
| Vehicle | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Acura TL | $13,646 | $13,646 |
| 2012 Volvo XC70 | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 Toyota Avalon | N/A | N/A |
| 2012 Infiniti G25x | N/A | N/A |
| Average | $13,646 | $13,646 |


| Vehicle | Min | Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Acura TL | $232 | $232 | |
| 2012 Volvo XC70 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2012 Toyota Avalon | N/A | N/A | |
| 2012 Infiniti G25x | N/A | N/A | |
| Average | $232 | $232 | |
Based On: 10% down, 5% APR, 60 months


| MPG | city | hwy |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Acura TL | 19 | 29 |
| 2012 Volvo XC70 | 18 | 24 |
| 2012 Toyota Avalon | 19 | 28 |
| 2012 Infiniti G25x | 19 | 27 |
| Average | 19 | 27 |

The steering is very light at low speed, which makes it easy to handle in crowded parking lots, yet it offers good feedback.- New Car Test Drive
It's sporty, but not tough on the tush, and the car seems to glide over rough railroad tracks.- Cars.com
Its suspension strikes a good balance between handling and a luxurious, well-controlled ride.- New Car Test Drive
The Type-S, in particular, is entertaining thanks to its prodigious horsepower.- Edmunds.com
Acura's navigation system is among the more user-friendly systems available.- Cars.com
Though certainly functional, the TL's interior isn't as opulent as those of other cars in this class.- Edmunds.com
Below the navigation system screen, which is a tad small, is the automatic climate control system, which worked fine, but it was not a dual system as most luxury cars offer.- Cars.com
Minor misfires include ... inside grab handles over the doors that don't have return springs. When you pull them down, they just stay there.- Cars.com
The front seats, though cushy and attractive, did not meet our expectations for an upscale Acura sedan. They lack support and the adjustable lumbar bulge is of marginal help.- New Car Test Drive
However, being a front-drive car has its disadvantages; the TL's handling isn't as dynamic as that of other rear-drive cars in this class.- Edmunds.com
Acura TL is roomier than the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and offers more interior space than the Lexus ES 300.- New Car Test Drive
Acura's TL strikes an excellent balance on many levels.- New Car Test Drive
Little lean, precise feel.- Cars.com
It's quick and fun to drive, with a level of rawness that gives it character.- New Car Test Drive
The Acura TL offers performance, styling, luxury and value. Completely redesigned and re-engineered just last year, the TL comes with a powerful 3.2-liter V6 engine, a nicely balanced suspension, a rigid chassis and classy styling.
For 2000, Acura has replaced the four-speed automatic transmission with Sportshift with a wonderful new five-speed Sportshift. Advanced side-impact airbags were added. Revisions to the engine increase mid-range acceleration performance and reduce emissions.
Though the styling is conservative, the TL is no longer the wallflower it was prior to 1999. Its lines are modern and refined and its stance is athletic. Acura's mid-level luxury sedan, the TL fits in the so-called near luxury segment of cars in the $30,000 range, and its upscale looks are in keeping with this role. The TL was designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S. A rear spoiler is available that Acura dealers sell as an accessory, but it doesn't improve the TL's clean lines.
The TL is roomier than the Lexus ES 300, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The interior is quite attractive. Last year it only came in gray, but we drove a 2000 model that had a lovely light tan interior. Switchgear is nicely designed. The mirror control is whisper quiet and the stereo features big, handsome controls that are easy to operate. Though cushy and attractive, the front seats didn't meet our expectations for an upscale Acura sedan; they lack support and the adjustable lumbar support is of marginal help.
The back seats are roomy. The center position features a three-point shoulder belt, instead of just a lap belt. The rear seats don't fold down, but a small center section opens to allow skis, fly rods and other long objects in the trunk to pass through the seats.
The TL comes with a high level of standard equipment. Leather seating, heated front seats, power front seats, wood-grained trim, automatic climate control, tilt steering column, cruise control, Bose AM/FM/CD/cassette with steering wheel-mounted audio controls, power moonroof, power heated door mirrors, keyless entry, theft-deterrent system, auto-off headlights, and the Homelink Universal Transceiver System are all standard. Active safety features include ABS, traction control, and high-intensity discharge headlights. Passive safety features include dual front airbags and side-impact door beams.
