IL Track Tested: 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD

Holy cow that car is quiet at 70..

Debo
If a car is quiet @ 70...... and nobody is there to buy it......
BD

Who knew that such modest changes to the beak would make that car so attractive.

I think I threw up in my mouth a little......
BD

Specifications: Six-speen manual........not automatic.

Cut off everything behind the front doors and it looks kinda Altima-like from this angle. I've seen more attractive gout than the face of this car

its amazing how much the old beak was bringing down the TL. it went from being one of the ugliest cars on the market to not bad.

btw the specs say its an auto and description says its a manual

What changed? It looks the same. Damn that's an awful slalom time for a sporty car in 2012.

3842? Great, another whale on the market. Completely at odds with Honda's product history. They've all gone off the cider over there, very sad.

okay EDMUNDS... everyday your editing gets sloppier and sloppier.

Problems:
Is this car an automatic or a manual? look down to the area between the seats and lmk, actually just tell me how many pedals there are.

If this is a manual, can we name it properly: 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT

AND... theres no way this engine is spinning 2,900 rpm in 6th gear. The manuals are not geared that much shorter than the auto, my 2010 SH-AWD 6MT spins like 2,000 @ 70. If your test car is drinking gas, this explains it. lol

AND... either this particular car was just being really stubborn during testing, but it seems like the car was fighting you on every part, acceleration, slalom, handling, and braking.

well bottom line, its still a bad ass car, hopefully this one will end up as a loaner. lmao

Interesting to compare this with the test using Michelin PS2s in 2010. The increase in performance from the PS2s is incredible. Can't wait to try the new Pilot Super Sports when my crappy Bridgestone RE050As wear out.

Still hideous.

I have to agree with other comments on here. The changes still won't rectify its lackluster sales. Honda and Acura's large car offerings are not differentiated enough from each other to justify the price premiums.

Not to mention that all Honda/Acura products have ugly-stick wounds now.

I'm with the consensus here - it may be a styling improvement, but it's still a big ugly, heavy, lump. A mild rework of styling gone way wrong before just doesn't make it here - sort of like trying to make Mickey Rourke handsome again by only giving him a decent hair-styling.

Another yawner from Honda, who perists in not getting it. The joke styling may have been the stake in the heart for the '09 to '11 TL, but the tepid performance, which is still there, was certainly not going to lure many performance-sedan buyers. Sounds like it might think about getting maneuverable if you flog the crap out of it in a not-very-satisfying way. No thanks.

the car looks better, but now its just another anonymous looking Japanese sedan. Could be a Lexus, could be an infiniti, could be a Honda. The car isn't really that attractive, but its not offensive anymore.

What is the point of a road test of the SHAWD model with the stick? it's pretty much the same as before except for the tires. Skidpad and slalom have dropped (I think) due to all season tires. C&D recorded a braking distance that was 15ft longer than the old car due to the tire change. Where is the MSRP for this car? The TL is now 45k loaded which is ridiculous.

All season rubber? These numbers are strange.

A selection of non-sequitors:

1. Hey, I can get a Boss 302 for the same price and it will run rings around the TL.

2. Hey, I can get an Accord Coupe with the V6 6MT, for about 10K less.

Here is a non-non-sequitor: The Regal CXL turbo is bog slow compared to the TL.

The rev limiter kicks in at 4,000 rpm? Did I read that right? What the hell? So not only is the TL fat and frumpy, any sporting pretentions promised by the powertrain are castrated by the limiter. Nice going, Honda. Nice going, nanny state.

Acura's just don't do anything for me at all. I used to love the previous gen TL and it was on my short list of possible purchases. They still look great after more than 5 years while the new ones look bad after 5 seconds.

All I know is that Honda and Acura are going from almost irrelevant to completely irrelevant in terms of design and innovation.

