Used 2013 Acura TL Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2013 TL, so we've included reviews for other years of the TL since its last redesign.
Fun ride!
Married with Children, 12/27/2019
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my 2012 Acura in 2014 and have pretty much enjoyed everything except the "soft" leather seats which can be easily damaged and the navigation system which would be more user friendly and less frustrating if it were a touch screen. I've had my car for 5 yrs and have pretty much had only the normal maintenance of brakes/tires. This has been a great fun car to have. However, now that its paid off, I will have to look into getting the leather interior fixed. My family went to Water Country and before I realized my daughter had her wet hair on the back headrest, it was all warped up..not too long after that incident, I noticed the front seats ripping. I don't recall the year my seats started ripping, but people were surprised at how they ripped. This was my first car with leather seats, so I didn't know what to expect. The car is very fast, however, there's a big pause if you're trying to have a speedy takeoff. It's great for petite/average sized individuals but definitely not spacious enough for larger drivers/passengers. Its a great balance of a sport/luxury sedan.
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I was expecting so much more from Acura!
ThatGuy, 11/04/2022
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I purchased my 2012 TL base model roughly 1 year ago. It had 124k miles on the clock and was in fairy good shape for the year and miles. I specifically got the base model due to the oil consumption issues the higher end SH-AWD models with the 3.7L V6 suffer from. First off, this car is so un-godly boring and very dull to drive. The "driver to road" feedback isn't there at all. The power delivery is "meh". It doesn't feel like a 280hp V6. It feels like a 180hp 4 cylinder! After having to do some routine maintenance, I felt like I had purchased an Audi or Mercedes Benz with the amount of money I've spent for parts and labor. Some of the major con's with this car for me are 1) The road noise! I'm glad I can turn the radio up louder, because you hear EVERYTHING! Especially the wind. This car wouldn't be much fun on long road trip. It's terrible! 2) The steering on these is horrendous! It's so jerky it's ridiculous! When you hit a bump, regardless of how fast your going, you had better be holding onto the wheel because it will go wherever it wants! 3) The touchy throttle. I'm the kind of driver that uses light pressure to get going from a stop, and I roll into the throttle. I can't find the sweet spot at all on this car! It reacts like your mashing it to the floor no matter how much or how little of pressure you apply. Not exactly safe. 4) The terrible flip key design. The springs inside them are garbage and Acura wants $269 EACH for a replacement key. 🤦♀️ 5) The suspension! It's a luxury sport sedan (or so I thought) and the suspension is as stiff as a slammed Civic! You feel EVERY bump, crack, split, etc in the road. There's no smoothness at all. 6) The type of tires that are recommended for this car. They are a "sport" low profile tire. They ride like crap, they grab and pull with any type of separations in the road, and OMG are they NOISY! The car does have some pro's, though. It's fairly comfortable, the controls are centralized and easy to use, the trunk has quite a bit of room, and the overall design isn't bad (aside from the "beak" nose on the front end). I have owned several Honda/Acura vehicles and I am extremely disappointed with this vehicle. I even went as far as looking to trade mine in for a new TLX, and needless to say I wasn't impressed at all during the test drive. Especially for the kind of money they want for a new one. This will be my last Honda/Acura vehicle. The quality, reliability, and overall product has gone down hill. I wouldn't recommend this vehicle at all.
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2013 Acura TL for sale near you
Showing 3 of 17 listings
- Base SedanMSRP: $14,990110 mi away
- SH-AWD SedanMSRP: $9,250190 mi away
- Technology Package SedanMSRP: $8,495In-stock online
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Really a great car
Thomas, 12/22/2017
2013 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Technology Package (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought my AWD tech Acura TL new in 2013. It now has 126,000 miles on it, and it still runs great. Really glad I bought this car. Only problem I had was the in dash key fob mount broke. I got new brakes at 70,000 miles and choose to replace the timing belt at 110,000 miles. If you buy a used one from the dealer, ask about timing belt status. It’s a $1,200 service, ouch. The AWD is amazing in the snow, and on dry roads the car handles like a go kart. Only negative to this car for me, is that it needs premium gas. Last thing, the car flies, 0-60 is posted at 5.5 seconds, but I swear mine is faster. And 30 to 80 mph is faster, great tollway cruiser.
