2009 ACURA TL PRICED RIGHT!

 SHARP NEW LINES

 

 1/18/09 Las Vegas, Nevada

2009 Acura TL is a contender for PRICE-VALUE-DRIVING FUN.

This car is a full size sedan with a 3.5 liter v6 engine with 280 horsepower and 254 foot lbs of torque, which means it has plenty of get-up and go for the mildly aggressive driver.  The outside styling is sharp with an aggressive new grill and return to the ACURA CL backend. You will either love or hate the pointy tailbone.

BACKEND ACURA TL

The paint colors include a pearlized white, three shades of grey, silver-blue, and bright blue or ruby red for spice. Mirrors incorporate side signals and the chrome trim is used lightly to expresses a subdued executive look. Alloy rims are standard, but a dark chrome or painted black rim on certain colors adds a handsome GQ touch for those of you who need a little extra something on their ride. 

 

 Inside, the car has all cool dash gauges.  The Paddle shifters are neatly tucked out of the line of sight with finger-tip control. iDrive is in arms reach and the most basic controls are all steering wheel housed. The iDrive in the Acura makes more sense than those car companies that place it near the cupholders, for obvious reasons.  There is adequate storage with lots of small clever compartments hidden in and around the center console. The armrest storage is small but the glovebox, door side pockets and seat back hideaways hold enough “stuff”.  There were no blind-spots or visibility issues for the average height driver, and a 6’4 guy had plenty of room in the front and back, as long he wasn’t sitting behind another 6’4 guy. The steering is nimble and responsive. The only noise in the cabin is upon acceleration, and the sound system, whether it’s the base model or the tech package upgrade, easily handle any outside interference. The moonroof tilts and hides, and the windows crack to eliminate buffering. The tech package includes an upgraded stereo system with 10 speakers an 440 watts of sound, Navigation, BACK-up camera and phone/addressbook interface. The ACURA TL surprised me in a lot of ways. It’s the right car for the folks who want sporty but not stiff, sharp styling, comfort, toys and just enough power. Gas mileage is average; 18/22. The warranty is Bumper to bumper 4-50k and 6yr 70k on the power train with roadside assistance and loaner cars. Average cost to own over 5 years is $5k a year, including insurance, deprecation, interest, fuel and service. The Lincoln and Cadillac were comparable by % of initial purchase price, with consideration of special interest rate incentives vs. depreciation on the two domestically bult models.

 

Pricing on the ACURA is VERY REASONABLE compared to the others I mentioned and their LEASE programs are going to SURPRISE a lot of LUXURY BUYERS. I think as long as their customer service maintains the benchmark, ACURA is going to see a sharp jump in lease sales this year as all the other manufacturers dial their programs back. Starting price is $38,500 which puts it at the lower end of prices in this luxury sedan group. Compare to the other guys:  Lexus GS350: the Acura is slightly smaller but way less expensive without missing too much. The Audi A6: less expensive, same features, BMW535:less expensive than the Beemer, softer taking the corners., Infiniti G35: sharper lines, Caddy CTS: Different road feel, Lincoln MKS: no capless gas cap like the MKS, but sharper handling. Mercedes C class, roomier than the Benz, less expensive too!  I whole heartedly recommend you consider the Acura TL before leasing or purchasing one of these others models. The car is all there and the price difference makes it a notable contender. 

Check out my test drive review on You Tube:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1vU-qwS6YE]

For information on how you can get a great deal on the Acura TL or any Acura model, contact me at http://www.mycarlady.com

Read more about the Acura TSX vs. the Audi A4 here:http://everythingcars.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/acura-tsx-vs-audi-a4-youvoteacura-tsx-vs-audi-a4-youvote/

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Sarah Lee writes on all things cars, books, gourmet food, travel, art and is a passionate consumer advocate for car buyers everywhere. Comment at: sarahlee@mycarlady.com