2004 Acura TL

The TL's interior is inviting, with loads or room, a great design and plenty of luxury.

Before we drove the TL, we were skeptical about putting this much power through a front wheel drive layout. In most cases it is extremely well behaved, with only the occasional tug from the steering wheel while cornering under power to remind you this is a front driver. To minimize the effect, the TL features a standard limited-slip differential.


The TL's European looks are mirrored in its road manners. Mastering the handling ceremonies is a fully independent double wishbone suspension that provides a lovely blend of a supple, yet firm ride with responsive cornering. On manual transmission models like our tester, the performance ante is upped with Brembo brand 4-Piston front brakes. And they work as advertised, stopping like crazy, with excellent feel through the pedal. We also like that Acura offers an optional high-performance tire on manual transmission models. No matter which TL you choose, should you get too exuberant, you also have the confidence of standard Vehicle Stability Assist with Traction Control.


Back in the real world of commutes and business trips, the TL has an interior you'll be happy to spend plenty of time in, with loads or room, a great design and plenty of luxury. It starts when you open the door and are greeted by a soft blue glow from the instrument panel. Sit down behind the fat 4-spoke, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and you'll find large, easily read instruments, and a prominent center console framed in real aluminum and a very handsome (and convincing) wood-grain trim. Select interior colors swap out the wood-grain for a more modern carbon-fiber look.


Our tester was fitted with the optional DVD navigation system, which gives you an oversized 8-inch LCD screen, ringed by Navigation and climate controls that are easy to understand and use at a glance. Having just spent some time with BMW's ultra-confusing I-Drive system, it was a pleasant reminder just how wonderful to use a well-designed system can be. Adding to the enjoyment, a small digital readout above the vents at the top of the center console give you the pertinent information like audio and climate information right at eye level. And to make it even easier, the system is voice-activated as well.

The 3.2-liter V-6 pumps out a very respectable 270 horsepower and 238 lb.-ft. of torque.

Another favorite part of the TL is the audio system, which says a lot considering how great the rest of the car is. With the Acura ELS Premium 8-speaker Surround-Sound System, the 2004 TL is the world's first vehicle to come with a true discrete multi-channel surround sound system as standard equipment. The 6-channel, 5.1-DVD audio system sounds incredibly clear no matter what you're listening to. We especially enjoyed listening to the system with the standard XM Satellite radio service included with the TL. It's so good that when we're testing other cars and see a TL go by, we enviously think, "I bet they're listening to that great audio system ... "