Acura RL

Reviewed by: Jeff Fortson of JeffCars.com
Date: August 2007

Arrival Date:

Acura’s flagship sports performance luxury sedan is virtually unchanged from its arrival two years ago.

Target audience:

For the consumer wanting to step into a premium import sedan, packed with a lot of technology, this is the vehicle for you.

What’s new:

The RL is virtually a carryover from 2007. Major changes aren’t expected until the 2009 model year.

Body type:

It’s a 4-door vehicle.

Seating:

The RL is capable of seating up to 5 passengers.

Popular Standard Features:

-10 Speaker Bose Surround-Sound System

- XM Satellite Radio

-Navigation System (standard on test vehicle)

-Driver’s 8-way Seat

-Front Passenger 4-way power seat

-Heated Front Seats

-Dual Zone Air Condition

-Leather Seats

-Power Locks

-Power Windows

-Power Moonroof

-Remote Locks

-Adaptive Cruise Control

-AM/FM/6-Disc CD/MP3 Player Capability

Safety Features/Awards:

- NHTSA ( National Highway Traffic Safety Administration):

*5 out of 5 stars rating for driver & passenger, frontal crash

*5 out of 5 stars rating for front seat and rear seat, side crash

*5 out of 5 stars rating for rollovers

-Driver & Front passenger dual Air Bags side curtain, front and rear

-Daytime Running Lamps

-Automatic Day/Night Rearview Mirror

-Keyless Access System w/Security System

-Tire Pressure Monitoring Display

-ABS

-Collision Mitigation Braking System

-Active Xenon Headlamps (side headlight turns up to 20 degrees with vehicle)

-All-Wheel-Drive

Warranty:

Basic warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles (whichever comes first)

Powertrain warranty: 6 years or 70,000 miles (whichever comes first)

Maintenance Included: No

Towing Included: Yes

Engine/Gas Mileage:

3.5L VTEC 6-cylinder, 290 horsepower, 16 city/ 24 highway

Fuel efficiency:

As of now, the RL is only available with one engine. There are no plans to offer a hybrid or diesel option.

Looking forward:

Overall, this is a great vehicle. Like all Honda and Acura vehicles, the RL has a very firm ride, especially over rough surfaces. The Acura’s ride is more in line with the sports-tuned suspension of a BMW, as opposed to a luxury-riding Lexus. It would be great if Acura’s engineers consider building a RL with a luxury-tuned suspension and a firm-riding suspension. Furthermore, it wouldn’t hurt, if Acura adds a little more legroom to the back seat, accommodating larger adults and consider converting this vehicle to rear-wheel-drive, so that they can add a V-8 engine option, like many of its competitors. However, we realize this would require the engineers to stretch the dimensions of this vehicle.

And, seeing that the RL incorporates the latest technology, Acura should include a keyless remote start package, allowing drivers to start the vehicle prior to entering the RL. This could be a great feature when the car is parked outside during those cold winter nights.

What’s so special:

Unlike most vehicles today, the RL is packaged with a lot of features, enhancing the driving experience. The Acura I reviewed was equipped with a front impact collision mitigation braking system, which minimized the chance of an accident by providing audible warning signals or if needed the brakes apply automatically.

Also our RL included run flat Michellin tires; a keyless access system, starting the ignition, locking and unlocking doors and the trunk, within two-feet of approaching the vehicle; a rearview back up camera; and an adaptive cruise control, automatically setting a distance, adjusting engine throttle and braking when needed to avoid an accident.

Additionally, unlike any electronic system on the market today, the AcuraLink Real Time Traffic system kept me updated, with the latest accidents and construction zones. While encountering Atlanta’s unpredictable highway traffic on a quick Sunday drive, I found this system to be fairly accurate. A few miles prior to approaching a congested traffic area, I was forewarned by the AcuraLink system. Because of the advance warning, I was able to reroute my trip and avoid wasting precious time snarled in weekend traffic.

How much:

Since the Acura pricing system is pure and simple, the well-equipped vehicle I tested listed for $54,370. Acura offers a simple ordering and pricing system, which eliminates customers and dealers ordering non-popular equipment. However, this approach caused them to decontent the heavily RL in 2007, making it more price competitive.