I don't know why some people are gawking over the redesign, as if the TL has suddenly become beautiful. If an ugly girl gets a nose job, hey, it may look better, but it's not like she's a supermodel now.

roscoe108 says:

06:52 AM, 06/ 1/11

The rev limiter kicks in at 4,000 rpm? Did I read that right? What the hell? So not only is the TL fat and frumpy, any sporting pretentions promised by the powertrain are castrated by the limiter. Nice going, Honda. Nice going, nanny state.

--------------------

rev limiter @ 4k @ LAUNCH. Now that I've said that, I'm done defending this 'thing'.

It's still not as good looking as the previous TL. Also, the poor design makes loading certain items into the trunk difficult and, with the lack of rear split seats, makes a big car a bit too impractical.

Per Acura's model configurator, this year's 6MT is offered only with a black interior (last year: 3), drabber exterior colors and no HPT on 19" wheels. While the latter might be available as a dealer installed option, the MT penalty is alive and well at Acura.

I question why the manual equipped car needs all season rubber. If you opt for the stick you are likely more concerned about driving hard than the average buyer. I don't get it.

"I think I threw up in my mouth a little......
BD"

Have you seen Lexus GS concept?

This just looks boring.

"I question why the manual equipped car needs all season rubber. If you opt for the stick you are likely more concerned about driving hard than the average buyer. I don't get it."

Acura is trying to copy GM. Maybe you can ask your GM connection why the manual Regal comes with all season rubber, then you'll find the answer to your question.

This refresh is like giving Kristy Alley a nose job.. did it really improve anything?
Hyundai is taking Honda to school on design.

@ 1487,

The TL is far from anonymous, when you see one, you know it's a TL.

For those of you who thinks the last gen. TL looked better, I disagree. Yeah, it was a nice looking car,(I owned a 06) but it had it's time. The current gen. TL is more mature and separates itself more from the Accord, can't say that about the last gen.

What can I say? It still looks like a dog compared to the last generation TL, even with the nose job and butt lift. And the numbers aren't convincing enough for me to drive something that ugly.

@ar1906:
Yes, when you would see it people would think how ugly it is and it would even make babies cry. Now the TL is with less ugly. I hope the next one is just plain boring styled. It takes time to wash off the ugliness, but you are right, people do remember it.

I still laugh when you call the 09-11 TL ugly but call this facelifted. I can see the subtle differences between the two cars but basically if you didn't like the old one, I can't see how you'd like this one.

I, however, liked the old one (after it grew on me, which took awhile) and like this one too. Not enough to get one over an S4 though...

@ar1906

I couldn't disagree more with you about the looks of the previous-gen TL.

Two weeks ago I purchased an 07 TL Type S after the lease on my 07 STS was up. That car was a looker from the day it was introduced back in 04 and in the opinion of many, it is the best looking TL EVER. While speaking to a service advisor he also told me that sales figures for the current model are below that of the previous.

This is one of the ugliest models in the Acura lineup; possibly second only to the God awful ZDX.

The styling tweaks are a welcome improvement, but I (and apparently many others) am saddled with the memory of the awful 2010. If the car were released this way it would have likely been generally accepted, but instead I still have lukewarm feelings because it, while decent looking, sure looks an awful lot like this ugly car I've seen before. The 2010 design has major negative baggage no refresh can shake.

That said, V6, AWD, stick is a great combination and I'm glad to see Acura has continued to offer the 6MT.

"church123 says:

11:22 PM, 05/31/11

Interesting to compare this with the test using Michelin PS2s in 2010. The increase in performance from the PS2s is incredible. Can't wait to try the new Pilot Super Sports when my crappy Bridgestone RE050As wear out."

That is quite a difference indeed!

"1487 says:

05:24 AM, 06/ 1/11

What is the point of a road test of the SHAWD model with the stick? it's pretty much the same as before except for the tires. Skidpad and slalom have dropped (I think) due to all season tires. C&D recorded a braking distance that was 15ft longer than the old car due to the tire change. Where is the MSRP for this car? The TL is now 45k loaded which is ridiculous."

