Used 2011 Acura TL Consumer Reviews
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Great Car
I have owned this car for a few years now and the worst thing I can say is that I have to depart ways with it soon. I mostly trade every three to four years however drove this Acura longer. It's not the most appealing on the eyes but the tech is tremendous and it rides very well. The gas mileage is ok but that's all the only downfall about this vehicle. I actually love this car so much I'm considering buying a 14 with the awd/tech package.
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A Great Acura, and I have driven most
I love Honda and Acura. I have owned everything from the CR-X, CR-V, Civic, Accord, TSX, RDX, and MDX. Out of this long list of cars, the TL is right up there with the MDX as the Acura best of the best. In terms of performance, price and reliability nothing beats it. Strongly considered moving into a BMW 335 xDrive or C300 series MB and moving away from Acura after some boring experiences. However, the standard options, performance and cost of ownership cannot be beat by the Honda/Acura line up. If you want sport performance the MT is a must! Honda has the best clutch and throw feel shifter and can hands down blow you back into your driver's seat. The 19" wheels hug the road, smooth, fast!
- Technology Package SedanMSRP: $15,400141 mi away
- SH-AWD SedanMSRP: $8,900145 mi away
- SH-AWD Sedan w/Technology PackageMSRP: $10,999156 mi away
10 years and still going strong
Bought the TL with tech package in August 2010 and approaching 250k miles it still rides great. Honda makes a great product
I'M IN LOVE!
Never ever been in love with a car before this one. It's just beautiful inside and out. Love it's controversial looks, high tech interior and smooth, fast ride. I just love it.
Look Forward to Commute Home
Bought a used 2011 Black TL with 60,000 miles. My wife asked why does my TL look so sexy (it was parked next to a 2012 Black TL). Mine has the beak painted black, dark tint, painted caliper covers. I keep it clean and it has a deep shine. Do these cosmetic upgrades it the car looks very sexy. It is SH-AWD which translates to fun to drive. Not to be confused with those small foreign sports sedans, my TL drives like an American hot rod. Big interior, big exterior. Except it has all the electronic gadgets you need. In a few drives the buttons become second nature. Reliability - well my 2001 TL has 200,000 miles and still no problems.
Love my car
I bought this used - it was 5 years old with 50,000 miles and one owner and I got lucky because she took such good care of it that it was like buying a new car - it even smells new. I love everything about it, especially since my prior car was a Prius - this is much "zippier" :-) As one other reviewer said, the only annoying things are somewhat rough downshifting and no detailed info on the Bluetooth - all you see is a tiny number in the odometer area. But it is a 6 year old car with 6 year old technology, so I guess that's to be expected. Other drawback is the gas mileage (I average about 22 mpg overall) and the need for premium unleaded - but I knew this going into the purchase.
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Great Road Car and Safe to Boot
This is our second Acura, first one was a 2000 TL. My wife drives this car as I wanted her to have a safe reliable vehicle. We like the style, but the dependability and the driving security is far above most other cars. It is definitely a great road car with the AWD, which does impact mileage a bit. On most road trips, driving 70 mph on the highway, we get a bit over 24.0. We live in a gate community in Arkansas which is very hilly and winding curves, so we get about 21.5 My wife loves her car and I enjoy driving it as well. We visit relatives in Texas, Missouri,, Illinois, and Ohio and I never worry about the car performance. I've owned a Honda product since 1977 and I've never been stranded in all those years. I use to own Chev and Mercury, had problems with both within 3 years. My drive around car is a 96 Honda hatchback with close to 200,000 miles and have never had a mechanical problem. We are retired now, and car dependability is a must, so it is Honda and Acura for us. Updated (Apr 2018)..... still feel the same for the Acura and the Honda... Updated (April 2020) We traded in the Acura for a new Subaru Outback because we needed more room while traveling. I still have my 96 Honda. My wife almost cried when she traded in her Acura as she has enjoyed that car for 10 years. We no longer have the Acura...
