Used 2010 Acura RL Consumer Reviews
See Edmunds pricing data
Has Your Car's Value Changed?
Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.
Great car...
This car is as reliable as they come. I have never own a more reliable car.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Former Collector-Had Ferrari, Lotus, Jag
Great handling, feels like the vehicle is glued to the road due to the SH-AWD. Requires high test although gas mileage is reasonable. Excellent acceleration for a 4000 pound vehicle. Roomy, high tech voice command system, fabulous 5.1 surround sound and backup camera which I wanted. Also has manual shift via paddles on the steering wheel, and Acura reliability. Everything works as intended. Drive one, you'll buy it.
- Technology Package SedanMSRP: $11,80056 mi away
- Technology Package SedanMSRP: $7,995135 mi away
- Technology Package SedanMSRP: $11,995379 mi away
Almost Perfect
This car is so good, I wouldn't want to know the person dissatisfied with it. Too spoiled. Excellent reliability. Excellent safety. Excellent road holding in bad weather. The quietest car I've ever experienced. Excellent stereo. Comfortable seats for me. Pleasant styling. Like most Acuras, will probably look fine in 10 years. Cadillacs and BMWs will probably look silly/dated. The only thing you get in 2009 is an ugly restyling, 10 more hp and a significant loss in economy. 2008 is a optimal year. It doesn't feel like a toss around car. Too heavy. Reasonable back seat. Everything about it inspires confidence: quality, road manners, rubber on the road, balance. It does everything well
Artfully Subtle Luxury and Performance
Does everything well instead of compromising one performance area to excel in another. For example, corners as if on rails but preserves quiet, comfortable ride. The engine is smooth and quiet around town but makes operatic noises at the top of the rev range. This is the perfect luxury car for with enough confidence to eschew driving a visible status symbol. I drove Audis before they went upscale to compete directly with Mercedes and BMW. This Acura now fills that niche of artful, understated luxury that makes one look smart, not status conscious.
LOVE this car
I bought this car as Certified Pre-Owned, with 70k miles, and it's been great in all regards. The stock tires were not good in snow, so I bought snow tires and put them on dedicated rims, and wow! The car is amazing in the snow. It's also a heavy car, so it holds tight to the road, like it's on rails. Is quiet and responsive but not demanding. A few minor issues: Chrome on the grill is peeling, which I see on all RLs of that year in our area. Acura had the brass to tell me the "solution" is to wipe down the chrome with a towel after every rain and snow! How about taking some responsibility, Acura!? Also, keyless entry door handle needed replacement, which is a common problem.
It just doesn't get any better than this
As a business executive and also a mother, I wanted a vehicle that exuded class without snob appeal that needed little maintenance and had the room for my clients as well as my family of four. I found the exterior to be stylish, the interior incredibly plush and the surround sound audio system unbeatable.
Acura RL Luxury with Technology
I recently purchased the Acura 2010 RL with the Technology Package. I am extremely pleased with this decision. In my opinion, it is a true luxury car with great agility, plenty of power, fun to drive, and many extras that exceed expectations. The wood and leather steering wheel, blue highlighted instrument panel, cool and heated ventilated seats, voice commands to control almost every interior function with the option of easily making manual choices, a very high tech navigation system, and very comfortable seats with a lot of leg, shoulder, and head room. For the money, it is the best luxury car on the market.
Better then most
Though the RL is my wife's car I have driven it many times. In the past 20 years I have had several Mercede Benz's & BMW's (eleven total). At present we have a 2010 corvette & 2010 RL. The RL beats all my other cars in build quality, comfort, reliability and great value. I feel I am in a much better position to make an evaluation on the best cars then most critics. For the money, the Acura RL is one of the best luxory cars on the market. Better then most cars and we finally found reliability the way it should be.
Even better than my 06
The 2010 has the new face, a tighter feel with handling and has more power and room. With an Ipod hook up, a great finish and a classier interior, I like my 2010 way better than my 2006 I just sold.
A good as them all
I have had all the luxury sedans. You name it and I have had it including BMW, MB, Jag and Infiniti. I leased the RL with a few doubts but it is a driver's machine. The 4 wheel drive is really amazing and you can push this car hard on the curves and it comes back for more. Fit and finish is superb. I look forward to the office commute every day.
The best there is
I love my new Acura RL fully loaded. I've owned all of the major players including Lexus, BMW and MB. You really owe it to yourself to go test drive this amazing car if youre looking at 40-50K cars.