Remember this intro for other IL track-tested block entries, 1487?

"Inside Line tests hundreds of vehicles a year, but not every vehicle gets a full write-up. The numbers still tell a story, though, so we present "IL Track Tested." It's a quick rundown of all the data we collected at the track, along with comments direct from the test drivers. Enjoy."

Just because a vehicle's instrumented numbers are blogged here doesn't mean it is going to have an Inside Line Full Test or Comparison Test written about it.

I don't know why that paragraph isn't being used anymore for these blog entries. That may be a question for whoever is posting them.

The 4000rpm Launch limit is because Honda can't figure out how to manufacture a transmission that doesn't self-destruct. This has been an issue since 1996....15 years and they can't fix it?

I'm with the majority here, the last gen TL was a much better looking car than this one. As with every other Japanese V6 - they keep making them bigger and creating more and more NVH. Go back to 3.2 liters and put a turbo on it...you'll have 50more hp and much smoother operation.

I loved Honda a decade ago when they had a direction and involvement in motor sports. Now they just make vanilla cars that will be forgotten about next week. Yes I can easily recognize a TL on the road...but not for a good reason. This is just another Honda fail. On the road to obscurity since 2004...

The 4000rpm Launch limit is because Honda can't figure out how to manufacture a transmission that doesn't self-destruct. This has been an issue since 1996....15 years and they can't fix it?

I'm with the majority here, the last gen TL was a much better looking car than this one. As with every other Japanese V6 - they keep making them bigger and creating more and more NVH. Go back to 3.2 liters and put a turbo on it...you'll have 50more hp and much smoother operation.

I loved Honda a decade ago when they had a direction and involvement in motor sports. Now they just make vanilla cars that will be forgotten about next week. Yes I can easily recognize a TL on the road...but not for a good reason. This is just another Honda fail. On the road to obscurity since 2004...

here is the other TL problem- PRICE CREEP. The last gen topped out at $39k with the type S model, the regular car was only about $36k loaded with nav. This car STARTS at $36k (same as CTS and more than some other sports sedans) and tops out at over $44k which is what the RL used to cost. It's too expensive for an Acura and the sales reflect that. This car should be around 40k with all options. A loaded TL is now as much as a 5 series.

Just the same old fat pig. Of course its origin means its loved here.

Hey stoppre75 - you might want to look at the Honda Racing website to see that Honda is still rather active (and extremely good) in all levels of racing - they just don't do F1 anymore.

And...smoother operation? The J series v6 is universally acclaimed for it's smoothness - have you ever driven one?

Oh and 1487 - the most expensive TL is the SH-AWD 6AT with the Advance Package at 45K. The most comparable 5 Series is the 535xi - which starts at 52K with not even close to the level of equipment as the Loaded TL. According to Acura's website, a comparably equipped 535xi would be $24K more. Price creep is everywhere.

rvmirror says: "3842? Great, another whale on the market."

3,800 lbs is close to what many, if not most cars in this segment weigh with AWD. The Audi S4 tips the scales at 4,010 even before adding fuel and driver, and is dimensionally smaller in every respect. The Cadillac CTS challenges 2 tons just as a rear-driver. . .

1487 says: "The TL is now 45k loaded which is ridiculous."

Huh? 45k can get you into a really nice Audi. . .just not an S4. A 335i starts at ~$40k, but your run on the options sheet is pretty much over if you select the M-Sport package. It's more or less the same story with the C350, which won't let you have a stick or AWD. The only like-powered game in town that won't run a 10k premium well-equipped are the Infiniti G37, Cadillac CTS, and the Lexus IS 350, though I can personally attest to the utter uselessness of the latter's back seat. No stick available, either.

Finally, a 5 series' base-listing at 45k is irrelevent. Overlap within BMW's own range aside, you won't get much beyond seats, wheels, and an engine relative to the TL at that price.

