Acura Prices New 2009 TL Sedan

We reviewed the all-new Acura TL sedan last month, but one major piece of information was missing/still being withheld: the price. Today, at 5:30 p.m. EDT, Honda released prices for the sedan, which hits dealerships on Sept. 24.

The front-wheel-drive TL will start at $34,955. Add the Technology Package — the lone option — and the price rises to $38,685. The more powerful TL SH-AWD will start at $38,505. Adding the Technology Package brings the price to $42,235. Optional 19-inch wheels can also be added, bringing the top price possible to $43,235.

A destination charge of $760 is not included.

The outgoing 2008 TL started at $33,725. The $1,230 increase is significant, but the cars are radically different. More impressive is the fact that the all-wheel-drive TL SH-AWD is just $280 more than the outgoing TL Type S.

Related
More 2009 Acura TL Photos, Q&A
Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Acura TL
First Look: 2009 Acura TL

Comments

That's way too much dinero for a facelifted accord.

No it's cheaper than the smaller less prestigious Passat VR6
http://www.vw.com/passat/pricelist/en/us/#/overview
Considering it's bigger than the Lexus GS, Infiniti M, Mercedes E class, and BMW 5, but remains at ES, G, C, and 3 prices is pretty amazing. It's also no slouch. Motorweek estimats that the SH-AWD model will go from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds.

Cj, good points all, and I agree theres no VW that's in the Acura league. Maybe I can't keep my Acuras straight, but isn't it the RL that's larger than the cars you mentioned? For instance, the Infiniti M is a good sized auto. If it's the TL, then I stand corrected.

It's a good car with good features. But 5 speed auto?? That's way too old. and the front looks?? wtf

The new TL has grown and is now even larger than the RL. You are correct that the TL used to be smaller (about the same size as the G35), but now Acura is moving and positioning the TL further upmarket, and the next generation flagship (RL replacement) will be as large as an S class and will be better able to compete with Germans. The TSX will essentially take the TL's place.

It's still a Honda Accord no matter how you cut it. Buy a BMW because it's unique and doesn't share parts with an Altima, Accord or (ugh) Camry....

It's cheaper because it shares parts. No matter how you look at it people buy BMW's and Mercedes because they aren't... well, Japanese cars.

@Jason: You could also look at it the other way around: if those parts' reliability was proven in such a mainstream car as the Accord, it's sure to be as reliable in a TL. As opposed to the reliability of certain German cars.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one approach is better than the other. There are plenty of buyers out there for both German and Japanese cars (at least there used to be when the economy was doing well).

Jason, the TL is not a Honda Accord. Unlike the Lexus ES and Toyota Camry, which have identical wheelbases and widths, the Acura TL shares no dimensions with the Honda Accord. Not only that, the platform on which the TL sits has been heavily modified to accommodate it's advanced AWD system. It doesn't share an engine, transmission, or interior (all of which are costly things) with any Honda product. OTOH the Lexus ES shares a lot of components with the mainstream Camry.

One thing that does takes TL out of the league they trying to compete in is FWD.

Tony,
That's why they made the SH-AWD trim for the TL. I don't think it should compete on performance though, as it really wins on the value statement.

You can drive it next to an accord and you will not really notice many similarities besides a too busy center stack (which are actually completely different, yet still busy).

The FWD TL competes with the FWD Audi A6, and the Lexus ES. The SH-AWD TL competes with the Audi A6 3.2 quattro, BMW 528xi, Mercedes E class 4matic, Infiniti M35x, and the Lexus GS350 AWD.