1999 Acura TL Review

Honda's upscale Acura division created and dominated the market for Japanese luxury cars in this country in the 1980s, but has been hurt by confusing marketing and rather bland top-line cars.

Toyota's Lexus luxury division has trounced top-line Acuras during most of this decade, but Acura's 1999 3.2TL sports/luxury sedan promises to help turn around that situation. Acura's aggressive new boss, Dick Colliver, vows that Acura again will be the top import luxury nameplate.

Acura is returning to its roots with the new 3.2TL. It offers plenty of luxury, but drives much like a thoroughbred sports sedan. A glance at the big, chromed dual-exhaust outlets tells you this car means business.

Too bad the 3.2TL doesn't have the Legend name, which was on the popular old top-line Acura. The Legend name was killed in 1996 because Acura found that the Legend name had more ``consumer awareness'' than the Acura brand. Acuras thus come with confusing CL, RL, NSX, SLX and TL designations--although lower-line Acuras still have the Integra name.

But what's in a name? The 3.2TL is roomier, stronger and faster than its predecessor. The $27,950 car also is a whopping $5,200 cheaper than the old TL partly because it's made in Ohio and has a modified version of the platform used by the Honda Accord.

No wonder Acura hopes to double 3.2TL sales in the 1999 model year.

Moreover, the 1999 3.2TL has more standard items than any car in its class. They include power sunroof, automatic climate control, heated front power seats, leather interior, wood-grained trim, AM/FM/cassette/CD player, cruise control, tilt steering column and a keyless entry system.

On the mechanical side, the front-wheel-drive car offers standard anti-lock brakes, a new traction control system and high-intensity discharge headlights that really cut through darkness. If you ignore the $109 floor mats, the only option is a $2,000 navigation system; it can be handy, but its color touch screen eats up too much dashboard space and is susceptible to fingerprints.

The front-drive 3.2TL is handsomer than its predecessor, but still looks conservative. That's to be expected from Honda, which only allows flamboyant styling on its NSX sports car.

There's a good reason the 3,461-pound 3.2TL feels rock-solid; its body is beefed up in strategic areas, while torsional rigidity has been increased by 70 percent and bending rigidity by 80 percent.

The wheelbase is nearly four inches shorter because the engine now is mounted sideways. But the new model is 1.2 inches longer and has more interior space. Four 6-footers fit comfortably, and the center of the back seat is soft enough to allow a third occupant to be comfortable on short trips.

The intelligently designed interior has supportive front seats and looks rich, with such items as brightly chromed door handles. The nicely positioned controls work smoothly and rear windows go all the way down. Two deep front cupholders have clever twin covers that conceal them when they're not in use.

The cockpit is generally quiet, but there's a fair amount of road noise because this isn't strictly a luxury sedan.

The trunk is long and deep, but its lid hinges aren't on struts and dip into the cargo area. Also, the trunk opening doesn't allow easy loading of awkwardly shaped objects. And rear seatbacks don't fold forward to increase cargo capacity.

Powering the 141-m.p.h. 3.2TL is a compact 3.2-liter, 225-horsepower V-6, which is a larger version of the 3-liter V-6 in the Acura CL and Honda Accord. The smooth, 24-valve motor provides stirring acceleration and actually has 15 more horsepower than the V-6 found in Acura's flagship RL sedan. Fuel economy is an estimated 19 m.p.g. in the city and 27 on highways.

The engine works with a responsive four-speed automatic. It can be used as a clutchless manual transmission, but the shift gate needs a better design to allow the shifter to be moved more easily from one gear to another.

Handling is sharp, thanks to a good suspension, bigger wheels and a wider track. The ride is supple, although it's on the firm side in keeping with the 3.2TL's sporty nature. The quick, precise steering is a bit too light at lower speeds, but provides good road feedback. The car stops quickly and surely, although the brake pedal feels a bit too soft during quick stops.

The 3.2TL faces an impressive array of rivals, ranging from the new BMW 3-Series sedan to the new Chrysler 300. But it has a lot going for it--not the least of which is a very attractive price.