2012 Acura TL Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Acura TL review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 TL, and includes Acura TL safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

The 2012 Acura TL gets a much-needed nose job this year, along with a butt lift. New 17- and 18-inch wheels help make sure the updated ’12 model won’t be confused with the older car. Under the bodywork, a new Sequential SportShift six-speed automatic brings improvements in fuel economy and performance, and features double-kickdown and downshift throttle blips. Inside the cabin, new gauges greet the driver, minor trim enhancements refine the interior, and ventilated front seats are part of the new Advance Package, which also includes a new blind spot information system. The optional navigation and entertainment system has greater disc-drive storage space than last year, and is equipped with a faster USB connection, a better monitor, and active-pairing Bluetooth.

For 2012, Acura is selling two different versions of the TL: standard and SH-AWD. Each model comes well equipped with everything you expect to find on a mid-luxury sedan. Among the many features are leather upholstery, power adjustable heated front seats, a power moonroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth cell phone pairing and music streaming technology, and an audio system with an auxiliary audio input jack, a USB port with iPod control, satellite radio, and a CD changer. Exterior features include 17-inch alloy wheels and high-intensity discharge headlights.

For added power and performance, there’s the TL SH-AWD. The SH-AWD stands for Acura’s Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system, and this model is also equipped with a 3.7-liter V6 engine with more horsepower and torque, better brakes, sportier steering, a performance suspension, and 18-inch wheels with larger tires. A six-speed manual gearbox is optional on the SH-AWD for people who insist on using a clutch pedal to shift gears, and this transmission choice also equips the TL SH-AWD with Hill Start Assist and other mechanical upgrades designed to better withstand hard driving.

There are two option packages available on the 2012 Acura TL. The first is the Technology Package, which adds a hard drive-based navigation and Acura/ELS premium surround sound audio system, real-time traffic and weather reporting including traffic re-routing and Doppler-style radar mapping features, voice recognition technology, and Bluetooth hands-free phonebook exchange. The Technology Package also includes a reversing camera, premium perforated leather seats, GPS-linked solar-sensing automatic climate control, and keyless access and ignition.

A new Advance Package is also available for 2012, but only on models with an automatic transmission. The Advance Package adds a blind spot information system, heated and cooled front seats, and wheel/tire combinations that are one size larger than standard.

Acura has reshaped the 2012 TL’s front end, and not a moment too soon. Behind the new TL’s more conservative and much better looking nose resides a 3.5-liter, 280-horsepower V6 engine mated to a new six-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission that can be manually operated using paddles mounted to the steering wheel. Power flows to the front wheels, and the EPA says fuel economy ratings are 20 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, impressive increases over last year’s model. This engine, however, requires more expensive premium fuel.

The TL SH-AWD is equipped with a 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V6 engine. It has the same transmission and requires premium gas, but in this model all four wheels can accept the engine’s output and a six-speed manual gearbox is offered as an option. Thanks to that new six-speed automatic, fuel economy ratings rise for this car, too, landing at 18 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. With the manual transmission, fuel economy is 17-mpg city/25-mpg highway.

The reason Acura calls its all-wheel-drive system Super Handling All-Wheel Drive is because it aims to provide super handling. Able to route the majority of engine power to either of the rear wheels when driven aggressively, SH-AWD is able to generate a “yaw moment,” which produces sharper turn-in when entering a corner and greater rotation and grip when exiting a corner. As a result, the TL SH-AWD can combine the driving feel of a traditional rear-wheel-drive sport sedan with the all-weather traction and security of an all-wheel-drive vehicle.

With six standard airbags, traction control, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and stability control, the Acura TL includes a fairly standard package of safety features. What many cars cannot boast is Acura’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE), which refers to the design of the car’s underlying structure and which works to minimize the effects of a crash on the people riding in the TL or any pedestrians that the car might hit.

Crash-test scores for the 2012 Acura TL were not available at the time this review was published. However, the TL has historically performed quite well in tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not re-tested the TL since it revamped its crash-test program last year.

Likewise, reliability predictions haven’t been made as we finalize this report. However, both Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates have predicted better than average dependability in the past, and since the only mechanical change for 2012 is the new Sequential SportShift transmission, we’re confident that the car will continue to display impressive reliability over time.

Our test car was a fully loaded 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD with the Technology and Advance Packages, and it wore a sticker price north of $45,000. Nice car. Perfect for someone who lives where it rains and snows all the time, and who wants a luxurious, dependable, and safe sedan that’s entertaining to drive when dry pavement beckons. If that sounds like a qualified recommendation, it is. Here’s why.

Our test car’s 19-inch wheels wore 245/40 Goodyear Eagle RS-A all-season performance tires, which squealed and squished and simply did not perform to the standards of a driving enthusiast seeking maximum grip and the ability to drive fast but stealthily. Furthermore, there’s no hiding the TL’s nearly 4,000-pound curb weight, 59 percent of which sits over the front wheels. If you don’t scrub enough speed before turning into a curve, understeer is your reward until you get on the gas to redistribute power and activate the SH-AWD’s “yaw moment.” Acura isn’t kidding about this yaw moment business, and the best way to leverage SH-AWD is to get off the brakes well before turn-in and then accelerate shortly after bending the car into the corner. Trouble is, the brake pedal isn’t a willing accomplice. We thought the brakes were fading during one rousing downhill run on a favorite twisty road, but a test panic stop confirmed they were fine. Instead, the pedal just made it feel like they were starting to fail.

Different tires, improved brake pedal feel, and a weight loss/redistribution program would be advisable for the TL SH-AWD if Acura is serious about courting driving enthusiasts with this car. If you love to drive, you might wish to sample a few of the TL’s competitors before choosing the Acura.

Everybody else, listen up. This is a terrific luxury sport sedan. It is extremely comfortable front and rear, it is constructed with care and of quality materials, it possesses a thrilling engine and that Super Handling All-Wheel-Drive system isn’t just some marketing gimmick. The ride is firm – sometimes harsh with the available 19-inch wheel and tire combo – and depending on the pavement surface the cabin can be rather loud at speed, but depending on what you value these elements can add to the TL SH-AWD’s visceral, sporting nature rather than detract from it.

What makes the TL especially appealing are matters of practicality. Though safety and dependability ratings are not out yet for this new ’12 TL, the car’s track record for providing top-notch protection in a collision combined with near bulletproof reliability is undeniable. And there’s no reason to think it won’t continue with this model.

Acura TL sales plummeted after the current iteration was redesigned for 2009. People just didn’t like the new styling. While the new 2012 TL is basically the same car, conservative front and rear redesigns combined with new wheels and a reduced front overhang really go a long way toward making the TL a more appealing luxury sport sedan. Combine this new styling with lots of creature comforts, strong safety and reliability ratings, and available all-wheel drive, and the TL is compelling, even. We think its about time the TL added more in terms of available technology – adaptive cruise control, adaptive front lighting, collision warning, lane departure warning, and parking assistance features are trickling down to mainstream models at this point – but for now, there’s not much ammunition for any argument against the 2012 Acura TL.

By Christian Wardlaw