More 2009 Acura TL Photos, Q&A

Below you’ll find two photo galleries of the 2009 Acura TL. One includes photos shot by yours truly during my test drive of the TL base model and TL SH-AWD a few weeks ago. That’s where you’ll find how the different colors look in the sunlight, how the gadget drawer slides and look at real screen images.

There’s also a gallery of the manufacturer’s provided images. Enjoy both sets of photos.

If you have questions about the new TL that I didn’t answer in the review, or just want to pick my brain about it, feel free to drop any thoughts in the comment section below.

Comments

Thanks so much, this might be my next car...

The interior looks pretty nice. It's too bad they ruined the exterior. Beyond the grille, the entire car looks bloated.

QUESTION:Do the wood accents only come on non-tech models?

CJ,
Correct, non-tech models get "wood grain" center panels. Tech adds the "3-D" metal finish.

that trunk looks puny!

JM,
It's 13.1 cubic feet which is slightly smaller than the 13.5 of the G35 and 13.6 of the CTS. But bigger than the 3 series sedan's 12.0

That "3-D" metal looks like stainless steel. It looks really good with the black interior, but I'm not sure about the Parchment. The Parchment looks really good with that little bit of blackwood accent. I really like the white stitching in the black leather, too. Probably if I got a black car I'd get black interior with tech package. If I got that gorgeous bronze exterior color I'd get the parchment interior, and an iPhone lol!

This is a nice car inside and out. The grille looks bigger in person apart from the manufacturer's pics. I'd take the tech- model due to its great technology and the "3D" metal is fantastic as long its with a black interior like CJ said and I agree and with a black exterior. Anyone know when it'll be available?

the upper dash should be a different color with the lighter interior. Either that or a lighter trim material should be used.

Do the rear headrests adjust? In the pics they appear to be very low but there is no way to tell if they can be lifted.

The trunk is small and seems to have an odd shape. It also has interior hinges that eat up trunk space. Even the cobalt has trunk struts so that is really inexcusable on a $35k car. I'm assuming the seats still dont fold down.

LP, September for the Base model and November for the SH-AWD.

sheth,
yes the rear headrests are adjustable.

Interior colors are quite interesting. In the model I tested with the light tan/cream the dashboard was actually a super-dark brown color, you could barely tell it wasn't black.

I literally have a 90 page binder of press info on this car, and not one page mentions body color or interior color combination!

I wouldn't call the trunk small. It's certainly not huge. More objectionable are the bumps near the wheel wells instead of a flat floor.

Your photos are much better than the press photos. Does anyone else think this is the car the Cylons from Battlestar Galactica would drive if they had to choose?

I can see people being turned off by that trunk floor. Nothing will sit flat unless you stow it between the bulges. They should have raised the floor to the same height as the bulges...would have reduced the volume but made it much more useable.

Keith,
It's the same floor as the new Accord, it has not hurt Accord sales. It's still big enough for golf clubs and a couple of weekend bags. You're only going to get significantly more if you move up in size.

I would think it would hold everything you need for a normal trip...let's say a Battlestar Galactica convention. How much luggage would a Cylon have?

The size is fine...I was thinking more along the lines of full-size suitcases and boxes. You couldn't put two side by side and have them lay flat. I didn't know the Accord had the same floor design...I guess it's a compromise that people are willing to accept much like folding 2nd row seats in an SUV that don't quite fold flat...oh so annoying but livable.

Did I see a back-up camera below the badge?

The tiny wheels on the red one needs to be replaced by something bigger. It looks like a basketball player wearing size 6 shoes.

Just when will Honda begin to use struts at the trunk's hinge?!

Dave,

The color chart is available here: http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=769060

I'm looking forward to seeing this one in person. The TSX and RL have both been better in person than I'd expect from the pictures, and the TL is seriously starting to grow on me (except for the nose, and even then it's only objectionable from certain angles). The bigger question is how it will look on the road. That will determine public perception more than anything else.

so when is the release date of this new mazda6? Oh wait, its already been released....

The 09 TL lost the clean handsome look of the current TL, but I’m sure it’s technologically up to date and beyond. Any more sharp creases on this and it’ll look like something Batman would drive.

Dave - great job w/ the pics! This TL looks like it will be another hit. And here GM is about to announce employee pricing, again. What on earth ever happened to the Detroit Big 3...

Ugly grill and an awkward trunk area, it seems to me.

The grill is as noticeable as Barry Manilows sneck - at least he can have surgery to correct it.

i'm sure for those who like unique looks, there will be several after market options available for the grotesque grille ... too bad though, such a nice, easy-on-the-eye interior

The trunk is small on this car when you consider its 194" long. The Accord has the same issue- largest in class but the smallest in class trunk. My car has a nearly flat load floor and more trunk space than the TL in spite of being 4" shorter and narrower. I also dont get why Acura continues to leave out fold down seats when BMWs and the CTS have this feature. Also, the rear end is just as objectionable as the front end if you ask me. The interior is nice but it looks like a slightly upgraded version of teh Accord's interior and is no better than the CTS or A4. The 2004 TL really had one of the best cabins available at the time. The competiton has caught up.

my experience with trunks is that the flat floor is a little more important than overall size, as is the lip height/width.
While a fold down rear seat is nice, I can't remember the last time I needed it in a sedan. But of course I don't live with them 365 days a year.