1487 says: "I question why the manual equipped car needs all season rubber. If you opt for the stick you are likely more concerned about driving hard than the average buyer. I don't get it."

According to Edmunds' First Drive article for this car, Acura claims that the take rate for summer rubber was less than 1%. . .and that was with them putting the tires on the car for less than what the average consumer could negotiate at their friendly neighborhood tire shop.

rvmirror says: "3842? Great, another whale on the market."

3,800 lbs is close to what many, if not most cars in this segment weigh with AWD. The Audi S4 tips the scales at 4,010 even before adding fuel and driver, and is dimensionally smaller in every respect. The Cadillac CTS challenges 2 tons just as a rear-driver. . .

1487 says: "The TL is now 45k loaded which is ridiculous."

Huh? 45k can get you into a really nice Audi. . .just not an S4. A 335i starts at ~$40k, but your run on the options sheet is pretty much over if you select the M-Sport package. It's more or less the same story with the C350, which won't let you have a stick or AWD. The only like-powered game in town that won't run a 10k premium well-equipped are the Infiniti G37, Cadillac CTS, and the Lexus IS 350, though I can personally attest to the utter uselessness of the latter's back seat. No stick available, either.

Finally, a 5 series' base-listing at 45k is irrelevent. Overlap within BMW's own range aside, you won't get much beyond seats, wheels, and an engine relative to the TL at that price.

1487 says: "I question why the manual equipped car needs all season rubber. If you opt for the stick you are likely more concerned about driving hard than the average buyer. I don't get it."

According to Edmunds' First Drive article for this car, Acura claims that the take rate for summer rubber was less than 1%. . .and that was with them putting the tires on the car for less than what the average consumer could negotiate at their friendly neighborhood tire shop.

rvmirror says: "3842? Great, another whale on the market."

3,800 lbs is close to what many, if not most cars in this segment weigh with AWD. The Audi S4 tips the scales at 4,010 even before adding fuel and driver, and is dimensionally smaller in every respect. The Cadillac CTS challenges 2 tons just as a rear-driver. . .

1487 says: "The TL is now 45k loaded which is ridiculous."

Huh? 45k can get you into a really nice Audi. . .just not an S4. A 335i starts at ~$40k, but your run on the options sheet is pretty much over if you select the M-Sport package. It's more or less the same story with the C350, which won't let you have a stick or AWD. The only like-powered game in town that won't run a 10k premium well-equipped are the Infiniti G37, Cadillac CTS, and the Lexus IS 350, though I can personally attest to the utter uselessness of the latter's back seat. No stick available, either.

Finally, a 5 series' base-listing at 45k is irrelevent. Overlap within BMW's own range aside, you won't get much beyond seats, wheels, and an engine relative to the TL.

1487 says: "I question why the manual equipped car needs all season rubber. If you opt for the stick you are likely more concerned about driving hard than the average buyer. I don't get it."

According to Edmunds' First Drive article for this car, Acura claims that the take rate for summer rubber was less than 1%. . .and that was with them putting the tires on the car for less than what the average consumer could negotiate at their friendly neighborhood tire shop.

Acura tried to pull a Cadillac with their design language...and failed miserably. It's still not working.

Here is my point on price- $45k is too much for a TL. I understand that its better equipped than many other $45k cars, but thats not the point. Its still based on an Accord and somewhat resembles an Accord. Acuras have typically been about value in the luxury segment and $45k for this car is too much.

Wow... I see nothing but a bunch of 'whiners' here.

1st of all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Somebody mentioned that ZDX is awful - I disagree... Awful is for something like Aztek.
ZDX is... different (IMHO, in a cool way)

This also proofs that ONLY a few people are willing to accept change (typical).

Last gen TL is one of the best looking sedan out there - TRUE, but then again, it's getting old...

If Acura designed the current TL blandly (like the ES... good grief - but again, the 'Beauty' thing), most people will probably complain as much.