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So Far So Good- Blown Away is more like
Man. This car is fantastic! I love the awkwardly beautiful looks on the exterior and the well laid out interior. I cross-shopped several cars in the luxury and near luxury segment and the Acura TL came out on top easily. For the price you get so many things standard, including leather seats, Ipod connectivity, Hands Free Link, Garage Door Link, Heated front seats to name a few things. All this in the base model. And the car drives like a dream. Very responsive in day to day driving. Just a great car all around.
2010 Acura TL
Our lease was up on our BMW 328. We took a few months and looked at just about everything in the same price range even considering purchasing our 328. The TL was the first thing we looked at...it bacically came down to the TL and the Cadillac CTS. It soon became an easy choice, the TL is the hands down winner! The styling is crazy, both outside and in. A true head turner with real class! I am 49 years of age and have owened them all, BMW, Volvo, Vettes our 2010 TL tops them all. I can't say enough about the design of this car. I wait for my wife to pull in to the driveway daily just to see it go down the road. The ride is tight and smooth. A real pleasure to own a drive. And,it's a HONDA
1st Acura
I love this car. It's a compelling blend of acceleration, sporty drive, comfort, quiet, and packed with features. I considered the BMW 3 series and an Infiniti G35, but the back seats looked like it was made for small children and I was concerned about reliability. For the price and value it was an easy decision taking home the Acura TL.
My first Acura
My first weekend of ownership, I drove it from Northern California to Los Angeles. The seats are very comfortable for a long drive. I tried all its features during the drive, ie, nav, bluetooth, different audio sources, HFL, etc. Everything worked well. I don't mind the seemingly numerous dash buttons and the exterior. In fact I love them. It took me 30-45 minutes to familiarize myself with the buttons. I have owned a Lexus IS250, ES 300, Volvo S60 and so far, this is the one I love most. My wife currently drives a Lexus ES350 and she can't help but admire my TL.
Noise from transmision
My 2010 Acura TL has experienced severe noises since new which is felt at when I shift gear from park to drive and releas break lound noise come from transmision. I have been bring back to deler 4 times for mechanic(s) to check it out but they can't figure it out. The car has I couldn't be any more disappointed than I am with the vehicle and Acura's response.I would not recommend this car to anyone.
Excellent
I bought my Acura TL about 1 year ago. I did the auto research on Edmunds and test drove similar cars from other manufacturers (BMW, Infinity, Audi, Mercedes, etc.). Not only did I find the Acura TL to be the most fun to drive (the Infinity was a close second) but the price made it by far the best deal. I have not been disappointed. The car drives great - it is a pleasure. I recommend it highly.
Car For the Snow
I live in the North West and needed a vehicle which could handle traveling through the Columbia Gorge with icy conditions. I tried to read other reviews to check out the handling, but nothing was to specific. I equipped the car with studded snow tires all around. I've never experienced anything so incredible. I decided to test the handling on a vacant parking lot on Mt. Bachelor. With 5inches of snow on the ground, I floored the accelerator. It was awesome. No slippage, and it took off at an amazing speed. When I did the same with braking, absolutely rock solid in a straight line. The only scary part is not really knowing the limits. It almost challenges you to explore the limits.
World Class Reliability.
I bought this car brand new in 2010. It’s been the most reliable car I’ve ever had. The only issue ever was the Takata airbag inflator recall. Even the brake pads have more than 50% left at 60,000 miles. Interior looks almost new and paint shines as it did in the showrooms and it’s now August 2021. It doesn’t get any better than this.
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Best Car of the Year!
Exterior- Non-Generic. Unlike most cars on the market that all look the same, its edgy look and smooth lines are sure to last a decade (forget about what critics says, it's not ugly). Interior- from the moment you sit in, the cock pit, dash board, wraps around you like it's a perfect fit! High quality material. Technology - Voice act. SUPURB AUDIO SYSTEM, HDD, SH- AWD, IPOD, 8" VGA NAVI Screen, live weather, traffic, zagat, shift pad...etc, it has one of the easiest navigation systems on the market. The handling is incredible, and it has one of the most silenced cabin in the Acura line up. This car is a Sexy, Fun, Tech-junkie, and sporty. It is THE CAR to get if you are looking for a Luxury Sport Sedan.
