2004 Acura TL Review & Ratings

Third Place: Acura TL
Blowing right past the Saab 9-3 Aero, the Acura TL takes honors for the best front-drive sport sedan in our comparo. Our third-place car doesn't scrimp on horsepower; at 270, the TL's 3.2-liter V-6 has 18 more ponies under the hood than an automatic-transmission-equipped NSX. For 2004, the new-generation TL picks up where the performance-oriented 260-horse Type S version of last year's model left off. In addition to increased power, roll stiffness is increased and larger brakes and wider tires are fitted to the new model. Drive-by-wire throttle and a standard four-channel Vehicle Stability Assist are new this year as well.

And, boy, is this car a looker. The low, menacing snout and wider, more muscular stance of the new TL segues to an angular, fast-rising wedge, climaxing in a short rear deck and large dual exhaust outlets. If the badge didn't say Acura, you'd swear this was a hot new Alfa Romeo. The car has mega curb appeal. Inside, too, Acura pulled out the stops, showering the cabin with real brushed-aluminum trim, brilliant scarlet and indigo instrument lighting, and dual-zone climate controls. A power glass moonroof, Gen-X-targeted electrotainment such as a DVD/audio surround-sound stereo with eight speakers and six channels, hands-free cell-phone connectivity with Bluetooth technology, and XM Satellite Radio also come standard. Simply put, there's tons of tech--and value--for the dollar here. TL sales represent half of the car side of the Acura franchise; we can see why.

On the road, the TL is a car with fairly high limits. The body sits nicely on the chassis and the wheels fill out the wheelwells; only two fingers fit between the tires and body. The wide stance translates to a stable, planted feeling. Because the TL is based on and shares a wheelbase with the front-drive four-door Honda Accord, the Acura is more than a little nose-heavy. A full 61 percent of the car's weight is on the front wheels, making those tires shoulder much more of the handling and braking chores. Acura compensates for this somewhat by fitting the TL with larger cross-section tires, but the car lacks the front/rear balance of the others in this test. Perhaps overcompensating for this weight imbalance, the TL's steering feels overboosted and unnaturally light. It communicates a fraction of the interaction between the front tires and road as a sport sedan should. Accelerating into a turn, the TL's torque-sensing, variable-assist steering has a tentative, darty quality. Too bad.

The TL's Accord roots are showing at the outer edges of the performance envelope. And with 270 horsepower and 238 pound-feet of torque on tap, the TL's steering has something else to deal with: torque steer. Punch the throttle and the steering wheel tugs to the right. Is it something you can learn to live with? Of course. But the rear-drive sport sedans in this test don't force the driver to put up with it.