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Satisfied new lease owner
hcpsmarshall, 09/30/2012
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
Car handles well and is impressively equipped with the technology package. The sound system is great as is the voice command. The number of buttons can be daunting, but I find them useful. Styling is good and overall it is a great value, especially for a lease.
owned since April '12
enbeuu, 06/25/2014
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 4 people found this review helpful
great TL and best Acura owned since Legend Coupe which wasn't close to this model in drivability and comfort. blind spot is horrible and side view cam is a must for this model Rear cam is wonderful.
GPS Prolems
rb1028, 08/18/2012
2012 Acura TL Advance Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 6 people found this review helpful
I like this car but the GPS drives me nuts. The GPS keeps voicing I'm on an unverified road. These streets have been here for over 30 years! This is so annoying especially if I'm on my cell phone or enjoying music. The dealership, Ft. Wayne Acura, continues to tell me that Acura is aware of the problem and will fix it but they don't. For a car I've paid over $40K to own I think it should have a GPS which functions properly. Additionally, it wants to route me in all sorts of crazy directions. Acura says it's because I live in a city of 10,000 but all my other cars including my Camry have absolutely no GPS problem.
Very dissapointed in reliability
Dissapointed in reliability but love driving it., 06/22/2017
updated 01/13/2023
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
I have had more repairs on this car then any car I've ever owned. (for a car that's only five years old with 50,000 miles.) Bad transmission, broken window control, airbag drivers side, broken radio, just out of warranty. (This is a common problem apparently.) In addition, the dealer has damaged the car twice. One time they scratched the paint in 2 places through to the primer. Another time they ripped up the upholstery on the armrest . They fixed it both times, but wasted a lot of my time, There is no excuse for damaging the vehicle. Everything but the radio has been under warranty. Like the car a lot, but very disappointed in the reliability. Hate to see what my repair bills will be now that its not under warranty. Year 2020, still fun to drive but the center console and drivers seat are shredding with only 85,000 miles on the car They use some vinyl in parts of the seats and it is the thinnest cheapest stuff I have ever seen. Fun to drive, but definitely not the old Acura quality. Update 2023.
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disappointed
CD, 01/19/2018
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 8 people found this review helpful
Purchased the car brand new in 2011. Have been disappointed in several things, the center console armrest leather ripped after only 4 years and no real wear and tear. Dealer wanted $350 to replace so I did it myself for about $50. The exterior chrome molding/gasket came loose on both sides and cost $400 to replace each. The passenger AC ducts became stuck in 1 position and had to pay another $400 to fix. There are 2 individual sides and now both sides have become stuck in 1 position again. Battery was replaced twice in 3 years, after it was no longer covered by warranty I went to Sam's Club and purchased their battery and haven't had a problem yet. Brake pads/rotors showed rust after 1 year. Disappointed in quality and won't purchase again.
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Not bad, but needs improvements
71peters, 09/18/2013
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
4 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have had my 2012 TL for a year now. I bought it as a CPO for $28K...4K miles on it. I traded in a BMW 328I. Ok, it is a nice car with a lot of options. The interior is nice and very modern. Been on a few long trips and it is very comfortable. Where I have issues is with it's performance. Two things right off the bat, 1) The transmission, second gear to be exact seems sluggish on take off. It really drags the the engine down and makes for a jerky ride. Granted, coming from a BMW...the Acura's performance is not even close. But it makes up for it in other areas. 2) The steering is not sport-tuned and you will feel torque-steer if you get in the gas. Feels like a Buick at times.
Very good but not deserving the TLC status
bogdan2, 02/07/2012
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
15 of 31 people found this review helpful
I own the TL 2012 Technology package for more than a month now. The car is sporty indeed while comfortable and quiet. However my expectations were much higher from a car that claims to be a Total Luxury Car. 1. While driving you can't rest your left hand by sitting your elbow on the door handle. And even if you can it won't be at the same level as you right hand elbow. 2. If you remove your foot off the gas pedal quickly it will hit the frame with a "clunk" type of noise very bothering. 3. The worst probably is the navigation system that doesn't show your current speed, the speed limit of the road and most of the street names you driving by.