So, in this case, I TRULY respect the boldness of the design.
(Honestly, I like the '09-'11 TL better than the 'now-bland-but-safe-sale-'12...)

2nd,
People, let's not get crazy with comparing Acura/Honda with those ripping-your-buttt-to-the-ground BMW, MB, Audi (Heck, even Lexus) nickel-and-dime-every-wire-in-this-freaking-car policy.

Acura/Honda is one of the best bang for the buck deal where most of the stuff comes standard...

There... just my 2 cents...

@1487

Dude I am so tired of you guys making these uninformed the TL is just a Accord for and extra 5-6k. You know what, you and the rest of these so called enthusiast's would learn alot from getting off ur computer and test driving the two. They are much much different than you know. Everything from the tuning, the driving, to the equipment and interior qaulity is different.

Also Since I am a 05 TL owner I will say i think the new TL's are better with the expection of the Electronic power Steering which is not anywhere near as good as hydrolic (in any car). The styling is great to me. Like one other commenter said you know it when you see a TL.

If I owned a current gen TL(which I will eventyally). I really wouldn't be overly concerned about what people think because it's the best priced FWD sedan on the market for what you get.

By the way this car is considered heavy compared to what in the midsize luxury market with awd?? Please some of you well informed guys find a premuim awd car that 2-300lbs lighter. LOL

1487 says: "Here is my point on price- $45k is too much for a TL. I understand that its better equipped than many other $45k cars, but thats not the point. Its still based on an Accord and somewhat resembles an Accord. Acuras have typically been about value in the luxury segment and $45k for this car is too much."

In your opinion. Objectively, the car car still bests the establishment in features for the price, which coincides with Acura's past focus on value. End of story. Acura's biggest problem as illustrated by J.D. Power's Avoider Survey is by and far their aesthetic. Clean that up and get some clear, long-term differentiation going (between products AND brands), and they'll be fine.

Isn't that a really low skidpad for AWD. I though it helped matters.

Glad they fixed it some. Still a shame they went from the best looking car in the segment, to the worst and now just middle of the road. I still like the '04-'08 better.

"Who knew that such modest changes to the beak would make that car so attractive."

It's far more than that. They pushed in the bottom-front corners, and pushed in the lower half of the rear bumper. I think those changes make at least as big a change as removing the beak's extension on the hood.

smallfield says: "Isn't that a really low skidpad for AWD. I though it helped matters."

The impressive numbers we've gotten spoiled on is due in large part to torque-vectoring, which can mitigate, but not overcome weak rubber. Down 3.9 mph to Edmunds' otherwise mechanically similar 2011 tester, it's pretty evident that the all-season Michelins on the newer car are 80% of the problem. The other 20% is SH-AWD itself - one of its documented foibles is that it can be a little delayed responding to quick transitions, though the tires also exacerbated the tendency since they were ready to fold much sooner.

Put a comfort-biased tire on an S4, and I'd expect similar performance degradation.

"In your opinion. Objectively, the car car still bests the establishment in features for the price, which coincides with Acura's past focus on value. End of story. Acura's biggest problem as illustrated by J.D. Power's Avoider Survey is by and far their aesthetic. Clean that up and get some clear, long-term differentiation going (between products AND brands), and they'll be fine. "

Acura has never had success with a car over $40k- look at the RL. The Tl's styling is a major factor but the TL jumped about $5k from one generation to the next which is a huge jump. The first two generations of the car sold in the low $30k range while this version starts at $36k+ and reached the mid 40k range. Too expensive for an Acura, I dont care about features. I could get a loaded Sonata for far less than a comparable BMW or Lexus but that doesn't mean those cars are comparable. Acura isnt a top tier luxury brand and its pricing has to reflect that. The MDX is the only $40k+ model they've ever had that has sold well and thats largely because its an SUV and pricing for that genre is higher than cars anyway. Even a Grand Cherokee is $45k loaded these days. sales of the TL have been mediocre for years now and the 2012 thus far hasn't changed that trajectory. Acura as a division isn't doing well and hasn't been for a few years. The styling of the TL is only one aspect of that.

