2014 Acura TL SH-AWD Tech review notes - AutoWeek
ASSOCIATE EDITOR GRAHAM KOZAK: I don't think many people have really been sure what to make of Acura lately. The neo-NSX has been in the works forever, the TLX “prototype” we saw in Detroit was nice enough but hardly a stunner, and the range-topping RLX can't quite keep up with the German competition. So the prospect of driving a 2014 Acura TL SH-AWD (one of two models the coming TLX is supposed to replace, the other being the TSX), didn't exactly get the heart pumping. Off the bat, I knew I was going to be confronted with a cluttered, button-laded center console and a fairly solid chassis/powertrain draped in so-so sheetmetal. Still, I'm always happy to be proven wrong by a car, and though the TL does still sport that unfortunate parts-bin-sourced infotainment cluster, it's easy enough to look past the center console once you leave the driveway. The TL wasn't just more fun to drive than I was expecting -- an admittedly low-ish bar -- it was genuinely entertaining. The engine note is pleasantly mechanical, and it's just loud enough to hear in the otherwise quiet cabin. The precise shifter caught me off guard in a good way, and I'm pleased that Acura sees fit to offer the six-speed manual in its higher-level, AWD-equipped trims. Like its engine, the car seems to enjoy being pushed. All in all, this is the most pleasant, most interesting and most engaging Acura I can recall being in recently. Source: autoweek.com