I now volunteer to run errands
Had it a week and I'm very pleased. Wanted a sports sedan with all the luxury/tech appointments. Drove E-Class, 5-series, M-35, 09 Maxima and Lexus GS. No major weaknesses vs. competition. If you are looking at this class, test the RL. Improved low end torque is a big plus vs. 08 model. Not as fast off the line as the 535, but as fast as the rest. Sports mode helps with initial acceleration, but not necessary after that. Quiet smooth ride. Not as noisy or bumpy as the GS and doesn't feel like a big boat like the M-35. Technology and radio are excellent. Interior comfort is awesome. Other brands more recognizable, but this is a better car.
forgetten car
compared to price it has most of features and nice ride.
Best of the Luxury Sedans
I have had them all. Audi, BMW 535, Infinity, Lincoln, MB E350. I couldn't believe the RL when I drove it somewhat reluctantly. Incredible road hugging and plenty of power with 300 hp for a v6. You can punish this car and it keeps coming back for more. I almost went for the Lexus GS 350 but felt it was rough riding and a little noisy compared to the RL. The GS 460 would have been more fun but much more expensive. Great technology and maybe the best GPS and Bose stereo with noise abatement. Cabin is whisper quiet. I got 26 mpg on 160 mile highway trip. Not bad. Fit and finish among the best. I will enjoy this car for 36 month lease, I know.
Good for your money
I got my RL (top of the line) by the end of Nov. 2007. So far it's fine. It drives well with very good highway mileage considering AWD. The average mileage rate was over 30 mi/gal in long distance driving. Before I purchased it, I searched the market well. For about $50K Mercedes/BMW/Audi were some offering their stripped versions. If you own the top of the line luxury car, your dealer treats you like a king for maintenance calls (your loaner there if need be). One thing was bad about these sports cars, they are so low. Even cement divider on parking lots touches your fender if you are not careful. Tires are so expensive (PAX system). If you damage it, prepare to pay $500 per tire change.
Doesn't matter where you're going
This is my second RL, having returned my leased 05 for an 09. The best thing about this car is the way it makes you feel when driving it. With the SH-AWD, the bullet-proof nav system, the world class vtech engine and the solid suspension; you can drive this car with complete confidence that you will get where you're going and get back. To me, the most important thing about a car is that I trust it. I have never had a car that I trust (or enjoyed) more than this 09 RL. Complete reliability, safety, luxury and comfort.
When driving, be happy.
Things you should know: We have owned the car for a little over seven years and have just over 40,000 miles on it. It has a solid ride and not the greatest fuel economy but has performed extremely well especially in the WI winters. Acura is a very dependable brand in our opinion. It has great technology for its time including both heating and cooling in the front seats. Now though, the dashboards today are much more elaborate. This year model does not have touch screen. Service from the Acura dealers has been great.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Acura RL beats all competitors
I bought a 2008 Acura RL in March and it's by far the best car I have ever bought. The Acura RL is very powerful, very smooth and quiet, has great handling. Acura (Honda) cars have excellent quility and are reilible. If you are looking for a new luxury car give the Acura RL a chance.
Very Pleased: RL vs M35
I compared the RL the M35x all wheel drive autos. I found them to be very similar. Although the M35 might be slightly faster off the line I felt more comfortable in the RL driver's seat and was surprised by the sporty/firm suspension. The M35 may also win the looks category but the RL dresses up nicely with the factory flaps and spoiler. Having owned an Infinity and a Honda/Acura previously, I expect the RL to be more reliable and less costly to service. What really swayed my decision to the RL was after negotiating on both cars, the 2008 RL ended up thousands less than the M35. After a couple thousand miles, I am extremely happy with the RL.
Nice car
We cross shopped Audi A6, Q7, Infiniti M35x, Cadilac CTS4, Acura TL and RL, after we returned a 2006 BMW 530xiT. We finally decided to lease an RL because it has all the basic elements of being a luxury car. This is the 4th Honda/Acura we had owned so far. And probably the most conservative Honda/Acura we ever have. Having said that, the RL is still a wonderful car to drive. Only hope 3 years later, Acura can have another face lift base on the coming 2009 RL (it is NOT attractive at all) plus a RWD-biasd AWD. Then I think we will continue to be in the Honda's family.
I LOVE THIS CAR
Acura finally got this thing right. I put 13000 miles on my '08 RL and had a love hate relationship with it. The car had terrific build quality and extraordinary features that really spoil a driver. That being said there are significant faults: poor suspension (a weird combination of too harsh and too soft), no adjustable passenger seat, wimpy steering wheel, AWD system with too much front wheel bias. Biggest fault... no EQ (excitement quotient) when driving the RL. Enter 2009 RL. Love or hate the looks that's your decision. I love this car. The suspension is perfect, great Super handling AWD calibration, adjustable passenger seat, a whole bunch of "EQ". Did i say I LOVE THIS CAR ?