Dave,

After having a car with split folding seats you really dont want to own a car without one. If you dont have an SUV or van it comes in handy. The pass through will work in many instances but it's not as versatile obviously. If you have children trunk capacity is important and I personally dont see why the TL and Accord are so big but have such small trunks. ever since I've had to transport a stroller I have new respect for the importance of trunk capacity. 13.1 cu ft is very small for a large FWD car. The new 6 has 16.6 cu ft and is no larger than the TL.

Sheth,
Yeah but I got our uppa stroller which is HUGE into an M3 trunk and that is smaller than the TL. I agree it should be bigger, but I don't think it will kill sales or anything nor is it significantly smaller than the CTS or G35.

For those who care, there's video up at Acura's website in the "Future Vehicles" section.
acura.com

A stroller alone can fit in the trunk of most midsize cars. My point was you need room for other things as well. Sports sedan sales are determined by trunk space but the TL should do better seeing as though it's FWD. It's styling is much more of an issue than the trunk space. The review was very glowing but I see no compelling reason to chose the TL over it's newest competitors. It's lost it's advantage in interior style, it's FWD and it's odd looking. Price is really the trump card at this point.

"Sports sedan sales are determined by trunk space but the TL should do better seeing as though it's FWD."

Meant to say "aren't".

Sheth,
Well, it will probably be the value leader when pricing is announced coming in thousands less than most of the Germans and competitive with the G35 and Audi A4.

What makes it better? For the base TL it rides smoother and still has great steering. If you're a commuter it's easily the best choice. If you're an enthusiast I think I clearly state the TL SH_AWD is a runner up. Did that not come out in the review?

And let's not forget, it's an Acura. So unless you're going for a Lexus it will most likely have the best reliability out there.

Dave,

You seem to be a big fan of the TL but I can assure you that many people on other sites were turned off by the styling. Sure the car is quiet and goes fast but the same can be said about every car in this class. As far as I can tell the price is the key for the TL just as it's always been. The only difference is the old car was quite stylish and had a best in class interior when it debuted in 2003. As for reliability, I don't believe for a second that someone buying a Cadillac or BMW is taking a big risk from a reliability standpoint. Most cars today are reliable. Aside from more standard features for your dollar (which Acura always has relative to the Germans) I dont see what the TL is bringing to the segment. Every car in this class offers tons of tech, a quiet ride and a nice engine.

sh,
Have you been in a BMW or Mercedes? They have very heavy steering and a relatively rough ride compared to the TL.

The point to a TL is that it is a no-brainer type vehicle that looks good and feels like it's a sports sedan to folks who just want entry-luxury, reliable transportation. It's very well done. Again, I pointed out it doesn't win the performance war in SH AWD.

Ask a BMW, Audi or MB owner how many times they hit the shop etc. German brands still have more mechanical issues by and large even if greatly reduced over the past decade or so.

I feel like I'm repeating myself here. Wait I am!

Dave,

I am not a German car fan but everything I have seen suggests that BMWs are quite reliable these days. I read long term tests on Inside Line and other places and by and large cars are reliable these days, even German cars. This isn't 1990 and yet you seem to be operating on some very dated notions. The TL does all the things EVERY entry level luxury car does, it just looks worse doing so. The ride quality of it's competitors largely depends on whether or not they have the sport package. Most magazines swear BMWs have decent ride quality with or without the sport package. The CTS offers 3 suspensions and only the FE3 (which most people dont have) has been criticized for being stiff. If you want a luxury car without a punishing ride you can get one. One of the TL reviews I read (Autoblog I believe) said the AWD model had a stiff ride that would be a turn off to people in rust belt states with poor roads.

There are no poor cars in this class. Whether or not the TL sells is wholly dependent on it's price and whether people accept the eccentric styling. There are half a dozen cars in the $35k range that can offer you great acceleration, nice sound systems, creature comforts, nav systems, etc. In terms of absolute value the TL will be a winner but on all other fronts it's facing very tough competition.

Dave,
Thanks! Great info here. Just what I need.

sh,
I am a bemmer fan. I love them so much that I can forgive all of the problems. I am kind of lucky, those are not big ones, but just here and there, cost a hundred to a thousand if I don't have the extended warranty. But they have good service and many times I can loan a new model to try different feeling.

Checking at the TL here for our second car. Reliability first, but don't want to lost too much fun. Looking forward to kick its tires as soon as it's in the dealer. Let's if it's as good as on paper (I mean on screen). Thanks again.

Sh,
READ MY REVIEW PLEASE!
Half the stuff you say I got wrong you somehow missed in my review. I clearly state the SH-AWD is a rough ride! Sheesh. Give me some credit.
Also show me any reliability study that isn't within the first 90 days and deals with mechanical issues that BMW and MB top Acura on. I'd like to see it. Like I said they have improved but there's a reason Honda/Acura has that reputation.

Your summation is also the exact same conclusion I came to!? I have no idea why we're even arguing. If I reviewed the new 335 I would give it a glowing review too. Cars can get glowing reviews despite the class being competitive. That's kind of the point isn't it? In a comparison we'd have to pick a winner.

Tim,
You're welcome!