Commute in comfort and have some fun!
Peter, 06/25/2016
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 5 people found this review helpful
Upgraded from a 3rd gen TL, what a huge huge difference. The car has minimal body roll, strong brakes, brisk acceleration. Passing cars is a breeze. You go from 65-85 in less than 2.5 seconds. Wheel has torque steer, be prepared for it, even when accelerating at highway speeds. Interior could be quieter. Wind and road noise is noticeable. Brake feel is great, doesn't dive when braking and the transmission shifts smoothly at all speeds making it a very comfortable commuter car on the jam packed 805 and 5. I wish the car had direct injection and valve shut off. Commute is 17 miles. 5 miles of which are torture, 12 of which are open, averaging only 21.3 mpg. Wish the car had 20-30 more hp. Paddle shifters work extremely well allowing you to downshift to slow down like a manual transmission increasing longevity of brakes.
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Really wanted to like it
Paul M, 07/30/2015
2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Technology Package (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
6 of 13 people found this review helpful
Not impressed at all. Had trouble with the car since the day I purchased it. Navigation is awful, the directions are misleading, it doesn't take you on the most direct route and the POI has completely wrong address information and has taken me to places that didn't exist at least 5 times. I have not been able to use a device plugged into the USB port at all, it causes the screen to freeze or reset. I brought the car to Acura and they supposedly changed the unit itself, all wiring and the USB port and it still doesn't work. My worst complaint of all is the transmission. It's extremely jerky especially when shifting into 2nd gear and just isn't smooth at all. It really slows the engine down and now I know why the new Acuras have different transmissions. Otherwise the car handles very well, the seats are very comfortable I can drive all day, sound system very good. Not sure if these are common problems or I just got a lemon but wouldn't recommend.
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GREAT CAR, ESPECIALLY FOR THE PRICE!!!
mbessette, 01/05/2013
2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Advance Package (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 3 people found this review helpful
I traded in my 2008 Range Rover Supercharged for this car and it drives just as good if not better than the Range. Also has better electronic features, reliability, and cost a third of the price. Overall just a good quality car very happy with it!!!! P.S the AWD handled better than any other i have driving and i also drove a Subaru and an infiniti in the past
Refreshed Styling sold me
al_donofrio, 03/30/2011
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
30 of 75 people found this review helpful
I was considering a buyout of the lease on my 2008 base TL. It was an excellent car, one of the best I've ever owned. I did however, wish that I'd gotten the nav package, and was considering trying to "trade up". Acura is offering excellent discounts and financing on 2011 TLs. We drove the 2011 TL, loved the ride and features, but the exterior styling on it just turned me off. The dealer had just received two 2012 cars, and the improvements in the front and rear styling immediately caught my attention. After a test drive we made a great deal on the 2012, with a loyalty discount and reduced rate financing - it is great.
Manual transmission didaster
Eyan, 03/07/2022
2013 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Technology Package (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 6 people found this review helpful
I have had to replace the transmission twice in less than 100 K miles; they blamed my driving but it never happened in 5 previous non-Acura cars
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Awesome Bang for the buck (But miss my BMW)
e60535i, 09/09/2011
2012 Acura TL Advance Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
23 of 61 people found this review helpful
I bought the TL Advance in 7/2011 after I saw some great financing deals. I had a VW Jetta TDI, which was awesome, but just uncomfortable for my 30 plus mile drive to and from work 5 days per week. Is this my dream car...no. But, it is a terrific bang for the buck and I am fortunate enough to afford such a great vehicle. I love the body style, power, gas mileage and all of the wonderful technology. However, the shift paddles and sport transmission are not what I expected. I have owned a BMW 335i, and 535i, which were very expensive, but had awesome handling, smooooth transmission, and effortless maneuverability.
