The front seats do a great job of wrapping your entire body courtesy of generous lateral and thigh support. The roofline might be swooping in the back, but rear-seat headroom is still commendable. Likewise, rear passengers enjoy plenty of room to stretch their legs. Unfortunately, the seatbacks do not fold forward to increase cargo capacity.
Not a fighter jet
Driving a Honda or Acura is a bit like chewing sugar-free gum; the taste is there, but the fun is absent. It's not that the TL lacks quality components -- on the contrary, the chassis is very rigid and the engine is always up to the task.
However, the redesign made the TL lose some of its exciting character. The numb steering might offer a slightly heavier, more responsive feel along with decent work ethics in corners, but for a so-called premium sports sedan, drivers have the right to demand more.
More upscale and more comfortable than its predecessor, the 2009 TL has put on weight and lost some sportiness. Incredibly enough, though, body roll is reduced despite the added flexibility overall. I only sampled the front-wheel drive model; my guess is that the all-wheel drive TL offers superior driving dynamics.
The 3.5-liter V6 under the hood produces 280 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque, most of which is available at low revs, thus delivering pleasant accelerations. Moreover, average fuel economy is improved (a tad under 10 L/100 km).
Elsewhere, the brakes prove adequate in slowing the car down and providing a nice safety feeling. On the flip side, the tester came with a 5-speed manumatic transmission that clearly lacked one gear.
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| The front seats do a great job of wrapping your entire body courtesy of generous lateral and thigh support. |
Not a fighter jet
Driving a Honda or Acura is a bit like chewing sugar-free gum; the taste is there, but the fun is absent. It's not that the TL lacks quality components -- on the contrary, the chassis is very rigid and the engine is always up to the task.
However, the redesign made the TL lose some of its exciting character. The numb steering might offer a slightly heavier, more responsive feel along with decent work ethics in corners, but for a so-called premium sports sedan, drivers have the right to demand more.
More upscale and more comfortable than its predecessor, the 2009 TL has put on weight and lost some sportiness. Incredibly enough, though, body roll is reduced despite the added flexibility overall. I only sampled the front-wheel drive model; my guess is that the all-wheel drive TL offers superior driving dynamics.
The 3.5-liter V6 under the hood produces 280 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque, most of which is available at low revs, thus delivering pleasant accelerations. Moreover, average fuel economy is improved (a tad under 10 L/100 km).
Elsewhere, the brakes prove adequate in slowing the car down and providing a nice safety feeling. On the flip side, the tester came with a 5-speed manumatic transmission that clearly lacked one gear.
 |
| The 3.5-liter V6 under the hood produces 280 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. |