Love, Love, Love
The best car I have ever owned and I owned 16 cars over the years. Reliability, Quality, mechanics, looks, everything in it is just top notch. Honestly, I’m looking for excuses to drive it. I love how it handles on the road. I love how it feels (feels like a solid machine). I love how it sounds. Story short 110 miles no problems. Get one and you won’t be disappointed. Cheers!
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Traded 2014 Mazda 6 for 2011 Acura TL
I went from a 2014 Mazda 6 Touring (which I liked, but didn't love) to the 2011 TL. The only downside has been fuel economy. Despite Acura's recommendation to use premium fuel, regular works fine. Consumer Reports did some research and found that for almost all "premium recommended" cars, regular 87 gas has no impact on performance, gas mileage, or engine wear. This has been my experience after trying both premium and regular over the first 5K miles that I have owned the car, which I bought in 2019 with 93K miles. Gas mileage was a factor in my decision because the 2014 Mazda 6 Touring that I used to drive got about 27 combined mpg on regular gas. I am at 20 combined mpg with the Acura on regular gas. That is a significant decrease, but it is worth the added power to me and not nearly as bad as it could be if I paid for premium gas. It is also worth mentioning that the Acura TL technology package from 2011 did not include the blindspot monitoring that has become almost standard in new cars. That is a great safety feature. There are aftermarket options for blindspot monitoring, but I have not installed that on my Acura. **Update, August 2020: I have had the car for a year and a half. Still very happy with it overall. The interior headliner started sagging in the back after I was driving on the highway with the windows down (not recommended).That's a $300+ fix if done professionally, or a cheap fix with a staple gun if you have given up on the some of the aesthetics of your nine year old car like I have. I have kids who wipe boogers on stuff and kick the back of my seats with muddy shoes, so a stapled headliner is just part of the deal now. At 105K miles, I got the timing belt and water pump replaced per Acura's (and my mechanic's) scheduled maintenance recommendation. I also got new spark plugs. It was $1500 total, but I knew when I bought the car that I would have to get this done at 105K. The car is running great and I have recently started using sport mode sometimes. The performance (acceleration) from sport mode is noticeably different from regular drive mode, but using it only occasionally has dropped my gas mileage from 20 to 18.5mpg average--that is pretty much all city/suburb driving. Update: 2021--The Acura is still great. I plan to keep for another five years and then switch to a 2015-2018 Tesla Model S (if they prove to still be relatively reliable in 2026). March 2023 update: Not much new to report, which is good news. Everything seems to holding up pretty well. It’s time for new tires and I am glad I traded my Mazda with 19” rims for the Acura’s 17s. The cost for tires is much lower on the 17s and I have way more options. I have switched to a high mileage oil (synthetic blend) every 5k miles.
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Absolute GEM
Bought the TL SH-AWD 6spd a week ago from a dealership 800 miles away and drove the car back home. The ride quality was very compliant (I'm coming from a Lexus) and not jarring. Initial assessment of build quality seems to be excellent. I averaged 27 mpg (~70 mph) on the trip back home which is better than the 25 mpg hwy rating (3.7L V6). I got the silver which blends in the "beak" pretty well. The car looks much nicer in person. With the incentives for the 2010 TL, this car definitely should be given a thorough look over. All kinds of gadgetry and Acura reliability led me to my purchase. I also considered the G37 and the Lexus GS350, but felt the Acura delivered the most bang for the buck.
Better with age
2010 Acura TL with 83,000 miles. Bought it two years old and was immediately impressed with the interior design, a work of art! There aren't but a few 2015 sedans that can compete with design of the 2010 TL. I would complements on its looks even when the car was really dirty? Powerful engine that will snap your neck if you give it too much gas. Negatives: the jerkiness and vibrations of the automatic transmission when it downshifts; problematic Bluetooth audio and no detailed audio display screen when using Bluetooth.