Worth Owning
Test drove the new Jag, Bmw 5 series, Infiniti M, Audi A6 & A5 and Lexus LS and GS. Basically I was not going to buy a car this year because none of them seem worth the bucks or worth the change from my Lexus LS 430. Pictures of the 09 RL do not do it justice. Went to Acura to look at the 2009 MDX (for my wife), saw the RL on the floor and looked in the interior. I drove it and fell in love, the handling the no-lag speed and pick-up the luxurious interior with all the gadgets done tastefully. Pinch me! I am a car snob and never even considered an Acura, I was wrong and now I am happier than ever (with more features than the BMW 535xi and saved over $10,000).
Satisfied Customer
Very happy with the look and performance of the 2009 RL. Looked at several cars in the same class and felt that the RL had more for the money than other cars. Once you get used to it, the technology package is great. Handles well with it's all wheel drive.
Albert
I really enjoy driving my new (09) RL/w Tech Pkg. I own a 06 (TL) prior. The fuel consumption is high, about 16 city 22 highway. I replaced the factory tires with 245-35-20, 8.0. This was a great enhancement. I plan on driving my RL a lot.
Nice car...but.
This is our second Acura. Over all this is a nice comfortable car. Long trips don't beat you up like some can. The AWD is rock solid on icy roads. My only gripe is that I have had problems with the heater on days that are below freezing. Even with the temp control set at 62 the passenger compartment gets very hot. Then it will turn on the ac and blow cold air into your face. Three different dealers couldn't find anything wrong. The car, compared with other 09 Acura's, when tested above freezing temps, are identical.
I Love this Car
I traded in my 2.5 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland loaded with everything for this vehicle. The interior trim is excellent; the Nav system is far better then the Jeeps and as good as my husbands Audi A-8 system. The ride in this car is excellent, the vehicle is extremely quite and the sound system is exceptional. I am so pleased I purchased this car; I looked at the Cadillac and the Lincoln...the quality was no match. I believe I will be an Acura client for my next purchase too!
Better than my 2006
The RL is way better than before! I sold my 2006 got a good amount for it too, but the 2010 is way better. The handling is incredibly tight, the interior is much richer and though it is not as quick as the TL, it is faster and smoother. It is not for everyone, but if you like a supremely quiet smooth ride and ultra tight handling, the new RL is for you. I really like the new grill and the I Pod hook up too.
One of the best cars I've ever owned at any price
One of the best cars I've ever owned at any price point. Acura makes a great reliable vehicle. My 2010 is very comfortable, has all the bells and whistles I could ever want, is reliable and the price was fair.
Excellent Ride, Needs Better Brakes
Up to date, it has been a very enjoyable ride. Classy enough for my trade, as engineering consultant, and sporty enough for my younger heart. It has been, however, sifnificantly fuel thirsty, almost as my wive's MDX! However, dealership service has been excellent and the vehicle has operated flawlessly, unlike my previous Avalon! Overall, I'm happy with my purchase, except for braking performance.
Acura RL the best automobile
After I saw my friend's beautiful RL I didn't hesitate to buy one for myself. This car has everything you can ask for. The 290 horsepower engine is too powerful for my needs (got 2 speeding tickets with this Acura). I love my Acura RL, it has 10000 miles already and has no signs of any problems. Averaged 31.8 mpg on a 2000 mile roadtrip which is the best of other cars.
Best luxury value
A co-worker of mine gave me a ride to work one morning. She picked me up in her Acura RL. By the time we reached work I believe I repeated the phrase - "this is a great car" - about 5 times. Well I own one now, just completed one year of ownership. Let me tell you folks there is no better value for money in the luxury category. I compared the RL to the BMW 5 and the Audi A6 and I saved about $15k easily. The best car that I have owned bar none. You are surrounded in luxury and comfort. The AWD, steering and handling are superb. I wonder how I ever survived the LA labyrinth without my Acura nav system - it is amazing. The only negative is the rear middle seat, it is uncomfortable.
Love it
Traded in 2003 3.2 TL. Had A4 before that and living in Northeast missed the AWD. Ratings lower for fun to drive as it is a matter of what you want....a small fun car like an A4 or BMW 3 Series to zip around and corner in or the luxury of a bigger car. I went for the luxury and am happy I did. The lower rating for the exterior design is because let's be honest this does not have the flash of some rivals. Otherwise, I love this car. Great upgrades, interior, loaded with bose stereo, bluetooth, nav. system. AWD fantastic thru 3 snowstorms that would have crippled TL. Car is solid and feel safe. Lot of highway, getting 21 MPG! TL never a prob, anticipate same or better with RL
Where's the Road?
