Used 2002 Acura RL Consumer Reviews

Great Used Car Value

To be fair when this was released as Acura's Flagship, the front drive, V-6 RL was more in line with Toyota's top of the line Avalon than the current V-8 offerings from both Lexus and Infiniti. As a result the RL's sales were slow. I have always liked the styling of the then current Accord, which the RL closely resembles, however again when setting out to make a luxury flagship it would have behooved Honda not to make it resemble it's volume selling family sedan. If you bought one new, because of it's rather anonymous position in the luxury field, you may find yourself singing the "depreciation blues" as the RL depreciated much faster than the Accord simply because of lack of name recognition. For those buying one used, they were getting an incredible deal, as most RLs appeared on the market priced not too much higher than Accord, for a car that cost of maintenance is comparable to any Honda and built and appointed much like a Mercedes-Benz. I bought my RL used with about 119,000 miles on the odometer and it was like buying a new car. Everything worked as it should, no leaks, the interior holds up well as does the paint. Mine now has 150,000 miles and still feels like a new car. As I need a car simply to be enjoyable to drive, be comfortable and reliable, this one cannot be beat. Whenever a low mileage example shows up on the used market, I am tempted to purchase it to have when this one wears out. I change the oil using Mobile 1 high mileage synthetic and treat it well. There is a small spot of rust showing up on the rear quarter, but this seems to be common among Hondas of this era, so I am not to worried. Given all the Hondas and Acuras of this age and older that are still in daily use, I feel me and my RL will travel many miles together.

Acura Luxury Sedan

We have owned the 2002 Acura RL since June 2001 - 2nd Acura and absolutely the best car purchases we have ever made. The Acura RL is a large performance luxury sedan, and it rides and handles wonderfully. The acceleration is brisk, the handling rock-solid and the build-quality is absolutely first-rate. Routine maintenance is all this car has needed in last 7+ years - still has original disc brakes at 78K miles, and dealer says they have 40% wear left. Based on Acura's reputation and our experience, I expect this car to last another 7+ years before I can justify replacing it. No regrets, no complaints... every one should be so lucky to own a 2002 Acura RL.

A good, comfortable car

I have enjoyed this comfortable car. It always starts and has never conked out on me while driving on the road. I noticed that holding to the speed limit, especially 55 mph the gas mileage approaches 30 mpg. In the winter, around town I expect 20-25 mpg. I drive with a light foot. I didn't think I wanted a sunroof, but have come to enjoy it, even in winter--opening it on a sunny day with the seat heat and feet heat set high. The antilock brakes have saved me from fender benders when I didn't even realize it was slippery. It handles a bit loose, like a boat, not a bullet, but feels very solid and the engine never feels strained.

Nice Reliable but not cushy for luxury sedan

Experience an Acura RL

I have been driving the Acura RL for 36 months and have not experienced a single mechanical failure. Power and pick up are important to me and the 3.5RL's hp and driving performance have exceeded my expectations. The exterior body style lends itself to a touch of sporty as well as luxury likeness. The interior is layed out nicely, feature rich and very comfortable especially on long trips. This is the third Acura I have owned and would definately consider buying a fourth.