Acura TL 2013
CHARLES Harry, 06/06/2017
2013 Acura TL Advance Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Great car for the money
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Acura cost cutting ruins this car for me
jr171, 12/27/2011
2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Technology Package (3.7L 6cyl 6M)
34 of 97 people found this review helpful
The TL is fun to drive and is well designed. Unfortunately, after living with it for 6 months the cost cutting Acura is so obvious that it ruins the car for me. Here are my annoyances, individually none of them are deal breakers but combined they kill my TL enjoyment Issue 1: The wheels of my 44k car are plastic. The 2011 model were metal and looked a ton better. Issue 2: The bumpers of my white TL are a yellowish white that don't come close to matching the body when it's cloudy outside (bought the car on sunny day so I didn't notice) Issue 3: Misc quality issues. All the chrome paint has flaked off my key fob, the leather is low quality and wearing quickly, the back speakers rattle, etc
Stay away from Acura
pasulaka, 11/18/2012
2013 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
38 of 110 people found this review helpful
Acura has set new standards for using poor quality materials. My dashboard developed several large cracks after just a few days parked in my parking lot at work this summer in North Carolina. (Other than work, the car is always garaged.) The dealership claims it cracked due to maintenance(!) I own 4 other cars ranging from 1974 to 2006 & have never had a cracked dashboard. The TL has more rattles than your average new-born child. The cover over my cup-holder broke after just a few weeks. I truly wish I had bought a Lexus, BMW or Mercedes.
tech package overkill
tomtrav1, 02/19/2013
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
10 of 28 people found this review helpful
this is our 3rd acura and we are pleased overall.smooth and quiet,handles well.
A great car being turned in from a lease.
Steve Stallings, 02/20/2016
updated 02/28/2017
2013 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
The only thing I noticed that bothers me is the transmission shifts from first to second to quickly. It's better with faster takeoff. Otherwise this is a great car and I plan to lease a 2016 before the lease ends in March. I also had a 2010 TL that I loved. I leased a 2016 TLX Advance and love the car. My only complaint is the adaptive cruise control is too sensitive for my taste and delays resuming speed a bit when lane opens up in front of the car. Also at lower speeds you can feel it cut cylinders down, but that disappears at highway speeds. I've had this lease for about a year and no problems at 14,000 miles. Gas mileage ranges from over 30 on the road to 25 mixed driving. Plenty of power if needed. Great car!
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Beware 2012 Acura TL- Deficient Handling
disillusione1, 01/09/2013
2013 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Advance Package (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
8 of 29 people found this review helpful
Purchased a New Acura AWD Sport package 2012 TL. The purchasing process was exceptional. A Two hour drive home was a disaster. The new TL front end shimmied and pulled to the left. I took it to local Acura dealer because unsafe to drives. They balanced the tires, charged me $50. Brand new vehicle. Returned to original dealer to fix left drifting on interstate highways. They checked said all was in spec. Drove two hours back and it still drifted left. Took videos, took it back. They recommended different tires for over $900. Same problem. Requested to escalate with Acura. No response. Finally I elected to trade in 2012 AWD TL before I was seriously injured.
Loooking forward to the 5G
boe_d, 03/27/2011
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
33 of 141 people found this review helpful
I've been a big fan of Acura's for a long time. They have excellent build quality and do stand behind their products if there is an issue. The TL has always been enjoyable to drive. The 2G and 3G TL had electronics that were head and shoulders above the competition. The 3G was a significant step forward in exterior styling. I'll admit that unlike some fanboys, when a product has taken a step in the wrong direction, the 5G doesn't do Acura any service. The quality is still there but the styling is wretched. On the plus side the refresh shows they are at least willing to listen a little as the front end got snipped a bit. However there were many things wrong with the styling.
Wish Had Not Purchased Tech Package!
rfghmd, 09/22/2012
2012 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
2 of 8 people found this review helpful
Had an Altima that had better electronics and it was 4 yrs old. The dealer and Acura dont seem to care to even discuss it. The $4000 really could have been better spent. GPS unreliable. Auto door unlock feature slow and undependable. And the air cond is terrible! The bluetooth constantly switches w/o warning to the handset. BTW, they even registered my name wrong with their website and still dont have it fixed.
great car...very quick
Chris B, 11/18/2015
2012 Acura TL Advance Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
1 of 3 people found this review helpful
I love my 2012 acura tl
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What a piece of heavy junk!!!
terryj5, 01/02/2014
2013 Acura TL Technology Package 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
17 of 88 people found this review helpful
The TL is probably the worse car in the market, Acura should close their business forever! This is super super bumpy and noise ride. I can feel every bumps on the road even tiny bumps and there are rattles from center console when go over bumps. The suspensions also make thumping and popping sound when go over bumps .The engine runs rough after just 10k mils. What a horrible ownership of this car. Can't wait to get rid of this junk. What a waste of money. I should do more research before i buy this car. First and last Acura! Do not buy any Acura cars!!!