At $2,000, the navigation system is an expensive option. It uses Global Positioning Satellites to plot your course and provide instructions. A brightly lit touch-screen monitor displays a map or alpine-type route instructions. It works well and can provide a lot of help in unfamiliar territory. The verbal instructions can help you avoid missing an exit and the map can help you figure out your location. It's always fun when you spontaneously decide to go to a hot restaurant while you're on the far side of town and it quickly finds it for you. Like all these systems, however, it's about 95 percent there in terms of development. It will occasionally send you the wrong way and operating the controls can, at times, be confusing and frustrating. Try the system out before deciding whether to order it.
Acura's TL strikes an excellent balance on many levels. It's very quiet underway, yet it doesn't make the driver feel totally isolated from what's going on outside. It dampens bumps and vibration, yet the handling is taut and it doesn't make the driver feel disconnected from the pavement.
One of the best features of the TL is that it is very stable at high speeds. The TL encourages its driver to bend it around fast sweeping turns with confidence. This is an easy car to drive fast. Driving around a sweeping turn at high speeds won't cause that uncomfortable tightening in your stomach. Like most front-drive cars, it understeers -- the front tires slide before the rear tires -- when driven past its cornering limits. This makes for easy, predictable handling.
The TL doesn't have the hard, precise edge of a BMW. The steering is very light at low speeds, which makes it easy to handle in the crowded parking lots where many of us spend far too much of our time. Yet on the open road, the steering offers enough feedback that you don't feel like your sitting at the controls of a video game.
Acura designed the TL's five-link double-wishbone rear suspension and double-wishbone front suspension to enhance its sporting performance while preserving its luxury feel. The chassis roll center was lowered to reduce body lean in corners. High performance V-rated Michelin MXV4 tires that provide good grip are mounted on 16-inch wheels. Equipped with four-wheel disc brakes, the TL provides smooth, sure braking performance. Anti-lock brakes are standard.
At the core of the new TL is a compact, newly designed 3.2-liter 225-horsepower VTEC V6. Power is up slightly for 2000, while emissions are down. (Maximum torque now comes at 4700 rpm instead of 5000 rpm.) This engine provides the TL with more power than many of the other cars in its class. The 3.2-liter V6 comes with four cams, 24 valves and Honda's now famous VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) valvetrain. The VTEC system provides a remarkable combination of performance and fuel economy. It delivers strong acceleration at highway speeds and sharp throttle response at lower speeds. Acura claims the TL is quicker than a Mercedes-Benz C280 or BMW 528i. The TL can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds. At the same time, the engine is supremely smooth and quiet, and it gets an EPA-rated 29 mpg on the highway.
For 2000, the TL comes standard with a new sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic. The added gears improve acceleration performance and add flexibility to the drive train. Normally, it works like any other automatic, though much more refined than most. Shifting is silky smooth. It downshifts into the appropriate gear when quick acceleration is needed. And it doesn't hunt unnecessarily between gears. The staggered design of the PRND side of the shifter gate seems a bit clumsy, however. I found it cumbersome to shift from drive to reverse when trying to get out of tight quarters in a hurry.
The semi-automatic SportShift feature allows the driver to change gears manually. Slide the shifter into a two-way gate on the left; downshift by pulling the lever back, upshift by pushing it forward. It's fun to use and, if used correctly, can improve performance and efficiency in many situations. Mostly it gives you a heightened sense of control. You can use it for slowing the car slightly on a grade, so you don't have to brake for a slower car. Or you can use is to hold the transmission in third or fourth gear when you're in the mountains or on a winding road. You don't always want the automatic to upshift on short straight stretches because it will just have to downshift again after you brake and accelerate out of the next corner; the Sportshift solves this. The SportShift can also add a little entertainment when slogging along in stop-and-go traffic. From an engineering standpoint, the TL's transmission -- like its engine -- is extremely lightweight, which
When price is a factor -- and it always is -- the Acura 3.2 TL compares very well to the Lexus ES 300, Infiniti I30, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4.
With its 225-horsepower V6 and five-speed Sportshift, the Acura 3.2 TL is a solid luxury sports sedan. Its suspension strikes a good balance between handling and a luxurious, well-controlled ride.
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