2010 Acura TL Review and Prices

By Chuck Giametta

2010 ACURA TL BUYING ADVICE

• The 2010 Acura TL is the best car for you if you respect Honda engineering, want it in a premium package, and can stomach some unusual styling.

• The 2010 Acura TL builds off the Honda Accord sedan, turning up the wick on power, technology, and price. The TL was all new for model-year 2009 and returns for 2010 in base front-wheel-drive form and as the performance-oriented all-wheel-drive SH-AWD model. For 2010, the SH-AWD gains a six-speed manual transmission as an alternative to a five-speed automatic.    

• Should you buy a 2010 Acura TL or wait for the 2011 Acura TL? Little reason to wait for the 2011 TL. No big changes are expected for 2011 -- though Acura could surprise with a nip and tuck to address criticism of the car’s front-end styling. That nose, with its metallic-snaggletooth grille, is the new face of the brand, however, so the 2011 TL’s very likely to return visually unaltered. Shop the 2010 model to take advantage of a buyer’s market.

2010 ACURA TL DRIVING EXPERIENCE

Interior:

• A cabin that combines fresh design with easy functionality may be the 2010 TL’s most appealing feature. The optional Technology Package includes a navigation system with responsive voice activation and a crystalline 8-inch dashboard screen.

• Leather upholstery, heated power front seats, Bluetooth and USB linking are standard on all TLs. Comfort is best in the roomy, supportive front seats. The rear seat is really a cosseting bucket-type arrangement for two; head room is tight if you’re over 5-foot-8.     

Exterior:

• Aside from its controversial grille, this midsize four-door sedan is actually quite generic in appearance. The body does run counter to today’s trend toward minimal sheetmetal overhangs with a proboscis that extends far forward of the front wheels.  

• The SH-AWD is distinguished from the base TL by a rear spoiler, front-fascia brake-cooling ducts, and quad exhaust outlets. On the base TL, 17-inch alloy wheels are standard and 18s optional. On the SH-AWD, 18s are standard and 19s with special summer performance tires are optional.  

Driving:

• The base TL with its 280-horsepower V-6 has all the performance you’ll need. Fast starts, however, can be tainted by the sideways torque-steer tug endemic to powerful front-drive cars. Front-wheel drive is an adjunct to snow traction but no match for the handling balance afforded by the rear-wheel-drive design of rivals from BMW and Infiniti.

• Acura’s “Super Handling” all-wheel drive system eliminates torque steer and directs all the SH-AWD’s 305 horsepower to the tarmac for tenacious grip and heroic handling. Every direct competitor has an automatic transmission with more ratios than the TL’s five, though the six-speed manual new to the SH-AWD is a nice performance credential. Both TL models ride firmly but neither is jarring over bumps.

2010 ACURA TL FUEL ECONOMY

• The base TL is EPA-rated at 18/26 mpg (city/highway). The SH-AWD is rated 17/25 with automatic transmission, 18/26 with manual. Acura requires premium-grade gas for both models.

2010 ACURA TL PRICING

• The 2010 Acura TL price range is $35,915-$44,195 (prices in this review include Acura’s $810 destination fee).

• The base TL is priced at $35,915, or $39,645 with the Technology Package.

• The 2010 Acura TL SH-AWD is priced at $39,465. Manual-transmission SH-AWD models include the Technology Package and are priced the same as Tech Package automatic-transmission counterparts: $43,195 with 18-inch wheels, $44,195 with 19s.

2010 ACURA TL SAFETY and RELIABILITY

• In government crash testing, the 2010 Acura TL rates the maximum five stars for driver and passenger protection in both frontal and side impacts.

• The Acura TL scores among the best cars rated for overall initial quality by J.D. Power and Associates, the leading automotive consumer-survey firm. Predicted reliability for the Acura TL is rated “better than most” by J.D. Power.    

2010 ACURA TL COMPETITION

• 2010 Audi A4: More stylish and roomy than the TL, this European-bred sedan and wagon comes in front- or all-wheel drive and offers a surprisingly effective 211-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder. The hot S4 sedan has a 333-horsepower supercharged V-6. Base price range is roughly $32,000-$50,000.

• 2010 BMW 3-Series: A little tight in rear-seat room, but arguably the road-manner benchmark among modestly sized sporty cars. Offers rear- and all-wheel-drive coupe, sedan, and wagon body styles, plus a rear-drive convertible. Engines are silky 230- and 300-horsepower gas six-cylinders, a torquey 265-horsepower turbodiesel, and a 414-horsepower V-8 in the to-die-for M3 versions. Base price range is roughly $35,000-$70,000.

• 2010 Infiniti G37: Nissan’s premium brand fields a formidable rival to anything in the class. The beautifully styled and carefully crafted G37 offers rear- and all-wheel-drive sedans and coupes, plus a rear-drive convertible. A bit of back-seat squeeze is the only real knock. All have a 3.7-liter V-6 of 328-330 horsepower. Base price range is roughly $35,000-$45,000.