2005 Acura RL Review
Price Estimate: $1,919 - $3,101





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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Quiet cabin, handles well for a large sedan, excellent build and materials quality, unique all-wheel-drive system, innovative navigation system offers real-time traffic information.
Cons
- Lacks the low-end grunt of a V8, still lacks the prestige of its European competition.
What’s new
The RL is completely redesigned for 2005, and now sports a 300-horsepower V6 and standard all-wheel drive.
Edmunds says
With tons of standard features, excellent road manners and premium cabin furnishings, the new RL is a worthy competitor to the respected players from Audi, BMW and Lexus.
For sale nearby
6 listings
- $3,490fair price$576 below market
- 213,918 miles
- 1 accident, 6 owners, personal use
- 16 City / 24 Hwy MPG
- L & J Motors (168 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Heated seats
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
Close
Located in Mandan, ND
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
19 Combined MPG (16 City/24 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JH4KB16555C005114
Stock: 005114
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 01-17-2025 - $3,400
- 149,995 miles
- Frame damage reported, 2 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 16 City / 24 Hwy MPG
- True Automotive (848 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Bluetooth
- Heated seats
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
Close
Located in Cleveland, OH
2005 ACURA RL SH-AWD -Runs and Drives Great -Well Maintained With 39 Detailed Service Records -Engine, Transmission in Excellent Condition -Great Tire...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: No
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Issue reported
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: Yes
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
19 Combined MPG (16 City/24 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: JH4KB16555C020048
Stock: 020048
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 09-08-2025
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota
$254/mo for RL 3.5
RL 3.5
vs
$164/mo
Avg. Midsize Car
Reliability
The 2005 Acura RL has a 4 years / 50,000 miles basic warranty and 6 recalls. Below you’ll find our owner reviews.
Recalls
6 recalls foundChecking if a car has a recall is simple. Just type the car's VIN number into the NHTSA website (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). If there's an unrepaired recall, you'll see it there.
If a recall shows up, just call your local car dealer. They'll know about the recall and will work with the car maker to fix it for free (if the recall happened within 10 years of the car being first sold).
- Recall Number:
- 14V700000
- Manufactured from:
- 2002-02-21 to 2005-03-30
- Defect Description:
- American Honda Motor Co. (Honda) is recalling certain model year 2001-2005 Honda Civic, 2003-2004 Civic CNG and Element, 2002-2005 CR-V, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2005 Accord, Pilot, Civic Hybrid, and Acura MDX, 2005 Acura RL and 2006 Honda Ridgeline vehicl
- Defect Consequence:
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the vehicle occupants.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on November 24, 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
- Recall Number:
- 14V353000
- Manufactured from:
- 2003-08-12 to 2004-09-24
- Defect Description:
- American Honda Motor Company, Inc.?s (Honda) is conducting a limited regional recall for certain model year 2003-2005 Accord, Civic, CR-V, Element, Pilot and Acura MDX, model year 2003-2004 Odyssey and model year 2005 Acura RL vehicles originally sold, or
- Defect Consequence:
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the vehicle occupants.
- Corrective Action:
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflators in all affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2014. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
- Recall Number:
- 13V092000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- S87, S88,
- Manufactured from:
- 2004-03-01 to 2005-06-29
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 183576
- Defect Description:
- Honda is recalling certain model year 2005 Pilot vehicles manufactured July 29, 2004, through August 29, 2005; model year 2005-2006 Acura MDX vehicles manufactured September 16, 2004, through September 22, 2005; and model year 2005 Acura RL vehicles manufactured March 1, 2004, through June 29, 2005. An electrical capacitor may have been damaged during the manufacturing of the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) control module causing intermittent, automatic, minor brake application. However, if the driver applies the brakes while the VSA is malfunctioning, the vehicle may come to an abrupt stop. Additionally, due to a loose ground connection, certain model year 2005 Pilots have a VSA system that may apply partial brake force, without the illumination of the brake lights, whether or not the driver is using the brakes.
- Defect Consequence:
- Sudden inadvertent braking, especially without illumination of the brake lights, may increase the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Corrective Action:
- Owners will be notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a dealer of their respective brand. The dealer will install a partial wiring harness containing a capacitor for the VSA modulator, free of charge. The affected model year 2005 Pilots will have their ground connection tightened. The recall is expected to begin on, or about, April 12, 2013. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.
- Recall Number:
- 10V504000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- R51 HONDA
- Manufactured from:
- 2004-02-23 to 2005-06-23
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 471820
- Defect Description:
- HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ODYSSEY AND ACURA RL VEHICLES. BRAKE FLUID CONTAINING POLYMERS IS USED THAT ACTS AS A LUBRICANT FOR CERTAIN BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IF REPLACEMENT BRAKE FLUID IS USED THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN SUCH POLYMERS, OR THAT CONTAINS ONLY SMALL AMOUNTS, A PART OF THE RUBBER SEAL LOCATED AT THE REAR OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAY BECOME DRY, AND THE SEAL MAY CURL DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PISTON. IF THIS OCCURS, A SMALL AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID COULD SLOWLY LEAK FROM THE SEAL INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER.
