2010 Acura TL Overview Change Vehicle

This 2010 Acura TL review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2010 TL, and includes Acura TL safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

For 2010, the Acura TL’s appeal amongst driving enthusiasts improves with the addition of a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission option for the SH-AWD model. This transmission saves nearly 100 pounds and includes Hill Start Assist for launching the car on an incline. Models with the manual also get beefed-up driveshaft components, stiffened engine and transmission bushings, and heavier steering feel for the electric steering system. The standard TL is unchanged except for a new 18-inch wheel-and-tire option that gives the car a more substantial look.

Acura serves two distinctly different buyers with the 2010 TL, which is available in luxury-oriented standard trim and performance-oriented TL SH-AWD trim. Both cars include the expected array of standard features including, among others, dual-zone climate control, a power sunroof, power driver’s and front passenger’s seats, and leather upholstery. Bluetooth hands-free connectivity is also standard, both for making and receiving phone calls and for streaming audio to the standard sound system, which includes an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port, satellite radio, and a CD changer. On the outside, the TL features high-intensity discharge headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a whole bunch of real stainless steel body trim. For 2010, Acura offers 18-inch wheels as an option.

The TL SH-AWD is all about performance upgrades. It comes with what Acura calls a

Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, and there’s a more powerful V6 engine under the hood. Other improvements designed to help the TL tackle a twisty road include a performance suspension, better brakes cooled by front brake ducts, sportier steering calibration, and larger 18-inch wheels and tires. Michelin Pilot Sport 2 performance tires mounted on 19-inch wheels are optional, and for 2010 the TL SH-AWD is available with a six-speed manual transmission that also brings beefed up componentry.

If you want a navigation system, real-time traffic reports with traffic re-routing, and real-time weather reporting with Doppler-style weather maps, the Technology Package is a requirement. This option package also includes premium leather seats, a reversing camera, a keyless entry and ignition system, solar-sensing climate control, and an Acura/ELS premium surround sound system with hard disc drive storage for up to 2,500 song files.

With two engines, two transmission, and two drivetrains available on the 2010 TL, Acura is offering more variety than last year. A 3.5-liter V6 is standard on models that don’t have the SH-AWD badge on the back, and it generates a healthy 280 horsepower. The only transmission choice is a five-speed Sequential SportShift automatic with manual shift control via paddles on the steering wheel, and every TL with this powertrain combo is front-wheel drive. According to the EPA, this model gets 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway operating on premium fuel.

The performance-oriented TL SH-AWD is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 making 305 horsepower, which earns the engine the distinction of being the most powerful that Acura has ever installed into one of its models. This engine is paired with the same Sequential SportShift automatic as the standard TL, or buyers can opt for a new close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox, either of which drives all four of the TL’s wheels through its Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system. Regardless of transmission choice, fuel economy is rated at 17 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel Drive system is so named because it can put up to 80 percent of total engine output to just one of the rear wheels to create what the company refers to as a “yaw moment” that produces more aggressive corner turn-in and corner exit. The point is for the TL SH-AWD to feel as much like a rear-wheel-drive sport sedan as possible when driven with gusto while simultaneously providing the traction and four-season dynamic benefits of an all-wheel-drive sport sedan.

These are two areas where the 2010 Acura TL excels. With regard to reliability, both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates expect the TL to provide better than average dependability over the long term. When it comes to safety, the TL is rare in that it receives 5-Star ratings for every single crash and rollover resistance evaluation conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the TL its highest accolades for offset frontal impact, side impact, and rear impact injury protection. The only thing keeping the TL from receiving a Top Safety Pick is the fact that the IIHS has not tested it for roof strength.

As far as standard safety features are concerned, the 2010 Acura TL comes well equipped with antilock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, active head restraints, traction control, stability control, and six airbags. Standard Bluetooth hands-free connectivity helps ensure that the driver’s hands remain on the steering wheel, and Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) fortifies the TL’s underlying structure. With ACE, the TL is designed to divert crash impact energy away from the cabin and the passengers to reduce the chance for severe injury.

We realize that the Acura TL’s styling is controversial, but if you can look beyond the car’s shiny proboscis and jet-fighter derriere, this is an excellent mid-luxury sport sedan capable of satisfying both the practical and emotional sides of your personality. Want a manual transmission? Acura delivers. Want all-wheel-drive? Acura delivers. Want a car that handles like a rear-drive vehicle? Acura delivers (sort of). Want a full load of standard and available luxury and technology features? Acura delivers. Plus, the car is seemingly impervious to collisions and is expected to provide many years of faithful, dependable service.

By Christian Wardlaw