Six Years of Fun ... and still is
This 2010 vehicle has been mine now for six years. I bought it in 2013 and noe have 141,000 moles. It is a pleasure to drive in all climates and conditions. The only downside is rather poor gas mileage in our New England climate. I usually top out 18.5 mpg. I just handed my daughter the keys, so she can take over the fun.
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Best car for the Money
WE have a Mercedes E350 and this car is what that car aspires to be! Real leather, not synthetic, check the German rivals carefully, you might be surprised that for what they charge it is an option, Technology galore, drives rock solid, build quality is second to none. The hardest part was picking the color, due to Acura's lack of option based pricing the car comes loaded when you add the technology package. Even without the technology package a lot of things that are options on the German cars are standard. Log on to the German cars websites and add the options that come standard on the TL and see what you get for the money. There is only one option for the money. TL Hands Down!!!
1-year, 22K mile update - Not sure if I would buy again.
I took delivery on 3/1/2010 and have put 22K on the car since. Overall I love the car and think it is an amazing value. BUT...the car has a noise that is related to tire speed. It ranges from the sound of a thousand crickets to something that sounds like a squealing belt. Of course every time I take it to the dealer, they cant hear it, or by the time they have someone that can ride with me, the noise subsides. Im concerned that they will not get it fixed before the warranty is up. The dealer mentioned that they are replacing a lot of the AWD shafts due to noise but he didn't think that was my problem.
14 Months, 25K - Little Better
This is my 3rd post here on this car. The big change since the last post is that the dealer was able to find the source of the "squeal". They replaced a piece of the drive shaft and all is well now. At 25K no other issues have developed. The car is holding up well and I am finally really enjoying it.
leak that cant be fixed
Car has leaked water from day 1 into trunk. After 5 times in shop and no correction. I am filing a lemon law.Only leaks when car is parked on a upgrade. leak is severe. Hoping that honda tries to make it right
Superb and Classy car
I purchased this car for my wife and she absolutely loves to drive it. This car is superior to all the Acura's that we have owned before ('96. '99,'03 TL's). Getting around 26 MPG on the highway and around 21 in the city. Drives and rides so smooth, it is a pleasure to take off in it. The exterior design is unique and the contours give it that luxury look that does make your head turn!! Everything inside is fabulous, the controls, the GPS, the stereo system. Absolutely built to last with no flaws and hiccups requiring dealer's service. This is a quality product from Honda and it performs and conforms to the highest standards of reliability and safety. Test drive one!
Reliable
It has been a surprisingly reliable machine over past 10 years. Almost 260k with original engine and transmission! Im pretty happy with it and going to drive it to the ground lol
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Hate to part ways
After six years of comfortable trouble free driving, I'm ready for a sportier vehicle with a convertible top. The Acura TL has been a great vehicle, fun to drive and very reliable. What's made it even more responsive is the Pirelli replacement tires. They take the turns well and perform well in the frequent Florida rain.
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Amazing car!
I bought a 2011 acura tl tech package about 6 months ago & i love this car. It is very fun to drive & very comfortable. I have not had a single problem with it currently at 33k miles & all the features it comes with are amazing. Such as heated seats navi rear view camera bluetooth audio. I would recommend this car to anyone it is a sport/luxury car
Why Buy German for More?
I've had this car for 2 days and it is amazing. The 6 speed manual trans is a beast. It came down to this car and BMW 550xi and I got more for $24500 less. This car surprises me every time I drive it. Very comfortable, luxurious and super fast. I recommend this car 100%.
A Ton for the Money
Live in CT and drive to NY daily totaling 33,000 miles a year. As such I buy a new car every three years and I limit it to AWD. I've had a BMW 3, Mercedes c and most recently a Cadillac cts. All nice cars. Just bought the tl w sh awd, tech, under body spoilers and sport grill all less than $40k. 5k less than the cts was 3 years ago. Tl looks great standing still and at speed. Drives like it's on rails and the tech inside is awesome!
Excellient quality and performance
My 2011 TL has 132000 miles. Runs excellent - great in snow as long as your keep up with tires. Would definitley purchase again!
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2010 Acura TL BEST CAR EVER
9 years of ownership car was not in the shop once! Best car I've ever owned!!
