2004 Acura TL Handling Review

Stuffing the wheelwells with wide rubber helped give the TL more bite in Motor Trend's skidpad and slalom tests, but limits steering angularity. The TL takes nearly four feet more space than any of the other testers in the group curb-to-curb to complete a U-turn (39.7 feet), more space even than a base full-size Chevy Silverado or Dodge Ram pickup truck. That makes for a lot of back and fill around mini-mall parking lots.

This lack of balance extends to the brakes; the TL consistently needed more real estate to bring all that sporty luxury to a halt. Compared to the car with the best brakes in this test, the Infiniti G35, the Acura needed another 17 feet to stop from 60 mph (about the length of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class) and an additional 52 feet to drop anchor from 100 mph (roughly equivalent to three Cadillac DeVilles parked nose to tail).

Normally, front-drive cars with transverse-mounted engines are models of space-efficiency. With no transmission tail or driveshaft hump stealing space, designers can allot more room for people and cargo. But the TL's Manx tail design (attractive as it is) chops off the trunk abruptly, giving the Acura the least luggage space of the cars in our group.

In many ways the TL is the ultimate Honda Accord. Like the Accord, the TL is packed with value. Acura doesn't mess around with option packages and standard equipment few buyers end up taking. The TL pretty much comes one way--loaded, with a buyer's choice of manual or automatic transmission, navigation or no navigation. It's that simple. And the TL's Acura/Panasonic ELS Premium Surround Sound must be heard to be believed. Audiophiles might want to buy an extra TL just to park in their garage for listening enjoyment.