2012 Acura TL SH-AWD Sedan
MSRP: $39,155
The Acura TL has been tweaked a bit for this year. The grille has been changed from last year’s polarizing design to something more mainstream. They have also improved the aerodynamics a little bit, and added another gear to the transmission. This is resulting in better mileage than last year’s model.
The The 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD (Super Handling All Wheel Drive) Sedan is a midsize luxury sedan, and is the higher of two trim levels. It has a 3.7 liter V6 engine that produces 305 horsepower. It has 18-inch wheels, the aforementioned SH-AWD, and a 6-speed automatic transmission. It is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. There is no zero to sixty time for the automatic transmission, but the manual transmission does the job in 5.7 seconds.
The TL SH-AWD comes with heated, lushly bolstered 8-way adjustable front sport seats with driver memory and driver lumbar functions. It also has a leather-wrapped, tilt-telescope steering wheel, leather upholstery with contrasting leather stitching, 2-zone climate control, foglights, automatic xenon headlights, a sunroof, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. The audio system has Bluetooth, 8 speakers, AM/FM/satellite radio, a 6-CD/MP3 changer, an audio jack, and a USB/iPod port.
There are no safety test results yet, but the TL has side front airbags, side curtain airbags, front head restraints, stability control, traction control, and anti-lock brakes with brake-assist.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The interior is made of very nice luxury materials, but has a more modern design than many of its competitors. It has two-tone color schemes and aluminum trim, but the design is stark and not busy. The cabin is spacious; it has plenty of headroom and legroom in both the front and rear seats. The seats themselves are extremely comfortable and supportive. There are 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space in the front.
The handling and ride are excellent. The more powerful engine on the SH-AWD model gives a sporty air to this car, and the suspension is almost European in its ability to provide high sport performance while making the cabin a smooth, quiet place to detach from the world. This car handles small and rides big. The AWD helps handling by monitoring the traction of each individual wheel and equalizing it by giving more power to the wheels that need it. Body roll is minimal, and there are no jolts going over bumps.
All in all, the TL SH-AWD is a nice, versatile car. It’s good for a family and even better for a getaway weekend. It’s sleek enough to minimize air resistance, but not gaudy enough to be noticed. This is a very nice combination of luxury car and sporty performance.
The verdict: highly recommended.
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