Awful 6 speed Transmission
pjmaz63, 06/04/2012
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
5 of 40 people found this review helpful
The new 6 speed transmission is awful, in a weak attempt to squeeze extra MPG out of the car this is by far the worst transmission i have ever driven. It has a severe hesitation/hunting issue in off the line accelerations and awful harsh awkward shifts in low gears.
Serious safety defect
acuradefect, 11/27/2012
2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
1 of 13 people found this review helpful
Whenever my wife 125# or son 200# sit in passenger seat the Air bag alarm sounds announcing thgere airbag is off Aftger 4 unsuccessful attmepts at fixing the dealer spoke with Acura and was told we were sitting wrong..Same reply at Acura central This suggests that cura is aware of defect cannot fix and is awaiting recall NB I have had the same acura model before without problem and ahve ridden in loaner model without this problem
Dont buy Acura TL
No More Acura, 05/14/2016
2012 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
3 of 52 people found this review helpful
I bought this vehicle in 2012 (certified with 5K miles on it). I have had a number of battery issues; cable rust issues ect.. I just ended up replacing the battery today just in 4 yrs. On top of that there was a serious recall for which I had to waste a lot of time. I also had to recently replace the tires within 40K miles. For the money you pay, there are more reliable brands such as 'Lexus' which is better value for money. Stay away from this POS.
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Really pretty car. Drives so well!
Jeff, 11/25/2024
2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Advance Package (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Beautiful pumkin learher interior. Corners flat like a true sports car.
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Pleasant Surprise
Paul Freedenberg, 04/06/2017
updated 04/18/2019
2013 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
It is a wonderful handling and performing car, with average gas mileage rather than great because of its bigger engine and awd. I love it and would recommend it highly. After driving it for 24 months, my opinion has not changed. I think that it has great mileage for a 300 horsepower engine. The only problem I had was with the electric power steering. It needed replacement at 37000. In addition, I got great after-purchase service from A1 Used Cars, where I purchased it. I highly recommend it and the dealer.
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Great vehicle choice
Calvin, 06/30/2018
2013 Acura TL SH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/Technology Package (3.7L 6cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Great balanced car! Luxury, sporty, functional, fun.
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Great semi luxury sedan
Acura TL Lover, 01/15/2022
2013 Acura TL 4dr Sedan (3.5L 6cyl 6A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
"Semi" luxury. It's not in the same category as a Mercedes or Lexus, but close. I owned 4 Benz's over the years and this is not bad in comparison, esp for the difference in money. I bought mine new as a dealer demo car for a big discount. It's a TL base model, no SH-AWD. There's decent room for 4 adults, and good tech for the year. I now have 80K miles (As of '22) and have had few problems. Alternator died at about 50K miles, and I just did a major brake job, but nothing else except regular maintenance. The thing that keeps me from buying something new is the performance. The off the line acceleration is excellent - as good as any car I've owned except my '02 C32 AMG, which was 350HP. You will rarely get beat at a stop light. And it keeps pulling hard up to 100MPH. Also very good brakes. For a ~ 3800lb car, it also handles very well. It's truly a "sports sedan". Want to go fast up a winding road - go for it! There are paddle shifters to add to the fun. It's no Miata, but not dull either. My big beef is no folding rear seats. Why not? The trunk is also quite small, so folding seats would make it so much more practical. There is a small pass through for skinny things like skis. As a used car, I would say this is a bargain as they should go in the $10K - $15K range with plenty of life left. If you want something that is a lot more fun to drive than a Lexus ES350 (My Mom had one) this is a way better choice.
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