An excellent car except for the ability to see the road at night. Excellent quality, handling and comfort. However, the HID headlight aiming system is way too low - a law suit waiting to happen. It is pure terror driving downhill on a windy country road at night. The headlights are aimed into the ground, but the dealer claims they are aimed correctly. I would rate this car a 10 during daytime driving, but a 2 for nightime. If I had test driven this car at night, I wouldn't have bought it! On the plus side, I am getting near 28 mpg highway, which is much better than the EPA sticker rating. Excellent steering and road performance.
Love the Quality
I just traded in my 2005 300C and I have to admit I miss the Hemi, but having said that, I love this car. Though I never had any mechanical problems with my Chrysler, I didn't have the confidence that the car would hold up long term. The RL has something about it that makes you believe you can drive it forever. Not only is the car solid but Acura has paid attention to the details owners care about. Quiet ride, great stereo system, a navi system that is easy to use, comfortable seating, pleasant appearance and for me all wheel drive. I plan to put a lot of miles on this car.
An Outstanding Car
I've only had my new RL for three days, but, so far, I love it. I previously had an Acura TL, which I liked a lot, but wanted an AWD vehicle which was a little smoother on the road than the TL. I hesitated a bit on the RL because of both its cost and the exterior design, which I liked okay, but not as much as the TL. I test drove an Infiniti EX and G35X, a Toyota Highlander, Volvo S60 and S80 and looked at a number of other cars. I also drove the Acura RDX. The RL is the most enjoyable car I've ever driven and I recommend it fully. Buy it!
2008 COMFORT
RIDE.HANDLING.NO MAINTENANCE
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
Excellent!!
This is one nice car!! Very quiet with and excellent radio. Controls can be a little confusing until you know where all the controls are. It's best to practice a little before you go on the road and want to change radio channels or map functions. I get a lot of AHHHs from my co-workers when they look at the interior styling. I bought a bright silver exterior. The prominent "transformer shield" grill blends in nicely. Not so with darker colors, in my opinion. The tail end looks fabulous!! Definite BMW 7 series resemblances. Very powerful acceleration. Great control over rainy roads with the SH-AWD. Gas mileage isn't great, but it's not bad either. On par with a 300 hp car that's 4,000 lbs.
Best of the bunch
I just upgraded from a 2005 to a 2009 RL with tech. Fabulous car. I can't imagine how anyone could actually drive this against the Lexus GS, the Infiniti M, or the 5 series BMW and not buy the RL. I suppose there is a lot more to luxury car buying than performance, price, features and road feel.
Wow
This is my first Acura. I have driven about 4 different cars over the last year one of them in the same price range. I am impressed about the handling, the feel of quality material used, the quiet engine (the others had V8s). I enjoy just to go out and drive it, especially on curving roads. It feels like the car is glued onto the asphalt. The bumps in the road of course can be felt, the don't make you feel uncomfortable. The interior feels quite roomy. The interior design looks awesome. The price is on the low side of its class. I put reliability in with 8 points because I have owned the car for only one week. I have had not problems so far.
ACURA RL IS GREAT
Little maintenance cost and great handling with a classic design. Grips the road with a high performing all wheel drive.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
nice ride w/sport handling & great power
watch your speed
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
forgetten car
First of all, this is a great car to drive and I am happy to own it. Good handling on the curve Lower price with many high end options
Excellent Car
I cross-shopped the Lexus IS/GS, BMW 5 series and the Acura RL. Stayed away from Mercedes due to past experience. RL provided the most rewarding driving experience combined with the most features for the money. It is also very reasonable to insure. Fuel mileage has been in the 17-20 mpg commuting in traffic.
Stay away from the RL... not worth it
Bought the RL Tech pacakge. 2nd day noticed major quality problems. Rattling noise from all over the place. Owning the car for 6 weeks so far and several parts are replaced. Windshield and headliners are all taken apart due to major manufacturing defect. Honda corporate really doesn't care about customers, the only thing they care is talk nicely, but no action to solve issues.
Look elsewhere
For someone who has never owned a decent car, I imagine that they would think the RL is great. But I have had so many reliability problems with it, I will NEVER buy an Acura again. The handling is pretty good, the car is fun to drive, even though it is slow. Overall, I would rate it a 7 out of 10.
We Don't Need No Stinking Mercedes !
Acura failed ! With increased output and wheels/tire package upgrade,buying the Mercedes E/S class and similar high-price brands is for show only. An absolutely beautiful automobile,I'm on my fourth RL.
acura got it right
acura nails it with 09 rl; looks are great inside and out; have 05 rl, which has been excellent; 09 looks better, drives more in control with road; drove m3; nice car, overpriced, not particularly in control of road; drove audi a6; tired look, overpriced when compared to all options built in to base rl; drove m 35; same old car, also not competitive price-wise if you load up the options to compare it with the rl; gas mpg is strong for awd; very hard to beat without spending at least $10,000 more on competitors