- Defect Consequence:
- A LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID COULD LEAD TO A CHANGE IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL AND OVERTIME A DEGRADATION IN BRAKING PERFORMANCE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Corrective Action:
- DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER SEAL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING DECEMBER 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
- Recall Number:
- 07V551000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- Q65
- Manufactured from:
- 2004-03-01 to 2005-06-29
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 43200
- Defect Description:
- ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, PROLONGED HIGH UNDER-HOOD TEMPERATURES MAY CAUSE THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO DETERIORATE PREMATURELY CAUSING THE HOSE TO CRACK AND LEAK POWER STEERING FLUID.
- Defect Consequence:
- POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO A HOT CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL GENERATE SMOKE AND POSSIBLY LEAD TO AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE.
- Corrective Action:
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEAT RESISTANT POWER STEERING HOSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 12, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 800-382-2238.
- Recall Number:
- 07V097000
- Manufacturer Recall Number:
- Q37 Q38
- Manufactured from:
- 2005-04-01 to 2005-05-31
- Number of vehicles affected:
- 166561
- Defect Description:
- ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, A COIL WIRE INSIDE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY MAY BREAK, CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO LOSE POWER. IF THE FUEL PUMP BECOMES INOPERATIVE, THE ENGINE MAY NOT START.
- Defect Consequence:
- IF THE FUEL PUMP LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE COULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING, AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
- Corrective Action:
- DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP RELAY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
Warranty
4 years / 50,000 miles Basic Warranty- Basic Warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
- Drivetrain Warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
- Rust Warranty
- 5 years / unlimited miles
- Roadside assistance Warranty
- 4 years / 50,000 miles
Acura RL Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
185k and still going strong
5 out of 5 starsBob, 08/18/2009
2005 Acura RL 3.5 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Ok so Ive had this car since 2005 and have taken it to hell and back. I drive it hard and floor it at least a couple times a day. I spend a ton of time in it and I don't think the drivers seat could be better. Also the audio system is great as is the whole interior. Issues To date: Both side mirrors wiggling (48k) Rear sunshade rattle (55k) HID Bulbs Replaced (110k) Replaced Bank 1 & 2 … o2 sensors (140k) Other then that I've only done the scheduled maintenance as recommended by the maintenance minder system. I can honestly say I will definitely buy the new RL when it comes out I assume in 2011... I might just take this one to the 300000 mile mark!
GREAT CAR 14 YEARS LATER
5 out of 5 starsMoses M, 09/21/2019
2005 Acura RL 3.5 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
I bought my 2005 Acura RL SH-AWD used in 2009 (10 years ago as of this writing). It was 4 yrs old with 56,000 miles. All I can say it's the most reliable car I've ever owned. It had a lot of standard features in 2005 that are still options in some cars today such as nav, voice commands, Onstar, XM-Sirius radio, Noise-cancelling Bose 10 speaker with subwoofer audio system, carbon-fiber … drive shaft, every power option, genuine burlwood wood trimming, a V6 engine with 300hp, and the amazing torque-vectoring SH-AWD. Gas mileage is decent for this size car with AWD. Even with over 160k miles, I get 21mpg in the city and 30mpg on the highway. If you live in snow country, this car is like a tank.
In the 10 yrs I've owned the car, I've only spent $3500 on repairs. At 90,000miles, I paid the dealer $900 for a timing belt replacement. Last year at 148,000 miles, I spent $2600 for a transmission rebuild and radiator replacement. The transmission and radiator failure was my fault. I went 9 yrs+ without changing the coolant. The coolant could have been older as I don't know if the original owner had ever changed it. I learned an expensive lesson that old coolant is corrosive and it will destroy your radiator which in turn will destroy your transmission when coolant enters it. How does the coolant get into the transmission? This car as with many other cars has a transmission cooling chamber built into the radiator, so a rupture in the radiator causes the two fluids to mix causing catastrophic transmission failure. Had I changed the coolant every 3-4 years as recommended, I would have avoided this expensive repair. Everything else is original including mufflers.
I highly recommend this car and I hope to see 300,000 miles in mine.
Great car... but
4.25 out of 5 starsClip616, 04/10/2007
2005 Acura RL 3.5 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
Leg room driver's side needs improvement. Large foot block left side prevents extending left leg unless you are less than 5 feet tall. Mileage not good in city driving. Highway mileage is good. Needs more insulation. Hard to carry conversation with back seat riders due to road noise.
Very Happy
4.88 out of 5 starsfargin, 09/09/2010
2005 Acura RL 3.5 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 5A)
One of the best cars I have owned and the Acura dealer is always nice. I have had Audi and Bmw and Acura is so much better overall in every category.
2005 RL Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $49,100 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 19 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $254/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.1 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | all wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the RL include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover5 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalGood
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestMarginal
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintMarginal
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