by "Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
Published 02/27/2017 at 17:50
by "Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
Published 02/27/2017 at 17:50
No Tags
STARS: 4
Tomorrow, February 28, 2017, will be the last day my dad owns his 2012 Acura TL. He bought it on October 25, 2012 to replace his 2006 Honda Accord. He’s put almost 97,000 miles on it since then, and it’s been a very trusty daily for him since then. And tomorrow we’ll be trading it in to get my mom a new Pathfinder.
Despite the internet’s disdain for its looks, I really liked the TL. Even more than that, the TL is the car that got me into cars. Back when my dad bought it, I was so excited about it that I decided to learn everything I could about it. And slowly but surely, I started to learn more about other cars as well. Eventually I turned into a full blown car enthusiast. My existence on Oppo is owed almost entirely to this car.
I never really got a chance to write a proper review of the TL, so here’s a quick Oppo Review of it:
Exterior: 7/10
I personally think it’s pretty inoffensive looking, yet a lot of people feel differently. The grille was toned down a lot in 2012.
Interior: 6/10
It’s pretty roomy up front but not great in the rear. Material quality is alright, the design is decent but nothing particularly special about it.
Acceleration: 8/10
It has 280 horsepower, and it’s plenty quick for most driving. Lots of power in the midrange. Honda seems to do a good job with its V6s.
Braking: 6/10
I can’t attest to feel or anything but they seem to do a decent job.
Ride: 6/10
It’s fine most of the time but feels a little stiff on rough roads.
Handling: 7/10
The car hasn’t been taken to the track or anything so I have no clue how it handles at speed. It seems to do a good job day to day and my dad has had no complaints whatsoever.
Transmission: 5/10
It’s an autobox which stinks, but it does its job and is fairly unobtrusive.
Toys: 4/10
Even by 2012 standards, the TL doesn’t have a lot of toys. Paddle shifters, heated seats, a sunroof, and that’s about it.
Audio: 7/10
The engine and the sound system both sound decent. They won’t blow anyone away but it’s nothing bad either.
Value: 9/10
In 2012 this car stickered for $35,000 and my dad got it for about $32,000. That’s very reasonable for a good car overall, and you can find a well equipped one nowadays for under $15,000 while a stick shift, 305 horsepower SH-AWD model should be well under $25,000.
Total: 65/100
Not a bad score, and that’s about what I’d give it on a subjective scale of 0-100. Despite the controversial looks, this is a pretty regular albeit competent vehicle. Plus they’re a great deal on the used market.
I’ve really liked having this car for the last 4 years. Not gonna lie, I’m gonna miss it.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
02/27/2017 at 17:57, STARS: 1
the beak worked on the TL more than the TSX. plus I think they got toned down pretty quickly, could be wrong.
If Acura was smart enough to put a manual in all of these the score wouldve likely been 69/100. Nice. That’s the sort of sales bump they shouldve been looking for.
"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
02/27/2017 at 17:58, STARS: 0
People hate on all the beaks when the 2009-2011 TL was really the one that gave it a bad rap.
"Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras" (jegoingout)
02/27/2017 at 17:58, STARS: 1
I want one with a stick so badly
"gin-san - shitpost specialist" (gin-san-)
02/27/2017 at 17:59, STARS: 1
I think that the TL looks alright - I don’t like the chrome on the front, but compared to newer cars it looks understated since badges have gotten bigger and grilles chromier. My friend has an Accord V6 coupe and that Honda V6 engine can move the car surprisingly quickly, despite the vanilla image it has. I’d definitely keep this than go for a Pathfinder (or perhaps trade for a different kind of vehicle), but that’s just me.
"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
02/27/2017 at 18:01, STARS: 0
A SH-AWD with a manual would be awesome. They’re pretty quick too.
"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
02/27/2017 at 18:04, STARS: 0
Believe it or not the only chrome is the thin strip around the grille. The so called “power plenum” is actually some kind of silver metal/plastic/other material. As for the Pathfinder, my mom can’t stand the TL and we needed a newer family car for road trips this summer.
"Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras" (jegoingout)
02/27/2017 at 18:08, STARS: 1
There’s a dealer in Jersey city that seems to have a surplus of manual TL’s
"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
02/27/2017 at 18:09, STARS: 1
Well you’re closer to Jersey City than I am. You know what to do.
"Alex B" (alexb420)
02/27/2017 at 19:28, STARS: 1
rip TL
Be sure to make a post about the Pathfinder tomorrow!
"Racin'Jason001" (racinjason001)
02/27/2017 at 19:28, STARS: 1
Wow. Good Luck to it. Where have you been lately? Seems like it’s been a while since I’ve heard from you.
"gin-san - shitpost specialist" (gin-san-)
02/27/2017 at 19:35, STARS: 1
I figured there was a need for a Pathfinder if the family was going up to such a large vehicle.
Anyways, that Acura beak is one of those things that looks better on some cars than others (and like anything to do with design everybody’s taste will vary) and I think the TL looks alright. The Lexus grille is similar in that it has such polarizing opinions, and I think some cars wear it better than others, like the new Lexus LC coupe or even the LS, but I think it looks horrible on the large SUVs like the GX and LX.
"Van Man, rocks the Man Van" (jacoboconnell)
02/27/2017 at 20:45, STARS: 1
Been busy.