Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Advance Package 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package w/18 inch Wheels 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
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4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Advance Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 5A)
Overall Rating
There are no changes to the 2011 model year and the prices have risen by only under $200 and the prices start at $36,190 and go against the Hyundai Genesis and the Cadillac CTS.
There is no doubt that a stylish-looking car sells well even with some glaring faults whereas a car struggles to sell if the design isn’t readily accepted in the market. The Acura TL is an apt example for it, with the design not really be appealing to the masses. Although it offers a great value for the price with its great performance, spacious interior, solid build quality, and stellar safety score, it still hasn’t managed to create a place for itself in the market.
The super-handling AWD system does make a lot of difference in terms of handling and is worth investing the additional money into. The add-on packages are something that can be avoided though as it elevates the prices a fair share.
Technology Package 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
There are no changes to the 2011 model year and the prices have risen by only under $200 and the prices start at $36,190 and go against the Hyundai Genesis and the Cadillac CTS.
There is no doubt that a stylish-looking car sells well even with some glaring faults whereas a car struggles to sell if the design isn’t readily accepted in the market. The Acura TL is an apt example for it, with the design not really be appealing to the masses. Although it offers a great value for the price with its great performance, spacious interior, solid build quality, and stellar safety score, it still hasn’t managed to create a place for itself in the market.
The Acura TL is offered basically only in a single trim with the only difference being the Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (hence the name SH-AWD). But Acura also has various add-on packages on offer that add a few more features making the car feel more premium and luxurious but also increases the prices considerably.
Trims |
Base |
SH-AWD |
---|---|---|
MSRP |
$36,190 |
$39,740 |
Key Features |
3.5-liter 280 hp V6 engine |
Base trim plus; |
Tire Pressure Monitoring |
Center And Rear Limited Slip Differential |
|
8-speaker 276W audio system |
18-inch alloy wheels |
|
Multi-Level Heating Front Seat |
||
Heated Mirrors |
||
Dual Zone Front Climate Control |
We Recommend
The super-handling AWD system does make a lot of difference in terms of handling and is worth investing the additional money into. The add-on packages are something that can be avoided though as it elevates the prices a fair share.
The Acura TL is powered by a 3.5-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine that produces 280 horsepower and 254 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission only and the power is either sent to the front wheels with an optional all-wheel-drive system. The 0-60 mph sprint is completed in 6.7 seconds while the quarter-mile takes 14.9 seconds to be covered.
Model |
Acura TL Base |
Cadillac CTS Base |
Hyundai Genesis V6 |
---|---|---|---|
MSRP |
$36,190 |
$36,220 |
$33,850 |
Engine |
3.5L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.0L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
3.8L, Naturally Aspirated V6 |
Drivetrain |
FWD |
RWD |
RWD |
Transmission |
5-speed automatic |
6-speed manual |
6-speed automatic |
Power |
280 hp @ 6,200 rpm |
270 hp @ 7,000 rpm |
290 hp @ 6,200 rpm |
Torque |
254 lb-ft @ 5,000 rpm |
223 lb-ft @ 5,700 rpm |
264 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm |
0-60 mph (sec) |
6.7 |
7.2 |
6.2 |
Quarter-mile (sec) |
14.9 |
15.6 |
14.5 |
Top Speed (mph) |
143 |
141 |
149 |
The Hyundai Genesis offers a higher engine output from its V6 engine than the other two in this comparison and yet is more affordable as well. The Cadillac CTS has the lowest power and hence is the slowest in the acceleration tests. The Genesis is the fastest of the lot with the Acura TL behind it at a time difference of about half a second.
Owing to its Japanese roots, the Acura TL is not really a gas guzzler in any way and returns a decent fuel economy. The EPA rates the TL for 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, with the overall combined fuel economy rated at 21 mpg. The 18.5-gallon gas tank is pretty decent too as it aids in providing over 450 miles of highway cruising range on a single tank of gas, which is not bad for a large car like the Acura TL.