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Roof Rattle
Rattle in the area of forward roof or moon roof area. Had the car to the dealer 3 xs for the same problem. They had the car for 4 days working on the problem. They corrected it by spraying some type of form between outer and iner roof. The rattle is back again (2 months later) worse this time and more so when the sun shade is back and weather is cooler. Going back to the dealer again next week. The rattle and noise is so annoying that you don't enjoy the car. For the price of this car not real happy.
This is a sedan???
Ok, I'm posting this VERY late (had TL for a year, but just bought an MDX in Nov.). I wish I could have both, but not enough garage space. I've had several sedans in the past. This sedan doesn't feel like a sedan, it's a LUXURY SPORTS CAR!!! Handling is fantastic (and I didn't even get the SHAWD). Acceleration is wonderful. All of the tech stuff (nav, ipod hookup, stereo, bluetooth) are perfect. Gas mileage is good. The interior design is far superior to all other sedans I looked at and test drove. I have to say, the exterior is SO nice! I've had more compliments on the look of this car than any other I've had. The exterior look is actually what made me want it in the first place.
Rattles, rattles, and Rattles!
I bought a 2010 Acura TL w/Tech brand new and only 100 miles into it, the pillar by the driver side begins to rattle/crack! The car was given back to the dealer 7 times and it was never fixed. Acura sent out one of their "experts" who was nothing but a disrespectful, arrogant liar to help fix the issue. He ignored the issue and even told Autowest Acura located Santa Clara, CA to not look into it. Horrible experience! Customer service definitely does not exist in Acura from corporate to dealership apparently.. I wish I would have purchased the BMW 3 series or the Infinite G. The main problem is the quality of this car and Acura's client service. Horrible, stay away!
Not to be underestimated
I bought my 2011 TL SH-AWD in March and absolutely love it. I waffled between the '11, an A6 and a Lexus and Acura won me back on value and previous experience. You just can't beat the overall value of this car -- the features, quality and price. I find it odd that many folks decided to buy a TL based on the updated 2012 styling. Granted, the 2011's styling isn't for everyone but it is distinctive, daring and unique. In black, my car looks stunning. The 2012's styling has completed gutted the car of any distinctive quality. It looks like an RL with a bit of Camry -- boring, no visual "growl" or sex at all.
"Shaken and Stirred Up"
Two rules you should always follow! 1) Always test drive The Exact car you are going to buy and 2) Don't believe the salesman when he tells you that they are all the same. My 2010 Acura TL has experienced severe vibration since new which is felt at highway speeds throughout the entire cabin and through the steering wheel. Initially dismissed and finally admitted to, they are calling in an engineer since their mechanic(s) can't figure it out. The car has allegedly been through rotors, tire/rim changes and half- shafts. I couldn't be any more disappointed than I am with the vehicle and Acura's response.I would not recommend this car to anyone without test driving at highway speeds at length...
Acura TL SH-AWD Auto first take
Debated between BMW, Lexus and Cadillac AWD. Bought the Acura for dealer support (the better of the three in this area IMO) and the reliability. Not a big fan of the appearance initially but are getting comfortable with it now. Wonderful handling during our initial 2500 mile drive to the Southwest and back. Excellent brakes and suspension feels very well planted. Runs strong especially when into the RPM range where the valve train can assert itself. Engine is smooth. The car is quiet on the road at speed and easily cruises at 80+ if you're not watching. Sound system is amazing. Tech stuff all well integrated. It's quick. Controls are very logical. Would buy it again, no misgiving.
Love This Car!
This is my 2nd TL (2005). Had this car for 7 weeks & 2500 miles. I love everything about it except the grill, but everything else is so perfect I don't notice the grill any longer. This car is a beast. Performance and handling are amazing. The car accelerates so well without getting hard into the gas, it feels like a turbo kicks in at about 40mph and launches you to 60. The SH-AWD is really fun once you figure out how to use it (when to accelerate during a turn, etc.). The car corners like it's on rails. It was too easy to chirp the tire in my '05 if I accelerated from a stop. Not this car. Can't wait to try it in the show.