And the TL is indeed based on the Accord. They have almost the same dimensions in terms of length and wheelbase and width.

To those who are claiming that you get everything for $45k in the TL SH-AWD 6MT that you would in a 335xi (wow, that was a lot easier to say) at ~$51k (I'm assuming with premium, convenience packages, Navigation), I just want to point out that feature-to-feature, you're not getting the same equipment in both. For example:

HID low-beams only with no adaptive function vs. self-leveling, adaptive bi-xenons
"Vehicle-speed-sensitive" intermittent wipers vs. rain-sensing
2-way lumbar adjustment (driver only) vs. 4-way (driver and passenger)
XM traffic (requires subscription) vs. FM traffic
etc.

The TL should compete against the likes of Maxima and Lexus ES rather than a true sport sedan in the likes of 3-series, Infniti G, Lexus IS, etc.

@ travelingman79: A base TL may compete with a Maxima or ES, but certainly not the SH-AWD 6MT. The folks at Automobile magazine see it as a viable competitor to an S4 (unless you don't consider it a true sports sedan). (See: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1008_2010_acura_tl_sh_awd_vs_2010_audi_s4/index.html)

I currently drive an S4 (and likely will purchase another), but I certainly appreciate the Acura's bag-for the-buck and reliability. I would definitely test drive the TL when I am ready for a new vehicle (as long as Acura continues to make a 6MT available).

It went from ugly to uglier!!!!

1487, it's no secret that every Acura available uses modified versions of existing Honda platforms. However, the TL SH-awd (and select other Acuras) have proven themselves with their dynamic capabilities that no Honda can currently match.

Instead of going merely on paper performance and chassis measurements I suggest you to go drive these cars and then make an analysis as both brands are still competitive in regards to dynamic performance. If you want to dig even deeper the Acuras are much more than Accords with more features and AWD. Subframes, materials, electronics, technologies, suspension geometry etc etc are different when comparing both Honda and Acura platforms. Although I still believe Acura car platforms should differentiate themselves even further (think Audi), currently the platforms are still competent.

"rvmirror says: "3842? Great, another whale on the market."

3,800 lbs is close to what many, if not most cars in this segment weigh with AWD. The Audi S4 tips the scales at 4,010 even before adding fuel and driver, and is dimensionally smaller in every respect."

Weight creep is probably worse than price creep. My first generation CTS-V is exactly the same weight as this TL, but instead of AWD, I get a V8. Works for me. But the new one is like 400lbs heavier than mine. Certainly delivers the numbers, that's for sure.

1487 says: "Acura has never had success with a car over $40k- look at the RL."

The RL has been a habitual sales underperformer in the Acura lineup because it's been a fundamentally flawed flagship since. . .always. The first generation car succeeded the Legend only in hierarchal placement - it was aesthetically boring (then again, mid-90s Acuras in general were), and while the Legend was also wrong-wheel-drive, it sported balanced performance to the RL's relentless pursuit of retirees. Honda/Acura was best known for cars like the Integra and Prelude at the time, yet they chose to digitally remaster the Lincoln Town Car for their flagship? Fail.

The 2G tried to address that, but went smaller, still wasn't styled to sell in an even more expressive segment, and failed miserably to realize Acura's own goal of V8-comparable performance with V6-comparable fuel economy (it was acceptable relative to the competition's sixes at best). The price is wrong, but seeing that Hyundai has had little trouble moving into a price point and segment it NEVER made any overtures toward prior to the Genesis, I think the bigger problem is that car itself is wrong. With a slight exception of the 2005-2008 models (they were the only Acura cars to sport AWD), Acura has repeatedly designed and positioned the RL to be ignored by outsiders, and raped by the TL within a showroom that prides itself and its consumers on smart indulgence. The RL has done little, if not nothing better than the TL over the course of its life, which in turn has habitially moved more units in a month than the RL does all year. The RL doesn't need a $10k price cut - it needs a trip back to the drawing board and to re-emerge with a blend of better blend of Acura values, contemporary expectations, and mind of where its lesser siblings will be in 3-4 years' time.

