and a armrest with a small felt covered storage bin with a large storage bin under it. I find it useful for stashing different things.

Other:
On my TL is the optional navigation system. At the time of purchase it was $2000, which may have changed in value since then. It proves useful on long trips but on local runs it sometimes fails to provide the best way to places but is of good use when you are lost. Though it does not have every place on the map you can program an address and it can usually get you there.

The trunk is also quite large and can fit at least 3 sets of golf clubs. There is also a small port behind the rear armrest that can be opened for longer objects such as skis or lumber.

As far a reliability there has been no problems and the only times I have taken it in was for scheduled maintenance.
Amount Paid (US$): 31000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2000
Model and Options: Navigation System