TL: Touring Luxury and True Love
Love everything, I don't think sh-awd is a worth buy if you have limited budget, invest on tech package, you will never even look at Mercedes. I drove Mercedes C300, the acceleration was horrible! C300 feels like an upscale of Camry, the tech touch was not even close to what TL has to offer. many critiques focus on the front styling, however, I think that uniqueness is what you are looking for in the entry level luxury car market! I very much like Mayon Bronze Metallic Color! When I bought the car, I was told there were only 5 Bronze vehicles in the mid-atlantic region, which pretty much makes my TL a LIMITED EDITION! The inside is as quiet as a church! Highly recommend this vehicle.
Far and Beyond
Great fun and reliable car. Love it!
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Love it!
My last car was a C70 from Volvo, prior to that a Boxster-S. This drives more like the Boxster, only with room for friends.
great value
This is my fourth Acura. 2000 CL, 2002 TL, 2005 RL, previous. Comparison shopped against Lexus, BMW, & Audi. I initially had reservations about front end appearance, but performance got me past it. Great value for the money & enjoyable to drive. The latest generation of electronics superior to my '05 RL. The AWD corners great. graphics on navi superior, sound system second to none. This car is responsive.
Awesome All-Around - AAA!
Very fun car to drive - was looking at the Audi S4, as well. But with all the options that I liked, was pushing $60K. With the rebates & 1.9% financing, car was over $20K less! Tech package, AWD, HD, just awesome. My only complaint are the seats for now - they are very soft (Milano, I believe), but the sides are too tight around the sides of my back. Starting to break in -- hopefully that will be ok. If driven normally, can avg 32-35 mpg on the hwy!
Fours years w/ this car & we still love this car.
Great entry into luxury vehicles. True cost of ownership estimates are very reasonable and accurate so far. Would buy another one.
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The Gold Standard of Luxury Sport Sedans
I applaud Acura for finally taking the lead with a fresh bold design for the TL. The cars styling is simply brilliant inside and out. And the superbly integrated Tech. package brings the cars substance on par with its stunning looks. The drive is remarkably quiet and controlled. For the last 15 years, Ive only driven German cars. Before buying the TL, I also considered Audi A4, BMW 535xi, VW CC VR6, Infiniti G37x, and the Lexus ES350. In this group, the only serious contender for the TL w/ Tech. package is the VW CC VR6, but only if you can live with its two- seater rear arrangement and I couldnt! So, all things considered, my final analysis led me straight to the TL.
Great all around car
This car has all the things my wife and I were looking for. Fast, handles well, extremely comfortable, and roomy. Also, our top priority. The best stock sound system we've ever heard. Gets mid 20's mpg on a trip, which is acceptable.
Driven by Reason - It's a $teal @ $30K
I wasn't even interested in this car. Coming from Infi G35 and Saab 9-3, I was looking for a fresh look, tracking the new Volvo S60/Buick Regal GS due out in summer. Then started fooling around internet and along came a deal at 20% off MSRP plus 0.9% financing. Went with base model as ride is noticeably smoother without appreciable overall performance trade, and I simply won't go north in price given the 280 hp/256 lb-ft under the hood. Just logged 1100+ miles over 2 long road trips; avg 28 mpg hwy at speeds way above appropriate. The car is excellent to drive and I do not find "numb steering" nor "torque steer" as some reviewers opine. TIP: skip the Tech Pack; base radio inks 6 CD changer.
Fun Daily Driver
Wanted to replace a 2008 TL S-Type with a moderate-price spirited daily driver adding AWD for winter driving. The TL is slightly underpowered, and I didn't like the FWD/tourque steer. Test drove the BMW 535/335 X, Mercedes C 4-Matic. Both are nice cars, but when compared to the TL S-Type neither is really exhilarating. I was not considering another Acura until I saw the 3.5 litre 6-speed. My impression, this car compares very favorably with the BMW 535 in size and performance. Compared to the S-Type the ride is softer with less road feel but the AWD system makes it corner like it's on rails even with 18" all seaon tires. Put 19" performance tires on it if you really want to have fun.