Model |
Acura TL |
Cadillac CTS |
Hyundai Genesis |
---|---|---|---|
MPG (City) |
18 |
16 |
18 |
MPG (Highway) |
26 |
26 |
27 |
MPG (Combined) |
21 |
19 |
21 |
Fuel Capacity (gal) |
18.5 |
18.0 |
19.3 |
Range (City / Highway / Combined) (miles) |
333 / 481 / 389 |
288 / 468 / 342 |
347 / 521 / 405 |
The Cadillac CTS has a much higher fuel consumption whereas the Hyundai Genesis has almost identical fuel economy figures as that of the Acura. It also boasts of a larger fuel tank which results in a much longer driving range. The Cadillac CTS is not helped by its smaller fuel tank, together with the low fuel efficiency, it requires frequent gas station visits.
The interior of the 2011 Acura has a more contemporary design, keeps the cabin subtle and sleek looking, rather than being too flashy or trying to be too sporty. The build quality and materials quality is top-notch with plenty of soft-touch surfaces all around the cabin. The Acura also offers a lot more interior space than its European counterparts, with abundant legroom both at the front and rear. The seats offer a long range of adjustability and provide a comfortable experience even on longer journeys.
Model |
Acura TL |
Cadillac CTS |
Hyundai Genesis |
---|---|---|---|
Seating Capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Front Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in) |
38.4 / 58.1 / 42.5 |
38.8 / 56.7 / 42.4 |
40.4 / 58.3 / 44.3 |
Rear Row (Head / Shoulder / Leg) (in) |
36.7 / 56.2 / 36.2 |
37.2 / 54.7 / 36.1 |
37.7 / 57.9 / 38.6 |
Cargo Capacity (cu-ft) |
13.1 |
13.6 |
15.9 |
The Acura TL and the Cadillac CTS, both offer great space and have similar legroom both at the front and the rear, although the seats are wider in the Acura than they are in the Cadillac. The trunk capacity too is pretty similar in both these cars while the Hyundai Genesis exceeds in both. It offers a much spacious cabin, with superior headroom and legroom and also offers more space for the luggage.
Acura offers decent levels of fitments as standard on the Acura TL with the likes of a Dolby Pro Logic II 8-speaker music system that also employs an 8-inch subwoofer for that extra oomph that people like nowadays in their music with additional two speakers with the options package. Satellite radio and Bluetooth are also available alongside navigation for ease of use.
Smart device integration and hard disc drive are also on offer to keep up with the modern-day trends of the automotive industry.
The biggest weakness and probably the only one for the 2011 Acura TL is its unconventional design language. The sleek rectangular-ish-shaped headlamps are somewhat okay but the awkward-looking front grille with the silver inlay and the bumper which houses weirdly shaped and placed air dams near the fog lights does not make for an appealing front fascia. Other than that, the car appears to be decently designed and one can expect Acura to get rid of the design pretty quickly to gain some momentum for this model in the market.
Model |
Acura TL |
Cadillac CTS |
Hyundai Genesis |
---|---|---|---|
Curb Weight (lbs) |
3,721 |
3,849 |
3,748 |
Length (in) |
195.3 |
191.3 |
195.9 |
Width (in) |
74.0 |
72.5 |
74.4 |
Height (in) |
57.2 |
58.0 |
58.1 |
Ground Clearance (in) |
5.9 |
5.9 |
5.2 |
Wheelbase (in) |
109.3 |
113.4 |
115.6 |
The Acura TL is a pretty long sedan, to begin with, but the available wheelbase isn’t on par with the competition. The much shorter Cadillac has a longer wheelbase to offer whereas the Hyundai Genesis is the longest and widest car here, but lacks in the ground clearance section marginally. The Cadillac and the Acura TL both offer an identical 5.9-inch of ground clearance.
Acura is a luxury brand division of Honda which in itself is known for its safe and reliable cars, and hence the Acura is no different in this regard. Although the NHTSA has not crash-tested the 2011 Acura TL yet, it scores ‘Good’ ratings in all of the sections in which it was tested by the IIHS. There are various safety features and features implemented in the Acura TL to keep its valuable customers and their families safe inside its cabin, some of which are listed below.
The Acura TL is one of the strongest performing sedans in its segment as it offers a powerful yet efficient engine, ample amount of luxury, and comfort with loads of space for all its passengers and their cargo. Where it lacks is the awkward and unconventional design which takes more than a few days just to get used to and a slightly higher price tag. So, if you don’t bother about the looks and you are the one for whom it’s the inside that matters, the 2011 Acura TL could be a great option to have a look at in the premium sedan segment.