The Acura RL leaves no one cold. While it’s beautiful inside, competent on the road and quite likeable, its exterior styling isn’t for everyone.
The RL luxury sedan suffers from an obvious blemish in the shape of its grille, disguised only by the colour and accessories of its body. Thankfully, my grey tester literally absorbed the enormous grille. So much so that I surprised myself by falling for the look of Acura’s standard-bearer, a first for me.
Last year’s changes have left it with a bit more character without making it as angular as its siblings. I find the result to be less in harmony with the house’s design language, but it is more sober.
Beauty is on the inside
From what I’ve seen in the auto industry, the RL currently features one of the most attractive cabins out there. Very rich, it is exquisitely finished and balanced. The combination of brushed aluminum and wood trim is beautiful. The narrow centre stack outlined by vertical bars ensures greater leg room.
The only detail forgotten over time is the integration of the navigation screen, which seems a little dubious to me, maybe even qualifying as another blemish. However, all the gadgets associated with the class are on board, including a DVD player, onboard computer and efficient navigation system.
Comfort-wise, it exceeds expectations. The front seats are heated and ventilated, while in back they’re only available heated. A comfortable driving position is easily found, and the small steering wheel offers a nice grip. Rear passengers are kept happy thanks to ample space and good head and leg room. Very well soundproofed, the car filters out exterior noise.
The finish is flawless, with very little plastic to be seen. The Germans better start looking over their shoulder, because Acura is following close behind indeed.
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| The RL is a surprisingly competent and very pleasant car. |
The RL luxury sedan suffers from an obvious blemish in the shape of its grille, disguised only by the colour and accessories of its body. Thankfully, my grey tester literally absorbed the enormous grille. So much so that I surprised myself by falling for the look of Acura’s standard-bearer, a first for me.
Last year’s changes have left it with a bit more character without making it as angular as its siblings. I find the result to be less in harmony with the house’s design language, but it is more sober.
Beauty is on the inside
From what I’ve seen in the auto industry, the RL currently features one of the most attractive cabins out there. Very rich, it is exquisitely finished and balanced. The combination of brushed aluminum and wood trim is beautiful. The narrow centre stack outlined by vertical bars ensures greater leg room.
The only detail forgotten over time is the integration of the navigation screen, which seems a little dubious to me, maybe even qualifying as another blemish. However, all the gadgets associated with the class are on board, including a DVD player, onboard computer and efficient navigation system.
Comfort-wise, it exceeds expectations. The front seats are heated and ventilated, while in back they’re only available heated. A comfortable driving position is easily found, and the small steering wheel offers a nice grip. Rear passengers are kept happy thanks to ample space and good head and leg room. Very well soundproofed, the car filters out exterior noise.
The finish is flawless, with very little plastic to be seen. The Germans better start looking over their shoulder, because Acura is following close behind indeed.
 |
| From what I’ve seen in the auto industry, the RL currently features one of the most attractive cabins out there. |