"I could get a loaded Sonata for far less than a comparable BMW or Lexus but that doesn't mean those cars are comparable."

Horrible comparison. The only car comparative to the Sonata in those lineups is the ES 350. However, Hyundai doesn't design, engineer, or market it in a manner to try and lure ES 350 buyers, many of whom wouldn't test-drive a LaCrosse if you paid them to because 'Buicks are for old people, and they aren't old.' If the point you want to make is one of prestige, then you're still running a slippery slope because again, Hyundai has convinced buyers and the media that it can do competitive $40k in North America outside with no successful precedent and no image other than the emergence of their volume cars.

Can hardly tell they changed the styling. This car looks more confused than the RL. What an anonymous looking beast. And how ugly is the rear with that god awful trunk.

It looks like they took the front right off the MDX.

You cant polish a turd.

I replaced the 245/40-19 Goodyear RS-A tires on my 2012 TL SH-AWD, which has automatic transmission, Tech Package and Advanced Package, with Continental ContiExtreme DW summer tires and found that the car has signficantly better roadholding and handling and is quieter and smoother riding as well. For a road car, the TL performs well.

For that weight and 1/4 mile time, it must have more than 305 hp.

new beak is better but its still a whale.
the new tsx is the size of the old TL(2004-2008) and you can have it with 4 or 6 cylinder....thats the car to buy if you want some sport in your sport sedan. its not that neat looking though....but really...the 2004-2008 TL is the only good looking vehicle acura has made in a DECADE. i drive a USED 2005 acura tl and quite like it...especially for the price i paid...$15.8k in 2009. to me...acura is a brand best bought used....for a lot of reasons...for the last 2 years every time i went into acura for an oil change they tried to sell me one of their cartoonish beakmobiles...i just laughed when i saw that 2009 TL front end...NO ONE wants those cars. i wonder if you can buy used one and pay body shop to put new beak/bumper from the 2012 model??

I am a huge Honda fan, but I have to admit that it seems that Honda has totally lost its direction in styling and innovation. The Acura TL refresh is a bit better looking than the 2010 model, but it now looks anonymous and more like a Chevy. It just does NOT look like a premium/luxury car. The previous generation TL (2004 to 2009) is a much better looking car than the current version. Honda is going in the wrong direction. Additionally, the Acura ZDX is DEAD ON ARRIVAL. It is simply UGLY and doesnt fit well in any category just like the BMW X6. Acura could have really hit a home run on the ZDX but missed a very important opportunity. Honda/Acura is becoming irrelevant in the market and is being over-run by Hyundai and Kia, a situation that was totally inconceivable just a few years ago. This situation repeats itself with the new Honda Civic, it just looks anonymous and under-whelming. It looks more like a GM/Chevy product. Honda/Acura needs a new styling direction because whatever direction they have now is simply not working. A valid arguement could also be made that they currently have NO styling direction.

Honda is in a sad state of affairs at the moment, a similiar situation that Infinity found itself in prior to the introduction of the G35 but they realised and admitted their mistakes and turned things around. Honda needs to face the fact that their current styling direction is a FAILURE and need to change direction IMMEDIATELY.

The upcoming Acura NSX, RSX and other upcoming Acura and Honda models have to be hits to get Honda back into being relevant in the market place. The Civic needs an IMMEDIATE refreshening. The previous Civic was a much better looking car.

I have three Honda products, an Odyssey, Accord and a TSX, and 4 if you count a Honda lawnmower. However, I would be hard pressed to buy another Honda product if they maintain their current path. Audi, BMW and Infinity are looking a whole lot more attractive and RELEVANT.