Background: For more than a decade, Acura, the luxury division of Honda Motor Co., has earned the best-selling luxury import title. That's impressive when considering Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti, among others, compete in this prestigious category. Acura offers six 1999 model year vehicles, including the second-generation, front-wheel drive 3.2TL sedan which went on sale in September. Cars introduced by Acura since the mid 1990s have utilized alphanumeric identifications defining the automobile. For example, 3.2TL represents the six-cylinder engine's 3.2-liter displacement and TL (total luxury) body style. Acura's premium sedan, the 3.5RL boasts a 3.5-liter engine displacement and "refined luxury" body. Two-door Acura coupes receive 3.0CL and 2.3CL (coupe luxury) IDs. Other vehicles rounding out Acura's stable include the ultra-sporty NSX coupe, Integra sedan and SLX sport utility. Now designed, engineered and built in America at Honda's Marysville, Ohio plant, the 3.2TL shares basic platform characteristics with Honda's popular Accord sedan, although the 3.2TL includes a 1.5-inch longer wheelbase (distance between front and rear axle). Acura assembled the first generation 3.2TL, introduced in 1994, in Japan. Competing in the "near luxury" segment, rivals include the Lexus ES 300, Infiniti I-30 and BMW 3-Series.
New for 1999: What you see is what you get. Acura delivers 3.2TL in one trim level, with one engine size and minimum options. By contrast the CL coupe has the choice either a four or six-cylinder powertrain. Acura redesigned its 1999 3.2TL from top to bottom. The engine, now mounted transversely, opens up a bit more interior room for riders. A longer frame provides more interior room.
Standard equipment: Acura's entry-luxury offering's well stocked. Only one feature comes optional. The long list of standards includes: automatic climate control; power windows, locks and outside mirrors; power moon roof; automatic transmission; rear-window defogger; cruise control; cassette and compact disc players; variable-assist power steering and intermittent front windshield wipers.
Options: As mentioned, just one option's available; but it's quite intriguing. The $2,000 in-dash navigation device utilizes information supplied from global positioning system (GPS) satellites creating an up-to-the-minute electronic roadmap. A six-inch, touch-sensitive color screen above the stereo in the center of the gray dashboard details the vehicle's exact location. Moving video elements in the screen displays street names, railroads, lakes, ponds and forest preserves. A trunk-located processing unit the size of a video cassette recorder provides the brains for the system. The navigation system also provides suggested travel routes. After programming in destinations by phone number or street address, the computer calculates possible routes complete with visual and verbal prompts. Altitude, longitude and latitude data is also just a screen touch away.
Safety features: Acura's 3.2TL also comes well stocked with safety equipment including: dual front air bags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; rear child safety locks; five-mile-an-hour energy absorbing bumpers; collapsible steering column; keyless remote entry and front and rear crumple zones.
Price: Acura priced the second-generation TL approximately $4,000 less than its 1997 counterpart. A well-equipped 3.2TL includes a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $27,950. Our silver, test-drive TL with the $2,000 navigation system totaled $30,514 including the $455 destination charge and $109 dealer installed floor mats.
Interior: The driver's door is home to the trunk-release lever while unlocking the fuel door is accomplished from a floor-mounted lever left of the driver's seat. Moon roof operation is handled from the dashboard. Sandwiched between bucket seats are dual cup holders, hidden by two rectangular doors that retract with the push of a button. Immediately behind the cup holder doors is a deep storage bin accessible from a flip top hinged in the rear. The mostly analog dashboard features three independent. circular gauges with speedometer, tachometer and fuel sections. Also included in the tachometer circle is a second gear-shift indicator. The emergency brake is the floor-operated variety left of the steering column. Secondary radio volume and frequency tabs along with cruise control functions are mounted on the steering wheel. Headlights monitor from the turn signal stalk while windshield wipers operate from a right-hand side stalk.
Engine: This year's 1999 edition packs more power. Horsepower in the 3.2-liter, V-6 jumps to 225 from 200, an 11 percent increase. It's the sole powertrain available. The engine is mated with a floor-mounted, four-speed automatic transmission featuring "sportshift," a set up allowing drivers to manually shift gears (with no clutch) if so desired. Manual transimssion-impared drivers need not worry. The system looks and operates as a standard automatic transmission unless manual operation is enacted. Other manufacturers, including Chrysler and Porsche, continue tinkering with this feature.
Seating comfort: Leather seating, standard throughout, includes heating elements for the front bucket duo. In addition, the driver's seat boasts eight-way power control while the right-side counterpart features four-way power seat settings. Thanks to thin rear pillars, drivers have excellent sight perception in all directions. Plentiful headroom and leg room abound throughout. In back, three adults fit snugly.
Exterior: The TL's overall exterior reflects a conservative but elegant sculpture. Instead of conventional front bulbs, Acura features Xenon high-intensity headlamps providing whiter, brighter illumination and twice the life expectancy of halogen bulbs. The chrome-enhanced front grille layout is new, too. Flush-mounted door handles include chrome plating. The square, locking fuel tank door, positioned on the left rear fender is without a tethered cap, but does have a resting slot for resting the cap when fueling. The radio antenna, built into the rear glass window, adds to the clean look while dual chrome exhausts provide a sporty elegance. Don't spend great lengths of time searching for the keyhole to pop open the trunk. As with the Acura's CL coupe, no circular chrome keyhole is to be found. To access the trunk, either the remote key fob or interior trunk release button must be utilized. Acura also upgrades where tires meets the road. Cast aluminum wheels now reflect a new seven-spoke design while tire and wheel diameters increase to 16 inches, providing more road-gripping characteristics.
Trunk: Additional trunk space is available this year; 14.3 cubic feet to be exact. That's more room than the Lexus ES 300, Infiniti I30 or BMW 328 provide. Under the flat-floored trunk one finds a temporary spare tire. Although rear seats don't fold down, back rests feature a vertical pass-through door for trunk access for carting snow skis or other long widgets.
Economy: Acura recommends premium unleaded fuel with minimum 91 octane. Fuel estimates for the V-6, 3.2TL include 19 miles per gallon in city travel and 27 m.p.g. on the highway; average in near-luxury sedans and better than its 1998 predecessor. The tank holds 17.2 gallons of gasoline.
Final thoughts: Acura built its marking niche as the moderately-priced place to shop for luxury vehicles. Both a comparably equipped Lexus ES 300 and Infiniti I30 costs about $4,000 more than the well-equipped TL. Not only does the engine fire up more power, it's quieter than the first-generation powerplant. The ride's smooth and acceleration spunky. In-car navigation systems continue evolving at lightning speed. Systems featured only a coupe years ago pale by comparison. The TL's navitation system works in tandum with several climate control functions, requiring extra thought and visual time away from the road while driving; not a good idea. Air conditioning and manual fan speed fuctions must be accessed from touch-screen icons displayed on the six-inch LCD monitor. |